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


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Wow. Golf Digest isn't my favorite golf mag, but I'm thankful that he took the time to come here and answer questions, he certainly didn't have to. Maybe he rubbed some people the wrong way, maybe some think he wasn't forthright about the ad thing, but maybe we'll see shafts in next years issue. Take the bad with the good.

I believe the Hot List caters to 85-90% of golfers. I think those interested in blades fall into that 10-15% not aimed at. Here's why-

To be able to [b]effectively[/b] play blades your swing needs to be dialed in, I think we can agree on that. Who has their swings dialed in- pros and very good amateurs. If you fall into either of these categories what is Golf Digest going to be able to tell you about blades that you don't already know or will find out by hitting them yourself?

Late-

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[quote name='Late4ttime' timestamp='1327259247' post='4135057']
Wow. Golf Digest isn't my favorite golf mag, but I'm thankful that he took the time to come here and answer questions, he certainly didn't have to. Maybe he rubbed some people the wrong way, maybe some think he wasn't forthright about the ad thing, but maybe we'll see shafts in next years issue. Take the bad with the good.

I believe the Hot List caters to 85-90% of golfers. I think those interested in blades fall into that 10-15% not aimed at. Here's why-

To be able to [b]effectively[/b] play blades your swing needs to be dialed in, I think we can agree on that. Who has their swings dialed in- pros and very good amateurs. If you fall into either of these categories what is Golf Digest going to be able to tell you about blades that you don't already know or will find out by hitting them yourself?

Late-
[/quote]

I'd ask for two things:

1) recognize your audience. Here, that generally means that you have better players reading and responding.
2) recognize that "modern" blades made by Titleist, Mizuno, Scratch, and others are nothing like those built 15 years ago (let alone those built 30+ years ago).

I can't reliably hit a blade from the good ole' days; I can hit a modern blade well enough to get my index down to a 3.4. I don't doubt that there are plenty of 15+ handicappers on here, and I enjoy playing with them as much as I enjoy playing with a positive index'er. My complaint is in the overall dismissal of the demographic that I seem to fit in. Golf Digest can help me by recognizing those manufacturers who are investing in ensuring that the clubs I buy from a given manufacturer are going to be consistent in use. Now that I recognize that I've been dismissed by the "Hot List's" intended audience, I have no need to bother turning the pages any more.

The irony of all of this is the fact that they don't want to help inform better players to the distinguishing differences between the new blades on the market, but they're willing and able to tell me all about a $122,375 Jaguar or have "Mr. Style" Marty what's-his-name point out the multiple $20,000+ watches I could buy to coordinate with my crocodile shoes. How many of the 85 - 90% of golfers need to know about those items? Evidently more than those who need to know about blades. ;(

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[quote name='jahopki' timestamp='1327271311' post='4136047']
I'd ask for two things:

1) recognize your audience. Here, that generally means that you have better players reading and responding.
2) recognize that "modern" blades made by Titleist, Mizuno, Scratch, and others are nothing like those built 15 years ago (let alone those built 30+ years ago).

I can't reliably hit a blade from the good ole' days; I can hit a modern blade well enough to get my index down to a 3.4. I don't doubt that there are plenty of 15+ handicappers on here, and I enjoy playing with them as much as I enjoy playing with a positive index'er. My complaint is in the overall dismissal of the demographic that I seem to fit in. Golf Digest can help me by recognizing those manufacturers who are investing in ensuring that the clubs I buy from a given manufacturer are going to be consistent in use. Now that I recognize that I've been dismissed by the "Hot List's" intended audience, I have no need to bother turning the pages any more.

The irony of all of this is the fact that they don't want to help inform better players to the distinguishing differences between the new blades on the market, but they're willing and able to tell me all about a $122,375 Jaguar or have "Mr. Style" Marty what's-his-name point out the multiple $20,000+ watches I could buy to coordinate with my crocodile shoes. How many of the 85 - 90% of golfers need to know about those items? Evidently more than those who need to know about blades. ;(
[/quote]

I think both your points go hand in hand. GolfDigest does recognize the majority of their magazine audience, which apparently does not include Tour Pros or Scratch Golfers like yourself. With that said, there was no real reason for them to compare modern blades. Even the [url="http://www.golf.com/equipment/clubtest-2011-find-best-irons-you"]Golf Magazine Club Test excludes blades[/url]. Apparently, both feel your blade demographic needs little to no help selecting their irons.

