[rei]

i'm not sure the women who visit clubs looking for... whatever... are generally the same class of women who use online dating. (i don't mean one is a 'higher' class than another, i'm using class in the sense of category.) there are desperate people of both sexes, but they use various mediums to find suitable partners. i'm not sure women who go clubbing are usually out for an LTR, but i'm sure there are exceptions to this. i just know the loudness of a club isn't very conducive to getting to know someone past the physical expression.

not every woman who is older and single is damaged, or at least, no more or less then lots of other people of various ages. i am not sure that particular limiting belief is helpful, other than to provide some cynicism.

plenty of people (both sexes) use online dating for casual encounters, but that is more the case for sites like Match.com. eHarmony can work well if you're interested in something more serious but it takes patience and open-mindedness - both necessary for the dating scene regardless of where/how you meet people.

i know several couples who met online, and some of them probably met through dating sites. i don't know if it is helpful to limit the options before you even give one of them a shot.