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Buying a single issue of Golf Digest or one of its compiled drill books is a low-stakes decision until you realize how much content overlap matters. If you already own the June issue and the Book of Drills, you may be paying for recycled material without knowing it. The real question is which product delivers the deepest, most usable coverage for the price—whether that means a single tournament preview, a player-specific swing breakdown, or an entire training system in one volume.
We compared all eight products on this page using their published cover prices, listed content summaries, and aggregated owner feedback from retail listings. The pattern that emerges: issues centered on a specific player tend to deliver narrower but sharper instruction, while the two drill books trade convenience for depth that varies by discipline. Here is what separates the worthwhile buys from the rest.
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Quick Picks
| Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (Standard) | Monthly briefing readers | $11.99 |
| July 2026 | Tour followers in major season | $10.99 |
| June Gotterup Power Moves | Distance-focused golfers on a budget | $9.49 |
| Ultimate Drill Book | Comprehensive practice reference | $15.53 |
| September Presidents Cup | Match-play and team-format players | $11.99 |
| June Gotterup (Full) | Broad Gotterup study | $10.99 |
| May Bob MacIntyre | Spin control and wedge play | $9.99 |
| Book of Drills | Beginners wanting structured progression | $14.29 |
How We Picked
Four criteria drove our ranking. First: content specificity—does the issue or book focus on one skill, one player, or a broad survey? Second: price-to-page ratio, using the listed cover price as the hard number. Third: overlap risk, because several 2026 issues feature the same player and similar training angles. Fourth: usability for the casual reader versus the dedicated student. A golfer who swings once a week and a single-digit handicapper are buying different things, and that distinction shapes every recommendation below.
The 8 Best Golf Digest in 2026
September 2026 (Standard)
This September issue covers the standard fall lineup: equipment updates, course-condition tips, and a rotating feature block that touches multiple aspects of the game rather than drilling deep into one. It suits golfers who treat the magazine as a monthly briefing and want a general awareness snapshot before heading into autumn play. Owner feedback consistently notes the value of the equipment section, which runs longer in September than in most other months.
- Broad multi-topic coverage in a single volume
- Extended equipment reviews that run longer than in mid-year issues
- Less depth on any single instruction theme compared to player-focused editions
Skip this issue if you already own the September Presidents Cup edition or if your primary goal is learning one skill in detail.
July 2026
This edition lands in the heart of the major-championship season and carries the practical fallout: turf-management notes for home course play, midsummer fitness adjustments, and a features block that leans toward competitive scenarios. It is the right pick for golfers who track the tour and want instruction framed around what is working on the professional circuit in July. Owners describe the layout as dense but well-organized, with clear callout boxes that make the instruction sections skimmable.
- Strong alignment with midsummer course conditions and tour strategy
- Callout-box formatting makes instruction sections easy to reference quickly
- Limited appeal for golfers who rarely follow professional tournaments
Skip if your interest in Golf Digest is purely instructional and you have no use for tournament-adjacent commentary.
June Gotterup Power Moves
At the lowest cover price in this roundup, this June issue zeroes in on Chris Gotterup’s power game and translates his swing mechanics into drills readers can apply at the range. The narrow focus is its greatest strength: every page relates to generating and controlling speed without losing structure. Golfers working specifically on distance off the tee will find a cohesive training module rather than a scattered collection of unrelated tips.
- Tightly focused instruction on a single, high-value skill
- Lowest price point among all eight products on this page
- Minimal coverage of short-game, putting, or course-management topics
Skip if you need balanced instruction across all shot types or if Gotterup’s swing style does not match your physical profile.
Ultimate Drill Book
The most expensive product here is also the most comprehensive. With over 120 drills organized by skill category—full swing, short game, putting, and mental approach—this volume functions as a reference system rather than a linear read. The trade-off is obvious: you pay more and carry a heavier, denser book. Owner reviews consistently highlight the short-game section as the standout, though several note that the mental-game chapters feel thinner than the physical instruction.
- Largest single-volume drill collection in this roundup
- Organized by skill category, making it easy to build a weekly practice plan
- Higher price and bulkier format than any magazine issue
Skip if you prefer bite-sized content, have limited range time, or already own a general instruction book and want player-specific material instead.
September Presidents Cup (Snedeker)
Also priced at $11.99, this September edition builds the issue around the Presidents Cup and features U.S. Captain Brandt Snedeker in the lead role. The content emphasizes team-format strategy, course setup for match play, and a Snedeker-led feature on leadership under pressure. It is the natural choice for golfers who play in club competitions and want a framework for preparing for team events. Compared to the standard September issue, the scope is narrower but the strategic angle is sharper.
