Golf Digest 2012 Hot List Clubs

[CBedo]

Do you really care?

I received the February Golf Digest (iPad edition) last night which is the Equipment Edirtion with the 2012 Hot Lists. I've never really paid any attention (other than just info) to these since I've always thought at worst GD probably got paid off to put clubs on the list, and at best, they can't say anything bad about anyone since the club manufacturers pay their bills with advertising.

But looking at how the rankings are constructed makes it even worse this year in my opinion (don't remember if it's the same as last year). The ranking categories and weighting are as follows: Performance 45%, Innovation 30%, Look/Sound/Feel 20%, and Demand 5%. Do you really care how much innovation is in a club (which is subjective anyway to the rater) if it performs? And why would the demand for a club matter at all unless the Hot List isn't about performance at all, but what's "hot" in which case, shouldn't it be way higher than 5%? I'll give in and say that look/sound/feel are important to whether you like a club or not for sure, but adding that weight to the performance still gives you less than 2/3 of the total ranking on what I would consider pertinent factors.

The Gold label clubs had 93-100 points and the Silver 88-92.9 which I'm convinced probably was decided by how many of the major manufacturers clubs made it in, lol.

Do the Hot List rankings/inclusions affect your club buying & if so, how?

[Cwing]

It is a HOT List, not best drvier list or best performing driver list as wow factor can result in a driver being hot. I take "Hot" as anticipated demand. I would much rather see a most forgiving best list.

[hogans71]

Not in the least...

[TM_HOYER]

I use it as one source of information on clubs that might fit my game and be worth trying out.

[msean]

Spending time on this site makes the info in the magazines seem way out of date. By the time they report on something "new" someone on WRX has already posted spy pics, reviewed, and sold it on the BST.

[Russ757]

it will pass time in the "mans den". Worth about the same...

[Sakman]

Here's what was tested this year -


[b]Drivers[/b]
Adams Fast 12 LS
Bob Burns No Bananas DAT
Bob Burns B-2 Bomber
Boccieri Heavy Driver
Bridgestone J40 (430/445)
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway RAZR X Black
Cleveland Black
Cleveland Classic
Cobra ZL Encore
Cobra Long Tom
Cobra AMP
DnA Welded Alpha 610
Fourteen DT-111 Titanium
Henry-Griffitts Praxis 450
Hireko Power Play Caiman X2
MacGregor Tourney
Nicklaus ML 4
Nike VR Pro Limited Edition
Nike VR_S
Ping G20
Ping i20
PowerBilt Air Force One DF
TaylorMade R11-S
TaylorMade RocketBallz/RocketBallz Tour
Titleist 910D2/D3
Tour Edge Exotics CB4 Tour
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-5
Tour Edge HT Max-D
Wilson Staff Dxi Superlight
Yonex Ezone Type 380
Yonex Ezone SD

[b]Fairway Woods[/b]
Adams Fast 12
Adams Super Ti/Tung
Bob Burns No Bananas DAT
Boccieri Heavy Fairway
Bridgestone J40
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway RAZR X Black
Cleveland Mashie
Cleveland Black
Cobra AMP
Cobra Long Tom 2 wood
Cobra Baffler T-Rail
Fourteen SF-511
Fourteen VESPO FC-714
Fourteen W-422V
Hireko Power Play Caiman X2
Hireko Acer XDS React
MacGregor Tourney
Nicklaus Railsole
Nike VR Pro Limited Edition
Nike VR_S
Ping G20
Ping i20
PowerBilt Air Force One AF2
TaylorMade RocketBallz
TaylorMade R11s
Titleist 910F
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-4 Tour
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-5
Tour Edge HT Max-D
Wilson Staff Fybrid RS (Rocker Sole)
Yonex Ezone Type ST
Yonex Ezone SD

