Articles you'd like to see in GM

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Allanxyz

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After the debate about whether GM should have commented on womens membership at Muirfield I got to thinking what I would like to see in the magaizine..

I'd like to see a comparison of drivers from a single brand (maybe TM) over the last few years... so 10 or so mixed ability golfers all try all the models and evolutions of drivers from that range with the stock shafts... adjusted to get best results (lie, loft etc.)

So, I would try R11, R11s, Rocket ballz, rocket ballz stage 2, R1 and SLDR... test for distance and dispersion...

I want to see if there is any improvement as the new developments come in, and whether these are significant... if with each new model I gain 10 yards and it goes straighter then if I've got the money I should upgrade every year... if the improvement is 1 yard further and no change to dispersement then I shouldn't bother buying new equiptment as often.

Ok, it doesn't include stuff like looks and adjustability available etc... but hey I think this would be interesting and really help readers decide how often to change equipment.

Any thoughts on what you'd like to see?
 
kind of in response to what you would like to see, i personally doubt that many manufacturers would be happy with your test (which i think is great!!) purely down to the fact the improvement from say and R11 to todays SLDR is probably minimal, and thats with 3 incarnations inbetween. it would show them up, as we all know as masters of Marketing!

What would i like to see?? Hmm.. well something i think is cool, my bro is the editor of a motorbike magazine and they do this:

All of the staff get a "long term test" bike, and they write up every month about the bike and living with it etc. This year, they had a competition to allow a reader to be a long term tester, so this guy gets a Ducati 848 (i think) and writes a piece on it every month, also they have "followed" a proper grass roots club racer with their progress..

While that kind of transitions to golf, something i would like to see, is a small group (say 4 maybe even 2-3) of varying handicaps, and i would really like to follow their progress for a whole year. Every month a brief synopsis of their previous months golf, comp results, handicap adjustments. But then to make it cooler, maybe throw them a putter fitting, or a short game lesson with a guru etc.. I would really enjoy following 4 Normal golfers.. maybe culminating in an end of year comp between the 4. Kind of like the Ping play your best, but with regular monthly updates and not tied to one particular manufacturer, doesn't even have to involve any new kit!! so in reality, would cost the mag a page maximum toward the back with the forum section, a little time to research which readers can write a paragraph or 2 without help and are committed to the feature.

That or a readers wives section, with pictures of peoples wives suggestively holding a 7 iron...
 
I would like to see something akin to the Ping play your best on a regular basis. I appreciate that GM has to focus predominatly on the pro game for features but aim its instruction and kit at club players and feel this feature just ties it together nicely. I do like the reader wives idea though!
 
Always said I'd like to see something along the lines of the best courses in the UK that you can play for £30/£40 on a Saturday in August (obviously that's not a workable title). So not like "you can play Royal St Georges for £40 if you play on a Tuesday at 7pm in late December if you know the secretary and have a signed request from The Queen." Problem is people like to see the almost fantasy courses, your Turnberrys, Muirfields, Royal County Downs etc.

So the best courses in the UK that you don't clearance from HID to play!
 
Maybe something similar to a programme they did on the Golf Channel when it was on over here, where they took a golfer, gave him the best instruction, fitted him for equipment and see how far they could get him in a year. Should be a regular guy who has to work, not someone who can play and practice 24/7.
I would like to see them concentrate on the ladies tours more as well, with tips from their players. I enjoy the stuff from the European and PGA tours, but I think golf as a whole concentrates on their game too much. Increasingly their game bears no relation to the amateur whatsoever.
 
Rooter said:
kind of in response to what you would like to see, i personally doubt that many manufacturers would be happy with your test (which i think is great!!) purely down to the fact the improvement from say and R11 to todays SLDR is probably minimal, and thats with 3 incarnations inbetween. it would show them up, as we all know as masters of Marketing!
Click to expand...

