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  1. #1
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default OZgolf Negative Cash Flow :(

    Hi OZgolfers

    Unfortunately, the forum is currently running at a loss, where the amount of revenue gained from the Google Ads (Tapatalk ad revenue is negligible) does not cover the cost of hosting the forum on a monthly basis. There are a few other yearly costs, but the hosting fees are the main expense. The past few years saw a healthy bank balance for the forum which allowed me to donate money to charity with the extra gained. I always kept a few months of fees in reserve, but this has gone now. With significantly reduced payments from Google, and the weak Aussie dollar against the US, the forum can no longer afford the hosting fees on its own. At the moment, the gap is about $20 per month. Things may pick up again, as there have been drop offs before, but it may not, and I wouldn't count on it, asand it has never dipped to this extent.

    I don't want to shut the place down, like another forum that I frequent is proposing to do, so I have been considering options to keep the place running.

    The first, but not necessarily preferred, option that I have been looking at is having the forum hosted by Tapatalk; this would have no hosting fees, and be accessible via the Tapatalk app and via browser, just as it is now. I am currently in communication with Tapatalk about a preview. This has mostly finished, but I need to do a full review of it. The appearance would change, and I would assume some functionality would be lost, however all of our post history, members, and private messages would be retained.

    Other options that I need to look into include tweaking Google Ad settings, and maybe finding a hosting package or different provider with lower costs.

    What can you do? Well a donation would certainly be appreciated to keep things running in the meantime: https://www.ozgolf.net/misc.php?do=donate . Many years ago, we used to rely on member donations, but once I set up the Google Ads, the forum could look after itself.
    Also, if you have an ad blocker for this website, perhaps you could ad us to your whitelist to allow ads through. Any little bit helps.

    Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know what was going on, in fact I wanted to do it earlier, but you know, life and stuff. I'll keep you up to date on any other changes, and if the Tapatalk migration preview is fit for public consumption, I will provide a link.

    Thanks everyone
    Andy

  2. #2
    Senior Member Major Winner
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    Default

    Donation made to Andy's drinking account (ends in 739).
    You don't get me. I'm part of the Union.

  3. #3
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks muchly, Dotty, although that won't buy me too many craft beers.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Major Winner
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Thanks muchly, Dotty, although that won't buy me too many craft beers.
    Many years of OzGolf donations to Beyond Blue and Toowoomba Oncology Ward would have already dented the beer budget.

    Remembered and appreciated.
    You don't get me. I'm part of the Union.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Touring Pro (Nationwide Tour)
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    Default

    I’ve just thrown a little in. Could maybe direct some champs Calcutta proceeds at it in Feb to buy some time to sort out other options also.
    Cinderella story, out of nowhere, former greenskeeper, now about to become a Masters champion..... It looks like a mirac.. It's in the hole! It's in the hole!


  6. #6
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks Ron. I'd like as much as possible to go to charity, but let's see how we go.

  7. #7

    Default

    Do we need to start up a 2020 punters club to redirect funds into hosting the forum?


  8. #8
    Senior Member Touring Pro (Nationwide Tour)
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by backintheswing View Post
    Do we need to start up a 2020 punters club to redirect funds into hosting the forum?
    I'd be in

  9. #9
    Member Touring Pro (Aust PGA)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toxic View Post
    I'd be in
    I would be interested in this , Boots would be as well I think

  10. #10
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by backintheswing View Post
    Do we need to start up a 2020 punters club to redirect funds into hosting the forum?
    I would also be in this. Donated a few $ as well.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Out of curiousity, how much you paying per month?
    --
    Criticism doesn't bother me, as it means I am doing something and people are watching.
    Handy-Cap

  12. #12
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks for kicking in, guys. There is definitely a bit more breathing space now., if current revenue stays the same.

    Quote Originally Posted by markTHEblake View Post
    Out of curiousity, how much you paying per month?
    The hosting fees are US$49.45 per month with Hostgator, which is over AU$75 at the moment.
    This time last year, Google revenue was regularly over $100 per month, but it has nearly halved since then.

  13. #13

    Default

    Seems pricey but I know how these things can be expensive. As well as being a nightmare to switch to a different server. Perhaps worth looking into changing though?