[b]Hybrids[/b]
Adams a12/a12OS
Adams Super Hybrid
Adams Idea Pro a12
Bob Burns No Bananas DAT
Boccieri Heavy Hybrid
Bridgestone J40
Callaway RAZR X HL
Callaway RAZR X
Cleveland Mashie+
Cobra Baffler T-Rail
Cobra AMP
Fourteen UT-511
Hireko Dynacraft Avatar Evolution
MacGregor Tourney
Nickent 6DX
Nickent 6DT
Nicklaus Railsole
Nike VR_S
Orlimar TriMetal Dri-Bryd
Ping G20
Ping i20
PowerBilt Air Force One AF2
TaylorMade RocketBallz
Titleist 910 H
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-4 Tour
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-5
Tour Edge HT Max-D
Wilson Staff Fybrid RS
Yonex Ezone SD
Yonex Ezone
Yonex Ezone Zero Iron

[b]Game Improvement irons[/b]
Adams Redline
Callaway RAZR X
Callaway RAZR Black
Cleveland CG Black
Cobra AMP
MacGregor Tourney
Mizuno JPX-800
Mizuno JPX-800 Pro
Nicklaus Polarity 3.0
Nike VR_S (Forged)
Ping G20
PowerBilt Air Force One AF2
TaylorMade R11
TaylorMade RocketBallz
Titleist AP1
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-5
Tour Edge HT Max-D
Wilson Staff Ci11
Yonex Ezone SD

[b]Players Irons[/b]
Adams Pro a12
Adams MB2
Bob Burns True Forged
Bridgestone J40 Forged Cavity Back
Bridgestone J40 Forged Dual Pocket
Callaway RAZR X Tour
Callaway RAZR X Forged
Callaway RAZR X MB
Cleveland 588 MB
Cleveland 588 CB
Fourteen TC-710
Fourteen TC-930
Fourteen HI-610h TS
Fourteen TC-610
Henry-Griffitts T12
KZG Forged M Series
Mizuno MP-59
Mizuno MP-69
Mizuno MP-53
Nike VR Pro Combo CB
Nike VR Pro Blades
Ping i20
Ping S56
PowerBilt Air Force One Player Series Iron
SCOR SCOR4161
TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB
TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC
Titleist AP2
Titleist CB
Tour Edge Exotics CG Forged
Whitlam Gauge Design
Wilson Staff FG Tour V2
Yonex Ezone Forged MB

[b]Super Game Improvement irons[/b]
Adams Idea a12OS
Bob Burns DAT Hollow Cavity
Callaway RAZR XF
Callaway RAZR X HL
Cleveland Mashie
Mizuno JPX-800HD
Nickent 6DX Combo
Nike VR_S (Cast)
Orlimar Tri-Metal ZXP
Ping K15
TaylorMade RocketBallz Max
Tour Edge JMAX gold

[b]Wedges[/b]
Adams Puglielli
Bob Burns Master Grind
Boccieri Heavy Wedge TC
Bridgestone J40 Satin Chrome
Callaway Forged
Callaway X Series Jaws
Cleveland 588 Forged
Cleveland CG Black
Carnahan Vintage
Carnahan V-Groove
Carnahan Gunmetal
Cobra Trusty Rusty
Cobra Big Trusty Rusty
Fourteen RM-11
Fourteen MT-28 JSPECIV
Hireko Power Play Raw Spin
Hireko Acer XS
KZG MWC-1
MacGregor VIP
Mizuno MP R-12 Series
Mizuno MP T-11
Mizuno JPX
Nike VR Pro Forged
Ping Anser
Ping Tour-S
SCOR SCOR4161
Scratch 8620-USA Milled
TaylorMade ATV
Titleist Vokey SM4
Tour Edge Exotics Proto V1.1
Tour Edge TGS
Whitlam Gauge Design TCG series
Yonex Ezone
Yonex WS

