When looking at hybrids to replace a 3 iron...

[shades9323]

Do you try to match the loft? Go with a little more loft due to increased length of shaft?

[golf_junkie27]

How do you want that hybrid to perform? Do you just want a more forgiving version of a 3I? Higher ball flight? There are quite a few variables.

IMHO, if you are looking for a higher ball flight, I would just look for a shaft that promoted that type of trajectory. FWIW, I have a Bridgestone hybrid that looks perfect but has a shaft.

Again, though, how do you want the hybrid to play?

[PiKapp23]

Often, trying to match a hybrid to a specific iron in terms of the distance can be difficult because hybrids are usually a little longer. For example, if you bought a 3H you would probably find it to be quite a bit longer than your 3i - possibly as much as a full iron (or even more in some cases). I have always found than a hybrid with the same number as the iron you want to use it to replace will play about one club longer, so a 4H might be a good replacement for your 3i, but it really depends on so many factors that it's hard to tell. I carry a 4H (23*) to replace my 3i (and a 5H to replace my 4i), but I also carry a 2H (17*), which is a littler closer to a 3H/2i because the 2H has a Dynamic Gold steel shaft. Typcially somewhere around a 20* lofted hybrid is supposed to be a 3H.

So, the thing you need to do is decide what you want the club for and what kind of distance. workability and trajectory you expect then find the hybrid to match that need. Of course, this is not always easy to do without trying them on the course so starting with a used club or 2 might be the best option (retailers that also deal in used clubs will often allow you to return them for full credit within a certain period of time, so it's possible to try different clubs this way until you find the right fit). The graphite hybrids are usually going to be longer than steel shafted and with a higher trajectory. Because there are no standards across the industry you'll find different shaft lengths and lofts as well to even further complicate the choice.