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LIVE Q&A with Golf Digest on The Hot List 2012 - Friday, Jan 20, 1PM ET


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Get your questions for Mike Stachura & Mike Johnson in here!


The Golf Digest Hot List is out and you've had time to 'digest' it ;), now ask them all about it! Mike Stachura, Golf Digest Senior Editor of Equipment and Mike Johnson, Senior Editor, Equipment for Golf World will be here to field your questions. View the complete hot list is at http://hotlist.golfdigest.com.

LIVE Q&A BEGINS 1PM ET, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 IN THIS THREAD,
but you may ask questions ahead of time below.

We're lucky to have Golf Digest on to discuss this. Make those questions count.

Post questions ahead of time below. Another great chat for WRX! Thanks Mike & Mike and the Golf Digest crew.

- Rob
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My question is about what didn't make the hot list.

The Callaway RAZR X Forged made the list last year, so I understand (disagreeably) why they wouldn't make it again this year.

But the Callaway RAZR X Musclebacks weren't on last year or this year. That surprises me a lot. Were they tested? What about them in your opinion, particularly in the performance category, kept them from being on the list this year?

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There will be many questions on what didn't make the list (i'm sure). So I will continue the trend :)

As somebody looking to upgrade their set, I'm fascinated with some of the reviews coming out for the Wilson Staff FG Tours V2 (Seriously.). Were these close to making the list? I've had to resort to looking at "Other" golf websites to get any info before demoing.

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[quote name='The GreekGrind' timestamp='1326865738' post='4103947']
My question is about what didn't make the hot list.

The Callaway RAZR X Forged made the list last year, so I understand (disagreeably) why they wouldn't make it again this year.

But the Callaway RAZR X Musclebacks weren't on last year or this year. That surprises me a lot. Were they tested? What about them in your opinion, particularly in the performance category, kept them from being on the list this year?
[/quote]

I remember Golf Digest stated that they didn't believe ANY amatuer should play musclebacks and as a result, they didn't list any that year or any year after. I remember the MP68's were out that year and were excluded.

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Thanks Golf Digest for doing this and I hope you are prepared to be bombarded with questions, haha. I will not be near my computer Friday so I will ask my question now.

Would it be possible to release a 'special' GD issue that is only about the hot list? The reason I ask is that there were several clubs and balls that were submitted but didn't make the list (due to demand unfortunately which I consider to be very situational and should not be included in the rating...but I digress). I would love to see how EVERY club and ball performed. All too often, there is a club that several people would love to read a review about but there is little to no information on the club. Even negative reviews are good reviews.

I know people believe that it is a popularity contest governed by which vendor "contributes" the most and that Golf Digest has said that is not the case...this could be a great way to prove you are right :partytime2:


Thanks again Golf Digest

TM Sim2 w/ Tensei CK White

TM Sim2 Titanium 15* w/ Diamana Kai'li
TM Sim2 3h w/ AXIVCore Green
TM P790 4i w/ HZRDUS Smoke
TM P7MC 5 - 8 w/ Project X LZ

TM P7MB 9 - PW w/ Project X LZ
TM MG 50 and 55 w/ Project X LZ

TM MG Hi-Toe 60 w/ Project X LZ
TM TP Balboa
TM TP5x Yellow

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Just a comment. I'll give Golf Digest credit for doing a live Q&A with this audience. This could get brutal...

With that said, I rarely see implementable suggestions with all the critism we give. I might recommend that Golf Digest create a thread requesting constructive suggestions....basically how GolfWRX members would improve the selection/review process. They might be able to implement some feedback...

My question...outside of having a panel of judges for the human scores, would Golf Digest conduct and publish independent club testing with static variables on a machine (like an Iron Byron) for club results on the manufacturer's basic retail offering (stock shafts and settings)? Center shots, toe shots, heel shots...show distance, trajectory, dispersion, spin rates, launch angle...etc.

I like the human element in the reviews, but I would also love to see actual testing results that reflect the performance of a driver, iron, putter.

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Since I will be on the course when the Q and A's start, AND it's my birthday :partytime2: I'll ask mine now:

Any way possible to hide the logos or any representation of all of the companies that send you guys clubs. For example, would it be possible to maybe shrink wrap ALL of the driver heads ( minus the face of course ) and the shafts such that it could really be a blind study? I think that would make it very interesting.

