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New GolfNow layout is Awful


SavvySwede
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10 minutes ago, pumaAttack said:

No, I mean have you left your comments in the survey they have listed at the top of the site?

They have a survey and ask what features you want added.  That is the best place to voice your concern.

The survey wasn't very detailed, I sent them an e-mail when the classic site was removed.

10 minutes ago, pumaAttack said:

Yup!  They probably did extensive testing and found out what features they should keep and which features didn't make sense to spend the resources on.  

Well, the point of the thread is that the site is inferior, not so much about Golfnow saving a few bucks on managing the website. It's the heavy users that lose out.

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Just now, SavvySwede said:

The survey wasn't very detailed, I sent them an e-mail when the classic site was removed.

 

Well, the point of the thread is that the site is inferior, not so much about Golfnow saving a few bucks on managing the website. It's the heavy users that lose out.

 

I'm telling you the survey will be much better received.  They don't have time to sort through emails, that's why they set up the survey.

You can either complain here or voice your feedback on that survey, I know which one I would do.

It's impossible to please everyone with a website redesign, as people have different needs and experiences.  But they didn't do it to save a few bucks, what I mean with "resources" was development time.  Building features takes a lot of dev time and they probably made a call which ones where crucial for the initial release.  Now they can spend those resources on further enhancements. 

 

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Tony  


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1 minute ago, pumaAttack said:

I'm telling you the survey will be much better received.  They don't have time to sort through emails, that's why they set up the survey.

They responded to my e-mail so...

2 minutes ago, pumaAttack said:

I'm telling you the survey will be much better received.  They don't have time to sort through emails, But they didn't do it to save a few bucks, what I mean with "resources" was development time.  Building features takes a lot of dev time and they probably made a call which ones where crucial for the initial release.  Now they can spend those resources on further enhancements. 

For a guy whose line of questioning and responses throughout this thread indicate a lack of knowledge about the old site and it's features, how can you claim to know Golfnow's intent or plan?

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:callaway: Big Bertha Alpha 815 DBD  :bridgestone: TD-03 Putter   
:tmade: 300 Tour 3W                 :true_linkswear: Motion Shoes
:titleist: 585H Hybrid                       
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9 minutes ago, SavvySwede said:

They responded to my e-mail so...

For a guy whose line of questioning and responses throughout this thread indicate a lack of knowledge about the old site and it's features, how can you claim to know Golfnow's intent or plan?

We're in the business, we know how site redesigns work and how important feedback is when a site is re-launched.  I've never consulted on a site redesign with a business that intentionally wanted to alienate their "power users" or best customers.  That said, they also want their site to be easy to use for new customers and the look and the feel of the site often is related to how the data is managed in their databases.

Often in redesign, trade-off decisions have to be made.  In this case GolfNow left out some features that you deem important to using their site in the future, you should share that feedback if you wish to remain a customer.  Your feedback won't guarantee that the changes will be made, but if enough people ask for them there's a very good chance they will be added in the future.

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Joe Paradiso

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3 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

We're in the business, we know how site redesigns work and how important feedback is when a new site is re-launched.  I've never consulted on a site redesign with a business that intentionally wanted to alienate their "power users" or best customers.  That said, they also want their site to be easy to use for new customers and the look and the feel of the site often is related to how the data is managed in their databases. 

Often in redesign, trade-off decisions have to be made.  In this case GolfNow left out some features that you deem important to using their site in the future, you should share that feedback if you wish to remain a customer.  Your feedback won't guarantee that the changes will be made, but if enough people ask for them there's a very good chance they will be added in the future.

Perhaps not intentionally but it is a classic business pattern. A company creates a great service/product and then makes more money for it's shareholders by stripping it apart.

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:callaway: Big Bertha Alpha 815 DBD  :bridgestone: TD-03 Putter   
:tmade: 300 Tour 3W                 :true_linkswear: Motion Shoes
:titleist: 585H Hybrid                       
:tmade: TP MC irons                 
:ping: Glide 54             
:ping: Glide 58
:cleveland: 588 RTX 62

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41 minutes ago, SavvySwede said:

They responded to my e-mail so...

For a guy whose line of questioning and responses throughout this thread indicate a lack of knowledge about the old site and it's features, how can you claim to know Golfnow's intent or plan?

 

I used Golfnow a lot in the past and love the redesign.  Of course I don't know their exact plan but I have been involved in enough website releases to know the typical path.

Your experiences and use cases are different than mine.  I might have been in the more popular use case which they tailored their new site to.  That could also explain why you are not liking it.

I bet we see more features added and your experience should get better.  

38 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

We're in the business, we know how site redesigns work and how important feedback is when a site is re-launched.  I've never consulted on a site redesign with a business that intentionally wanted to alienate their "power users" or best customers.  That said, they also want their site to be easy to use for new customers and the look and the feel of the site often is related to how the data is managed in their databases.

