Hybrids!!!

[dagolfer]

When i purchased my set of golf clubs from dick's sporting goods about 3 years ago it came with a 24 degree hybrid. I came to love this club and hit the ball well with it. Since it isn't a name brand club and the newer technology in hybrids help hit the ball better i am looking to upgrade. However i am not a good player of the woods. So my question is should i replace the hybrid i use now or get one to take the space of a 5 wood to try to help me out on par 5's? I must tell you i am on my high school golf team and none of our par 5's are very long in length and i am more of a get outta there with bogey when it comes to par 5's so what do you think will help me more?

[Bouse]

I would definatly look at getting a hybrid...There alot easier to hit as you would know and you have had some success with your current hybrid. You will find that you will find yourself using the Hybrid on a long par 3 or even a short par 4...I think that 5 woods have really been replaced by hybrids and most golfers will have a 3 hybrid in their bag now rather than a 5 wood.

Get some demo clubs in both Hybrid and 5 wood models have a hit and see how you feel...That is the best way to see how you will go as ball flights will differ with these clubs.

Personally Hybrid is the way but we all had different idea's..

You will see a huge diffrence between a basic and a quality hybrid!

Good Luck

[og512]

From what I can gather, it seems like the hybrid you have now is a very servicable club for you thus I would keep it. As far as upgrading it, it's a matter of feel. Demo a couple and see if they feel right. But if your old one is still holding it's own, don't fix what ain't broke.

That being said, I would stick with the hybrid and since you don't hit the woods well anyway, I would suggest looking to replace them with hybrids at least until you get comfortable hitting the woods. You may get more distance with the woods but it won't matter much if your spraying it all over the place. One of my best friends uses the following set up:
Driver
2H 16*
3H 20*
4H 24*
5-PW
SW
LW
Putter

he and I play twice a month and he consistently shoots in the high 70's - low 80's. he drops most of his strokes around and on the green. but he is insanely accurate with the hybrids. it makes the game more enjoyable and keeps him competitive.

good luck.

[dagolfer]

However i feel that a new and improved hybrid replaceing my old one will improve my game in the fairways because right know i can par, par 5's with the hybrid set up and i can use my 5 wood with some practice so i am thinking i should just replace the current hybrid and then save up and get a 3 wood because i use it alot on par 3's. I really have no need for a 3 wood so i am probably not going to play with it anyway.

[og512]

IMO, golf is more mental than physical. You have to be comfortable with and confident in your equipment. If getting a new hybrid with new technology will give you more confidence then by all means do so.

The hybrids will be a good choice. You can hit them off the tee and you can play them from many more lies than the woods.

[tim31x]

i personally prefer to hit fairway woods, but i also carry a hybrid. its so versatile, why not carry it. try a hybrid equivalent to a 5wood, and then try a 5wood. see which one you hit better and whatever works for you choose it.

[Stacey_E]

  og512 said:

One of my best friends uses the following set up:

Do you know the brand/model of those hybrids? It baffles me why 95% of the hybrids on the market are seperated by 3*. There is just no need for that little of a gap at the top of the set unless your swing speed is a good bit better than average.

[Big_M]

  Stacey_E said:

Do you know the brand/model of those hybrids? It baffles me why 95% of the hybrids on the market are seperated by 3*. There is just no need for that little of a gap at the top of the set unless your swing speed is a good bit better than average.

uhm... my 2H is 18* and my 3H is 20*... and there is definately a 10-15yd distance gap. My 4-iron is also about 10 yds short of the 3H. FYI my SS is a bit over 100 with the big guy (so not crazy fast or anything).

[Stacey_E]

  Big_M said:

uhm... my 2H is 18* and my 3H is 20*... and there is definately a 10-15yd distance gap. My 4-iron is also about 10 yds short of the 3H. FYI my SS is a bit over 100 with the big guy (so not crazy fast or anything).

Your SS is a bit over the average of the regular amateur golfer (around 88mph) and your handicap is way under the average as well. Kudos for you! You are obviously a great ball striker and can make the most of the clubs in your bag.

That still doesn't answer the original question about which brand/model the hybrid was.

[Big_M]

  Stacey_E said:

Your SS is a bit over the average of the regular amateur golfer (around 88mph) and your handicap is way under the average as well. Kudos for you! You are obviously a great ball striker and can make the most of the clubs in your bag.

well, I can't answer that question for you... my main point was only that while some people may benefit from having an 18* then a 23-4* or some such configuration (2h to 4h, etc.)... others need that extra club, and therefore it only makes sense for clubmakers to provide such an option.

Main thing everyone should remember is to forget the label 2H, 3H, 5H etc., and just worry about distance gaps. for instance, my wife has a 5 iron and a 5 hybrid, and also plays a wood that is only slightly less lofted than the hybrid, etc.

