Hybrids...are they out of control?

[phillyk]

Getting back to hybrids, I use a 4H as well as a 4-rion.  At first, there was a 20yd difference between them. But as I started to strike the ball more consistently and in the center of the face, that gap diminished.  So, I'm thinking now of going for a 3H.  I wouldn't have a need for one if I hadn't snapped the head off my 3iron at the range a few years ago.  I think I'd prefer the hybrid over the iron, because of the feel and the ability to get the ball in the air more quickly, but the spin is a different story I believe.  Havn't really gotten spin with my current hybrid, while I can with the iron.  But at 230yds or so, I'm more looking to get on the green consistently versus going for a pin.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by Traditionalist

I'm starting to get the feeling that hybrids are more beneficial to low handicap or players who still use traditonal "Blade" irons, hence the problems with the 3 and 4 irons.  I do not see the benefit when you have the newer (ie, game improvement irons)

Anyone feel the same?  I'm just curious. Or maybe I'm just nuts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Voyles

LOL what's wrong with iron covers?

Where should I start?

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by Laws of Woo

As for others, some of these modern day sets are getting silly IMO. Hybrids up to the 6/7 iron, hybrid wedges (Cleveland Niblick), soon there won't be any irons left. But what others play, doesn't affect me, so I don't care...as long as I can still get the clubs I want to play.

I played a round with a gentleman this weekend who had all hybrids, 3-PW.  The only standard clubs he carried were his lob wedge and sand wedge.

I only noticed he was all hybrids (and rather large hybrids) because I looked over and it looked like he was hitting a fairway wood from 120 yards, which caught my attention.

He beat me by 3 strokes.......  So I'm not going to talk bad about his full hybrid set.

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by Timothy Voyles

LOL what's wrong with iron covers?

Many people look at irons as tools.  You don't put a cover on your hammer in between hanging pictures, so if you regard them as tools, you wouldn't cover your irons.

I don't like iron covers and don't use them, but see a few people with them on the course.  Oddly enough, whenever I see someone with iron covers, they're covering Wilson Staff irons.  I always thought Wilson Staff made decent irons for the price, but it seems that everyone who has them wants to make sure they're not seen....

My clubs stay in the car all the time because I play after work a lot, and the minimal bag chatter they get just adds character.

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Probably not at all for people with good etiquette but if your already not playing ready golf I can see it being a nightmare having to follow someone with 14 clubs and 14 head covers. I have head covers for my woods, hybrids and putter but I strip'em all on the first tee and don't put them back on until I'm headed for the parking lot.

I do the same for all mut my putter and driver. The iron covers are for in my truck, because they make a lot of noise.

[ajst22]

I've never really liked hybrids and have had bad experiences with them. I hit up to my 4 iron, and after that I hit a 7 wood...yes a 7 wood. It has the same loft as a 3 hybrid. I can hit it better. Just use whatever works.

[mosnas]

I was really considering getting a 2 hybrid and canning my 5 wood (I used it in the fairway maybe once every 5 rounds).  I tried my Dads 909 21° hybrid expecting great things after all the hype that has been around hybrids throughout the years.  Hated it.  Not sure why but I just couldn't stand looking down on it.  If it ever came down to it I would hit a 2 iron over a 2 hybrid any day.

[WUTiger]

Originally Posted by Infamous 273

...  one huge advantage TW had in his prime (aside from his clutch putting) was his ability to hit a 3 iron a mile in the air, and land in on the green like a PW, while other pros would blow the green entirely ...

In the 1970s, this is what people were saying about Jack Nicklaus and his long irons.

Fairway woods offer more distance than hybrids, if you can hit them.

One thing people are overlooking is the shape of trajectory. Hybrids and higher lofted fairway woods can bring a shot in high. A long iron can bring a shot in lower, and help beat the wind.

Around 2006, I played with hybrids but couldn't find one I could hit. At a 2009 demo day, I walked in and found I could hit R-shafted Callaway Edge Tour and an Adams model hybrid (lack of offset prevented hooking). But, I kept 5W for extra distance before switching to a Raylor.

I'm redoing my bag right now, and have added a RBZ 4H between my longer irons and FWs. If I can get my swing back on longer clubs, I could see a 3i in the bag as a driving iron when I play two specific courses.

