Long Iron Replacement? Really?

[GaijinGolfer]

You guys are all assuming that shaft technology hasnt changed.  With modern shafts, you can have less loft and still hit the ball higher and farther than the clubs of yesteryear.  Hybrids havent replaced fairway woods because you will still hit the ball farther than you will with a comparable hybrid but the hybrid will be easier to control.

Ask yourself this: how many tour pros have replaced all of the FWs with hybrids?  Exactly.  None.  End of discussion.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

You guys are all assuming that shaft technology hasnt changed.  With modern shafts, you can have less loft and still hit the ball higher and farther than the clubs of yesteryear.  Hybrids havent replaced fairway woods because you will still hit the ball farther than you will with a comparable hybrid but the hybrid will be easier to control.

Ask yourself this: how many tour pros have replaced all of the FWs with hybrids?  Exactly.  None.  End of discussion.

Aside from the OP, who is saying hybrids have replaced fairway woods?  And who said anything about tour pros carrying only hybrids and no fairway woods?

[cliffj]

What would be most helpful to many golfers would be an "equivalency" chart showing which fw's are equivalent to which hybrid's and are equivalent to which irons. I overhear the discussion many times when folks are trying to decide what to replace their 3, 4, 5 irons with. Most already have a 3 wood and possibly 5 wood or a hybrid. Unless you already own everything and can chart our your distances, it can be a daunting challenge to pick the right mix and not end up with two clubs that go the same distance, albeit differently suited for different conditions .

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by cliffj

What would be most helpful to many golfers would be an "equivalency" chart showing which fw's are equivalent to which hybrid's and are equivalent to which irons. I overhear the discussion many times when folks are trying to decide what to replace their 3, 4, 5 irons with. Most already have a 3 wood and possibly 5 wood or a hybrid. Unless you already own everything and can chart our your distances, it can be a daunting challenge to pick the right mix and not end up with two clubs that go the same distance, albeit differently suited for different conditions .

Not really possible.  All of these clubs react differently under different swing speeds and angles of attack.  If you're a sweeper with high clubhead speed, you're likely to get more distance from a FW wood than a hybrid.  But if you're a sweeper with lower clubhead speed, the hybrid might give you more carry (of course the shaft properties will also play a role in this).

If you're someone who goes down after the ball with a lot of clubhead speed, you likely have no problem elevating a 3-iron and getting plenty of distance with it.  In your case, a hybrid might serve a completely different purpose (i.e. as a gap-filler or a true "utility" club for long shots from imperfect lies).

One club doesn't really "replace" another, except to the extent that you decide to carry one club over another because it suits your needs better.  But they're all different clubs.  It's a great thing that we now have much more choice for our long clubs, but the choices can be daunting for someone who doesn't know their own game well enough to choose wisely.

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

End of discussion.

Anytime someone posts "end of discussion" after their post, you can almost be assured that it will not be the end of the discussion.  Especially for the person who posted it.  (Unless all of the sudden everyone on the forum magically agrees with exactly what that person wrote.)

[jamo]

Seems like we're arguing semantics here. My 2-hybrid fills the gap between my 3-wood and my 3-iron. It could replace either a 5-wood or a 2-iron, both of which I find harder to hit than a 2-hybrid.

[WUTiger]

Depends a lot on which type of hybrid you're talking about.

Hybrids of the early 2000s generally fell between FWs and long irons in the distance they delivered. For these hybrids, the shafts were longer than long irons, but shorter than FWs. Also, hybrids tended to have a very high launch. Some people started replacing long irons with hybrids, with a 4H outdistancing a 3i.

Recently, some companies have been offering iron replacement hybrids. Mizuno is an example with its Fli-Hi DLR (direct long-iron replacement) varieties.

• MP Fli-Hi offers a 2H (no 2i), but also a 3H and 4H that match the MP series 3i and 4i exactly for loft and shaft length.
• JPX Fli-Hi offers a 2H (no 2i) plus 3, 4, and 5Hs that match the JPX 800 irons.

TaylorMade gets interesting with the RocketBallz line. For the straight-up (non-Tour) RBZ hybrids...

RBZ 3H = 19* / 41" .... RBZ 3-iron = 17.5* / 39.5"

+ 1.5" shaft length should trump 1.5* loft difference to give the 3H more distance....

TM touts the RBZ 3i, 4i, and 5i as having "metalwood-inspired" head construction. Are these clubs covert hybrids?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Depends a lot on which type of hybrid you're talking about.

Hybrids of the early 2000s generally fell between FWs and long irons in the distance they delivered. For these hybrids, the shafts were longer than long irons, but shorter than FWs. Also, hybrids tended to have a very high launch. Some people started replacing long irons with hybrids, with a 4H outdistancing a 3i.

Recently, some companies have been offering iron replacement hybrids. Mizuno is an example with its Fli-Hi DLR (direct long-iron replacement) varieties.

MP Fli-Hi offers a 2H (no 2i), but also a 3H and 4H that match the MP series 3i and 4i exactly for loft and shaft length.

JPX Fli-Hi offers a 2H (no 2i) plus 3, 4, and 5Hs that match the JPX 800 irons.

TaylorMade gets interesting with the RocketBallz line. For the straight-up (non-Tour) RBZ hybrids...

