In the summer of 2007, a representative for Tiger Woods called an editor at Golf Digest with some awkward news. Though the magazine was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to secure preferential access to Mr. Woods, the golfer had agreed to a rare, in-depth interview and cover shoot with another publication, Men's Fitness.

Golf Digest editor Jerry Tarde acknowledged that he was "mystified" that Mr. Woods had agreed to this. Under Golf Digest's contract with Mr. Woods, the monthly, which...