When to chip with a Hybrid?

[vmsea]

Just wondering when you would chip with a hybrid? (assuming you WOULD do it).

I've read people use a hybrid of FW to chip.. wasn't sure in what kind of position, lie, pin placement etc would you use this?

why hybrid and not say a 5 iron?

thanks!!

[sean_miller]

Just wondering when you would chip with a hybrid? (assuming you WOULD do it).

I hit a couple putts with my 19.5 degree hybrid (one for real and a practice after the fact). I found the distance control to be pretty good. More like a putter. With the right set of irons, I'd use the 5-iron, but I struggle with distance control on very short shots with my Mizunos.

[GaijinGolfer]

I treat it just like a putt. Same stance, same ball position, same grip, same stroke.

[vmsea]

cool.. so with say a 4h, around 22*.
what do you guys find to be the average carry vs roll?

i.e. for my PW, i usually carry 1/4, and roll 3/4 of total distance
AW 1/3, 2/3
SW more towards 1/2

for a Hybrid? like 10% carry, 90% roll? or?

[RC]

I've tried to use non-irons for running chips and I have terrible distance control. Usually I hit them long. So, rather than use a hybrid or 5 wood, etc., I just use a six iron, choke down, and get the shaft vertical, only the toe of the blade on the grond, and then use a simple putting stroke. This seems to help my distance feel a lot more than using a hybrid which has a different angle to the ground, a longer shaft, and adds a completely different kind of stroke to have to practice. However... there are certainly people who can use hybrid from off the green pretty well. It is just most of them tend to hit the shots long (the ones I have watched.)

[trickymicky69]

Putting stroke with a 5 wood

[Gerald]

Using a hybrid or 5W for chipping ..... only if the grass is slightly taller or if the ball sits deep.

With the short swing chipstroke in taller grass you always have the risk of a clubface closing, the hybrid or 5W slides trough without closing. (even better if you address it a bit on the toe.....)

[Zeph]

The rounded and flat sole makes the club easier to glide on the grass, as opposed to digging into the ground with the leading edge of an iron I suppose.
There is no rule for when to use it, but I would say when you don't need a lot of trajectory, or backspin. Just a bump and run.

[chilly]

I've just started doing this in the last few weeks and it's proved to be a huge improvement in my short game. For whatever reason, I have a very tough time putting from the fringe or fairway. I started using a normal putter stroke and my 20 or 23* hybrid. I just choke down to the end of the grip and take as normal a putting stroke as possible. I will not do this if there is any kind of bank or ledge in the way, as the ball will pound directly into it and stop quickly...unless there is plenty of room for the ball to stop flying and settle down to a roll before it gets to the slope.

I generally use the 20*, but will use a 23* if it's a little bumpy or the grass is not tightly mowed. Either way, for me, the ball will only be in the air 3ft or so and then starts rolling.

I can't say enough good things about this technique, I've holed one out and hit the flag three times, and had a bunch of kick-ins in the short time I've been using it (nothing special for most folks, but this was a big weakness in my game).

That said, it is a little tricky if you're hitting the shot to a downhill slope, or a tight pin, because there's obviously no backspin on the ball and it's not as precise as a putter regarding distance control.

[GaijinGolfer]

I've tried to use non-irons for running chips and I have terrible distance control. Usually I hit them long.

It takes practice to develop the proper distance control with a hybrid.

[soloredd]

My round on Wednesday I decided to use my 3 hybrid for a number of shots I never have used before. Most of them were punch shots out to the fairway but I had 2 holes where I used it to run the ball up to the green. So not necessarily chipping but I'm going to try it this next week should the situation arise.

There was a thread recently about putting with the hybrid, specifically long putts. To me, I think the hybrid would be great for that if you practice it.

[ohiolefty]

I chip with a hybrid in a round maybe once a month...

WHEN??!

I do it when I miss a green into the rough, have a bad lie, and have shortsided myself badly in a particular way I can't really describe (usually on one hole of my home course with a funky, hogsback green).

WHY?
If the lie is really poor, I can't open the blade at all to pop it up. I also prefer the hybrid as opposed to a regular chip with an iron or wedge out of a bad lie because the head helps me to get cleaner contact.

[GaijinGolfer]

Chipping with a hybrid really only works when you are a foot or 2 off the green and need a shot where the ball only flies a few feet and rolls the rest of the way. The thinking is that the rounded sole of a hybrid helps it move through the grass more smoothly instead of digging in and causing you to either hit the ball way fat or skull it across the green like you can sometimes do when chipping with an iron.
Like I said, it takes a bit of practice to perfect and to develop a feel for the distance but its a neat little shot to have in your bag.

[ghalfaire]

Just wondering when you would chip with a hybrid? (assuming you WOULD do it).

I chip with a 26* hybrid when I have a tight lie, am just a few feet off the green and not much green to work with. I use a putting grip and stroke to execute the shot. It works well for me but you need to practice it some to get the distance right. I'll sometimes do this from the rough but not often. I don't use a five iron for two reasons, I am not very good with tight lies that I "can't hit hard enough to be comfortable" and I don't carry a five iron except on windy days.