Are Hybrids worth the extra money $$$?

It all depends on how well you hit hybrids, I guess.  I struggle with long irons, and do better with hybrids, but I know a lot of people who can hit their irons better than hybrids.

 

Go and demo a few of them and decide on your own.  That's the only way to truly know.

Also consider higher lofted fairway woods. The 7W and sometimes 9W work better for some people than the hybrids. The club manufacturers have been focusing on FWs the last year or so to try to make them more user-friendly.

 

If you go with higher lofted FWs, check loft and shaft length differences from club to club. For example, the Callaway Razr Hawk has a 15* 3W, a 18* 5W and a 21* 7W - and 3/4" length difference between shafts. The Razr Black, however, goes 15* 3W, and a bunch-up with 19* 5W and 21* 7W, and only 1/2" length difference between shafts.

I find that I hit hybrids one of two ways. Either really good, or really bad. When I say really bad, I mean like 20 yards or more off-line. Long irons are generally hit short (i.e. fat) but straight when they are missed. I don't like the 20 yard miss, so I mostly stick with long irons. 

 

Just my thought.

i like long irons, but for me, the 4 hybrid is more useful ... both are about equal off a nice fairway lie, but the 4 hybrid is WAY better out of the rough than a 4 iron (with my average swing speed anyways).   I still find room in my bag for a 3 iron for long par 3's if I need it on a given course - I tend to hit irons much straighter off tee's than hybrids.

I would save the money and get the set with all irons, at least 4-PW.  After you've used the long irons you may wish to add a hybrid but at that point you can test different ones and select the one you hit best. 

I started out with a 3-PW set of irons. I added a SW. I now use 2 thu 5 hybrids and my 3,4,5 long irons are not in the bag any longer. My hybrids add about 15 to 20 yards a club. I bought the hybrids used or on sale at half price....well worth the money in my opinion. I have no trouble hitting hybrids off the tee, but I also carry a 3 and 5 wood. 

IF you like the G20, go back and get some launch data when the machine "gets well."  It's always good to go back a second time to make sure the first try wasn't a fluke.  Definitely get fitted - many places will fit for free if you buy a new set.

If you are a 'hacker', as you state, then it won't make any difference whether you choose irons or hybrids. Save your money and check out the garage sales and thrift stores in your area for some reasonable clubs, learn how to cheaply regrip the old clubs, then learn how to swing them .  Spend the remaining cash on a few lessons. 

Honestly i think there great for any players, they got distance, they fly higher, they land softer, and they are great out of the rough. Then you can use it around the green for easy chipping, its really a great club, i suggest at least 1 or 2 of them for any player. 

i replaced my 1-4 irons with two hybrids, best thing i have done.

in majority of cases, mans ego will punish him on the golf course by keeping the long irons.

I agree with using hybrids but I wouldn't suggest someone buy a iron set that includes them.  I think hybrids, like other woods need to be tried and compared.  It seems most of the hybrids included in sets aren't as good as ones you can purchase separately. 

certainly, buy hybrids that do not come in a set...always get fitted, shaft and lie angle.

If you only have one hybrid in your bag I suggest the Adams Idea Tech A4R  number 3  R shaft...it is 19 degrees and has a small head. Makes a great rescue club for getting out of the cabbage. You can find them in the bargain rack at most golf stores or at a good price on ebay (about 30 bucks average).

I have been playing the Adams V3 forged set since they came out and play the 3h-6h , I have went away from the irons and now hit 7-SW in the Ping i20's , but the hybrids are staying , I just hit them way to well to ever consider taking them out of the bag .  

They hit high and straight and the ball checks up with them ( they have very sharp grooves ) , never have any roll out . They have this very solid "TINK" when hit solid , and even miss hits I get good results . Plus every person I have played with that has hit them end up buying 1 or 2 .  I also like the versatility of the hybrids around the greens and they just rip a ball out of the rough .

I have hit the Ping Anser hybrids at my local GolfTec and if they weren't so darned expensive I would have them in my bag ! 

 

When I was looking for a new set to replace my Callaway X14 Pros ( 2010 ) , my local Pro said to look for a set with hybrids as they are like stealing shots around the course , well I feel he was right . Dont think I will ever go back to long irons ! 

It's really worth the money. Long irons are really hard to hit pure. A 3 or 4 hybrid can be hit much more easily to gain the same distances. If you hit 1/2" off center, the hybrid still delivers over 80% of the distance. If you hit a bad tee shot, you can recover from them far better than with long irons. I really like them, because I am more confident with long approach shots.