EDITOR’S LETTER E Return of an instructive media brand
W elcome to the return of Golf Digest. It has been five years since the global brand closed in South Africa. A monthly magazine had been printed from 1995 to 2018, and its loss was felt by many in the golfing community. Retiring then as editor with the final edition, it was hard to imagine Golf Digest ever returning to this country in the evolving media world of the time. I am glad to be proved wrong. Morecorp, owners of The Pro Shop franchise and World of Golf facility in Gauteng, have acquired the licensing rights and envisage taking it to new heights with their investment. Morecorp’s business has always had the interests of South African golfers at heart, whether it is through selling the latest equipment and apparel at their Pro Shop stores at the lowest possible prices, creating world-class practice facilities, and enabling opportunities for any person, of any skill level, to learn or improve their golfing skills through professional coaching. And their businesses are underpinned by a passion for technology. The World of Golf is soon to open its innovative GOLFTEC studios following the recent launch of the HotShots entertainment venue offering fun golfing games. The company’s acquisition of the Golf Digest brand was done primarily to build on that philosophy of improvement, to open a new avenue
industry with the development of the SA Top 100 Courses website, which launched in early 2020. It was created to keep alive the Top 100 course rankings which had been first published in Golf Digest in 1998 (initially the Top 50, it expanded to the Top 100 in 2002), and to include content about the golf clubs, courses, their staff and member achievements. It is there principally to preserve the history of the game in this country. A benefit of having the rankings on a website is that they can be accessed at any time and stay front of mind during the year. Each of the courses has its own page, complete with club history, course and statistical information. There is a dynamic rating of course conditioning and facilities under Top Courses by category. My work since 2020 has taken me around South Africa on numerous occasions. Every trip on the road in my own vehicle, visiting a wide variety of courses, both 18 and 9 holes, to keep myself updated on their progress and development. It has been an interesting journey and one that I will continue alongside Golf Digest. The annual rankings, posted on social media and the website at the end of January, will now find a home on the Golf Digest SA website. Stuart McLean stuart@morecorp.co.za
for golfers to play better. Golf Digest is famous worldwide for the quality of its instruction, employing a broad range of outstanding teaching professionals who provide remarkable insights into the golf swing. Through the magazine and a website platform we will be giving golfers an extensive variety of tips on every part of the game. This first digital issue includes four in-depth instruction articles: Top-10 performer Max Homa with tips on how to salvage a rocky round; legendary coach Butch Harmon with his swing fixes that are directed at the club golfer; PGA Tour pro Lucas Herbert reveals his putting secrets; while teaching pro Mark Blackburn shows how you can incrementally improve by focusing on measurable, manageable parts of your game. Previously a print magazine, Golf Digest SA will now sit on two digital platforms, firstly a magazine format, and secondly as a Golf Digest South Africa website. Golf Digest in the United States has also moved forward under new ownership by Warner Brothers Discovery, a global media and entertainment company. Warner Brothers merged with Discovery in 2022. Their business is real- life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Following the closure of Golf Digest SA I remained active in the golfing
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EDITOR STUART MCLEAN FREELANCE DESIGNER TARA SWART MARKETING WILLEM REYNEKE
GOLF DIGEST USA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JERRY TARDE, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MAX ADLER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR PETER MORRICE, INTERNATIONAL EDITOR JU KUANG TAN TEACHING PROFESSIONALS: TODD ANDERSON, MARK BLACKBURN, CHUCK COOK, HANK HANEY, BUTCH HARMON, ERIKA LARKIN, DAVID LEADBETTER, CAMERON MCCORMICK, JIM MCLEAN, RENEE POWELL, RANDY SMITH, RICK SMITH, DAVE STOCKTON, JOSH ZANDER PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS: AMY ALCOTT, RANDY MYERS, NICK PRICE, JUDY RANKIN, LUCIUS RICCIO, BOB ROTELLA, BEN SHEAR, RALPH SIMPSON, DR ARA SUPPIAH
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A LICENSING AGREEMENT BETWEEN WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY AND MORECORP, OWNERS OF THE PRO SHOP AND WORLD OF GOLF. WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY IS A GLOBAL LEADER IN REAL-LIFE ENTERTAINMENT, SERVING A PASSIONATE AUDIENCE OF SUPERFANS AROUND THE WORLD WITH CONTENT THAT INSPIRES, INFORMS AND ENTERTAINS.
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