Utterly abhorrent bad taste

This post also appears under "Bad golf emails", although I was tempted to create a new page, "Abhorrently bad golf emails." The email in question is from Andrew Wood. The accompanying example is from my former associate Jim Koppenhaver. I'm bringing both to task because these are grown, intelligent men who should know better than to use images of despicable, mass-murdering, despotic, evil incarnate figures of history to sell a product or help make a point. 

We've all seen ads and emails designed to shock the senses, to make us sit up and take notice, and maybe take action. I'm taking action.

Using images of mass murderers, or brutal dictators in order to sell a product crosses the line of good taste, of human decency. Jim Jones led the mass murder-suicide of 909 followers in Guyana, in 1978. He convinced his devoted followers to drink Kool Aid (actually Flavor Aid) laced with cyanide. Until 9/11, it was the greatest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act. Jones was a despot, evil incarnate.

From: Tee Time Revolution <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. >
Date: Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 1:51 PM
Subject: Don’t Drink Their Kool-Aid!
To: Any dumb shit who will read this

Don’t Drink Their Kool-Aid!   The 3rd Party Pitch is Tempting, It sounds big, It sounds powerful, It sounds too good to be true... And you have some real concerns... But aren’t all these other courses around you drinking their Kool-Aid too...? GolfNow, CourseTrends and other third party vendors tout their large database, their “Magic portal” - the power of 6 million viewers - their 3 million emails... Don’t drink the third party Kool-Aid, get out while you still can! All The Best, Andrew Wood :: Founder Legendary Marketing "Increasing Your Business is Our Business" 3729 S. Lecanto Hwy Lecanto, FL 34461 Direct: 1-352-266-2099 Office: 1-800-827-1663 Fax: 1-877-817-0650

He's right up there with Hitler, who Pellucid used so gleefully in a recent Outside the Ropes: "Before we dive into more detailed explanations of the 11 Theses, I have to share with you a video forwarded to me this past week by a colleague who wishes to remain anonymous.  I think I can probably count on two hands the number of "chain" emails or "you have to watch this" videos I've forwarded in the past decade but this one had me crying I was laughing so hard.  It's Hitler's reaction to being informed of the NGCOA's TPP Guidelines.  Enjoy (I think this might also find its way into next year's SOI presentation intro in Orlando...):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5om5Y3-ldw&feature=youtu.be."

Ha, ha, ha...let's use humanity's most evil and wicked people to sell our products and services. These images and videos might be okay to share amongst friends, in a social atmosphere. There is absolutely no place for it in the golf business. Or any business, for that matter. 

Andrew Wood, Jim Koppenhaver - shame on both of you. It's strange to find you both in the same boat, the boat of human insensitivity. 

This blog was written without flying any miles on United Airlines