Thanks for taking the time!

Shane

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[quote name='sedowney' timestamp='1326927445' post='4110455']
Since I will be on the course when the Q and A's start, AND it's my birthday :partytime2: I'll ask mine now:

[b]Any way possible to hide the logos or any representation of all of the companies that send you guys clubs. For example, would it be possible to maybe shrink wrap ALL of the driver heads ( minus the face of course ) and the shafts such that it could really be a blind study? I think that would make it very interesting.
[/b]
Thanks for taking the time!

Shane
[/quote]

that's good right there.

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It seems that the Hot List always includes clubs from manufacturers everyone knows Nike, Callaway, Taylor Made, Mizuno, etc... Why doesn't Golf Digest do testing with more club manufacturers? Include clubs from Japan especially, there are clubs manufactured there that I would love to see go head to head with Callaway or Taylor Made. I am mostly talking about the irons like Miura, Akira, and others.

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Mike and Mike, are you aware that every major golf OEM won a gold medal for drivers? Doesn't that basically dilute the value of awarding one? It's basically a participation medal at that point

Srixon ZX5 w/PX Hzrdus Red 60

Srixon ZX 15 w/PX Hzrdus Red 70

Tour Edge C723 21* w/PX hzrdus black 80

Titleist T150 4-AW w/PX LZ 6.0

Titleist Jet Black 54/60 with PX LZ 6.0

Deschamps Crisp Antique 

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what are the standards for evaluation? how can the RBZ fairway woods get more stars for performance even though a con is that it's low launching while the adams speedline fast 12 fairway woods get fewer stars for performance, yet one of the reviewers says it's easy to get in the air even if it's hit thin? and i know the RBZ is adjustable, but how do they get more stars for innovation when adams has had that slot technology out for awhile? kind of confusing.

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Guys, thanks for doing this! I, like probably many others on here, love this issue but find little to no relevance for their game. I'm 6'2", 250# and most clubs don't come stiff enough from the factory for me. I totally understand you have to market to the largest segment of your readership but how about at least a little love to the gorillas who read? Like a small block of print highlighting which clubs work best for the fastest swingers (115+). On a similar note, which new clubs did you find work best (lower launch lower spin for drivers, etc) for the high swing speed folks?

Thanks again!

SiM2 Max  9°  Fujikura Ventus 6
TS2  15°  GD Tour AD VR-7

testing 5/7 woods🤔🤷‍♀️
818H2  21°  GD Tour AD IZ-85
0311T  4i / Z745  5-9  Nippon 950GH 
SM7 46F 52F 58D  DG 115
SM7 62M  KBS Tour
putter, KBS CT Tour, Pro Only *
(¬¬)

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Thanks for subjecting yourself to abuse. :D

Many of the clubs tested seemed like they were tested from the perspective of low to mid cappers. As a 24 handicap, I was looking for the perspective of a higher handicapped golfer. You know, someone who doesn't consistently hit the clubface well. Not all of us want to play "shovels" (I hate that word), but we're also not quite ready for primetime and hitting butter knives. Any reason why higher handicappers opinions were omitted?

DRIVER:  Callaway Rogue ST 10.5

FAIRWAYS:  Callaway Rogue ST 3, 9, 11 Fairway Woods

HYBRIDS:  Callaway Big Bertha 3 Hybrid, Rogue ST 4 Hybrid

IRONS:  Callaway Rogue ST 4-AW

WEDGES:  Callaway Jaws Raw 50 S Grind, 54 S Grind, 58 Z Grind 

PUTTER:  Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas

BACKUPS:  Odyssey Toulon Garage Le Mans Tri-Hot 5K Double Wide, MannKrafted Custom, Slighter Custom

BALL:  Testing

A man has to have options!

 

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[quote name='SPY ZINGER' timestamp='1326913736' post='4107021']
What influence (if any) does OEM advertising in Golf Digest have on the Hot List?
[/quote]


I can answer that. A LOT. Open the first page - What do you see? A 4 page spread of the driver that won the performance award. Coincidence? Then what? 2 Page Titleist add. Then what 2 page Rocketballz add. Connect the dots. I'd be lying if I said I didn't look forward to the hotlist every year but of course the have influence. And the response you'll get is the canned corporate response saying absolutely none. Why is that? Because if he said, "Well yea the OEM's do guide us a little" then no one is going to want to read the Hot List because they know it's BS.