Often in redesign, trade-off decisions have to be made.  In this case GolfNow left out some features that you deem important to using their site in the future, you should share that feedback if you wish to remain a customer.  Your feedback won't guarantee that the changes will be made, but if enough people ask for them there's a very good chance they will be added in the future.

 

Yup! It can be a struggle to effectively create the right persona for your site, as there often can be more than 1 and all with very different needs.  But a business should be able to build their site with a focus towards their primary end user.

I don't know the exact reason for their change but their blog post seems to indicate a huge focus on a search first mentality.  They added more search queries and highlighted different ways to search.  

in the end, most users get used to the changes and the experience continues to improve.

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Tony  


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@pumaAttack and @newtogolf, when you're hired to redesign a website don't you find yourselves often limited by the constraints of the company that is hiring you? I would think your job is to give your client what they want even if you realize it doesn't necessarily make the site better?  

:callaway: Big Bertha Alpha 815 DBD  :bridgestone: TD-03 Putter   
:tmade: 300 Tour 3W                 :true_linkswear: Motion Shoes
:titleist: 585H Hybrid                       
:tmade: TP MC irons                 
:ping: Glide 54             
:ping: Glide 58
:cleveland: 588 RTX 62

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Just now, SavvySwede said:

@pumaAttack and @newtogolf, when you're hired to redesign a website don't you find yourselves often limited by the constraints of the company that is hiring you? I would think your job is to give your client what they want even if you realize it doesn't necessarily make the site better?  

I only do in-house work, not freelance.  I know the business and who are main customers are.  I then outline the UX (user experience) strategy and UI (user interface) designs.

In my experience, most bosses want the moon and want me to push the boundaries with adding new features and enhancements.  But it takes time and resources to build those.  It is not a flip of the switch.  You have to weigh which ones are crucial for multiple steps.  Steps can be UTA (User Acceptance Testing), Split Testing, Initial Release (Go-Live) and then future releases.

You look at what needs to be done for each and what resources you have.  You make important decisions on what is going to be best for each stage.  A website is never done, especially not on first Go-Live.

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Tony  


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19 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

Sounds like we just have a different barometer for what "bad" is.

This particular case isn't about "adapting" to the new site, the controls are largely the same. The problem is they blew everything up so people can see it on their phones which dilutes the quantity of information you get get to see on your PC. Also they removed useful features like the regions to again make more space for mobile users.

I'm with Savvy on I liked having the left side of the website have the courses listed by general area,downtown, southwest, northeast, etc.  Now I don't use the site very often except when I'm travelling, but I think the thing I dislike the most is the featured courses that are shoved down my throat when I go to the website.  I really don't care what courses GolfNow think should be featured.  

2 hours ago, pumaAttack said:

 

Is this different than the Map view they have now? 

I find the map view to be a great way to compare courses near me and to see what they have open.  I may not know where a course is but with the map view I can know right away if the low cost is worth the drive.

I looked for the Map View and didn't find it.

-Jerry

Driver: Titleist 913 D3 (9.5 degree) – Aldila RIP 60-2.9-Stiff; Callaway Mini-Driver Kura Kage 60g shaft - 12 degree Hybrids: Callway X2 Hot Pro - 16 degree & 23 degree – Pro-Shaft; Callway X2 Hot – 5H & 6H Irons: Titleist 714 AP2 7 thru AW with S300 Dynamic Gold Wedges: Titleist Vokey GW (54 degree), Callaway MackDaddy PM Grind SW (58 degree) Putter: Ping Cadence TR Ketsch Heavy Balls: Titleist Pro V1x & Snell MyTourBall

"Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots but you have to play the ball where it lies."- Bobby Jones

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6 minutes ago, SavvySwede said:

@pumaAttack and @newtogolf, when you're hired to redesign a website don't you find yourselves often limited by the constraints of the company that is hiring you? I would think your job is to give your client what they want even if you realize it doesn't necessarily make the site better? 

Every customer is different, some know exactly what they want and expect you to execute their vision.  Others want more consultation and input from the designers as to what others are doing or what trends are on the rise.  Another factor is maintenance, how much time is required to keep the site updated, can the business maintain the site on their own or must that be outsourced, etc.

There are numerous reasons why a business would redesign their site, such as;

  • The business has undergone some fundamental changes that they want reflected in a new website
  • The cost of maintaining the current site is too high
  • The provider of their data has changed the feeds or discontinued certain elements of the data.
  • Users have complained about how the site works
  • The site is outdated or dependent on outdated technology or servers.
  • They want a site that is "responsive" meaning the same site works on desktop, tablet and smart phones.

