Golfweb has given out “awards" for the best of 2004 in golf equipment.

For me, the big story was the hybrid and the utility club.  Todd Hamilton put on a clinic with his
Sonartec at the Open Championship and for the rest of the summer, I saw more and more guys at the club with those not-quite-woods. It is, quite frankly, far too expensive for me. But it is pretty:

Several manufacturers (both component and OEM) have put out interesting-looking hollow-body hybrid irons, such as the Snake Eyes Quick Strikes shown below. Most of my clubs are homemade from Golfsmith Snake Eyes components and I don’t think you can go wrong with that brand.

From a clubmaker’s point of view, what interested me was the continued experimentation with materials. With clubheads, it was graphite and titanium combinations, new alloys and forging methods. Golfsmith had the Powerlink, which combined titanium and a graphite composite in the head. The lighter top allowed them to move more weight down and back.

There was also experimentation with combinations of graphite and metals in shafts.

Continuing the dominance of the hybrids theme, several manufacturers created shafts specifically for the new heads. UST had the Hybrid Long Iron Shaft and Fujikura had the Banzai Utility Shaft

Finally, it was the year of the big putter. You can check my earlier posts on this subject here and here.

Looking for a last minute gift for your favorite golfer. Check out this article and then head to your friendly neighborhood pro shop. I don't recommend getting your golfer a club, but a golf training aid wouldn't be bad. The article suggests an Inside Approach and I honestly don't think you could go wrong with at one. I own one, and find that it's pretty helpful.

Another article with suggestions is here. Again, he suggests clubs, but I recommend against it, even if your golfer has a specific make and model in mind. Even seemingly identical clubs play differently. You should always try before you buy.

O.K. Now I've seen everything. A company now is offering the "swingless" golf club. This spring loaded head shoots the ball 25 to 200 yards, depending upon how you adjust it. It is not, of course, legal by any stretch of the imagination. But I have to admit, it looks like you could spend a couple of amusing hours with it. But I am sure I would be forever blackballed from the club if I showed up with one of these.

Cruise on over to Swingless Golf and watch the video. Its a hoot.

I'm interested in what you have to say! Add your own review by clicking on the comments link below.

Bite Golf’s shoes are not exactly the most stylish things around. But the are VERY comfortable. Built like a running shoe, they have a large toe box and lots of padding.

I bought a pair of Snake Eyes branded Bite golf shoes on sale at Golfsmith, and have found them to be very comfortable. My feet are wide from the ball of the feet through the toes (though not at the heel), and the Bites are perfect. I’ve worn them on a dozen or so rounds and they’ve held up very well.

My only complaint is that, like an athletic shoe, the sole is thicker than a standard golf or dress shoe. For some reason, I didn’t get the same foot-in-contact-with-ground feeling that I get with the more traditional Footjoy models that I wear. And since I play by feel, that’s a bit of an issue with me.

So I tend to wear them when I’ve walked rounds several days in a row and my dogs need a break. They’re that comfortable.

The shoes are on sale now. A new pair of top notch golf shoes for $35? Click here.

I just visited the Nike Golf site to check out their latest apparel. It's got to be one of the worst sites for navigation that I've seen. The thing is so tricked out with Flash and popups and sliding, rotating pictures that I can't just find a list of their offerings.

It's a clear case of style over substance.