News

Golf World is now a digital weekly. Will anyone care?

Published

12 years ago

Jul 31, 2014

As you may have heard, Golf World, the oldest golf-related publication in the U.S., has abandoned its print edition and is now entirely digital.

According to Press Gazette, Golf World’s UK distribution was down more than 12 percent year over year. Overall, Ad Age states that, “Golf World averaged paid and verified circulation of 213,387 during the last six months of 2013, according to its filing with the Alliance for Audited Media, down slightly from nearly 215,000 a year earlier.”

A few statements of note from editor-in-chief Jamie Diaz’s letter in the maiden digital-only edition:

Golf World is entering a new era. Our digital product is dramatically different from our print magazine, and no doubt in the short term some tried-and-true parts of the former weekly chronicle that worked well in a simpler media environment will be missed.

While it’s unclear what the above will mean in the long run, Diaz seems to be saying that the new Golf World will, not surprisingly, be tailored toward web readers. Translation: more top-10 lists and multimedia, fewer long reads.

Here’s a huge change: the magazine is now free and delivered weekly. As Diaz writes,

You’ll also get breaking news, timely analysis and vivid photography. In addition to weekly features such as “10 Things We’re Talking About” and stats packages, Golf World will include at least one in-depth read per issue and, in the near future, video reporting and commentary.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Diaz writes “in order to better meet the expectations of modern readers. Golf World is evolving into a faster, livelier, more entertaining and overall better product.”

Speaking of that writing on the wall, Christine Haughney of the New York Times wrote the following in August of last year (based on figures from the Alliance for Audited Media) of magazine circulation in general:

Total paid and verified subscriptions declined by 1 percent in the first half of 2013, and newsstand sales, which are often an indicator of a magazine’s appeal, dropped by 10 percent. Both declines were similar to the overall trend in the same period a year ago.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for magazine publishers: Digital editions are on the rise to the tune of a 100 percent increase in distribution and sales. As Haughney writes:

Digital replica editions — which replicate the format of the print editions — now make up 3.3 percent of total magazine circulation, with 10.2 million digital replica editions sold in the first half of 2013. During the same time period in 2012, magazines sold 5.4 million digital editions, which made up 1.7 percent of circulation.

Golf World will hope to follow in the footsteps of another major magazine: Cosmopolitan. From 2012 to 2013, Cosmo suffered a 23.9 percent decline in newsstand sales. However, the magazine’s digital distribution grew by 33 percent during the same period.

Golf World’s digital conversion is coming at a time when many are deeply concerned about the future of the golf industry and its component parts.

We’ve all heard the figures from the National Golf Foundation: Over the past year, 400,000 golfers have left the game. Dick’s laid off its entire staff of PGA professionals and plans to downsize golf equipment operations. Callaway hasn’t turned a profit since 2008 and TaylorMade saw a 34 percent drop in sales during the first quarter of this year. Only 14 new courses were built last year while 160 closed. Golfers played the fewest number of rounds since 1995. Millennials aren’t playing and the Tiger Woods era is drawing to a close. This isn’t even to discuss TV viewership…

Indeed, just today ESPN’s Darren Rovell tweeted “Golf business at retail continues to plummet: Adidas says 2nd quarter revenues are -18%, will layoff staff within division.”

It’s against these headwinds that Golf World has made the decision to scrap the monthly paid print edition in favor of a weekly free digital edition.

It will be interesting to watch the digital edition take shape and see what effect it has on circulation. Regardless, the move is a bold one in a traditionally stagnant industry, and it indicates the 67-year-old publication is not yet ready to go gently into that good night.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

7 Comments

Leroy

Aug 4, 2014 at 6:02 pm

I am extremely disappointed in this decision and action by Golf World. I am a long time subscriber but will not likely even look at the online version.

Reply Report comment
Dave Cours

Aug 2, 2014 at 5:06 pm

Very disappointing to me, a long time subscriber. I don’t need or want another email clogging golf summary.

Reply Report comment
Dave Cours

Aug 2, 2014 at 5:04 pm

Very disappointing to me, a long time subscriber. I don’t need or want another email clogging golf summary!

Reply Report comment
erkr

Aug 1, 2014 at 1:46 am

GolfWRX is a future format for media/magazine. A few new articles each day to keep your interest up. Designed to be read almost daily on your phone or a tablet, when ever you have a chance.

Reply Report comment
acemandrake

Jul 31, 2014 at 5:24 pm

Big mistake. When I get a magazine I will read it.

I use the web to get information; not necessarily to be entertained as I am when reading the articles in a magazine.

Now, unfortunately, Golf World becomes just another web site among many that I may or may not bother to seek out.

Reply Report comment
benseattle

Jul 31, 2014 at 1:50 pm

I’ve been a Golf World subscriber for eons and I also regularly clicked on “Golf World Monday” to check out the abbreviated online update of the past weekend’s tournament action.

