2017 Yearly Member Award Winners!

[iacas]

No sense in delaying… let's get right into it!

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Kickstarter of the Year

These members started the topics that had the most posts throughout 2017. I did not count any topics started by myself (like some major championship topics, or "What'd you shoot today?," and I didn't consider wildly off-topic (non-golf) threads, either.

These topics that survived and came out on top saw a lot of great discussion.

Honorable mentions go to @smellysell for Winter Depression Thread and @Runnin for Is Golf More Mental or Physical?.

KOTY #3: TST's Bronze Kickstarter of the Year is…

@Wally Fairway, for starting a thread about the British Open. Who could have predicted that Jordan Spieth would take such a meandering route in capturing the title over Matt Kuchar?

KOTY #2: TST's Silver Kickstarter of the Year is…

@Valleygolfer, for starting what would ultimately become the Tiger Woods Catch-All Discussion topic. Yes, the topic was from 2014, but it received the second-most posts in 2017. This marks the second straight year this topic has finished second.

KOTY #1: TST's Gold Kickstarter of the Year is…

@dennyjones, for starting one of the more controversial topics of 2017, back in very early April! Was Lexi trying to cheat when she replaced her ball an inch from where it should have been replaced? Careless? Should viewers be allowed to call in? Was it even a viewer? Was Lexi a victim? This had it all… mystery, intrigue, sex appeal (well, as much as we get in golf), tears, a major championship on the line… and so much more.

 

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Rookie of the Year

These members joined the site within the last month of 2016 or any time in 2017 and amassed the most reputation points while remaining in good standing throughout the year (only points earned in 2017 count). Just as you'd expect, of course! These members have a bright future ahead of themselves!

Note: winning Rookie of the Year does not preclude you from also winning Member of the Year awards. It'd be like a rookie in a major sport also winning the MVP - it can happen. It just didn't happen this year…

ROTY #3: TST's Bronze Rookie of the Year is…

With 54 reputation points… @MarvChamp! Marv joined us on January 8, 2017.

ROTY #2: TST's Silver Rookie of the Year is…

With a grand total of 76 points, and having joined us only on the very last day of 2016, December 31… @Denny Bang Bang! BTW, this marks the first time two users with "denny" in their name have won anything here!

ROTY #1: TST's Gold Rookie of the Year is…

With a whopping 101 reputation votes in total, a member who joined the TST community on February 8, 2017, and a guy whose username I mispronounce in my head even after knowing that his last name is Kline… @klineka!

 

Now, it's on to the big one. The one we've all been waiting for. The…

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Member of the Year

These members are the best of the best. They amassed the most reputation points during the calendar year 2016, and remained in good standing throughout the year. Their peers - you guys and gals - felt their posts were worthy of the most thanks, skins, fist bumps, high fives, or reputation, whatever you want to call it. These are the elite. The people who make insightful posts that help further the discussion… even if you disagree with them occasionally. Or frequently.

Reminder: staff are ineligible for yearly awards, or else myself, @mvmac, and @RandallT would have taken home some hardware here depending on where the line is drawn for "staff."

MOTY #3: TST's Bronze Member of the Year is…

This member joined the site on February 26, 2012 and had a down year in posting because his kids are just getting to that age where they require a bit more attention (and coaching, and dropping off, and picking up, and attending activities, and spending nights watching movies, and taking to the golf course occasionally), but aren't yet independent enough to drive themselves, or get a ride with a friend, or think that their parents are "weird" and "would embarrass them" (oh, it's coming!). With 16,674 items of content (total, not in one year, that'd be crazy!), 123 days won (total), and a now 0-1-1 record in the Newport Cup following a crushing defeat at the hands (or clubs?) of the dominant East (Blue) Team, and a grand total of 475 points won during 2017, the bronze award winning Member of the Year is @Golfingdad!

MOTY #2: TST's Silver Member of the Year is…

This member has a current content count of only 3,452 and joined the site on January 14, 2015. He plays almost as much golf as @kpaulhus, despite, like Kyle, remaining employed. He's made the most of his 3500 posts, though, and rarely posts something which doesn't stop to make people think, whether you agree or disagree with him. He's been a single digit golfer for a while now, but achieved his career low handicap index for several months throughout the summer of 2017. With a 1-0-1 record, a victory as a member of the East (Blue) Team over the Evil Empire from the West, 61 days won in total, and a rather massive 582 reputation points earned during 2017… our silver award winning Member of the Year is @DaveP043!

MOTY #1: TST's Gold Member of the Year is…

Now it's time for the big cheese. Unlike the previous two members, despite qualifying on handicap, this member chose not to attempt to participate in the Newport Cup. Despite taunting some of us northerners during the winter months, this gentleman usually has nice things to say and does so well enough and often enough to garner the most reputation points in 2017. He joined the TST community a few weeks days before my daughter @NatalieB turned six, back on November 3, 2008. Since joining, he's won 81 days since, has posted 12,674 items of content, and blew away the competition with 758 points amassed in 2017! WOW!

The best of the best of the best, this year's cream of the cream of the cream (yuck?!) of the crop… @David in FL!

[David in FL]

Congratulations to all the annual award winners, and thanks to Erik, Mike, all TST staff members, and every member in the entire community!

This site, and the whole membership, feel like family.  We laugh, cry, support, and sometimes fight each other throughout the year, but in the end, we all share a common bond over this silly game that has brought us all together.  I'm proud to have been part of it for nearly 10 years now.  

Happy New Year everyone!  Best wishes for a joyous, prosperous 2018!

 

[Mr. Desmond]

Congrats, David, and to all others, well done for supporting TST.

[billchao]

Congrats everyone! 

[b101]

Great choices and well deserved to the winners! 

[mvmac]

Congrats to the winners!

[Vinsk]

Awesome Dave! And congrats to all of you who do a damn fine job of making this by far the best golf site out there! Happy New Year! 

[dennyjones]

Congrats to all of the winners.   

 

I want to give a shout out to the @iacas and all of the moderators for all of the work you do.   Thanks.  

[Club Rat]

Congrats to all of the winners.   

[GolfLug]

Congratulations to the winners!

[klineka]

Congrats to all of the other winners! I joined this site in Feb as I was just beginning to take golf more seriously for the first time. 

This site has completely shifted and corrected many of my thoughts about the game and how to improve as well as exposing me to both Evolvr, which I did for a few months, and LSW. 

I really enjoyed taking part in the outing in August and look forward to participating/helping plan another one this coming season!

And a big thank you to Erik and all of the other mods who provide tons of great information and make the site what it is today!

[Gator Hazard]

Congrats everyone!!!

[Denny Bang Bang]

I will showcase this major award in my front window, right next to my lamp!

It’s been fun sharing thoughts, questions, experiences, etc. with the SandTrap community.  Hope everyone has a great 2018!

[MarvChamp]

THANK YOU @iacas AND FRIENDS...WOW! TOTALLY UNEXPECTED! I am recovering from hand/knee/shoulder injuries. TST has been my link to golf and what's happening in golf since October and will be for awhile. I say that to let you all know how important TST can be to people you may never meet. Thank you again and congrats to ALL! Best, -Marv

[DaveP043]

Who woulda thunk it??  My congratulations to everyone on the lists, and thanks go to everyone who contributes to the forums, especially to the staff and moderators. This is a great place to be because of everyone one of you.  

[downbylaw11]

Jeez, I didn't even win the 'most improved odor' award? 

rigged