I disagree about the atmosphere on this forum; I find it quite welcoming about everyone, no matter where they got their golden; I enjoy the diversity of where people got their goldens--it makes for a very interesting place to hang out--so my impression is far different from yours, and I have not been around that long.
As for breeder vs. more experiened/knowledgeable breeder vs. rescue vs. pet store vs. animal shelter: Each person needs to decide for themselves what is the best source to purchase a pet--because so many decisions go into the final plan; of course there's the cost, but there's also timing--litters aren't available all the time nearby; some people are hooked on a certain color, or age, or sex, or temperament--if someone really needs their dog temperament tested, because they're looking for a certain personality--calm, for example, then they have to really go to a breeder that is more knowledgeable than one that is more freewheeling.
For me and my husband, we went to a GRCA recommended breeder--we hadn't owned dogs for years, we were afraid of what we were reading about the temperaments as reported on internet message boards from pet store bought goldens (and health problems) and we decided to put the odds on our side, knowing there are no guarantees. We are very, very happy, and had gotten 3 goldens from this breeder, with excellent support--and I think that's also was important to us, the support you get from the breeder along the way. But that was us, and each person decides on their own situation.