Golf Digest 2011 Hot List. What Do You Think?

I read it every year, although at the rate new clubs are coming out these days, they need to have it at least twice a year lol. It makes for a good list of OEM clubs that are coming out, and I like the little what's hot and whats not part. But these days its really nothing more than a pretty list..... the medals don't mean squat >.<
 
Well look at the driver: R11 is editor's choice, YET it is for the better player, YET it wasn't the performance leader.

So what? These don't directly correlate.


THPing on the fly. Sorry for lack of forum etiquette.

Would you feel the say way if the 910 got editors choice but wasn't the performance leader, or would u be saying TM got hosed?

I would be saying the same thing. What the editor likes, and what the companies pay to get the awards are two different things. Neither affect me in any way, shape, or form.
 
Just got it in the mail and read it. Sort of annoying with the strong-loft jabs and all. I get the mag for free or it wouldn't make it to my mailbox.
 
It's a shame I used to really look forward to this issue. I've even seen people walking around with it in the big box stores like it's a shopping list or something. Now it's nothing more than a color sample summary of the new gear that's coming out for the 'new' golf season. In a way, good way of course, my time and exposure to THP has diluted my excitement for this issue because now I see the marketing hype that goes into it, the lack of testing for non-major vendors, and the lack of consumer testing/input. In fact, I think the biggest reason it's not exciting to me anymore is because I've hit or seen most of the listed gear already and when I see 'X driver is awesome!' comments next to a driver that I thought was dog poo it kind of makes you scratch your head a little bit. Of course everyone's opinions are like you know aht but just saying here.
 
It's a shame I used to really look forward to this issue. I've even seen people walking around with it in the big box stores like it's a shopping list or something. Now it's nothing more than a color sample summary of the new gear that's coming out for the 'new' golf season. In a way, good way of course, my time and exposure to THP has diluted my excitement for this issue because now I see the marketing hype that goes into it, the lack of testing for non-major vendors, and the lack of consumer testing/input. In fact, I think the biggest reason it's not exciting to me anymore is because I've hit or seen most of the listed gear already and when I see 'X driver is awesome!' comments next to a driver that I thought was dog poo it kind of makes you scratch your head a little bit. Of course everyone's opinions are like you know aht but just saying here.

I feel the same way Hanks. I still look forward to it, but not nearly as much as I used to. I love the fact that we got hit clubs that are going to be listed in there almost 4 months before the issue is released.
 
I honestly do not pay attention to the Golf Digest Hot list for the simple reason that I do not think they choose them based on performance but on marketing dollars. Until I am proven otherwise I will hold the same stance.
 
I used to buy a lot of stock in this list when I subscribed to the magazine. Now that I get to demo so many clubs on my own, I read THP and follow the tour and manufacturers more closely, as well as attend the PGA show, the list doesn't do a thing for me.
 
before THP I used to read golf digest and would look at the clubs on their hot list. Now that I have become a little more knowledgeable (thanks THP) I couldn't care less whats on the list.
 
I used to put some stock in those reviews until I found this site. I agree with what a previous poster said about money from companies being a huge influence.
 
I agree with a lot of you. We are much more knowledgable consumers now, especially being members of THP and learning from one another.
 
I think they do a pretty good job in general reviewing the clubs' performance, but then they skew the scores with that stupid demand category.... I think that's the main driver in propping up some of the offerings from the big OEMs. But when I look at the performance scores, they are usually pretty in line with what my experience is with those same clubs. I think the hot list can be a decent way to come up with a list of clubs to try, but again, most of those clubs will or have been tested here with much more thorough reviews anyways.
 
I thought t was weird to see the Z Star got put in the Silver catagory eventhough the reviews were great (the low handicap guy was quoted as saying it was the best face/shaft combo he tested) the ratings were great but demand was 1 star and they didn't even mention the fact that it comes with the Miyasaki shaft). I have never hit this club but the THP reviews were good. I guess it just goes to show.
 
They did the same thing with the Mashie. The comments rated it so high and said it was the best hybrid they have ever hit. It got a silver too!
 
I thought t was weird to see the Z Star got put in the Silver catagory eventhough the reviews were great (the low handicap guy was quoted as saying it was the best face/shaft combo he tested) the ratings were great but demand was 1 star and they didn't even mention the fact that it comes with the Miyasaki shaft). I have never hit this club but the THP reviews were good. I guess it just goes to show.

They did the same thing with the Mashie. The comments rated it so high and said it was the best hybrid they have ever hit. It got a silver too!

