The magazine RECRUITS 20 PLAYERS ranging from club pros to mid-handicappers to test the equipment, eight hours a day for three days, at a secret location. Prior to their arrival, eight retail experts and six scientists meet with Golf Digest editors to analyze technology advancements and consumer appeal.


Golf Digest Editor-in-Chief Jerry Tarde about creating something similar.


“Without question, it’s the single most important service journalism project we do” said Mike Stachura, equipment editor of the magazine and one of four judges who votes for Gold and Silver medal recipients. One of the player-testers was Jason Musser of Fresno, a fi rst-time participant. “I had an absolute blast,” he said. “As a golfer, it’s one of the most exciting and fun things I have ever done. I’m a golf junkie and it was the Super Bowl of golf equipment.” SI Newhouse, chairman of Conde Nast Publishing, which owns Golf Digest, conceived the idea. Borrowing from his fashion magazines, who often list editor’s choice ideas for readers, he approached


36 / NCGA.ORG / WINTER 2011


“Jerry was diplomatic enough not to say ‘because that’s insane,‘‘’ Stachura said. But the idea blossomed. The concept was to give consumers as much information as possible before buying new clubs. This way, they could make an educated choice, regardless of their skill level, based on research, facts and on- course comments. “To be honest, the No. 1 question we would get from readers is, ‘What should I play?’” said Stachura. “I would get that question easily a dozen times a month prior to 2004. I think if I’ve gotten that question a dozen times in the last seven years that would be a lot. The ‘Hot List’ has answered that ques- tion and that’s kind of what we wanted to do.” The fi rst year wasn’t ex- actly smooth sailing. Not all manufacturers bought into


Golf Digest’s current edition includes this year’s Hot List


the idea when the “Hot List” debuted at the PGA Mer- chandise Show in Florida. “There were literally shouting matches between manufacturers and editors from Golf Digest,” Stachura said. “I think what we learned is we can do this if we bring them into the process. And that’s


kind of what we’ve tried to do ever since then.” After taking a simplistic


approach in 2004, relying mostly on the feedback from editors, Golf Digest assembled a player panel, a group of leading retailers to give them perspective on the marketplace, and PhDs to assess the technology and


PHOTOS: J.D. CUBAN/GOLF DIGEST


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