[b]Blade Putters[/b]
Axis1 Eagle
Bettinardi Studio Stock 11
Boccieri Heavy Putter Tour Series Q2-MT
Byron Morgan Da Kine
Byron Morgan DH 89
Cleveland Classic
Carnahan Broadway
Dogleg Right
Flanigan FB1
Flanigan FB2
Flanigan 343
Hireko Dynacraft Hindsight
Hireko Dynacraft SPOT
MacGregor ROTA series
MacGregor Response
Never Compromise Limited Connoisseur Portofino
Never Compromise Sub30 Type 10
Nickent Omen
Nike Method Core MC
Odyssey ProType Tour series
Odyssey Metal-X
Odyssey Flip Face
Orlimar DuoTec DT3
Ping Anser Milled
Ping Scottsdale
Ping Karsten 1959
Profound Solution
Rife Island Series
Seemore M Series
Seemore Private Reserve
Seemore Si Series
STX Xform series
STX ProFIT
Sunset Beach Ocean Isle
Sunset Beach Masonboro
Sunset Beach Calabash
TaylorMade Ghost Tour
Titleist Cameron California
Titleist Cameron Select Newport
Tour Edge Backdraft GT series
Tour Edge T-Balance series
T.P. Mills Anvil
Whitlam Diamond
Whitlam The Little Dog
Wilson Staff 888 BLK series
Yes! -Groove
Yonex Ezone Full Milled
Yonex Ezone EZP01

[b]Mallet Putters[/b]
Axis1 Umbra
Bettinardi BB-35
Bob Burns Putt-Mark
Bob Burns Great Dane
Bobby Grace AMG
Boccieri Heavy Putter Tour Series R3-MT
Cleveland Classic
Dogleg Right
GTX Tradition
Never Compromise Limited Connoisseur Perfecto
Never Compromise Sub30
Nickent Omen OP Series
Nike Method Core
Nike Method Concept
Odyssey ProType Tour series
Odyssey Metal-X
Odyssey Flip Face
Orlimar DuoTec DT4
Ping Sydney
Ping Scottsdale
PowerBilt Air Force One HT
Seemore fgp
Seemore SB2
Seemore M5x
Seemore DB4x
Seemore Si
STX Xform series
STX Sync Series
Sunset Beach Yaupon
Sunset Beach Surfside
Sunset Beach Pamlico
Sunset Beach Carolina
TaylorMade Ghost
Titleist Cameron California
Tour Edge Backdraft GT series
Tour Edge T-Balance series
T.P. Mills Anvil series
Whitlam Hummer 3
Whitlam Gauge Design M2H Crazy Caliper
Whitlam Window
Wilson Staff 888 BLK series
Yar Putter GX1-WB
Yonex Ezone Full Milled
Yonex Ezone EZM01


Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/blogs/hotlist365/2011/12/all-things-considered--hot-lis.html#ixzz1i3M86fTV

[magnus7319]

It's the 'who paid the most to advertise their clubs' list. Imo.

[ram01002]

not even a little - - but we aren't the target market for the hot list

[MtlJeff]

i don't think anything takes more of a beating on this site then the hot list. The Hot List after a thread on this site looks like Michael Spinks after his bout with Tyson.

My opinion is people get lost on this site and just assume everyone knows as much about golf as we do. As another poster pointed out by the time it gets an official review from GD it's old news on this site. But that is not normal in the consumer market. The average schmuck doesn't know much about what's out there and probably relies on reviews like the hotlist a lot more then we give it credit for. Let's face it, most consumers buy what they see pros using and what the magazines say is good. When i had just started playing golf at like 22yrs old...i loved the hot list, and i guarantee there are still far more people that treat it as bible then there are members here.

They are in a tough position though. With a lot of the technologies somewhat maxed out i really don't know why some things are gold and some aren't. It does seem somewhat arbitrary. Might as well make every offering from every major company a gold medal winner. It does seem like they make the effort to give everyone a piece of the pie, so to speak. Probably because the major OEM's are the source of a lot of ad revenue and they don't want to make them mad (i'd bet solid money that if a top OEM ever got left off the list completely, the editors at GD would get an angry call from said OEM)

so to sum up, it doesn't do a lot for me, nor i would imagine for people curious enough to join a golf site such as this one. But it's valuable to the market as a whole. If i started playing tennis tomorrow, would i read a hot list about Tennis equipment to find out what's good and popular? Absolutely i would

[Woodridge]

Smaller boutique companies have virtually no chance of getting in there. I'll admit that it's something I hold onto and read quite a bit, because it has a lot of club info in one place, and has a ton of equipment ads.