[Stacey_E]

  Big_M said:

well, I can't answer that question for you... my main point was only that while some people may benefit from having an 18* then a 23-4* or some such configuration (2h to 4h, etc.)... others need that extra club, and therefore it only makes sense for clubmakers to provide such an option.

Really I couldn't agree more about not worrying about what the club says on the bottom. My 4 hybrid plays more like a 3 iron.

I really wish that some how hybrids could be matched in 2* gaps for those of us that would benefit from playing every other one. If we go that route now (with the standard 3*) we would end up with a 6* gap, and I think that is too much for me. But for a slower swing it might be perfect. One day the manufacturers might just make an X* hybrid without a "iron" designation. Of course the head weight would have to be adjustable to make the shaft length progress correctly....wait I guess they have that now. Never mind.

[og512]

  Stacey_E said:

Do you know the brand/model of those hybrids? It baffles me why 95% of the hybrids on the market are seperated by 3*. There is just no need for that little of a gap at the top of the set unless your swing speed is a good bit better than average.

2h - 16* - Ping G5

3h - 20* - Cobra Baffler 4h - 24* - Nike Sumo

[dagolfer]

Replying to the confidence issue. Right now i am very confident with my hybrid but my woods have very deep faces and they are hard to hit off the fairway. My woods are also a little of the lofts of new woods (i think that is beacuse of the set they came in). My 19 degree 5 wood is almost too much for some par 5's while 23 degree hybrid comes up short. So my final setup at the top of the bag i think is going to go something like this. 9.5 cobra speed ld f driver, 21 degree cobra speed ld f 7 wood, nickent 3dxdc hybrid 23 degree. I know the lofts are close but i believe it will help me the most because like i said before no extremely long par 5's and i don't go for the green in 2 anyway i like to lay up just short and the 7 wood will probably let me have a 9 iron or under in to the green.

[dagolfer]

the only thing with that setup is do you think i will still come up short on the par 3 with 21 degrees since i come up short with 23?

[RC]

For me, the old Callaway Steelhead 7 wood is the best alternative to a rescue wood, 5 wood, or any hybrid. It is the easiest club I've ever hit and its range is 220+ carry (longer if onto a fairway with roll) down to 185 if you open it up and cut it. The longest I've hit it is 259 yards onto a par five and it stayed within 10 feet of where it landed. It is an amazing club, and they are still available. I think I could find other solutions for any club in my bag except the old steelhead 7 wood with the memphis 10 steel shaft. The steel shaft is essential because that makes it a perfect D2 swing weight. I think Callaway calls it the uniflex shaft. It is the one club I never want to be without.

So why? Well, it goes higher than a 3 iron and sits where you hit it better, you can hit it out of the rough more easily than a hybrid, and you can open it up and hit moon ball approaches when needed. It is the hardest club to miss-hit I have ever owned. I have bought excellent hybrids, and can hit them just fine. But none fit me better than this old trusty. I seriously do not know why this club is not in more bags. My guess is people just have never hit one. If they did, I'll bet many of you would not give it up.

Darn it... I let the cat out of the bag and now finding replacements will just get harder.

p.s. Seriously, I can get (and would get) any club I want, but this is my only essential club.

[Stacey_E]

  RC said:

For me, the old Callaway Steelhead 7 wood is the best alternative to a rescue wood, 5 wood, or any hybrid. It is the easiest club I've ever hit

I thought I was the only one! I traded mine on a 2004 BB 5 wood which I in turn trade for a 2004 BB 5+ wood. I love that club! But I think I like the original Steelhead 7 wood a tad more. It kinda swings itself, and as best as I remember, had a nice flat lie. Mine was in graphite though and did feel a touch light (D-0 I think?). At 20* loft, it was a strong 7 wood. That shallow face just pops the ball up high and long.

[RC]

You are right... there is just something special with that club. The head sits shallow faced and the ball just explodes off the face -- feels like driving a nail with a hammer in one swing, flush. Sometimes, when others see my Steelhead, (I just got a new one in mint condition from Callaway Pre-owned, and gave my old one to a friend who loves it) they frequently tell me they once had one -- and wish they had never let it go or changed. That happens a lot. On the range, people hit it and always react positively.

[dagolfer]

This has all been good advice but i also want to know is a 3 wood nessecary? I don't think i need one if the driver can get you off the tee. Which would you replace first 5 wood or hybrid. Hybrid is used for par 5's and off tee on one par 3 on course i regularly play. 5 wood in 19 degree is used on par 3 and new one could be used in fairway. Hoever new 5 woods come in 18 and i am a little deep with my 5 wood now so do you think i should go to a 21 degree 7 wood?