Golf Digest 2012 Hot List Clubs

[Llortamaisey]

Who won in the wedge division this year?

[MK7Golf21]

[quote name='BigHook25' timestamp='1325348435' post='4009597']
[quote name='monkeynaut' timestamp='1325304533' post='4008203']
The Hot List is a source of information. Just like these forums are a source of information.
It's interesting, the thought, that this site would really be that much more valuable or precise, b/c it seems like everyone who gives an opinion here studied clubmaking at MIT and plays to a + handicap. People on this site DEFINITELY DO NOT HAVE brand name biases and they would NEVER LET THOSE BIASES influence their assessments of new products or technologies.
(Take a second to digest that.)
NOW, let's reexamine if GD Hot List is necessarily any better or worse.
It would be nice if they included more info on launch monitor numbers etc. But I do like that they include opinions from people of honestly differing skill levels. I have in the past given clubs a shot on the launch monitor that I normally wouldn't have, based on the list. I can't say I would ever just BUY something based on it's GDHL standing.

By the way, if it were all based on OEM ad buys, would there be anything else but TMAG on the list? They would just bought the whole issue and painted it white by now.
[/quote]

Agreed. You just have to take the hot list with a little grain of salt, because they tend to favor the bigger golf companies. [b]You can pretty much guarantee that Titleist, TM, Callaway, and Ping will get quite a bit of gold, and then Cobra, Mizuno, Bridgestone will get the silver.[/b] Now, I'm not saying sometimes a company doesn't deserve gold, but if you put a big name company against a less known company people already have preconceived notions and will usually vote for the big name even if the less known was better for them.
[/quote]

Im not sure thats true. Ive looked at hotlists over the years and the mizuno irons have won editors choice and recieved gold in most categories. They just happen to make some of the best quality irons available according to most golfers who know a little something about equipment.

People are always saying the big companies always win, well what oems are better than these for the price?? I don't see people bagging clubs from different oems than whats on the list here on the forum. Except for maybe scratch and the only clubs that are appealing to my eye are their blades and wedges, there isnt much room for blades on the hotlist. The Golf Digest editor answered the question about Scratch on the forum, stating they had spent time up in Canada with Scratch going over their line in detail.

I guess Ive just never bought into the gripe on the forum over the hot lists because when I look at peoples signatures,, they are playing the same clubs that are tested; titleist, cobra, TM, Callaway, mizuno, ping etc etc.

[cthoend]

[quote name='MtlJeff' timestamp='1325351436' post='4009783']
[quote name='cthoend' timestamp='1325348836' post='4009615']
That is why I come here for expert golf opinions. This forum is known for its objective opinions and lack of bias towards any one OEM.

The Hotlist has it faults, but at least they use the same metrics (even if there is some subjectivity) when evaluating clubs, and their results are validated in a controlled environment. Yes, I am still enticed to go buy a driver when I read some other poster on here can "stripe it 380 yards down the center of the fairway", but the Hotlist has is merits as well, and I find that there is a strong correlation between clubs that make the Hotlist and clubs that will find their way into my bag over the course of a season.
[/quote]

You really have to know who to listen to here though. To say there isn't bias on this forum is pretty laughable. Several people (including guys with 1K+ posts, who are active on the boards) have extreme bias, way more then golf digest even so you have to be careful

A couple of years ago i would say is when the OEM's "discovered" this site, since then there has been a ton of giveaways, invitations to visit OEM's facilities, special reports given to our media here, plants from OEM's posting here (i can't prove this but i've seen a few posters i'm positive were). There are a couple of people here in particular who are senior members and have visited major OEM's as parts of promotions, and i've seen both of these people jump all over anyone who bad mouths anything that OEM does since then. You really think we're that objective? The people who went to the kingdom last year said very clearly that TM has a huge interest in these boards and actively reads them. You don't really think they haven't thought of having a few temps sign up as posters and constantly pump TM right?

Just to be clear, i love the site. It's not the mods or owners fault. You can't control this type of stuff
[/quote]

[i]"That is why I come here for expert golf opinions. This forum is known for its objective opinions and lack of bias towards any one OEM." [/i] Sarcasm my friend - sarcasm. (As is the part about me buying clubs after someone else claims to hit them 380 yards.....)