- Match-play and team-format strategy rarely covered in standard instruction content
- Snedeker’s leadership framing adds a perspective most players never encounter in range work
- Significant overlap with the standard September issue on equipment and course-condition segments
Skip if you do not play in team or match-play formats, or if you already own the standard September edition.
June Gotterup (Full)
This is the second June Gotterup issue on this page, priced $1.50 higher than the Power Moves edition, and the difference is one of breadth. Where the earlier issue locks onto a single swing concept, this broader Gotterup feature includes an interview segment and a wider drill set that touches tempo and course management. Golfers who already own the Power Moves issue will find partial overlap but also a meaningful extension into situational play.
- Broader Gotterup coverage including tempo and course-management angles
- Interview segment adds context that pure drill issues lack
- Higher price than the Power Moves edition with significant content overlap
Skip if you already own the Power Moves issue and want no redundancy, or if you find player-specific features less useful than skill-organized instruction.
May Bob MacIntyre
The May issue profiles Bob MacIntyre and builds its instruction around his controlled, low-spin ball flight and short-game versatility. MacIntyre’s style appeals to golfers who struggle with overspin and erratic distance control, making this a practical choice for players who hit it far but cannot find a consistent landing zone. The layout balances a MacIntyre feature block with a standard instruction section covering wedge play and chipping from tight lies.
- Instruction centered on spin control and distance management—skills that improve scores faster than raw power
- Wedge and chipping sections are practical and immediately applicable on the course
- Shorter format than mid-year issues, with fewer pages of content overall
Skip if you primarily need putting or long-game help, or if you already own two or more player-focused issues and want maximum variety per dollar.
Book of Drills
Priced $1.24 below the Ultimate Drill Book, this volume offers a more focused selection of drills without the full-spectrum organization of its sibling. The trade is simplicity for a narrower scope: fewer total drills, but the ones included are presented with cleaner photo sequences and a more linear progression structure. Owners who purchased both books describe this as the better starting point for beginners and the less useful one for experienced players seeking variety.
- Cleaner photo sequences and a more linear drill structure than the Ultimate Drill Book
- Lower price than the Ultimate Drill Book while covering overlapping fundamentals
- Smaller drill pool, which limits variety for players who change routines frequently
Skip if you are an experienced golfer who needs a wide reference set, or if budget allows you to own the more comprehensive Ultimate Drill Book instead.
Buying Guide
Issue vs. Book: Choosing the Right Format
Magazines deliver timely, narrowly scoped content tied to a player or event. Books deliver a permanent, organized reference you return to repeatedly. The decisive factor is whether you want to read through something once and file it, or whether you will pull a volume off the shelf before each range session. If your practice is unstructured, a drill book changes your routine. If your interest is tournament-adjacent, no book replaces the monthly issue.
Overlap Risk Within a Single Month
Several 2026 issues cover the same month with different player angles. Before buying two September editions or two June editions, check the content summaries for shared segments—equipment pages, course-condition notes, and tour recaps often repeat across variants. The unique value lives in the player-specific instruction block, not the filler pages. Comparing the Power Moves issue to the full Gotterup issue makes this clear: shared base content, different instruction payload.
Price-to-Focus Ratio
The cheapest issue in this roundup is the Gotterup Power Moves edition at $9.49, and it is also the most narrowly focused. That is not a coincidence: tighter scope reduces editorial spread and lowers cost. A higher price does not automatically mean better content, but it often signals broader coverage. Decide whether you are paying for depth on one skill or variety across many.
Our Verdict
Top pick: Golf Digest’s Ultimate Drill Book at $15.53. It delivers the largest content volume per dollar and the only format that serves as a permanent training reference you pull out repeatedly. Budget pick: Chris Gotterup’s Power Moves at $9.49—the lowest price and a genuinely useful single-skill module for golfers who need distance help without spending more. Alternative winner: the Book of Drills beats the Ultimate Drill Book for beginners who find 120 drills overwhelming and prefer a tighter, more structured starting point.
FAQ
Can I buy digital versions instead?
Digital formats are available through standard magazine subscription platforms but are not the versions priced on this page. Print owners consistently note the advantage of laying drill books open on a range cart, which digital does not replicate.
Are the two June Gotterup issues redundant?
Partially. The Power Moves edition focuses exclusively on speed generation, while the broader Gotterup issue adds tempo and course-management content. Owners who buy both report that the second issue extends the first rather than repeating it.
Which issue is best for a beginner?
The May Bob MacIntyre issue introduces spin control and wedge play in the most accessible magazine format. For a true beginner with no short-game foundation, the Book of Drills offers a structured starting point that no single issue can match.
Do drill books replace lessons?
No. They supplement structured coaching by giving you a reference library to work through between sessions. Owner feedback consistently notes that drill books are most effective when paired with at least one annual lesson to correct form before ingraining errors.