Still, this past week marked the first Online ONLY edition of Golf World and sadly, I wasn’t impressed. It was EXACTLY the same as the GolfWorldMonday thing and carried no “in depth” coverage or features, save a more lengthy piece from Jaime Diaz, blathering about — what else — Tiger Woods.

I’m severely, totally disappointed in this move. Free now? Just remember: you get what you pay for.

Reply Report comment
Jafar

Jul 31, 2014 at 11:30 am

Make a ChromeCast App! Maybe with tips, instructions, highlights, analysis, etc.

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2026 PGA Championship betting odds

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Scottie Scheffler leads the betting ahead of the second major championship of the year, with the World Number One a +345 favorite to get his hands on a second PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy who won the Masters back in April is a +800 shot to complete half of the calendar slam at Aronimink Golf Club this week, while Jordan Spieth can be backed at +5900 to become a career grand slam winner.

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Scottie Scheffler +345 – (Check 0ut his WITB here)

Rory McIlroy +800 – (Check out his WITB here)

Jon Rahm +1300
Cameron Young +1500
Bryson DeChambeau +1700
Xander Schauffele +1850
Matt Fitzpatrick +1950
Ludvig Aberg +2000
Tommy Fleetwood +2600
Collin Morikawa +3500
Brooks Koepka +3900
Justin Rose +4300
Russell Henley +4600
Si Woo Kim +4700
Justin Thomas +4800
Robert MacIntyre +5300
Patrick Cantlay +5300
Viktor Hovland +5400
Tyrrell Hatton +5500
Jordan Spieth +5900
Sam Burns +6000
Hideki Matsuyama +6200
Adam Scott +6400
Rickie Fowler +7000
Chris Gotterup +7400
Patrick Reed +7400
Min Woo Lee +7800
Ben Griffin +8000
Sepp Straka +8400
Shane Lowry +9000
Akshay Bhatia +9200
Maverick McNealy +9200
Joaquin Niemann +9200
Jake Knapp +9200
Jason Day +9600
Kurt Kitayama +10000
J.J. Spaun +10000
Harris English +10500
Nicolai Hojgaard +11000
Gary Woodland +11000
David Puig +11000
Michael Thorbjornsen +12000
Jacob Bridgeman +12000
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Marco Penge +16500
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Sam Stevens +17500
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Nick Taylor +20000
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Pierceson Coody +23000
Aaron Rai +24000
Jordan Smith +24000
Angel Ayora +24000
Bud Cauley +25000
Matt McCarty +26000
Jayden Schaper +26000
Brian Harman +27000
Taylor Pendrith +27000
Ryan Fox +27000
J.T. Poston +27000
Cameron Smith +29000
Ryo Hisatsune +29000
Michael Kim +29000
Max Homa +29000
Denny McCarthy +29000
Tom McKibbin +30000
Rico Hoey +32000
Matt Wallace +32500
Ricky Castillo +33000
Haotong Li +33000
Michael Brennan +34000
Max Greyserman +36000
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Aldrich Potgieter +40000
Andrew Novak +42000
Patrick Rodgers +42500
Daniel Hillier +42500
Max McGreevy +46000
Billy Horschel +48000
Chris Kirk +48000
Ian Holt +49000
Casey Jarvis +49000
William Mouw +50000
Steven Fisk +50000
John Parry +50000
Nico Echavarria +52500
Garrick Higgo +52500
John Keefer+55000
Matthias Schmid +57500
Austin Smotherman +57500
Sami Valimaki +60000
Andrew Putnam +60000
Lucas Glover +62500
Daniel Brown +62500
Jhonattan Vegas +75000
Emiliano Grillo +80000
Mikael Lindberg +85000
Adrien Saddier +100000
Bernd Wiesberger +100000
Elvis Smylie +110000
Stewart Cink +130000
Kota Kaneko +130000
David Lipsky +150000
Chandler Blanchet +150000
Andy Sullivan +150000
Joe Highsmith +180000
Adam Schenk +200000
Travis Smyth +200000
Davis Riley +225000
Martin Kaymer +400000
Brian Campbell +400000
Padraig Harrington +450000
Kazuki Higa +450000
Jordan Gumberg +450000
Ryan Vermeer +500000
Austin Hurt +500000
Tyler Collet +500000
Timothy Wiseman +500000
Shaun Micheel +500000
Y.E. Yang +500000
Michael Block+500000
Mark Geddes+500000
Luke Donald+500000
Bryce Fisher+500000
Jimmy Walker +500000
Jason Dufner +500000
Jesse Droemer +500000
Jared Jones +500000
Garrett Sapp +500000
Francisco Bide +500000
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Paul McClure+500000
Derek Berg +500000
Chris Gabriele +500000
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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.