Has Golf Digest (sigh) jumped the shark?

Drop the celeb crap and consider me your first subscriber.

 

How to make content in a single-sport monthly new and fresh -- and thus hold onto subscribers for more than the average 2 years or so -- is a Sisyphian task. When I was at Tennis, we had a deal with the USTA that bundled a free subscription with each membership, which added about 250K to our annual subscriber base.

Chris Evert discovered the magic formula to tennis publishing success a few years after she took over as publisher -- marry one of the world' richest golfers.

 

I guess I'm in the minority (here, at least) because I like all the tip stuff. It's always fun to try new things and new swings. Unless you're a scratch golfer, why not? And there are so many "I never thought of that" items when it comes to the different suggestions. I don't take playing golf that seriously, though, so if I try something new and skull it into a pond, it's no biggie.

 

If it helps sell magazines, do it... I'd rather have other journalists bitch about putting a questionable person on the cover than have the mag fold and have a bunch of people out of work.

That's reality these days...

 

The Timberlake cover is also a bid to attract younger readers outside the over-45 demo. He's an interesting case -- a guy who can host the Nickelodeon awards AND score a GD cover.

 

I'm outside the over-45 demo, on the under side. Perhaps, like Central Illosoisian(yeah I butchered it), I'm a grabby old guy trapped in a younger man's body.
If I subscribe to a golf magazine. I expect to read about golf. Not entertainers playing golf.
You want to go outside the over-45 demo. Great.
Two words. Natalie Gulbis.

Keep Timberlake, but don't put the guy on the cover and expect me to buy it.

I can understand the season and the once-in-a-while ploy, but it seems like it is happending more and more with GD.

 

When I hit the lottery, I will bankroll such a magazine for you.

 

That works. Rather well.

Another outlet for our propaganda ;D

I've always wondered about the multi-page, fold-out, split-page instructional section. Apparently, it sells, but like many of you, it comes out as paralysis by analysis.

Give me the Breaking 100/90/80 tips any day. They're more practical and easier to incorporate, largely because they focus on one element of your game each month.

 

Apparently, William Tell, you're pretty good at propganda lately...

 

Yeah, see, this I agree with. When I still got that magazine (can't remember which, I guess Golf Digest)...those were the most helpful.