Sanderzzz try and drive one.
Trust me, it's not bad at all. It's really not terribly short and the notchiness is not that serious. Yeah, it's not a stock shifter, but that's the point.
I absolutely loved mine. The last few days I had my car I would drive it occasionally and I miss the shifter and clutch setup so much. That DieselGeek was the best thing I ever added to that car, it made the driving experience so much more fun. The shifts are sooooo crisp. Look around the forums, DieselGeek is the way to go.
S3 is cheaper and OEM, but I can bet you'd be left wanting more after the install. It's just a stock GolfR shifter, I wouldn't spend money on it. All personal preference doe.
Definitely try and get yourself a weighted knob too, it will make a nice difference.