[MtlJeff]

^^^ haha...my bad!

i stand by my point! But didn't realize you were being sarcastic.

[camaro02]

[quote name='Llortamaisey' timestamp='1325352696' post='4009859']
Who won in the wedge division this year?
[/quote]


sm4

[BigPete]

New Mizuno woods not on there - assuming that was a timing thing - no wonder they aren't popular in the States....

[Foreleft]

I find it a somewhat interesting read. Doesn't influence my purchase decision one way or the other.

One year, either Golf Digest or Golf Magazine put detailed specs in the magazine - amount of offset, length of blade, height of blade, etc., which I found to be very interesting in comparing clubs.

[jmvargas]

i do look forward to it and use it for additinl research on something i may be interested in but never rely on it alone to make a final decsion..


it'll never happen for the US edition but a review of japanspec golf equipment available only in japan would be fantastic----perhaps the japan edition of GD already has it??

[onafriday]

Every year, same griping.

Amazing.

[Bad9]

[quote name='Llortamaisey' timestamp='1325352696' post='4009859']
Who won in the wedge division this year?
[/quote]

Without looking-Vokey followed closely by Cleveland.

[theLeftyBeast]

Ping anser wedges won gold

[monkeynaut]

[quote name='theLeftyBeast' timestamp='1325396178' post='4012205']
Ping anser wedges won gold
[/quote]


Ping Answer, Cleveland 588 Forged and Vokey SM4 were all Gold Medalists.
Vokey was category leader for performance, Innovation, Look/Sound/Feel and Demand. <--- 21 loft/bounce options. They stack their deck. If all the others followed suit, maybe this thing wouldn't be so automatic.

[Thrillhouse]

Its something I scan every year just to see what they have to say or to see if something is coming out I might have missed, but it doesnt affect my purchasing decisions at all.

[lindymillerstudent]

I dont think we ever saw mashe irons

[Vegaman]

[quote name='TM_HOYER' timestamp='1325302637' post='4008079']
To those that say it is based on ad dollars, popularity, or size of the company must not have been on the site after the 2011 list was released. The editors of the Hot List were on Golfwrx discussing the 2011 Hot List and debunked all of those comments. They also had a very thorough article on their website explaining how the Hot List is tested and compiled because of the discussion on Golfwrx.
[/quote]

Wow, they debunked it! So now we have to believe it, of course! Were you excpecting them to come out and admit ad dollars do play a big part? "Demand" almost automatically excludes any smaller brand to be considered. And are you saying that every iron and driver from the big OEMs deserve gold? "Innovation" doubtlessly means that the more screws and bits that can be altered the higher they score.

[Vegaman]

[quote name='jmvargas' timestamp='1325386292' post='4011819']
i do look forward to it and use it for additinl research on something i may be interested in but never rely on it alone to make a final decsion..


it'll never happen for the US edition but a review of japanspec golf equipment available only in japan would be fantastic----perhaps the japan edition of GD already has it??
[/quote]

From what I understand the Japanese GD has a lot more info, there are charts telling you size, weight, how tall the clubface is, how long, bend points, optional shafts, even robot testing and every other small detail you could imagine.

[jol]

I'll admit that at the very least the "Hot List" will peak my interest in a new product that I may not have known about or even considered trying. For example, I may try TM's new Rocketballz hydrids. The size of the heads and the "added" distance may work better than either my FW woods or smaller headed hybrids.


[quote name='CBedo' timestamp='1325275312' post='4006269']
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?
[/quote]

[ironsman]

I do enjoy readng the Hot List, but the opinions I have about equipment are seldom affected by what it says, Sure it is interesting and the reviews on new equipment are some of the first out each year minus what is published on this site, but a lot of the feedback lacks substance. The not category on every club puts GD between a rock and a hard place because club companies pay through advertising and they dont want their product critiqued too heavily because it may hurt sales. But to me the most striking thing about every hot list is the clubs that do not make it, or companies that have multiple winners in every catergory. The fact that Bridgestone and Cobra had very few entries this year ( the amp line the trsuty rusty, and the new bridgestone wedges) shocked me. Its my personal opinion that those two companies have some of the most exciting gear set to come out this next year. I would like to see more diversity in the ratings to be sure. My only other complaint is that Bob Vokey always wins most of the wedge rating catergories. I would also like to see more diversity in the putter category, the fact that Bettinardi did not make this list to me is kind of ridiculous. All in all the Hot List is an interesting review article, but there is always room for improvement.