RBZ 3H = 19* / 41" .... RBZ 3-iron = 17.5* / 39.5"

+ 1.5" shaft length should trump 1.5* loft difference to give the 3H more distance....

TM touts the RBZ 3i, 4i, and 5i as having "metalwood-inspired" head construction. Are these clubs covert hybrids?

Mizuno is scamming people. They're selling separate game improvement long irons as specialty clubs.

[bhp1404]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Mizuno is scamming people. They're selling separate game improvement long irons as specialty clubs.

A scam? Really? Just because it's a stupid club that they legally can sell you doesnt make it a scam. I dont like them either but its not a scam. Saying this makes real scams, which happen alot with golf, look pointless.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by bhp1404

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Mizuno is scamming people. They're selling separate game improvement long irons as specialty clubs.

A scam? Really? Just because it's a stupid club that they legally can sell you doesnt make it a scam. I dont like them either but its not a scam. Saying this makes real scams, which happen alot with golf, look pointless.

True enough!

[Jimdangles]

Originally Posted by jamo

Seems like we're arguing semantics here. My 2-hybrid fills the gap between my 3-wood and my 3-iron. It could replace either a 5-wood or a 2-iron, both of which I find harder to hit than a 2-hybrid.

Exactly what I play and use a hybrid for.

To what the op said: I dont know why exactly your complaining? Do you get mad that new hockey sticks arent made of wood anymore? technology advances and makes the game easier and more playable for most.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Jimdangles

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamo

Seems like we're arguing semantics here. My 2-hybrid fills the gap between my 3-wood and my 3-iron. It could replace either a 5-wood or a 2-iron, both of which I find harder to hit than a 2-hybrid.

Exactly what I play and use a hybrid for.

To what the op said: I dont know why exactly your complaining? Do you get mad that new hockey sticks arent made of wood anymore? technology advances and makes the game easier and more playable for most.

When I try to buy a hockey stick for my kid, yeah I do get mad. My 5 year old does not need a $75 composite stick. That's insane.

[Jimdangles]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

When I try to buy a hockey stick for my kid, yeah I do get mad. My 5 year old does not need a $75 composite stick. That's insane.

Ya Im definitely on the advanced side as far as a hockey player and I cant get away with spending less than 150 or so on a stick and even those break way too fast. I tried buying a 40 dollar stick and I hate it. New technology made me so spoiled.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Jimdangles

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

When I try to buy a hockey stick for my kid, yeah I do get mad. My 5 year old does not need a $75 composite stick. That's insane.

Ya Im definitely on the advanced side as far as a hockey player and I cant get away with spending less than 150 or so on a stick and even those break way too fast. I tried buying a 40 dollar stick and I hate it. New technology made me so spoiled.

I've always played defense and prefer the feel of a heavier stick / twig. Nothing like playing rec hockey and having someone slash your new toy in half. If I had enough skill that someone was sponsoring me, I could demo a few more and find something to fit.

[GaryH]

I only have one hybrid, a 23 degree, which replaces my 3 and 4 irons.  So for me they are long iron replacements.  I like hitting my 5 metal, so i haven't replaced that with a lower lofted hybrid.  With respect to which club lower lofted hybrids replace, i guess it would depend on whether you would otherwise carry a 5 metal or a 2 iron.

[dhy8386]

Slightly updated opinion this. So I got fitted for new clubs. Previously carried 3-sw, gap wedge, 1,3 woods and a rescue. Played today with new set which is now 5-sw, gap, 4 hybrid (23*) and 2 hybrid (18*), 1,3 woods. Yes only 13 clubs for now. The hybrids are fantastic. There is no gimmic here it's simply a fact. I can hit them so much more consistently then my 3,4 irons and this longer. Previously my 4 went 185 and my 3 195 my rescue 200 and then my 3 wood 250. Now I hit my 5 iron 190 my 4 hybrid 210 and my 2 hybrid 230. Hit them 6 times today and all but one was a bad shot. Really improves my game because those long Iron/hybrid shots are now not a weak spot in my game anymore.

[Shindig]

Previously my 4 went 185 and my 3 195 my rescue 200 and then my 3 wood 250. Now I hit my 5 iron 190 my 4 hybrid 210 and my 2 hybrid 230. Hit them 6 times today and all but one was a bad shot.

Just curious what the lofts are. But that's a huge gain: 25 yards on a 4. But I think you mis-phrased your endorsement... unless you meant 1/6 being good shots as a good thing ;-)

[dhy8386]

Just curious what the lofts are. But that's a huge gain: 25 yards on a 4. But I think you mis-phrased your endorsement... unless you meant 1/6 being good shots as a good thing ;-)

Ha. English is not my strong suit. Obviously i mean all but one were good shots. Yeh the distance improvement was massive - but to your point the hybrid is one degree stronger than my old 4 iron. There are other factors at play that I am now aware of which are that my old irons had way to much spin and the launch angle on the hybrids is much better than my old 4 iron. The proper comparison is probably a new 4 iron in my set which i would probably hit about 200ish but I still am choosing the hybrids every time.

[Zeph]

Seems like we're arguing semantics here. My 2-hybrid fills the gap between my 3-wood and my 3-iron. It could replace either a 5-wood or a 2-iron, both of which I find harder to hit than a 2-hybrid.

Indeed. I would say hybrids are replacements for both woods and long irons, but as far as I've seen in various bags, hybrids usually replace long irons.