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I sincerely look forward to the Hot List every year. I really like the layout this year and the iPad app for Golf Digest is amazing - good call making it FREE for monthly subsribers - my only complaint is the clubs that feature ONLY comments about the looks of the clubs. I can gather my own thouhgts on the looks - I want to know how it performs, does it lauch high, low, forgiving, etc.

Good example is the PING i20 FW - a club I have looking forward too - says something like "first swing I was blown away, 2nd swing confirmed it" Confirmed what? That, along with the fact that it comes in a killer matte black finish, tells me nothing informative

I just want the reviews to focus on how the clubs perform comparitively

PS - golfwrx.com rocks - where else can you voice your opinion at 2am!! BEST Golf forum on the www!!!

TM Qi10 LS 8.25°, Ventus Black 6X, tipped 1”, 44.75” 

TM BRNR Mini Driver at 12° (HWF), HZRDUS Black RDX 70 TX, tipped 1", 43.75"

TM Stealth+ 5w at 18.25°, HZRDUS Black RDX 80 6.5, tipped 1”, 42.5”

2023 Titleist T100 (4-GW), PX 6.0, +1/4”

Vokey SM10 54.12(D), 60.08(M), PX 6.0, +1/4"

Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2, 360g, 35"

 

 

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What's NOT Hot is the fact that you give the same OEM's gold every year. Ping Titleist TM Callaway. etc.

There is no mention of shafts that come with the clubs listed in your Hot List. WHY? And why is there no talk of the shafts at all?

F9 driver
king LTD 3 wood
F6 hybrid. vts silver
Z565. recoil 95
Pur wedges
Piretti Matera

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How much advertising dollars did the hotlist "gold" winners pay for advertising in Golf Digest magazine in 2011? Same for silver and bronze.

Kudos on the very popular hotlist though. It's not easy to get a 20 handi to buy a $400 driver to get that max distance on the GOLD list. But you guys do it every year and they don't catch on, lol. Very impressive.

I just find it weird that a GOLF magazine is encouraging bad golfers to spend $400 on a golf club and don't even mention shafts. Do the highest advertising OEM's write the hotlist for you? Throw a few shout outs to some competitors for giggles?

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[quote name='keith723' timestamp='1327049123' post='4123087']
I sincerely look forward to the Hot List every year. I really like the layout this year and the iPad app for Golf Digest is amazing - good call making it FREE for monthly subsribers - my only complaint is the clubs that feature ONLY comments about the looks of the clubs. I can gather my own thouhgts on the looks - I want to know how it performs, does it lauch high, low, forgiving, etc.

Good example is the PING i20 FW - a club I have looking forward too - says something like "first swing I was blown away, 2nd swing confirmed it" Confirmed what? That, along with the fact that it comes in a killer matte black finish, tells me nothing informative

I just want the reviews to focus on how the clubs perform comparitively

PS - golfwrx.com rocks - where else can you voice your opinion at 2am!! BEST Golf forum on the www!!!
[/quote]

Why is it amazing if it gives you no information that you want? Of course it's free, it gives you nothing useful unless you want them to tell you how it looks.

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[quote name='spencer096' timestamp='1326933328' post='4112045']
[quote name='sedowney' timestamp='1326927445' post='4110455']
Since I will be on the course when the Q and A's start, AND it's my birthday :partytime2: I'll ask mine now:

[b]Any way possible to hide the logos or any representation of all of the companies that send you guys clubs. For example, would it be possible to maybe shrink wrap ALL of the driver heads ( minus the face of course ) and the shafts such that it could really be a blind study? I think that would make it very interesting.
[/b]
Thanks for taking the time!

Shane
[/quote]

that's good right there.
[/quote]


Thanks Spencer, I thought that way there would be no " marketing influence ".

Shane

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The Cleveland Black is targetted at slower swing players, as the driver markets begins to fragment more, is the Hot List going to include "Player's Drivers" and "Game Improvement Drivers"?

I think low handicappers (and big hitters) are looking for something different out of a driver than most people...

Also, how did the Bridgestone J40 driver stack up results wise? It seems like the perfect example of a club that faster swinging players would like and slower swinging players would hate.

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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