  14. #14
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Greeny View Post
    Seems pricey but I know how these things can be expensive. As well as being a nightmare to switch to a different server. Perhaps worth looking into changing though?
    It might be more expensive because it is a VPS hosting plan, and not a shared host, like we had in the early days. I'm not sure if we could downgrade to shared again, or if it would be too slow.

    There is also a risk that if we did move, the new host could be a dud. Until now, it has always been "better the devil you know". Happy to hear of host recommendations, if anyone has them.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    It might be more expensive because it is a VPS hosting plan, and not a shared host, like we had in the early days. I'm not sure if we could downgrade to shared again, or if it would be too slow.

    There is also a risk that if we did move, the new host could be a dud. Until now, it has always been "better the devil you know". Happy to hear of host recommendations, if anyone has them.
    A site this size could comfortably run on shared hosting I'd imagine. Sure you might not have the same reliability but if you go with a reputable host you would have to be unlucky to have a really bad experience.

    As for speed I think as long as the servers are in Australia and the hosting company gives a shit about how the shared servers run you should be fine there too.

    I haven't had heaps of personal experience with VentraIP but the experience i have had has been positive. A client of mind has a shared hosting account with them and one of his sites was using way to much CPU so the host temporarily suspended the account until the issue could be resolved. Which shows that they at least care about the other people sharing the same server as them.

    https://ventraip.com.au/

  16. #16
    Senior Member Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Happy to hear of host recommendations, if anyone has them.
    I manage 2 VPS and 1 Shared, across 3 providers so i know a few. How much disk space we using? Whats the monthly traffic? I saw the plan that you are obviously on now, and thats paying for a truckload of the above

  17. #17
    Senior Member Touring Pro (European Tour)
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    Default

    AndyP, has something changed with Google ads? I normally get a small ad, but now I'm getting a banner pop up at the bottom of the page.

  18. #18
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PerryGroves View Post
    AndyP, has something changed with Google ads? I normally get a small ad, but now I'm getting a banner pop up at the bottom of the page.
    I didn't change anything, but Google were sending messages about some automation of ad sizes. I don't see it from my normal work web browser, but just had a quick look on Chrome. I did see one that popped up across the bottom of the page, that I could minimise with the down arrow, and then it didn't appear again during that session. Is it annoying? The ones in the middle of threads seem a bit more annoying than that one, but I can see if I can make changes, if I get negative feedback.

  19. #19
    Senior Member Touring Pro (Nationwide Tour)
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    Default

    Just added a couple of $s to the fund

  20. #20
    Senior Member Multiple Major Winner
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    Default

    @ANDY can you PM the banking details and I'll throw in few $$'s.

    Thanks

  21. #21
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Here are the OZgolf bank account details:

    BSB: 064183
    Account number: 10264739

  22. #22
    Senior Member Multiple Major Winner
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Here are the OZgolf bank account details:

    BSB: 064183
    Account number: 10264739
    Thanks mate.

  23. #23
    Senior Member Order of Merit winner
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    Have deposited some cash Andy, will have the notation of Chappy
    Srixon 565 - 10.5 deg stiff Miyazaki
    Srixon 565 - 15 deg stiff Miyazaki
    Srixon H45 - 90gr Stiff Whiteboard
    Fourteen DI w/ SPB Stiff
    Bridgestone J15CB 4-PW SPB's Stiff
    Fourteen MT28 TS Spec 53 & 58 DG Spinner
    Piretti Cortino

    GOLF Link

    BENCH

    Drivers/Fairways/Hybrids

    Yamaha v202 9.5* - Tourspec x flex
    Sonartec SS-03
    V Steel 3wd
    V Steel 4wd Attas T3 8x
    Titleist 585h 19*

    Irons
    Mizuno MP33 3-P

    Putters

    Ping Anser, Anser 2, Scottsdale

    Wedges
    Cleveland 54
    Fourteen 48

  24. #24
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Quote Originally Posted by chappy1970 View Post
    Have deposited some cash Andy, will have the notation of Chappy
    Got it, Chappy. Thank you.

  25. #25
    Senior Member Touring Pro (European Tour)
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    Morning Andy,

    On behalf of Ozgolf SA Christmas Cup we have decided to donate our winnings plus an extra cherry to the Ozgolf cause, keeping this forum alive and kicking.

    $200 coming your way today. Please confirm when you have received it.

    Yours sincerely

    Ozgolf SA


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


 

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