Hybrid vs. 5 iron

[Pretzel]

I love my 3 hybrid and personally enjoy my 4 iron hybrid. The main reason that I am prevented from buying a 5 hybrid is that I have a strong tendency with my hybrids to hook it more than with other clubs. I think Ping may have gotten a little sneaky with their G10 series and designed them similar to their "draw" drivers of the time to help out most people looking into hybrids. Regardless I hit the 3 and 4 hybrids more consistently than their respective irons, so they stay in my bag.

I would recommend you take in your 5 iron (and 5 iron only) to a golf shop that carries the hybrids you're looking at. Get yourself a properly fitted 5 hybrid to test and hit 25-50 shots with each club. Count the number of serious mishits with each club and check the overall dispersion and ballflight with each. Use the numbers to help your decision, but ultimately it will come down to which club will allow you to feel most comfortable when you have a pressure shot to hit.

[HiDraw]

Couldn't agree more. If I was hung up on being a purist I would play straight blades, no offset, no cavity backs, maybe even persimmon woods....lol. We take advantage of every edge in technology we can from clubs to shoes to balls. Play what works for you!

[Hammer 4]

I love my 3 hybrid and personally enjoy my 4 iron hybrid. The main reason that I am prevented from buying a 5 hybrid is that I have a strong tendency with my hybrids to hook it more than with other clubs. I think Ping may have gotten a little sneaky with their G10 series and designed them similar to their "draw" drivers of the time to help out most people looking into hybrids. Regardless I hit the 3 and 4 hybrids more consistently than their respective irons, so they stay in my bag.

I would recommend you take in your 5 iron (and 5 iron only) to a golf shop that carries the hybrids you're looking at. Get yourself a properly fitted 5 hybrid to test and hit 25-50 shots with each club. Count the number of serious mishits with each club and check the overall dispersion and ballflight with each. Use the numbers to help your decision, but ultimately it will come down to which club will allow you to feel most comfortable when you have a pressure shot to hit.

Pretzel makes a good point.

I have bought the TM RBZ Stage 2 19 and 22 degree hybrids. I still carry my 4 and 5 irons, although it may not be in the not to distant future that I will take the 4 and 5 irons out and get a 25 degree hybrid. I do have to say, that I like my 4 and 5 irons for knock down shots out of the trees...

[dkolo]

Pretzel makes a good point.

I have bought the TM RBZ Stage 2 19 and 22 degree hybrids. I still carry my 4 and 5 irons, although it may not be in the not to distant future that I will take the 4 and 5 irons out and get a 25 degree hybrid. I do have to say, that I like my 4 and 5 irons for knock down shots out of the trees...

I don't think I'd get rid of my 5 iron, but I have no issues gaming a 4 hybrid. Makes all the sense in the world.

[Hammer 4]

I don't think I'd get rid of my 5 iron, but I have no issues gaming a 4 hybrid. Makes all the sense in the world.

Welp, tonight I went to the range, granted, a mat is nothing like hitting out of a tree line, or LONG grass/weeds, but I hit 10 knock down shots with my 5 iron, and 10 with my 22 degree hybrid. In both cases, I kept the ball low, and using the same length swing, the hybrid went a bit farther, which may or may not mean anything on a range, it's artificial turf... And for me, I hit my 22 degree hybrid more consistent than my 5 iron, both in distance, and dispersion  We'll see..

[Pretzel]

I will say my opinion on hybrids has changed a bit since I got new irons. I now confidently carry my 4 and even 3 iron occasionally (but only on windy days when the hybrid just balloons). Modern technology even in the "tour" style irons off today has really made a difference. The PING s55 is far easier to hot on the long irons than the Eye 2's ever were, but I still like my hybrid, especially off the tee.

[onthehunt526]

I'm not huge into lofted hybrids, but the OP and I have similar HC... I used to have a Nickent 3dx Genex 4h and used to hit it a solid 205-210... last season I had a 2-hybrid in the bag between my 4W and 3I that I hit 220 and was my go to tee shot club on short tricky par-fours... I was switching in between my TEE CNC Forged irons and my V-Blades toward the end of the year... I've never really struggled with long irons, that much, partially because I'm 6'5" and have the swing speed to get solid contact with them... I recently upgraded my irons to a set of TEE CU irons that are slightly more forgiving... But I have toyed with the idea of carrying a 3, 4, and 5 hybrid, partially because the 5h is a little longer than my 5-iron... but it would almost take my favorite trouble club out of the bag... (I like to hit a low punch 5-iron from under trees or if there is no trouble to carry if I have a miserable lie in the rough) If the OP hasn't made a decision on this, weigh what you need for various courses, and maybe interchange the 5I and 5h depending on course conditions... This is a side note: When I play practice rounds... I sometimes have as many as 18 or 19 clubs with me, when I'm trying to strategize for a tournament, and I narrow it down to the 14 best suited for the course conditions... The rules say the you can carry a maximum of 14 clubs, they don't say WHICH 14 clubs you can carry, Mickelson won the '06 Masters with TWO drivers in the bag