The Golf Digest Hot List; Golf's Hottest Equipment Expertly Analyzed and Reviewed in February Edition

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Scientists, Retailers, Top Amateur Players, Teaching Pros and Mid-Handicappers Serve as Advisors on Year-Long Hot List Evaluation Process
Having tried and evaluated more than 1,500 clubs and balls in the past year, Golf Digest is set to unveil the results of its fourth-annual Hot List-a guide to the hottest golf equipment in the game. The Hot List will appear in the magazine's February 2007 issue (on newsstands January 9) featuring profiles of the 140 most exciting products in the marketplace.
The full Golf Digest Hot List can be viewed now at www.golfdigest.com/hotlist. While a year-long endeavor, the Hot List's final stage of review and analysis came during a 10-day summit conducted by Golf Digest editors at Callaway Gardens Resort & Spa, in Pine Mountain, Georgia.
"The Hot List may be the single best service we provide to golfers and the equipment industry," said Jerry Tarde, Chairman and Editor-In-Chief of Golf Digest. "We have a team of equipment editors working year-round to help our readers understand and navigate through the seemingly endless options available in golf equipment and technology. The Hot List jumpstarts the equipment buying process for many of them."

  The "Editors' Choice" selections for the 2007 Golf Digest Hot List are:

  Drivers - Callaway Fusion FT-5
  Fairway Woods - Callaway Big Bertha
  Hybrids - Adams Idea Pro
  Game-Improvement Irons - Callaway X-20
  Super Game-Improvement Irons - King Cobra S9
  Player's Irons - TaylorMade r7 TP
  Wedges - Titleist Vokey Spin Milled
  Mallet Putters - Odyssey White Hot XG 2-Ball SRT
  Blade Putters - PING G5i
  Tour Performance Balls - Titleist Pro V1/Pro V1X
  Value Performance Balls - Callaway HX Hot

The Golf Digest Hot List was compiled by Golf Digest Publications' team of equipment editors from Golf Digest, Golf World, and Golf For Women-the industry's largest collection of journalists devoted exclusively to covering equipment. Additionally, Frank Thomas, Golf Digest's Chief Technical Advisor and former Technical Director of the U.S. Golf Association, served as a non- voting member of the judging panel. Together, the panel has more than 80 years experience covering the equipment industry.
Golf Digest also enlisted various panels to assist in the evaluation process, which included the 10-day summit. The Academic Advisory Panel included leading scientists in the fields of mechanical and sports engineering from Stanford and the University of Michigan, among others. The Guidance Panel consisted of four groups, including top amateur players nationwide, expert golf retailers, top teaching professionals and mid-handicap players. The purpose of these panels was to further the judges' understanding of each product's technology, marketability, performance and playability.
The criteria that comprised the 2007 Hot List is detailed below. Voting is based on a 100-point scale.

  *  Buzz Factor (15 percent): A product must be in demand. The magazine
     looked at market share, tour use and customer satisfaction, as well as
     retailer reaction to new products.

  *  Performance/Playability (30 percent): Using input from its panels and
     other sources, the magazine considered two primary questions: Does the
     product work in a unique and significant way? Does the stated
     technology have a fundamentally practical application?

  *  Technology/Innovation (30 percent): Based on interviews with the
     company and study of its technical documents, as well as discussion
     with the Academic Panel, the magazine seeks to answer these questions:
     Is the innovation new or different? Is it meaningful? How well does the
     company explain its technology?

  *  Personal Preference (15 percent): Does the look, sound and overall
     presentation resonate with the individual judge's interpretations of
     what this specific product should be?

  *  Value (10 percent): What does this product deliver in relation to its
     price?

The evaluation criteria percentages were adjusted this year to put more emphasis on Performance and Playability, and less weight on Personal Preference. Each product category was divided into Gold and Silver levels, with the Editors' Choice, the magazine's top honor, receiving the Gold distinction. Hot List Silver products earned an overall grade of 90 or higher on Golf Digest's 100-point judging scale. Hot List Gold products scored higher overall, with "Outstanding" scores in several Hot List criteria, such as Buzz Factor, Performance/Playability, Technology/Innovation and Personal Preference.
The Hot List package includes additional sidebars that guide readers through the basics of buying equipment, club-fitting, resale and trade-in values for used clubs, and advice from PGA Tour players on how to select the right equipment.
Source: Golf Digest
Web site:
www.golfdigest.com/
www.golfdigest.com/hotlist

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