We've launched the new forums! Read more here

2014 Golf Digest Hot List

SuperStroke
Well, after reading most of the post on here I'm glad I'm not the only one....this list means NOTHING. Good to see what's coming out this up coming year but that's about it and who needs that when we have THP?!?
 
I quit paying for GD partly because of their lack of objectivity. Yet somehow an issue arrived in my mailbox today. How and why do they give a rating for demand?? Thats just another way of saying who bought the most ad space isn't it?
 
Some of the clubs on the list haven't been released yet. I wonder how they guage demand on those. Certainly not sales numbers.
 
GolfFest said:
Some of the clubs on the list haven't been released yet. I wonder how they guage demand on those. Certainly not sales numbers.
Click to expand...

They talk to a few retailers. Those retailers go off of customer inquires. It's dumb.
 
jlukes said:
I read today that the manufacturers actually have to pay golf Digest fees to use advertise that they won a medal. Thus, golf Digest essentially is better off giving out more and more gold medals because that means more and more manufacturers pay them to advertise that they won something
Click to expand...

That's something they pay GD for advertising to get the gold. Then they have to pay to use the GD gold medal in their advertising.
 
I never really took the GD Hot List too seriously. It’s all about the advertising & money. I would browse through it, but always found myself chuckling to myself at the ratings and reviews. The best place to get honest reliable reviews is here. Thank you THP, keep up the good work folks.
 
I think it's weird that there's no MB irons at all in the players iron category. Maybe their testing staff should take a step out of the comfort zone.


Hot List, TaylorMade MC's only con:

"Unless you're making the final of your club championship, the topline on the long irons might look pretty skinny."

Well...they are players irons...not SGI irons. Duh.



 
Quite a few here are suggesting ratings are tied to advertising dollars. Here is a run down of number pages of ads purchased by the major OEM's in the hot list edition.

Callaway: 11 pages which include a 5 page fold out on page 2/3.


Odyssey: 2 pages

TaylorMade: 4 pages

Adidas: 1 page

Titleist: 5 pages

Nike: 3 pages

Mizuno: 1 page

Ping: 4 pages

Cobra: 4 pages

Srixon: 1 page
 
I flipped through this today at a magazine shop today and was disappointed again. Years ago I liked the reviews and found it a nice starting point when looking for clubs, now I find almost everything gets a gold star and the coments and feedback from the hot and not section are repetitive or not relevant.
 
Scrap Iron said:
I flipped through this today at a magazine shop today and was disappointed again. Years ago I liked the reviews and found it a nice starting point when looking for clubs, now I find almost everything gets a gold star and the coments and feedback from the hot and not section are repetitive or not relevant.
Click to expand...

That's kind of how I see it. The Hot List used to have some good measurable data. It's just not there any more.
 
When I was "wide-eyed" new to golf I thought the GD Hot List was the end all and if something head a Gold rating it must be the best product on the market. As my golf IQ has increased (thanks to golf forums like THP) I find the Hot List almost comical because objectivity is lacking and its seems to be a regurgitation of previous years comments. I still read thru it and most of the time I have already tested the equipment anyway. I certainly think its partially tied to advertising dollars because every OEM is putting a quality product on the market right.
 
I'll echo what everyone else is saying... GDHL is a complete joke. The comments from the low-mid-high handicappers seem to be identical from club to club.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Basically it shows you the Clubs you will be able to buy for 50-60% less at the used bin at your local Golf Galaxy in a couple of months after the misinformed drop 400 bucks on a driver they are told will get them DEEEEEEP distance off the tee, But instead they become frustrated after 2 -3 rounds and trade them in for what they already had....And get about 30% trade Value
 
I'm not a fan of their written feedback but the tablet version is kinda cool for Drivers. Each one includes a video and you can hear how they sound. But that's it!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top