The Ping G5i Putter was the 2006 Golf Digest Hot List Editor’s Choice in the Blade Putter Category and won again in 2007. Two years in a row—it has to be good, right?

I’ve tried this one in a local pro shop, and I think that it has a very nice feel. Accuracy was good, too. But the part I liked best was the grip. Best feeling grips I’ve ever felt.

The putter has an insert that surrounds a hard urethane middle with a softer perimeter for better feel. They also claim it has a better sound, but as long time readers know, I’m quite deaf, and can’t tell you a thing about that.

The design also is different from previous blade models. There are thru-holes and sole cavities to redistribute the weight and improve the moment of inertia (resistance to twisting). There’s also a new alignment system on the top rail that has been described as crescent shaped, a piece of metal that curves outward toward the ball. The back, which you can’t see in the photo, has a flat blue crescent shaped area to further help you align things.

Ping established its reputation with its putters, and I think they continue to maintain that one here.

If you care more about the price-performance ratio than brand names, you might want to check out products from Pinemeadow Golf. Pinemeadow is one of a growing group of “clone” manufacturers who offer recent technology for cut rate prices. The difference is that they are followers in technology, not leaders. They don’t have R&D budgets. Instead, they let the big boys do the work.

Don’t like clones? Think about this: Dell and Compaq computers started out as cloners, as did many other computer manufacturers that now are considered mainstream.

One good example of how last year’s breakthrough product has been copied is in Pinemeadow Excel Hollow Core Ti Irons. These have lifted their technolgoy right from Callaway’s Big Bertha Fusion Irons. And they make no bones about it, saying so right on the product page.

So if you’ve lusted after the Fusions, but couldn’t handle the thousand dollar price tag, you could have a clone at just $229. And they’ve got a 30 day money back guarantee, so if you don’t like them, you could send ‘em back.

The X Tour was the Editor’s Choice in the Player’s Irons Category in Golf Digest’s 2006 Host List.

These clubs are Callaway’s premium forged models and are in the bags of players like Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam.

The X Tour is a two piece head that has a forged 1020 carbon steel body, with a welded-on face. The 360 degree undercut channel is designed to enlarge the sweet sopt and provide the kind of perimeter weighting that is not normall associated with tour level clubs. Like its game improvement cousin, the X-18, the X Tour also has an extreme notch weighting system to further improve the moment of intertia.

Better players prefer more classicially styled heads, and the X Tour delivers. No Volkswagens on a stick here. The X-Tour blade length is shorter from heel to toe, while the toe has been raised and squared. The top line is relatively thin, with a straight leading edge.

And, of course, the X Tour has the Callaway bore thorugh hosel, although it has been redesigned to move the center of gravity toward the heel and higher in the face.

Callaway X Tour Forged Irons (3-Pw) - RH Steel

Callaway’s X-18 Irons were the Editor’s Choice in the Game Improvement Irons Category in Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List.

The irons feature a deep undercut channel with a cutaway notch that allows Callaway to move ever more weight to the club’s perimeter. The result, Callaway says, is that the X-18 offers “amazing stability, with a solid crisp feel” The stability is enhanced by Callaway’s trademark bore through hosel.

One nice thing about these clubs is that they have a more traditional size and shape, and a thinner top line, when compared to last year’s X-16s. While I like the way the X-16s played, I couldn’t get past the Volkswagen on a stick look. The X-18 seems to have addressed that, while apparently improving playability.

Callaway X-18 Irons (3-Pw) - RH Graphite

The TaylorMade Rescue Dual was the Editor’s Choice among hybrid clubs on the 2006 Golf Digest Hot List.

The club features two of TaylorMade’s famous TLC (TaylorMade Launch Control) weight ports that allow users to change the club’s weighting for a draw or neutral bias. The ports in this model are more widely spaced, creating a higher moment of intertia (resistance to twisting). The hybrid also has a new v shaped sole design for better aiming and less drag at impact.

If you aren’t already using a hybrid club in place of your long irons, you should be. I have one of these in my bag, and will surely add another this spring.

TaylorMade Rescue Dual - Graphite Shaft

Callaway’s X Fairway Wood was an Editor’s Choice in Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List.

The 3 piece stainless steel heads features an ” X Sole Design”, with two keels in the sole that are supposed to contact the turf to align the face (not nearly as pronounced as the LaJolla Knife, though). The Variable Face Thickness technology is said to allow Callaway Golf designers to adjust the face thickness, which they say maximizes ball speed and perimeter weighting.

And, of course, the club features Callaway Golf’s bore through construction which extends the shaft completely through the clubhead to the sole. (This, by the way, is a complete pain in the rear end for those of us who do club repair.)

X Fairway Woods come in 3-, 4-, 5-, 7- and 9-wood models as well as Tour 13-degree and Tour 15-degree models that have slightly smaller heads and stronger lofts for the lower, more boring ball flight preferred by more skilled players.

The new Callaway Golf X Fairway Woods feature a Fujikura graphite shaft in Light, Regular and Stiff flexes as well as a uniflex True Temper(R) steel shaft. The Tour 13-degree and Tour 15-degree models feature the same Fujikura(R) graphite shafts but with the Light option removed and an Extra Stiff version added. They are also available with the True Temper uniflex shaft. Left-handed models are available in the 3-, 5- and 7-woods.

CALLAWAY X Fairway Wood w/Graphite Shaft

The Nike Sasquatch Driver was the Editor’s Choice in Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List equipment review. It’s said to have the largest footprint (thus, Sasquatch, which is a Native American word for “Bigfoot”) fo any current driver, which it achieves by having a head that’s as long front to back as it is heel to toe. This has alowed Nike to get a lower, deeper center of gravity without weights.

The wide, yet streamlined head is very distinctive, especially with its yellow soleplate.

NIKE SasQuatch Tour Driver w/Exotic Shaft