5 Questions With – GolfSpy X

5 years ago MyGolfSpy was founded with the dream of creating a golf site that was all about the consumer. MyGolfSpy was never about us, it has always been about you.

Certainly we wanted to create a mystique around our spy brand; the whole lurking in shadows sort of thing. It’s not that there’s really anything to hide, in fact we’ve always prided ourselves on the transparency under which we operate, but at the same time, we’ve never really sought out any attention for ourselves as individuals.

When our forum members – including our new team of forum managers – came to us and started asking a lot of questions about not only the site, but about the people behind it, we realized that 5 years is probably long enough. If our forum guys want to know, we figure some of you might as well, so we thought we’d take some time out to let you get to know the real people behind MyGolfSpy.

By all means, if you have any questions of your own, don’t hesitate to ask.

5 Questions: What inspired you to start MyGolfSpy?

GolfSpy X: I started MyGolfSpy for one reason: the consumer. I did a focus group study after selling my last golf company and it was obvious, golfers wanted a place they could trust, without bias from large advertising influence. A place they knew would be real, authentic, and genuine. I spent a year-and-a- half researching what I could do to provide them what they wanted and started MyGolfSpy shortly after.  What golfers wanted was what I was put on this planet to do.

I actually don’t consider myself to be in the golf business at all, I consider myself in the business of giving a damn. MyGolfSpy is truly an expression of me and what I believe in. Integrity is something I feel is sorely lacking in the world of media these days. I’m here to change that in golf.

5 Questions: What did you hope to accomplish?

GolfSpy X: I’m not here just to make a difference. I am here to completely revolutionize the way consumers go about purchasing golf equipment in the future. Flip the entire industry on its head.

The golf industry and the MGS readers have yet to see the master plan for MGS.  I just completed Phase 1 of MGS which was basically “proof of concept”.  Could we go against the norm and not only survive but thrive without taking ad dollars from those that support the media in this industry?  We have reached that goal and now we are moving on to Phase 2 which I have been waiting 15 years for the opportunity to show consumers.

The only way you change things is by going against the grain and standing up for what’s right – giving up things in the short term for what’s better in the long.  Taking the road less traveled. I’m not interested in making friends with PR people in this industry.  I’m interested in making lasting change for golfers, the kind of change golf club manufacturers are scared of.

5 Questions: You’ve been using the hashtag #PowerToThePlayer.  What does that mean and why do you think it’s important?

GolfSpy X: The individual player (you) is the most important thing in golf.  Period.  This message is counter to how the industry behaves and treats its audience.  Our role as the people’s advocate is to put the power back in the players’ hands.  We think it’s time you called the shots.  It’s time to raise the level of play together.  That is #PowerToThePlayer and it’s the foundation of how we plan to empower golfers’ games.

5 Questions: You’ve been steadfast in your refusal to accept advertising dollars from the big OEM’s.  Why do you refuse?  What message does that send to your readers?

GolfSpy X: Advertising, at its core is meant to seduce, influence and manipulate your brain. If I’m going to provide the truth to consumers, that becomes more difficult by accepting money from the most powerful of those that do the advertising. Marketing has become more important than the performance of the actual product being marketed.  I’m here to try and change that. Things should be based on truth not hype…performance not marketing.

5 Questions: So you go by GolfSpy X. Who are you really?

GolfSpy X: MyGolfSpy is me and I am MyGolfSpy.