How good are hybrids, really?

[DocParty]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

You have to hit them like irons, but therein lies the rub, A player struggling to hit long irons because he doesn't know how to hit them properly is supposed to magically take a solid 2-iron swing with his new 2-hybrid. Good luck. Hybrids are easier to hit for beginners, but proper technique is still required for hitting the ball off the turf with a low lofted club.

I have been getting back into golf after an 18.5 year hiatus. Lost my dad, my golf partner, and just never had the urge again. Now my son is interested. He is 24 and only wants to learn the game for fun, a hobby. So for the last 5 months (3 in reality because I've been gone over 6 weeks vacationing and he works a long schedule) we have been at the driving range, some par 3 courses to sharpen up the short game and a few 9 hole and 18 hole regulation courses. Maybe 12 rounds of golf in these 5 months. Not much. Anyway he's getting really good, really fast and I have been struggling with my long iron. My driver and 7 through putter are okay for an old man of 61 just getting back into the game. I tossed my 3/4/5 irons today and picked up a used Taylormade 5h (25 degree) and took it out to a course just to see. The course is a 9 hole with 6 par threes that range from 150 to 170, lots of trees. I usually hit short and to the right and or left. Today on these 6 par 3's I was 3 over par. I hit 3 greens, birdied one, and bogie'd the others. I saved 6 strokes today on the par threes alone with this hybrid and was stunned. I played by myself and the course was almost empty due to the heat here in Dallas, Texas. Played 18 holes in just over 2 hours and 15 minutes riding a cart. Now I can't say this is going to be the norm for me or for anyone, however, with no past use of a hybrid and the ease of hitting it (I just stroke it like my 6 or 7 iron) it flew as straight as it could, flew lower than the 6 or 7 irons but landed softly and stayed on the green. I hit one of these greens and ended up 30 inches from the pin and one putted. I was truly amazed and did nothing different except for grinning a lot. Don't take this as a cure all for all that one may lack in golf, but, if you hit your low irons sweet, and can simply transfer your swing to this or other hybrids you will be at the very least, amazed. Never had a miss-hit, never hit a shank shot, never topped the ball. I did hit one a bit lower than expected (maybe 30 to 40 feet above the ground) but even this shot was straight as a string and it rolled forever. I hit my driver @ 220 yards, this hybrid @ 180 and pick up the rest with my MacGregor CG1800's from the early 80's. I shot an 84. The best I have shot in these 5 months bar none. I played for over 20 years before I hung up the clubs so I have to disagree (at least for my results) that they are only good for a beginner. I'm not one and had great success with it. I have no gaps in my clubs now and can go out, I hope, and duplicate this very experience over and over again. You do have to hit the hybrid like an iron. I teed it up about 3/4 of an inch on one tee and it flew much higher than the previous hole where I teed it up like my 7 iron (@ 1/2 inch above the dirt). So there seems to be some adjustments I can make in the event I need a high fly and die shot or a longer fly and roll shot. I am really pleased. Where were these back in the 70's, 80's and early 90's when I was playing with my dad? Give them a try, mine was used and I still got great success from using it. Paid $45 for it and got a free head cover and 2 dozen noodle Maxfli balls with it for an additional $10.

Give it a try. We are each different in our skill level, swing and approach to golf. That's why there are Pros, weekenders, juniors and seniors playing the game and so many different styles of clubs to choose from. I'm 61 with 3 herniated discs and my right knee is bone to bone. I wear a knee brace (called an unloader from Bregg).

Stephen

[Darksun22]

Hybrids are great clubs.  I love the feel of the club and the way it reacts in deeper rough when you still have a long shot.

They are also VERY effective when your driver just isn't working with you.  I replaced my 3 iron and 5 wood and 9 wood with a TM burner 2.0 18* rescue club.

[Goonsidious]

When you miss with a hybrid.. you REALLY miss though. I shank these things more than anything else. I'm still working on it.. but when I hit them, it feels so damn good.