[QuigleyDU]

Looks like a pretty solid list to me.

[nibblet]

[quote name='Cwing' timestamp='1325276572' post='4006323']
It is a HOT List, not best drvier list or best performing driver list as wow factor can result in a driver being hot. I take "Hot" as anticipated demand. I would much rather see a most forgiving best list.
[/quote]
amen to that ! I'm also a little cynical about it, however what did well this year currently I'm in the back of beyond and will not see my copy till I fly home.

[Pert1862]

Looking fwd to nickent reviews. Loved the old stuff.

[wolfpack]

Hot List is a popularity contest.

[RightHandRough]

[quote name='Pert1862' timestamp='1325280518' post='4006571']
Looking fwd to nickent reviews. Loved the old stuff.
[/quote]


+1

I loved the old 4dx Evolver, it still gets in the bag on my really off days. And some of the old hybrids can still be found lurking in peoples bags around here.

[golf9596]

Do the Hot List rankings/inclusions affect your club buying & if so, how?
[/quote]


I was interested in what the manufactures are coming out with. What a magazine or golf pro says about a club doesn't hold much weight with me. If I like the look I will give it a test drive. I was interested in the new Scotty line and now have a good idea what the finish is and will order accordingly to my specs. DG ratinags are subjective, but they give you a preseason look at what is going to market this season. We all need a little hope for the upcoming season.

[CBedo]

[quote name='Pert1862' timestamp='1325280518' post='4006571']
Looking fwd to nickent reviews. Loved the old stuff.
[/quote]Hopefully you aren't looking for reviews in this issue, because none of their clubs made the cut.

[Huntingchris0000]

I like reading the hot list, not because I think it is accurate but just to see what others think about the clubs. Like all new releases, I will give them a try and can make my own decision.

[boycer]

I would really like to see trackman data for all those clubs with different players and robots to see how they perform. course I'm sure I will check the list out for the fun of it.

[Johnsti2k6]

Do we really have to go over this EVERY YEAR...... every single year!>!>! cmon 2012 i have hope!

[norge5]

[quote name='TM_HOYER' timestamp='1325277242' post='4006365']
I use it as one source of information on clubs that might fit my game and be worth trying out.
[/quote]


Best reply I've read so far on the subject.

What's not too like? It's just information put out there on clubs to consider. It doesn't proclaim to be the only source of information on clubs out there. For people who enjoy this site, I find it hard to believe they aren't also interested in reading the "Hot List." We read reviews and opinions on clubs on this site frequently. We don't necessarily know the qualifications or knowledge of equipment that the poster has. It shouldn't be an affirmation or an indictment of clubs. Just more information to consider.

[jkim23]

[quote name='boycer11' timestamp='1325283201' post='4006775']
I would really like to see trackman data for all those clubs with different players and robots to see how they perform. course I'm sure I will check the list out for the fun of it.
[/quote]

Hell would freeze over before this happens.

[LBlack14]

I used to look forward to it. Not so much anymore.

[IU06]

It's nice that GD takes the time to test all these clubs for our advantage, so we have one viewpoint on new clubs. We choose whether or not to use the information.

[tigerfan23]

I love it. Makes for some good reading.

[tomg1969]

I like it. I don't use it to make decisions about what I'm going to play, but it's a decent read and as a few others have said it's nice having alot of the newer stuff all in one place....especially in the middle of winter. LOL

 

 

 

It's certainly no more biased or in some cases no further off base than some of the posts I read on here everyday....

[pingman1]

[quote name='kgeorge78' timestamp='1325291306' post='4007235']
I love it. Makes for some good reading.
[/quote]

+1

[farmer]

I never buy new, so it makes no difference. What does matter, kudos to WRX, is if some driver has a 4 or 5 page thread and gets good reviews.

[AsnDrm44]

Used to look forward to it but like OP said, it has become pretty useless in terms of guiding me to buy something based on the reviews. Still like to peruse through it though.