Golf Magazine Club Reviews

[Zippo]

I received the latest issue of Golf magazine and noted that it's golf club review time. As I was browsing their reviews it came to me that every review was virtually uniformly positive. At first I figured it was probably because they didn't want to tic off any of their advertisers. Then I got to thinking about it a bit more and realized that any of those clubs are probably the "best" available for at least some golfers. A club that I thought was particularly clumsy looking or felt like an overripe banana while I was swinging it might be just the perfect gem for someone else.

So, I guess I'm wondering - do you think those reviews are beneficial to you or are they simply too generic to be of much help?

[woodzie264]

3 minutes ago, Zippo said:

I received the latest issue of Golf magazine and noted that it's golf club review time. As I was browsing their reviews it came to me that every review was virtually uniformly positive. At first I figured it was probably because they didn't want to tic off any of their advertisers. Then I got to thinking about it a bit more and realized that any of those clubs are probably the "best" available for at least some golfers. A club that I thought was particularly clumsy looking or felt like an overripe banana while I was swinging it might be just the perfect gem for someone else.

So, I guess I'm wondering - do you think those reviews are beneficial to you or are they simply too generic to be of much help?

Not really. I generally look at some online reviews which appear to be unbiased and then the ones that look to be contenders, I try at a fitting...but always right along side my current clubs for comparison. 

[GolfLug]

26 minutes ago, Zippo said:

So, I guess I'm wondering - do you think those reviews are beneficial to you or are they simply too generic to be of much help?

I think these reviews are like going to a golf store. Interesting for some primal reason. I go to GG for fun sometimes (who doesn't?). Ha.

I may not learn anything new and know that I'm prolly not going to spend a penny but I at least give these a browse.

I guess it could be a confirmation for someone whose heart is already set on a set. 

Edited February 23, 2021 by GolfLug

[Zippo]

4 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

I think these reviews are like going to a golf store. Interesting for some primal reason. I go to GG for fun sometimes (who doesn't?). Ha.

I may not learn anything new and know that I'm prolly not going to spend a penny but I at least give these a browse.

I guess it could be a confirmation for someone whose heart is already set on a set. 

Yeah. Like I told my wife when she saw me looking at the reviews in the magazine. "Really honey, I'm just looking at the pictures."

[dennyjones]

Before I was fitted for clubs I really thought that those articles had merit.    The club fitting opened my eyes and I realized that the numbers from the launch monitor are the major determining factor to club selection.    I had always thought I wanted a set of Ping clubs but the numbers didn't indicate they were the best for me.    

The pictures are nice looking.

Edited February 23, 2021 by dennyjones

[Adam C]

Who do you think spends the majority of advertising dollars in these publications? Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

[Club Rat]

I usually read reviews at "MyGolfSpy"
They give better specs and are more informative about products.

Quote

Our Mission:
We are independent, unbiased and always put the #ConsumerFirst.
We spend thousands of hours testing and researching products to help you get the most out of your game.
This way you can be sure you have reviews you can trust. 

 

[Zippo]

2 hours ago, Adam C said:

Who do you think spends the majority of advertising dollars in these publications? Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

You're probably right but - do you think there are any clubs, by current manufacturers, that couldn't be properly fitted to someone somewhere?

[iacas]

4 hours ago, Club Rat said:

I usually read reviews at "MyGolfSpy"

Ouch.

[saevel25]

4 hours ago, Club Rat said:

I usually read reviews at "MyGolfSpy"
They give better specs and are more informative about products.

They are also not subjective. They are very combative if you question their methods. 

[Club Rat]

39 minutes ago, iacas said:

Ouch.

I also should have mentioned, TST is a great place to discuss clubs specs.
Sorry, I didn't think about it until after the posted.

[iacas]

5 hours ago, Club Rat said:

I also should have mentioned, TST is a great place to discuss clubs specs.
Sorry, I didn't think about it until after the posted.

That's not why I said "ouch."

[cooke119]

I enjoy reading them but I take them with a gain of salt. Basically I find that every review says the club hits further then last year, how can that be?? As said above you really need to be on a launch monitor to get some accurate numbers, but then I worry about the launch monitors in the stores, how accurate are they, do the amp them up to give you better numbers? Bottom line for me is I hit my older drivers as far and as accurate as my newer driver, I guess their hyping the club works.

[tehuti]

The reviews are just marketing hype to me. Pretty pictures, specs and some generic description of their "new" technology. It's just a means to get your attention and hopefully get you to check them out in the shops or at a fitter.

[ChetlovesMer]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:26 AM, cooke119 said:

I enjoy reading them but I take them with a gain of salt.

Me too.

On 2/27/2021 at 11:26 AM, cooke119 said:

but then I worry about the launch monitors in the stores, how accurate are they, do the amp them up to give you better numbers? 

You should always bring your current gamer with you to test side by side with what ever you are considering. 

On 2/22/2021 at 9:41 PM, Zippo said:

do you think those reviews are beneficial to you or are they simply too generic to be of much help?

Too generic to be of much help. 
Having said that I always read them cover to cover. I enjoy learning about what's out there. Even id I don't plan to buy anything for the next 5 years. 

Incidentally, I do the same thing with Automotive reviews. I find them interesting, even though I only buy a car about every 10 years. 

[colin007]

Do they still use "demand" as one of their metrics?

[Zippo]

23 hours ago, colin007 said:

Do they still use "demand" as one of their metrics?

Not that I noticed. They have a "panel" of "reviewers" who, near as I can tell, basically find something good to say about all of the clubs they "review". However, the PXG "review" quoted a price for the PXG driver that got me looking and, when I found that the [rice was even lower than mentioned in the magazine, got me to buy one to try out. So, I guess the salesmanship worked on me!

[Bucki1968]

I did notice that some of the reviews said things like "I want to put this in my bag now". That's about as bold as any of the comments in any of the reviews. And I also look at My Golf spy for more info on equipment. But I also think that the saying "one man's junk is another man's treasure" applies to golf equipment.