A Professional Olive Branch To The Staff of Golfweek

After my post on the omission of Mike Van Sickle from Golfweek’s hot list of players most likely to make the Walker Cup team, I received a comment on the post from Mr. Jeff Babineau, Editor of Golfweek. Here is what Mr. Babineau wrote:

Ron
Sometimes you get what you wish for – in this case, a rebuttal from the team at Golfweek. You called where we placed Mike Van Sickle in our Walker Cup Watch List a “pathetic attempt … to get the competition” and said it “reeks of professional jealousy.” My
reaction: Laughable, really. I’m willing to bet Golfweek has written
more about the rise of Mike Van Sickle at Marquette than any other
publication; in fact, we hold him in such high regard that earlier
this year we devoted several pages of instruction showing Mike and
his instructor and exhibiting what he works on with his game. We have
not done that with too many amateurs. The three of us who cover the
PGA Tour on a regular basis – Jeff Rude, Jim McCabe and I – are all
longtime friends with Mike’s dad, Gary, going back to his days with
Golf World. Personally, I’ve played golf with Mike and was thoroughly
impressed, not only by his length and overall game but with the fact
he’s a great kid, too. At Golfweek, we wish him nothing but the best. Bottom line: Anyone with a computer can offer opinion and write blogs, but it’s far better to write them from a foundation of being informed. Ron, please do your homework a little better next time.
Respectfully, and feeling not so petty in Orlando,
Jeff Babineau, Editor
Golfweek

I have to say that I’m thrilled to have Mr. Babineau react so quickly and professionally to my entry. His theme is well-developed and he maintains (almost) a professional courtesy throughout. Of course I resent being referred to as “anyone with a computer,” given that I have been blogging for TravelGolf.com nigh on six years now. Although it is not my full-time profession, I have a certain amount of experience and insight. Also not feeling petty, I decided to email Mr. Babineau with my own thoughts on his comment. The email reads thus:

Mr. Babineau,
Thank you for the commentary. It’s good to know that I’ve been read by someone of your stature. Thanks to whoever pointed out the entry to you.

If you read what I wrote, I don’t call into question any prior interaction between Golfweek and Mike Van Sickle and family, nor do I emphatically state that it IS professional jealousy, just that it “reeks of it.” I am happy that you, your colleagues and Papa Van Sickle share a professional and personal friendship that dates back a number of years. Those are to be treasured. I do note, however, that nowhere in your comment on my post do you substantiate why Mike Van Sickle rates lower than 15th on your team’s list of Walker Cup candidates. I feel that you rightfully brag about what Golfweek has written on MVS before, but do not address the point that I raise. I would love for you to write back with such information and will also put this email in a post that I am currently composing.

Respectfully yours,
RonMon

I used to subscribe to Golfweek in college and valued it more than any other major golf publication. Its writers always seemed to care more about all tours and events, professional and amateur, and published all the results without fail. It is still the information site that I refer to before any other. In January of 2008 (corrected from “this year,” thanks to an alert reader) I was incredibly upset when Golfweek was vilified by the golf world and the world at large for a certain edition cover regarding a certain industry controversy. Golfweek is a valuable resource both inside and outside the golf industry.

In the end, however, I still can’t quite understand the relegation of Mike Van Sickle to “has-been” status concerning Walker Cup worth. For a magazine that pretends to support him as much as Mr. Babineau claims, one would think that an aside along the lines of “even though he’s mired in a bit of a slump, Van Sickle has the experience to help the US Walker Cup side” (my words, not theirs.) I’m looking forward to Mr. Babineau’s response to this notion.