Really, hybrids are just the latest edition of trouble clubs reaching back more than 100 years. Look up the hickory-shaft era Bulldogs , and the Ginty and Raylor from the 1970s (Raylor returned briefly circa 2005; I carried one before getting the 4H).

[stogiesnbogies]

Traditionalism in golf as so often in life is generally a silly adherance to the outdated and outmoded.... Hybrids are the single greatest tech advance in golf since the dimpled golfball.

They are particularly indispensable for recreational players since they are easier to hit and have greater distance than the old fashion irons...

I play the Nike SQ Sumo2 Hybrid iron set which is 4 through 7 hybrids and I've included a Cleveland hibore 3 hybrid as well...there is no question that these clubs have drastically improved my game in short fashion...I went from a high to a mid 'capper and there is literally volumes of similar testimony available on-line for hybrid club sets....while , sadly, Nike no longer makes this model they are indeed hard to find anywhere and rarely go up on ebay but demand and get top dollar as used clubs -all for a reason...they make the game fun!!!

Today Adams golf is the leader in hybrid iron sets and if I was in fact looking to swap out my beloved sticks I'd definitely check out the Adams A12OS hybrid Iron set -which sells like hotcakes...because , again , they make the game FUN!!

I dont see how you can call yourself a traditionalist since you are playing a newer model of Pings ...and I dont suppose you had customer service swap out your shafts for hickory, eh?

BTW: maybe you can tell us all where we can get a good deal on balata balls...LOL

If the pros are carrying one or more hybrids there can be little doubt of their effectiveness...and those of us with slower swingspeeds than the Tour pros should duly take note...

"Foolish consistencies are the hobgoblins of small minds."

Emerson

[darkhunter139]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

If you're surprised that having an extra couple of steps in a person's pre and post shot routine could delay the process, then I should introduce you to a couple turtles in our league.

Im with you on this one, I always get annoyed when someone comes back to the cart (If we are using one) and they take forever to put their damn head cover back on. I usually leave mine off my Hybrids and Driver during my round cause I hate putting them back on after I use them every time.  Little scratches are not going to kill me.

[The Recreational Golfer]

When I was 52, I was still playing long irons, but the 2 only off a tee. I could hit a good 3-iron most of the time, and a good 4-iron regularly.

One day at the range there was a Hogan rep who had some of these new hybrid clubs, so I tried the 21* = 3. I hit the best 3-iron of my life, three times in a row. That's all it took for me to order a 19*, 21*, an 24* a few weeks later.

If you can hit your long irons, fine, If you can't, it doesn't make sense to not use hybrids.

As for being a traditionalist, I play Hogan Apex irons of several models (1999, Red Line, Grind), and use a Bulls Eye putter when my back will let me bend over that far without discomfort.

[Mr. Desmond]

Hybrids are different to different folks ... just like all golf clubs.

Let's face it, I think a majority of golfers who are high-mid to high cappers,  pick or sweep at the ball. That is a trait that I am attempting to diminish in my game. I want a divot so I can put some fire into my iron play. Until then, hybrids for 3-5 irons work well. They go high and they go in the direction I point.

For sweepers and mid to high cappers, hybrids allow them to advance the ball further than a long to mid iron. They may not get the ball high off the ground, but they go farther than an iron. The hybrid won't dig but will graze the ground making mistakes with which a certain golfer can live.  I base that on playing with a group of mid-hc senior types with whom I play on a semi or so weekly basis.

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Hybrids are different to different folks ... just like all golf clubs.

Let's face it, I think a majority of golfers who are high-mid to high cappers,  pick or sweep at the ball. That is a trait that I am attempting to diminish in my game. I want a divot so I can put some fire into my iron play. Until then, hybrids for 3-5 irons work well. They go high and they go in the direction I point.

For sweepers and mid to high cappers, hybrids allow them to advance the ball further than a long to mid iron. They may not get the ball high off the ground, but they go farther than an iron. The hybrid won't dig but will graze the ground making mistakes with which a certain golfer can live.  I base that on playing with a group of mid-hc senior types with whom I play on a semi or so weekly basis.

