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Golf Magazine
American monthly magazine
American monthly magazine
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | Golf Magazine |
| image_file | Golf_Magazine_January_1964_cover.jpg |
| image_caption | Issue cover dated January 1964, featuring Jack Nicklaus |
| company | EB Golf Media (8AM Golf) |
| total_circulation | 1,214,364 |
| circulation_year | 2024 |
| frequency | Monthly |
| language | English |
| category | Golf |
| firstdate | |
| country | United States |
| based | New York City |
| website | |
| issn | 1056-5493 |
Golf Magazine is a monthly golf magazine. One of the first "special interest" magazines of its kind, it was started in April 1959 by Arnold Abramson and Robert Abramson, the owners of Universal Publishing and Distributing Corporation, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was acquired by Howard Milstein in 2018. It was the world's most widely read golf publication from August 2006 to January 2007. The magazine is for golfers of all skill levels. Some features it includes are instruction from the top 100 teachers in America, interviews with famous golfers, tips on the best values for golf courses to go to on vacation, and an annual club test.
Top 100 courses
Golf Magazine conducts an annual survey of experts to determine the best course in the United States and the world.
Top 100 in the United States
The best courses in the United States in 2024-25 were:
| Rank | Name | Location | Designer, Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pine Valley | Pine Valley, New Jersey | George Crump/Harry Colt, 1918 |
| 2 | Cypress Point | Pebble Beach, California | Alister MacKenzie, 1928 |
| 3 | Shinnecock Hills | Southampton, New York | William Flynn, 1931 |
| 4 | National Golf Links of America | Southampton, New York | Charles B. Macdonald, 1911 |
| 5 | Oakmont | Oakmont, Pennsylvania | Henry Fownes, 1903 |
| 6 | Augusta National | Augusta, Georgia | Alister MacKenzie/Bobby Jones, 1933 |
| 7 | Sand Hills | Mullen, Nebraska | Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 1995 |
| 8 | Merion (East) | Ardmore, Pennsylvania | Hugh Wilson, 1912 |
| 9 | Pebble Beach | Pebble Beach, California | Jack Neville/Douglas Grant, 1919 |
| 10 | Los Angeles (North) | Los Angeles, California | George C. Thomas Jr., 1927 |
Top 100 in the world
Here are the top ten courses in the world in 2023-24:
| Rank | Name | Location | Country | Designer, Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pine Valley | Pine Valley, New Jersey | United States | George Crump/Harry Colt, 1918 |
| 2 | Cypress Point | Pebble Beach, California | United States | Alister MacKenzie, 1928 |
| 3 | St Andrews (Old Course) | St Andrews | Scotland | Nature |
| 4 | Shinnecock Hills | Southampton, New York | United States | William Flynn, 1931 |
| 5 | National Golf Links of America | Southampton, New York | United States | C.B. MacDonald, 1911 |
| 6 | Royal County Down | Newcastle, County Down | Northern Ireland | Tom Morris, 1889 |
| 7 | Royal Melbourne (West) | Black Rock, Victoria | Australia | Alister MacKenzie, 1931 |
| 8 | Oakmont | Oakmont, Pennsylvania | United States | Henry Fownes, 1903 |
| 9 | Augusta National | Augusta, Georgia | United States | Alister MacKenzie/Bobby Jones, 1933 |
| 10 | Royal Dornoch (Championship) | Dornoch | Scotland | Old Tom Morris, 1886 |
Annual Club Test
Golf Magazine also conducts an annual test of some of the finest golf products available so that the golfer will be armed with the knowledge of which club is the best value. As of 2025, the Magazine no longer provides a "rating" nor does it rank each club. Golf Magazine thoroughly reviews all the newest club models on the market with the help of player testers. In the end, it groups the best clubs for 2025 into categories to make your purchasing choice easier. The below table summarizes the type of clubs as well as the categories for each tested for each:
| Type of Golf Club | Categories Assessed |
|---|---|
| Driver | Forgiveness, Speed, Shot Correction, Slower Swinger Speeds, Low Spin Drivers. |
| Irons | Game Improvement, Better Player, Players Distance, Super Game Improvement Elite Irons. |
| Fairway Woods | Speed, Forgiveness, Slower Swing Speeds, Low Spin. |
| Hybrids | Forgiveness, Playability, Shot Correction, Slower Swing Speeds. |
Top 100 Teachers in America
Golf Magazine also honours some of the best instructors in the business. On the emeritus list are:
| Name | Hometown |
|---|---|
| Jimmy Ballard | Key Largo, Florida |
| Peggy Kirk Bell | Southern Pines, North Carolina |
| Chuck Cook | Austin, Texas |
| Manuel de la Torre | River Hills, Wisconsin |
| Michael Hebron | Smithtown, New York |
| David Leadbetter | Champions Gate, Florida |
| Eddie Merrins | Los Angeles, California |
| Dave Pelz | Austin, Texas |
| Phil Ritson | Winter Garden, Florida |
| Phil Rodgers | La Jolla, California |
| Craig Shankland | Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Dr. Jim Suttie | Naples, Florida |
| Bob Toski | Coconut Creek, Florida |
| Dr. Gary Wiren | West Palm Beach, Florida |
2011 player of the year selection
On November 1, 2011, Golf Magazine selected Rory McIlroy over Yani Tseng for its 2011 player of year. The magazine's editor, David Clarke wrote, “We are pleased to name Rory McIlroy as our inaugural Player of the Year.” Americans have embraced this young Northern Irishman, taking him into their hearts not just out of admiration for his amazing talent, but also for the grace he has shown in victory and defeat, his generosity of time with fans, and his commitments to causes beyond golf.”
The McIlroy selection was heavily criticized by golf bloggers. The #1 male player in the world at the time, Luke Donald, tweeted, "So rude and disrespectful of Yani. Whoever had final decision just diminished your magazine."
References
References
- (December 31, 2024). "eCirc for Consumer Magazines". [[Audit Bureau of Circulations (North America).
- (March 3, 2015). "List of Top 10 Best Sports Magazines of All time".
- Citi. "GOLF magazine and GOLF.com have a new owner. Allow us to introduce you". Golf.com.
- (2025-02-06). "ClubTest".
- (2025-02-06). "Best drivers {{!}} ClubTest 2025".
- (2025-02-06). "Best irons {{!}} ClubTest 2025".
- (2025-02-06). "Best hybrids {{!}} ClubTest 2025".
- sigroup. (November 1, 2011). "Rory McIlory: Golf Magazine's 2011 Player of the Year". Insidesportsillustrated.com.
- "Yani Tseng is NOT Golf Magazine's Player of the Year". Waggleroom.com.
- (November 1, 2011). "@EllingYelling @AlanShipnuck 96% of votes! So rude and disrespectful to Yani. Whoever had final decision just diminished your magazine".
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