Cheers...Do they need the manufacturers?... just pop into AG...guess the cost would be higher, but because of the adjustability you only need stiff and regular for each club... maybe it would mean an end to GM jollies sponsored by TM :mmm:

Rooter said:
That or a readers wives section, with pictures of peoples wives suggestively holding a 7 iron...
Click to expand...

Like your main idea, but this one got my attention!!
 
Rooter said:
That or a readers wives section, with pictures of peoples wives suggestively holding a 7 iron...
Click to expand...

If said a few times I'd like to see more women in GM..... that's not quite what I had in mind! ;)


However, the OP's suggestion of comparing various generations of equipment from the same manufacturers sounds very interesting! I'd probably buy the issue that was in.
 
would love to see more articles on courses and resorts around the world, designed by fancy designers, because they are all sooo different from each other. they are my favourite part of the magazine and i never just skim right past them.... really....
 
Allanxyz said:
Cheers...Do they need the manufacturers?... just pop into AG...guess the cost would be higher, but because of the adjustability you only need stiff and regular for each club... maybe it would mean an end to GM jollies sponsored by TM :mmm:
Click to expand...

If it wasn't for the manufacturers there would be no GM. They do try to remain neutral though and this is even more obvious here on the forum because they don't censor fair critisim of gear. To go out and try to "show up" any of the manufactures in the magazine would be commercial suicide though. I think a full side by side test would just highlight the ways they crank more out of the clubs while staying compliant to the rules.

I'd like to see an indepth feature on green keeping staff explaining why they do what they do and when they do. I know there are mags targetted at green keeping/sports turf management but I think a little eye opener for the players into the world of the GK would be excellent.
 
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Would really like to see a feature 'behind the scenes' with Scotty Cameron. At the studio on tour etc. Seeing some of the custom models up close and an interview with Scotty himself.

Also, after being fortunate enough to meet one of the guys on the TM day. Would really like to see a 'day in the life' sort of feature with one of the tour reps as they go through the week from Monday-Sunday.

Really like the OP's idea but as other's said, think any negative press about the models might get the manufacturers backs up. It does always annoy me slightly though when there is a wedge/driver/irons review and there's usually 2 or 3 gold/silver/bronzes so that all the top manufacturers get some sort of recognition. I know clubs are subjective but would really like to see a definite top 3 when reviewing that number of clubs.
 
palindromicbob said:
If it wasn't for the manufacturers there would be no GM. They do try to remain neutral though and this is even more obvious here on the forum because they don't censor fair critisim of gear. To go out and try to "show up" any of the manufactures in the magazine would be commercial suicide though. I think a full side by side test would just highlight the ways they crank more out of the clubs while staying compliant to the rules.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the commercial ins and outs of the GM to be honest, of course it would be a shame if TM didn't send through any clubs for testing or give advertising revenue. However I'd prefer a magazine that didn't pander to the big manufacturers and tried to debunk some of the myths they spread rather than acting as a marketing tool for them.

I don't think they should try to "show up" the manufactutes...who knows what the results of the tests would be, maybe each new generation adds another 17 yards and everyone is happy...ok maybe they would be shown up!

Golf is big business and these big companies are making lots of money by selling dreams of longer and straighter.. (no jokes please!)... we should really know whether there is any truth in it.

Another article suggestion... get all the golf balls that say "distance" on them and see how much further they go than non-distance balls... then do a test on spin rates for short shots. I want to know how many yards I'm gaining against the short shot spin I'm losing.
 
I'd definitely like to see more amateur golfers (chompers :o) feature and track their progress over the course of a year.

I thought this would have been a perfect fit for Benross to sponsor this feature in line with their marketing directly to club golfers, rather than the pros.


Apart from that, I'd like more gritty reviews- if someone thinks a new product is a waste of money- call it that!
 
its quite common that manufacturers dont allow direct testing against any others equipment, read a feature on premium balls test and see if you can spot a review of a Pro V1 compared to a lethal, Z star or hex.......
 
I'd like to see Valentino get an 18 hole playing lesson at Pebble Beach with Phil Mickelson.

That would be a great article, i'll even pay my own flights for those at GM towers reading in ;)
 
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