Are golf magazines still relevant ?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

From my skewed perspective again, one good thing about hard copies is that some of them stay around as historical documents.

How much of today's on-line content will be available in 30 or 40 years time?
If some of it was around, would you trust that it still says exactly what it said when first written, or has some of it been cut/edited/airbrushed?

As we become more and more reliant on on-line pages I worry about the future availability of accurate historical documents, electronic stuff is too easily deleted once it's lost it's immediacy and too easy to "amend".

A very Orwellian thought as this is precisely the job on Winston Smith. Edit the historical record to shape it to confirm the validity of today's political agenda. Hmm. As if..

For me - the printed word will never not be something I value. I love my copy of Golf Monthly from the late 70s - with a picture of a swashbuckling Seve on the cover - and not a lot of ads.

 

[Curls]

I’m about to go on yet another work away journey of 8 hours. When I’m in transit I will look at my phone plenty, which runs it down, plus isn’t feat on the eyes. I might have a book on the go but I tend to read heavy stuff so when I’m just on a plane and want some light entertainment/something to scratch that golf itch then I enjoy a physical copy of the mag. I particularly enjoy the pieces you can’t get online - probably my favourite article is almost always Bill Elliott’s sign-off at the back. If you travel loads, you appreciate the format imo.

 

[Parsaregood]

I’m about to go on yet another work away journey of 8 hours. When I’m in transit I will look at my phone plenty, which runs it down, plus isn’t feat on the eyes. I might have a book on the go but I tend to read heavy stuff so when I’m just on a plane and want some light entertainment/something to scratch that golf itch then I enjoy a physical copy of the mag. I particularly enjoy the pieces you can’t get online - probably my favourite article is almost always Bill Elliott’s sign-off at the back. If you travel loads, you appreciate the format imo.

From even just the comments on this thread your very much in the minority, eventually mags won't be available in physical format, times change, some mags that have bee n around for years may change and thrive, some will probably fall away. Times move on, you can get just as valuable even better articles online, better reviews, more honest reviews online. Price is a factor aswell, who's going to pay £4.99 for nothing you can't see elsewhere for free, let's be honest

 

[Curls]

From even just the comments on this thread your very much in the minority, eventually mags won't be available in physical format, times change, some mags that have bee n around for years may change and thrive, some will probably fall away. Times move on, you can get just as valuable even better articles online, better reviews, more honest reviews online. Price is a factor aswell, who's going to pay £4.99 for nothing you can't see elsewhere for free, let's be honest

Happy to accept my minority position but like I say, if you spend your life looking into a screen your eyes thank you for the relative rest. It’s why I’ll never by a Kindle either, so though books may clutter my shelves I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

[PJ87]

Happy to accept my minority position but like I say, if you spend your life looking into a screen your eyes thank you for the relative rest. It’s why I’ll never by a Kindle either, so though books may clutter my shelves I wouldn’t have it any other way.

A kindle is completely different though.. it’s designed to be low brightness and book like in appearance .. no eye strain

 

[jusme]

I have posted in this thread that I am definitely of the position that written word is dying, online will continue to deplete this to near death and its just the way the world turns.

That being said I was referring to newspapers, magazines etc. Oddly enough and despite my view I feel books will continue for much longer. I am happy to read my news online among most other things, including golf BUT I will never move from books to kindles and the like. I love books, read a lot and have hundreds stacked on bookshelves. there is nothing like paging through a good novel. Bookstores are still thriving and I fell will continue to do so. Sadly I don't see the same future for magazines, newspapers etc

 

[robinthehood]

Print will be around for a long time yet. Golf mags in either digital or print will probably suffer. Most of what they offer is freely available on YouTube through the various channels. I used to buy today's golfer a while back but found it was really just rinse and repeat each month

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I guess ultimately it will come down to a question of economy of scale. When it gets too expensive to produce a printed version compared to the readership and there are diminishing profits then I can see it stopping. Fortunately for those like me that enjoy a hard copy that's a long way off but if tangible printed documents like football programmes are starting to go online then it's only a matter of time

 

[user2010]

No

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

If golf magazines are no longer relevant then why are they still produced?

 

[Orikoru]

You can read on your phone anything that they could print in a physical magazine. I suspect all magazines and newspapers will be obsolete one day.

 

[Jonnoj]

All websites pages can be accessed historically through this...https://archive.org/web/ It called the Wayback machine and works a treat and can be very entertaining!

 

[backwoodsman]

There seems to be a train of thought in some folk along lines of "who'd pay £ XYZ for printed matter when you can get it on line for free?". Printed matter may well disappear in due course, but l think that folk will need to accept that "online" is not going to stay free forever - especially as the "chargeable" hard copy slowly disappears.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Are they still relevant ? Yes, they are and will be whilst they sell enough(subs & adverts) to make money

Are they a dying business ? Yes, just like printers were back in the 80s & 90s, technology is moving forward and free content is available

Are they trying to involve ? The answer to that is yes, with things like this forum & social media & non social media. I would have thought a magazine like GM is more dependant on Advertising income than subscriptions as such, therefore overall the more users/readers it can attract then the advertisers will keep on paying.

Yeah, I still have a subscription. Enjoy reading it, some interesting and different articles. I also like to support GM, as they support the forum and the H4H charity golf day.

 

[IanM]

Of course they are .... you are participating in one right now... but the paper versions may disappear during this century,

 

[PJ87]

There seems to be a train of thought in some folk along lines of "who'd pay £ XYZ for printed matter when you can get it on line for free?". Printed matter may well disappear in due course, but l think that folk will need to accept that "online" is not going to stay free forever - especially as the "chargeable" hard copy slowly disappears.

Whilst I agree it won’t be free forever it will be cheaper than a printed mag

No printing and delivery costs for one saved and the ads they can target people with are far better in apps than a mag