I agree there are some "questionable" (putting it nicely) sections like the ones you mentioned. Right or wrong, I'm sure they have their reasons. As I stated in my other post, maybe you should direct your displeasure towards the OEMs who do just as little if not less advertising their blade products.

What GD Mike did here was a "Q&A on The Hot List 2012". He answered questions on process, tester selection, clarified some misconceptions, and etc. I don't believe he was here to find out how to do his job better. IMO he answered all questions honestly. What else can you ask for. So the man tossed a little "jab" after being hounded about the "advertisement conspiracy" theory. Big deal.

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[quote name='MikeSGD' timestamp='1327082926' post='4125187']
[quote name='psd' timestamp='1326914366' post='4107151']
Might future GD Hot List editions test and report back on the most effective and worthwhile training aids, instructional DVDs, and the like? Thank you for your consideration.
[/quote]


It's probably been seven years since we've done training aids. We're overdue. DVDs I'm less qualified in that area. Seems more a job for Roger Ebert.
[/quote]

Thanks for answering. I look forward to a training aids review in the future. As for DVDs, please don't dismiss them so easily. There has been a lot of discussion here about Sean Foley's DVD and with the Stack and Tilt 2.0 ready to ship next month, I'm sure plenty of dialogue will follow. There is very simple evaluation criteria that can be developed from both a technical perspective to an instructional perspective. Please give this idea more consideration. You could probably find your test panel right here on GolfWRX.

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[quote name='MtlJeff' timestamp='1327254795' post='4134727']
LOL, i love how people here trash and trash the hot list year after year, and then cry like babies when Mike throws one tiny grenade back at you. I thought the agent comment was funny. If it insults you that much you need thicker skin. You were probably the kids at recess who needled the bigger kid until he swiped at you, then ran to the teacher "miss, he [i]hit [/i]me, he [i]hit [/i]me"
[/quote]

+1

Someone that loves cars is at a level where they really don't pay attention to what show up on Car and Driver's 10 best or gets the Motor Trend --- of the Year award. Audiophiles could care less what Consumer Reports or Stereo Review have to say about gear.

All the guy was saying is that if you're good enough to hit some of the blades that have been raised here, you're probably good enough to hit anything, and you're at a level where the unique details that player's interested in aren't going to be revealed in what amounts to a sound bite.

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[quote name='MtlJeff' timestamp='1327254795' post='4134727']
LOL, i love how people here trash and trash the hot list year after year, and then cry like babies when Mike throws one tiny grenade back at you. I thought the agent comment was funny. If it insults you that much you need thicker skin. You were probably the kids at recess who needled the bigger kid until he swiped at you, then ran to the teacher "miss, he [i]hit [/i]me, he [i]hit [/i]me"
[/quote]

I don't think anyone was crying like a baby...the comment just lacked professionalism and frankly basically attempted to exclude a segment of the market from further purchasing the GD Hotlist (which IMHO is stupid). Fact of the matter is, there is a school of though which I've bought into, that you should be playing blades from the very beginning to get proper feedback. I started playing shovels and each shot felt great regardless of the results. Biggest improvement I saw was moving to blades (I went from about a 30 handicap to an 8). And as another poster pointed out, the comment that there has been no significant change to blades is a joke. Try playing MP33's and then pick up the Adams MB2's or MP68's. Night and day difference in terms of distance and forgiveness.

PS. Not surprised by the fact that you decided to throw out insults seeing as though you are from Montreal (The Holier than Though City) and play shovels (there's my little grenade...don't run to teacher).

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[quote name='MikeSGD' timestamp='1327084138' post='4125311']
[quote name='#1Ballin' timestamp='1327080808' post='4124951']
[quote name='babynoob' timestamp='1326937468' post='4112959']
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.
[/quote]

and this one.......
[/quote]


Our main mission is to evaluate clubs that are readily available in the U.S. But your idea is worthwhile for a future story in Golf Digest. I'll get to work on it.
[/quote]

I would love to see an issue of GD where you guys test some Japanese models. I understand that you may not want to test them against some American counterparts. You could test, the Japanese ones, against each other. Find out which ones are hot and not.

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[quote name='RealTK' timestamp='1327009975' post='4120067']
[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.
[/quote]

Seems that the small golf companies agree:
"It's the same each year…In my opinion the Hot List is just to satisfy the major advertisers"
[url="http://www.criticalgolf.com/blog/few-small-manufacturers-on-golf-digest-2012-hot-list/"]http://www.criticalg...-2012-hot-list/[/url]

And it looks like just 2% of clubs from small companies make the list, but small companies submit 35% of the clubs-

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