Dumb Geoff Shackelford

[iacas]

Go ahead and read this . I'll wait. Notice the links at the end.

I've never been one to sit idly by while someone nearly slanders me, but in this case, it will be easy. This site sees probably 10 to 50x as much traffic as his own. Geoff appears to be a great example of "attempting to win an argument by changing the subject." None of the facts are on his side, so he has to switch to libel, slander, and emotional attacks.

Some facts for you:
1. Titleist is an advertiser on this site. We nearly switched to having TaylorMade advertising in January. Our advertising "pays the bills" and allows for me to pay for and do the Newport Cup each year. We're also partners with Golf Gods, a store that doesn't even sell Titleist gear. In ALL of our advertising contracts, it's explicitly stated that the advertiser has no control over content, opinion, etc.

2. Knowing they have no control, Titleist sought us out and chose to advertise with us because our opinions on distance were already known. They did this largely because of a forum thread re: the TPI free DVD and articles like this one . In fact, when they first contacted me, they wondered if I wrote it or if one of their guys had written it and I'd published it under a pseudonym!

3. Despite his assertion that driving distance corresponds to proximity , he's wrong. Dave proved him wrong in his "Myths" column a few weeks ago.

Bah, I have so many more reasons, but I've just realized I'm wasting my time. Geoff has banned me and deleted my comments so many times it's not worth responding or commenting at his site any more. He's also "threatened" to tell my staff (they know already) and his readers that I had to resort to using the name "Crankpot" to post comments on his blog (whoopty doo) for a short while. But at this point, I give up.

He's a windbag. He doesn't get it. He's like the John Dvorak of old to Mac users, and Donald (among others) will know what I mean by that statement.

At any rate, I beg you not to comment there. You'd simply be wasting your time. Having come to the Dvorak comparison, I think it will be easy for me to give him the Dvorak treatment: completely ignore him. If I step back far enough, it's actually fairly humorous!

[iacas]

On the bright side, I'm reminded of a quote by I forget who: "Being accused of selling out is like a congratulations on your success from someone who doesn't know the difference." I'm fairly certain the quote didn't come from someone who'd actually sold out.

[Thrash13]

Don't worry, the only times I've gone there are the times I am linked there from this forum. :) So quit posting links. :)

Honestly though, I don't even waste my time over there. And Erik, like you said, you probably don't need to waste anymore time over there either.

Like you said, our numbers here at The Sand Trap speak for themselves, and I think that does enough of the talking for me. I know I might be partial, but I believe our writers here at TST are pretty classy individuals. I think most people would agree.

[muskegman]

I'm open to hear both sides of the debate as long as we stick to the facts and keep it civil. Even if we take completely different stands on the issue we can be respectful about it.

I'm disappointed that Shackelford hasn't stuck with the facts/argument angle. Like I said, I'm open to hearing the other side of the argument as long as facts are kept center stage in the argument. He's entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to mine.

[iacas]

I'm disappointed that Shackelford hasn't stuck with the facts/argument angle. Like I said, I'm open to hearing the other side of the argument as long as facts are kept center stage in the argument. He's entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to mine.

He is entitled to an opinion, but when it crosses over into libel or slander (or just plain lying), I'd say his entitlement ends there. In this instance, he's simply made things up.

Jeff, you're a long-time staff member: are you a victim of "blogger-corporate synergy"? Have you been "bought"? As I said, aside from perhaps this thread, I'm done with him. He's quickly become comical.

[muskegman]

No... I have not been paid for my opinion. What we do here is largely volunteer... something that we do because we love golf. I enjoy this team of writers, the Newport Cup, and the little perks of writing for a golf website, but my opinion is just that: my opinion and its not for sale. Well, if someone thinks my opinion is worth a million dollars contact me at jeff@thesandtrap.com . Until then, my opnion hasn't been bought.

And Erik, I agree that lying and slandering is weak, which is why he should start employing fact and reality.

[jeffgladchun]

I've just read the initial article Erik posted for the first time (I am otherwise familiar with the exchange between Erik and Geoff and the matter involved) and have to say that that was simply one of the best laid-out and backed up articles I have ever read on the subject. I'm a staff writer, so you can say what you want about my loyalties, but allow me to assure you, I speak my mind - If Geoff Shackelford was in Erik Barzeski's shoes (God forbid) I would be writing this article from the opposite standpoint.

Nay-Sayers of the Ball and Clubheads, Get this through your heads: Golf is Evolving. The game is simply played differently than in the past. It is neither a bad thing nor a good one. Like I said in another thread on this same topic, there is no answer to this aspect of the game because there isn't even a question being asked. The game is different than it was yesterday and that trend will continue tomorrow and the next, so on and so forth.