I'm a digger, and the advantage to a hybrid for me is that they give me the ability to get the ball much higher in the air than a 3 or 4 iron because I lack the swing speed I used to have.  Let's face it, the ability to hit a standard 3 or 4 iron up in the air depends a lot on swing speed, so people who don't have high swing speeds can get the hybrids in the air easier than long irons, even if you're not a sweeper.

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5339

I'm a digger, and the advantage to a hybrid for me is that they give me the ability to get the ball much higher in the air than a 3 or 4 iron because I lack the swing speed I used to have.  Let's face it, the ability to hit a standard 3 or 4 iron up in the air depends a lot on swing speed, so people who don't have high swing speeds can get the hybrids in the air easier than long irons, even if you're not a sweeper.

Agree with you. A hybrid goes higher and farther than the comparable iron. My SS is low T, so while my playing partner yesterday without the pretty swing hits his hybrids about 20 feet off the ground, I used his hybrids - 20 and 23 deg - and got them up nicely with my "fighting to stay above senior flex" SS.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by Traditionalist

Hi.  I'm new to the forum but have been golfing for around 35 years.   As my name suggests I am somewhat of a tradionalist when it comes to golf, courses, equipment, etc.  However, recently (about 2  years ago) i was sucked into the "Hybrid" hype.  I bought several and played them, then just recently I went back to a standard 3-pw, uw, lw, driver, 3w, 5w configuration and have been playing much better.   I play perimeter weighted irons from Ping (G15's) and cannot figure for the life of me how someone would not be able to hit the modern 3 or 4 iron with its perimiter weighting, moi, etc.

I'm starting to get the feeling that hybrids are more beneficial to low handicap or players who still use traditonal "Blade" irons, hence the problems with the 3 and 4 irons.  I do not see the benefit when you have the newer (ie, game improvement irons)

Anyone feel the same?  I'm just curious. Or maybe I'm just nuts.

totally agree ... as a relatively new player, and one that has owned a handful of hybrids - I prefer my modern cavity backed 4 iron to any of the similar lofted hybrids I've had.     For me, irons are way more controllable off the tee which makes the minor decrease in yardage a moot point.   I think you are spot on ... if you compare hybrids to older clubs, sure they're easier for the average golfer to hit, but compared to modern SGI equipment, it comes down to a preference.    However, for me, I draw the line at the 3 iron - I've tried, but don't have the skill set to hit that club well, so I flip back and forth between a 7 wood & 3 hybrid (usually prefer the 7w).

[ZAhacker]

Originally Posted by x129

Don't take this the wrong way but why do people seem so proud of not being able to hit a hybrid? When I couldn't hit my driver or 4 iron, I considered that a swing flaw that needed to be fixed. I understand not gaming one if you don't need it (i.e. you long irons go high enough and long enough) but if I couldn't hit one I would be worried about what is wrong with my swing. YMMV

Ok i am in no way proud i cant hit them. More just honest. I play with my irons and fairway wood just fine. So to mess around with hybrids would probably not benefit me in any way. On top is the fact i don't really care for the way they look.

[NuclearMike]

I was at the range yesterday and hit my hybrids pretty well.  As long as I remember to hit them like irons instead of woods they perform like a hybrid should.  After seeing Iacas's post about 65/25/10% full swing/short game/putting I spent more time than I had been on the full swing.  I hit the hybrids longer and higher than their game-improvement iron counterparts so using them is integral to my success on the course.

Also, I use iron covers because I think using them will increase resale value on the clubs should I decide to change sets.  I put the cover in my pocket on the way to the ball and put it back on while going back to my bag.  No time wasted.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by NuclearMike

I was at the range yesterday and hit my hybrids pretty well.  As long as I remember to hit them like irons instead of woods they perform like a hybrid should.  After seeing Iacas's post about 65/25/10% full swing/short game/putting I spent more time than I had been on the full swing.  I hit the hybrids longer and higher than their game-improvement iron counterparts so using them is integral to my success on the course.

Also, I use iron covers because I think using them will increase resale value on the clubs should I decide to change sets.  I put the cover in my pocket on the way to the ball and put it back on while going back to my bag.  No time wasted.

To each their own on the iron covers, but you are smashing your iron into the ground (on most golf shots) at a high rate of speed.  Just seems kind of funny to put a cover on it, when that's its purpose.  Kinda like polishing a cannonball before you shoot it.