[WVP]

The magazine version of the Hot List always provided me with bathroom reading material for a few months.

The iPad version is simply awesome though, I can't recommend it enough. Actually all of GD is great on the iPad, IMO....

[johnstitch]

Worth a brief run thru but as half the kit is not available in the UK (TEE and Adams are very limited, and Scratch are non existent) it has no effect on what goes in my bag.

[station2station]

This is the first year I respect their opinion on a matter.

RBZ fairway gets GOLD with Best in Category in "in Demand". Unsure what that means. I guess I'll have to read the legend.

The Titleist 910 fairway gets GOLD with Best in Category in "Looks, Sound, and Feel" with 5 stars in PERFORMANCE. Those items I understand.

[StarFleetGolfer]

Demand that's the category for number of threads started on golfwrx regarding the rbz's.

[station2station]

[quote name='Golfjunki71' timestamp='1325553149' post='4019633']
Demand that's the category for number of threads started on golfwrx regarding the rbz's.
[/quote]

Hah!

Oh, and by request - Wedge category - Titleist Vokey was the most smashing success of any club group with GOLD, and Best in Class in all categories; Performance, Innovation, Look-Sound-Feel, and Demand. Also Editor's Choice.

(click to embiggen)

[dmac4g]

I like the "Hot List ", it always finds it way into the bathroom and comes n handy if I run out of toilet paper.

The snarky comments under the "not " section are just too much to handle. They almost make a Jack Pearsall thread sound appealing!

[StarFleetGolfer]

I can't put my finger on it, but there is something I really like about the sm4 over last year's model.

[bubbagump]

[quote name='dmac4g' timestamp='1325554462' post='4019729']
I like the "Hot List ", it always finds it way into the bathroom and comes n handy if I run out of toilet paper.

[b]The snarky comments under the "not " section are just too much to handle.[/b] They almost make a Jack Pearsall thread sound appealing[b]![/b]
[/quote]


LOL those are pretty funny. It appears that some clubs they are just grasping because they have to write something.

NOT: "This club if good in every category, but doesnt have the wow factor" wait, what?

[doctorbloor]

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.

 

 

 

Did you look at the list? Not only the big boys.

 

...and the smaller brands were treated like Jagdish, Flounder and Mustang at the Omega rush party in Animal House.

 

[station2station]

[quote name='Golfjunki71' timestamp='1325554478' post='4019731']
I can't put my finger on it, but there is something I really like about the sm4 over last year's model.
[/quote]

Same - and based on the large amount of bag chatter after 1 round on my 52*, I declared them as a softer material. I had interesting new clack marks I didn't get on the back of my old Vokey's. I've gotten chatter in the past - but not this fast and aggressive. Pics:

</threadjack>

[lee36328]

This may shed some light. It's one point of view on how the industry works when it comes to equipment reviews and such.

[url="http://Not allowed because of spam/the-truth-they-dont-want-you-to-know/"]My link[/url]


Which also may explain why there are not concrete performance numbers (from Trackman, etc) in the reviews.

Imagine a car review that did not publish the car's top speed, 0-60mph time, horsepower, torque, etc. And instead, had criteria such as 'Demand' or 'Buzz'.

Adams got silver in driver and hybrids? Hmm... I take it as a good sign indicating that they put the budget into the clubs instead of into marketing and promotion.

[realitycheck]

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.

 

 

 

Did you look at the list? Not only the big boys.

 

...and the smaller brands were treated like Jagdish, Flounder and Mustang at the Omega rush party in Animal House.

 

 

Missed Muhammad....."We've already met. SUPER!!!!"