I've never done work for a business that said they want to make their site worse, less user friendly, less functional or more frustrating for their customers to use.  My guess is that given the popularity of sites like GolfNow, that some standards were created for how the data would be distributed and updated to the GolfNow like websites from the different courses to make it easier for them all to get the data (the same thing happened to the airline industry).  The change to the backend likely warranted the changing of the front end as well.

In some cases compromises must be made.  I've redesigned sites that were written in HTML, PHP and jQuery which are not easy for end users to maintain and update themselves.  The client wanted a responsive site that they could maintain easily on their own.  I suggested we develop the new site using Joomla, Drupel or WordPress as those platforms provided them with everything they requested.  They ultimately ended up with a WordPress site that was responsive and very functional but because of the platform certain nuances of the old site were lost.

Users initially complained but we worked out some issues and over time they appreciated the more frequent updates and ability to easily view the site on their iPads and cell phones.  Website redesign like life is full of compromises.

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Joe Paradiso

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Interestingly, I received this in an email from GolfNow yesterday....

You spoke and we're listening. That's why we're already hard at work fine-tuning the new GolfNow.com based on your feedback. Keep an eye out for enhancements on the way!

I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't well aware of forum threads like this one too.

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In David's bag....

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Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

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45 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Interestingly, I received this in an email from GolfNow yesterday....

You spoke and we're listening. That's why we're already hard at work fine-tuning the new GolfNow.com based on your feedback. Keep an eye out for enhancements on the way!

I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't well aware of forum threads like this one too.

 

Their blog post has been lit up with people unhappy with the changes.  Most redesigns get some flak but this one has been brutal.

No doubt changes are on the way.  Hopefully not at the expense of usability gains.

Tony  


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1 hour ago, newtogolf said:

I've redesigned sites that were written in HTML, PHP and jQuery which are not easy for end users to maintain and update themselves.  The client wanted a responsive site that they could maintain easily on their own.  I suggested we develop the new site using Joomla, Drupel or WordPress as those platforms provided them with everything they requested.  They ultimately ended up with a WordPress site that was responsive and very functional but because of the platform certain nuances of the old site were lost.

That's another thing I guess I am in the minority on. I find my HTML site much more user friendly than the WordPress site. My Wordpress site makes me want to scratch my eyes out with rusty nails. The HTML site is very easy to maintain.

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1 minute ago, Grumpter said:

That's another thing I guess I am in the minority on. I find my HTML site much more user friendly than the WordPress site. My Wordpress site makes me want to scratch my eyes out with rusty nails. The HTML site is very easy to maintain.

If you know HTML you're not in the minority, I can develop a site faster in HTML but for non-technical clients, HTML is a foreign language that they have no interest in learning.  Most know how to use a word processor so Wordpress is much more familiar to them.

Joe Paradiso

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7 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

If you know HTML you're not in the minority, I can develop a site faster in HTML but for non-technical clients, HTML is a foreign language that they have no interest in learning.  Most know how to use a word processor so Wordpress is much more familiar to them.

I hear your point but with the WYSIWYG editors I barely even know HTML anymore.

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4 hours ago, jsgolfer said:

I'm with Savvy on I liked having the left side of the website have the courses listed by general area,downtown, southwest, northeast, etc.  Now I don't use the site very often except when I'm travelling, but I think the thing I dislike the most is the featured courses that are shoved down my throat when I go to the website.  I really don't care what courses GolfNow think should be featured.  

I looked for the Map View and didn't find it.

 

Here you go
Firefox_Screenshot_2016-02-11T00-12-17.8

:callaway: Big Bertha Alpha 815 DBD  :bridgestone: TD-03 Putter   
:tmade: 300 Tour 3W                 :true_linkswear: Motion Shoes
:titleist: 585H Hybrid                       
:tmade: TP MC irons                 
:ping: Glide 54             
:ping: Glide 58
:cleveland: 588 RTX 62

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12 minutes ago, SavvySwede said:

 

Here you go
Firefox_Screenshot_2016-02-11T00-12-17.8

Thank you, never even clicked on that button. You would think that the map would be a default so you can see it without an asditional click. Still not a fan.

-Jerry

Driver: Titleist 913 D3 (9.5 degree) – Aldila RIP 60-2.9-Stiff; Callaway Mini-Driver Kura Kage 60g shaft - 12 degree Hybrids: Callway X2 Hot Pro - 16 degree & 23 degree – Pro-Shaft; Callway X2 Hot – 5H & 6H Irons: Titleist 714 AP2 7 thru AW with S300 Dynamic Gold Wedges: Titleist Vokey GW (54 degree), Callaway MackDaddy PM Grind SW (58 degree) Putter: Ping Cadence TR Ketsch Heavy Balls: Titleist Pro V1x & Snell MyTourBall

"Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots but you have to play the ball where it lies."- Bobby Jones

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Note: This thread is 2958 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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