Harry Longshanks
ILikeBigPutts&ICannotLie
For those who aren't familiar with the situation, Conde Nast (publisher of both GD and GFW) shut down Golf For Women over the summer. The GFW website was subsequently dismantled and Golf Digest promised an emphasis on women's golf. Now, the golfforwomen.com url takes you to a GD page called Golf Digest Woman. Except, Conde Nast or Golf Digest or whomever failed to transfer over the majority of content . . . or create any new specific women's golf content.
I thought this was an interesting response to a letter from a former GFW reader stating many of the common complaints about the demise of GFW and why GD is not a suitable substitute. And by "interesting response", I mean of course "total blow off".
http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/editors/2008/11/golf-digest-and.html
And perhaps it didn't occur to you that, if the content of Golf Digest actually addressed the needs and interests of female golfers, then your female readership might increase. Supply and demand, Bob. Supply and demand.
I thought this was an interesting response to a letter from a former GFW reader stating many of the common complaints about the demise of GFW and why GD is not a suitable substitute. And by "interesting response", I mean of course "total blow off".
http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/editors/2008/11/golf-digest-and.html
Wow. Women get two whole "special sections" each year? What a commitment of resources you guys have pledged to the 1.2 million female readers. You must be so proud.Golf Digest and the Women's Game
Like many Golf Digest readers who also subscribed to Golf For Women, Cherie Riesenberg has a few questions, all having to do with women and our magazine.Why do you seldom (if ever!) have women on your cover? Also,hardly ever are features or articles about or for women and those that do frequently focus on the beginner or average woman player vs topics related to pros and lower handicap amateur players. Are you mostly a golf magazine for men? I really miss the quality and format of Golf For Women and am disappointed it apparently went under. My husband even said it was a far better magazine than Golf Digest. Can't some of what was learned there be incorporated into Golf Digest?Let me take those questions one at a time. First, we do feature women on the cover, if only occasionally. Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam, both playing editors of the magazine, have each appeared on the cover, Lorena as late as August. Our December issue chronicles Annika's amazing career in numbers and includes Annika's "10 Rules for Seeking a New Challenge." The Pocket Tps in December is devoted entirely to "My Best Lessons" by Annika. And there is more online, including Annika videos, slide shows and a Q & A. We run the monthly "Ask Stina" column by Stina Sternberg, a former Golf For Women editor.
Thanks!
As for our monthly instruction, we believe our team of great teachers, including Annika and Lorena, appeal to all levels of golfers--and certainly both genders.
But let's face it. We are a magazine with predominantly (more than 90 per cent) male subscribers and about 80 per cent male readers.
Nevertheless, 20 per cent of six million is a lot of readers and with the demise of Golf For Women we will add two special sections devoted to women's golf in 2009, one in April and one in June. They will be called Golf Digest Woman and will be edited by Stina. Let us know what you think.
--Bob Carney
And perhaps it didn't occur to you that, if the content of Golf Digest actually addressed the needs and interests of female golfers, then your female readership might increase. Supply and demand, Bob. Supply and demand.