[formula428]

I really love my 3H and 4H Raylor hybrids.  They are great for hitting out of the rough and when I'm in serious trouble.  I can 1/2 swing them under trees to get 100 to 120 yards, I can draw them or fade them, and I can full swing them and get them over trees.

The best part is that I'm not even that good, and they still work THAT good for me!

My club setup depends on the course, really.  However, I generally only play with a 3H and then my 4i.  But sometimes I toss the 4i in favor of the 4H.

[Jimdangles]

I am currently switching between a 21*/24* hybrid and a 3 iron. Last week I carried 3W 19*H 24*H 5i and so on. I obviously got the hybrids because I didnt hit the long Irons well. The other day I was rushed to tee off on hole 1 because I was late. It was a lay up hole anyways so I just flushed a 5i. Didnt know that I could hit it that well. It turns out my driver didnt want to work all day. I flushed my 5i on about 5 short par 4s that day. Went home, took out the 24* and put in the 3i. Yesterday I played and was flushing that too. Hit a shot about 230 or so when I thought it was my 210 club. I was absolutely loving it. I have already sold the 24* H but I am going to hold on to the 19* for now because golf is so up and down that next week my 3iron might not work and Ill be stuck with it. If I dont have long iron trouble in the next couple of weeks. I am gonna ditch my other hybrid and put the 4iron back in play too.

Not that I hit my 3i so great but also I wasn't a huge fan of the hybrid. It was easy to hit but man could I shank that thing. I could never figure out what my miss was either. One time I was looking at the green of a par 5 in 2 and I aimed a little left to be safe and it hooked. I pretty much know what my irons are gonna do if I miss.

So i was once converted to the hybrid side but now I think I am switching back to irons going to show it is just completely what is best for YOU.

[newtogolf]

Is your opinion based on course or sim experiences?

Originally Posted by Darksun22

Hybrids are great clubs.  I love the feel of the club and the way it reacts in deeper rough when you still have a long shot.

They are also VERY effective when your driver just isn't working with you.  I replaced my 3 iron and 5 wood and 9 wood with a TM burner 2.0 18* rescue club.

[Darksun22]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Is your opinion based on course or sim experiences?

Course.  I never use that club in the Sim.

I just feel like it can pop the ball out of the deep stuff better than my 3i or 4i ever could. Of course its not as good as a wedge, but I think it does a great job for longer shots in deeper stuff.

My 5 Wood went the same distance as my rescue, my 3i was a club almost never used, and my 9 wood was almost identical to the rescue just more loft.

I use it exactly how the name describes it, to rescue my butt from a bad shot, and i think it holds the right to keep its name for me at least.

[newtogolf]

Thanks, I know you play in the sim a lot, plus hard to imagine thick rough in a desert so I thought I'd ask.

Originally Posted by Darksun22

Course.  I never use that club in the Sim.

I just feel like it can pop the ball out of the deep stuff better than my 3i or 4i ever could. Of course its not as good as a wedge, but I think it does a great job for longer shots in deeper stuff.

My 5 Wood went the same distance as my rescue, my 3i was a club almost never used, and my 9 wood was almost identical to the rescue just more loft.

I use it exactly how the name describes it, to rescue my butt from a bad shot, and i think it holds the right to keep its name for me at least.

[Darksun22]

Hmmm.  I do play in a Sim a lot but I live in northern GA above ATL.  You must have my location mixed with someone else.

I think Hybrids are the new go to club for a lot of people because how friendly they are to mis-hits.  You can't really shank the shot and it is harder to hit it fat. You can still top it, but you eliminate 2 beginner problems with the Hybrid.

On top of that, most hybrids are set with a draw, which helps most golfers that "push" or slice the ball.

If i lost or broke mine, I would be going to buy a new one the very next day.