You have two of the hottest clubs coming out this year. Your own testers say it was the best combination they have hit. Yet it gets Silver because of demand. Clearly the demand is based ONLY on internal studies. Because if they speak to REAL CONSUMERS they would see what demand was.

'I got an idea. Line up 50 golfers and let them hit everything that is coming out. Then ask them what the clubs are that have the most demand. Oh wait, THP did that already and some products that are getting 1 star in demand won out. Shameful. Absolutely Shameful. Performance may well very much be correct in each club they test. However there is no way demand is based on anything that is truly demand. And certainly not from actual consumers.
 
I tried using a different screen name (again) because I was banned last year.
 
The only differing elements between thp and gd's review cycle is that gd gives out gold stars for how much a company pays them, whereas those gold stars have to be earned in these parts.


THPing on the fly. Sorry for lack of forum etiquette.
 
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On the Cigar forum I am a member at we have a similar conversation going regarding Cigar Afficianado's top cigars of the year. Consumers nowadays are much better at doing their own research on products in general thanks to the internet mostly. I still believe there is a small percentage of the consumers that actually do this, or are fortunate to do small testing sessions(be it golf equipment, cigars, ect....). I think that those consumers "see through the hype" quite a bit and realize that many of the top ranked items are advertising dollar driven, and some companies aren't even given a fair chance(for whatever reason).

In the Cigar world many people find CA's reviewing method tainted because if they don't care for a cigar they will only smoke the first inch of the cigar. Compared to golf that is like hitting 3 balls and saying the club isn't good, not really a fair evaluation. Last night when I was working a guy came in the shop and pulled out his fancy iPhone and had the top ten list from CA and was asking for these cigars, many of which I would not normally recommend. As we went through his list I did my part to give the customer what he wanted but at the same time offer other suggestions that I felt he may enjoy more.

I know a lot of people "in the know" don't put a lot of faith in these type of lists, for good reason, but the general reader does. If I polled 10 people and asked them their top ten cigar lists I think I could easily nit pick each one of their lists pretty easily based on my experience and personal opinion. It's not saying their lists would be bad, but each list would contain some subjectability for whatever reason(personal preference or even personal gain by listing).

I think the bottom line of my long winded rant goes back to the same advice we tend to give when someone comes here asking about clubs.... demo, demo, demo and then demo again, find what is best for YOU. These lists may give you a good starting point at best, but it is up to the consumer to find what works for them personally.
 
I tried using a different screen name (again) because I was banned last year.

something about this really made me laugh
 
time....to.....give.....up
 
something about this really made me laugh

same here. I wonder if Rads will ever try that too.

I still look forward to seeing this issue, hope it gets delivered soon. Even if it's just to compare what they say to what we all said at the outing.
 
time....to.....give.....up

For those of you who know the personality of a previous banned poster, this is friggin hilarious!

I just got my GD yesterday and I haven't spent much time in the loo to go to the hot list yet. I don't put a lot of stock in it's reviews but it is decent material that's easy enough for the casual browser to ingest. Obviously like many here that have said, using THP is much more consumer level and thorough.
 
What about a THP Hot List?

The site is chock full of awesome reviews, why not put them into an organized list with condensed comments and ratings...then link the full review for people who are interested in that club.

Maybe something to think about for the 2011 THP outing? Just my .2
 
What about a THP Hot List?

The site is chock full of awesome reviews, why not put them into an organized list with condensed comments and ratings...then link the full review for people who are interested in that club.

Maybe something to think about for the 2011 THP outing? Just my .2

We do that in our print publication as well as our driver shoot out each year.

We also let the consumers do the talking and have a national demo day for people to attend.
 
What about a THP Hot List?

The site is chock full of awesome reviews, why not put them into an organized list with condensed comments and ratings...then link the full review for people who are interested in that club.

Maybe something to think about for the 2011 THP outing? Just my .2

THP has one but it's just not called "the hot list". THP does shootouts for drivers, wedges, putters, you name it, done with testers that are not on the site. Then at the outing us members get to play with the same toys and some pre released that we can't even talk about until the embargo is lifted. That's where JB talks about consumer demand is that GD likes to punch numbers through surveys and such where THP gets word from actual consumers "us". So we who participate at the outing are actually part of the review process. We have our faves and not so faves and we post them after the outing on a thread designated for that specific product. I just don't think ratings would go well here because it can show a type of favoritism and most of us here on THP agree that what might work for one, might not work for all and having a rating system could delineate that theory.

Basically us consumers want to get the info out there to the rest of the consumers and leave it up to them to compile their own "hot list".

Edit: Dang it, JB is quick and much more succinct.
 
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