Hybrid and Fairway wood dilemna, please share your thoughts

[Jcp907]

I have been considering purchasing a 2 or 3 hybrid or 5 or 7 wood to fill in between my Callaway X Hot 3 wood and AP1 4 iron (I LOVE the 3W, close to loving the 4I). Forgiveness is more important than workability. I am a high handicapper.

I went to the launch monitor at Edwin Watts Golf and hit the following Hybrids with stiff shafts:
Ping Rapture V2
Nickent 3dx
Nickent 5dx
Cobra Baffler
Burner
perhaps 1 or two others that I don't recall their names

On the machine, I hit the Burner with the least dispersion, could draw and fade it, and only hit one slice. The club felt good! I bought it and went to an oversize grip (all of my clubs have oversize grips due to large hands). During this session, I was swinging at 75-80% because my knee was bothering me. No idea on the swing speed as they mentioned the swing speed portion of the machine was not working. I didn't ask how, but the machine still provided ball flight and distance. Thinking about this now, it sounds odd.

I went out and played over the weekend, and this is a hook machine in my hands, when I swing full speed. My natural ball flight is a fade and a miss is a pull or a slice right. I hit again today, and same thing. My son hit's it well. His swing is in the 85 MPH range with the driver. I am in the 110 range. Is it normal to have to slow your swing with a Hybrid? Anyhhow, he just received a new 2009 Burner Hybrid! I hope you love it Brandon!

Please share your experiences with Hybrids and Fairway Woods. I hope to make another purchase shortly and want to see if I can learn anything from your experiences, good or bad with both hybrids and 5 or 7 woods. I have already learned on my own to swing in the store like I do on the course.

Thank you in advance,

Jay

[nutsnbolts]

I can't say I'm doing this right or wrong but I love my 3 hybrid rescue burner. Solid contact and it soars. Impressed with it but when I first bought it, I was goofy in hitting it. Watched a few videos and the best tip I learned from it was to choke down on the grip, place the ball between your legs and hit it like an iron.

Keeps it low on the ground but travels the distance.

[chrt396]

I agree with "Nutsy". The swing is more upright than a Driver or Fairway wood. I had the TM Burner...and sold it on Ebay for next to nothing and bought a Ping G-10 18 & 21 degree hybrid, and LOVE them. I opted for the UST ProForce shaft instead of the Ping shaft and it has been the biggest addition to my arsenal.

[teamgs]

I am just starting with my first hybrid, a Nike Sumo 2 18 deg. It has a slightly closed face, and I tend to draw it more than not. I still have some time on my "exchange guarantee", and I may look for another model with am even more neutral face. I also tried the burner and didn't choose it, as I hit a pretty severe draw pretty frequently. You might try the Nike Sumo.

I got it to fill in between the 3W and 4 Iron. Unfortunately, I hit the Sumo in the 215-220 range, which leaves a good gap between my 4 iron. (195-200)

Gary

[Jcp907]

Thanks for the input. I do set up as if I were setting up a 5 iron in terms of ball placement and stance. I will try it again and choke up on it-maybe tomorrow. I will try to be patient!

CHRT, why did you sell the Burner?

I will add the G10 and the Sumo to the list of clubs to swing. I will try to swing them outside on the range.

[Chadbert]

I also have a nike sumo2 2 hybrid. I hit mine straight and my natural ball flight is a slight to mid fade. It took me 3 practice sessions at the driving range to figure it out but after that it has been a real work horse for me.

[1par2win]

Personally I don't get hybrids. I read all the good things about them and my buddies can hit the heck out of them but I just don't hit them well at all. I have a 15.5 and a 18.5 fairway wood and that suits me to a "t", pardon the pun. I say go with what works and to heck with conventional wisdom. If you can hit a club solid, it's the right club for you.

[lumpuckeroo]

Personally I don't get hybrids. I read all the good things about them and my buddies can hit the heck out of them but I just don't hit them well at all. I have a 15.5 and a 18.5 fairway wood and that suits me to a "t", pardon the pun. I say go with what works and to heck with conventional wisdom. If you can hit a club solid, it's the right club for you.

I'm with 1par2win, I have tried several manufactors hybrids and just don't like the way they set up or feel. I'm sticking with my 3 and 5 wood and 3 iron.

[gmanuel25]

I'm with 1par2win, I have tried several manufactors hybrids and just don't like the way they set up or feel. I'm sticking with my 3 and 5 wood and 3 iron.

I totally agree, I've tried many hybrids, but just haven't felt comfortable with them and have no consistency. When I miss with my 3 iron it doesn't get me in trouble, I can't say that about a hybrid.

[umpiremark]

Personally, I hit the snot out of my 3- and 4-hybrids, most of the time (thus the 16 hndcp!!) HA! but cannot hit my old fairway woods for pooh... mostly mental, I'm sure.

Again, several posters said the same thing; what ever works, go with it because it's not HOW it's HOW MANY we write on the scorecard!!!

[Scratch (+20)]

Definitely give the Ping G10's a try. I tried out just about every hybrid before getting the 21* G10 with the TFC 129 stiff shaft & love it. One thing to check though is the distance you hit it. Ping says it is a 7-wood equivelant, but I hit it as well as my 3-wood with much better consistency. I went back & picked up the 24* (4-iron or 9-wood) to fill the gap similar to what you are talking about.

[Jcp907]

Than you everyone for the comments. I went and hit a few, and the G10 worked well for me into the net. Ultimately, what I discovered is that I have a swing flaw (probably flaws) when the hybrid is in my hand. I will work on it a bit, and if I need to make too many changes I will figure out whether I want a fairway wood or a long iron. I have been hitting the 4I reasonably well.

[HCCLARKE]

I recently dropped the 5 wood. I have a driver, 3 wood, 2 hybrid, 4 hybrid and irons the rest of the way up. Best set up for a 15 handicap, in my opinion.

Hope that this helps.

[Dub]

I wasn't much of a hybrid fan until about 3 months ago.

The difference to me was standing closer to the ball at address and getting the "right" hybrids for me.

I'm a huge fan of the ones in my sig line. Contrary to popular belief...these are workable, too....at least in terms of draws and fades....

They are more difficult to work high to low as the natural shot is one that gets up swiftly and carries.

They are so vesatile from different lies that I couldn't imagine taking these two out of the bag. I'd like to add a 2H but can't as I'm going to soon be adding a 4th wedge....shame I can't game 15 sticks.