[ApocG10]

Hybrids are amazing in the rough, and every bit as good as an iron in the fairway. Right now, there is no reason not to play them, imo. Even though I generally only throw my 19* in the bag, but thats because I love it for second shots on par 5's where im in the rough. On par 4's, its very rare im hitting a long iron, so there is no need at all to have more than my 19* hybrid, along. with a 3 and 5 wood. My other hybrid only goes in the bag if im playing a course I know isnt well groomed (some Muni's around here), where some days, the fairway grass is 2 1/2-3 inches long. (no, I am not joking) So the fairway is like hitting out of first cut at most good courses.

[kris]

2H and 3H are easier for me to hit effectively than the 2 and 3 iron, but for me personally I would never favor a hybrid over my 4 or 5 iron. It's all a matter of feel that is different with everybody. I know some people who can't get anything longer than a 6 iron off the ground, so a 5H would likely help a lot.

Some people have talked about how great hybrids play out of the rough. This is also a personal feel thing because I personally do not like the feel at all from the rough, unless it is fairly short and I have a near perfect lie.

But there's nothing to lose in trying them out, as they can be very beneficial to some.

[LovinItAll]

Thanks, I know you play in the sim a lot, plus hard to imagine thick rough in a desert so I thought I'd ask.

PLENTY of thick rough in Las Vegas. I grew up in the south. Plenty there, too. Re: Hybrids - Never found one I liked. Depending on the course/conditions, I'll rotate 5w-9w for 2i-4i. Just dropped the longer irons back in my bag....should've been rotating them all along, especially given the windy conditions we sometimes have here. I've never found any club easy to hit out of thick rough when the ball is sitting down, though Bermuda is easier than this stuff we have here. When it nestles down in this gunk, you're screwed (lofted iron out).

[newtogolf]

You're right, sorry, had you confused with Jimbo.

I've found hybrids a challenge at times.  I like the Adams Pro A12 because they have a deeper face, more like an iron (some hybrids sit too low for my eye) but even they aren't ideal in heavy rough for me.

I used to try to play shots out of the rough (after a bad drive) like a pro, grab my 3h or 4h depending on distance and use a full swing.  Depending on the lie, thickness of the rough and my swing I'd either put myself deeper into the rough into a hazard or out of bounds, in any case, the results typically weren't good.  The last few weeks I've been taking my medicine and using a wedge just to get back out to the fairway so my 3rd shot will be from a good lie which overall has shaved about 4 strokes off of my typical scores.

I guess I'll need to work on those heavy rough shots with the hybrids a bit before I use them again.

Originally Posted by Darksun22

Hmmm.  I do play in a Sim a lot but I live in northern GA above ATL.  You must have my location mixed with someone else.

I think Hybrids are the new go to club for a lot of people because how friendly they are to mis-hits.  You can't really shank the shot and it is harder to hit it fat. You can still top it, but you eliminate 2 beginner problems with the Hybrid.

On top of that, most hybrids are set with a draw, which helps most golfers that "push" or slice the ball.

If i lost or broke mine, I would be going to buy a new one the very next day.

[jshots]

I put a Cobra Baffler 2 hybrid in my bag and it is now by far the most reliable club in my bag. If I'm having a confidence issue with driver, I just whip that thing out for a few holes and blast the ball straight down the middle time and time again. In fact I used it for an entire round a couple weeks ago off the tee and hit 11/13 fairways with it no problem.

It is also the perfect club for going for longer par 5s in two.

[Mattplusness]

I cannot hit a hybrid to save my life.

They are poop.

[jshots]

Originally Posted by Mattplusness

I cannot hit a hybrid to save my life.

They are poop.

I would imagine you can't hit any clubs to save your life then.

[Mattplusness]

Originally Posted by jshots

I would imagine you can't hit any clubs to save your life then.

No, I'm just not some middle aged washed up used to be athlete.

[LuciusWooding]

I think hybrids are great for the game, but terrible for forums. People didn't used to think they were special because they can hit a 5 iron but now apparently it gives bragging rights...