Iron vs Hybrid Distance

[Thrdroc]

I was wondering for the people that have hybrids, do you loose distance with a hybrid as compared to its counter part iron? I hit my 3 iron 240 and my 4 iron 225. Also i never hit my 3 iron out of the rough, but i will hit my 4 iron out of the rough usually with good results. Probably 1 out 5 will go off target. I'm thinking about getting a hybrid but for me i feel it will be a waste since i'm usually hitting driver then 9 iron and lower except for 450+ par 4's and par 5's.

[wengerlaw]

I recently opted for two Ping Rapture hybrids in place of 3/4 irons. Personally, I have gained distance over using the long irons, though this is likely because I find the hybrids are alot easier to hit. Also, my prior 3/4 irons were old clone Ping i3s, so it probably isn't fair to compare them to the Raptures which are made with the latest high-end materials.

[lamebums]

I was wondering for the people that have hybrids, do you loose distance with a hybrid as compared to its counter part iron? I hit my 3 iron 240 and my 4 iron 225. Also i never hit my 3 iron out of the rough, but i will hit my 4 iron out of the rough usually with good results. Probably 1 out 5 will go off target. I'm thinking about getting a hybrid but for me i feel it will be a waste since i'm usually hitting driver then 9 iron and lower except for 450+ par 4's and par 5's.

I crank my 3 iron about 230 on average, and 215 with my 4 iron. A hybrid, when I had it in my bag, would weakly pop into the air and go about...160 yards. It was supposed to replace the 3 iron. I quickly traded it in and put the 3 iron back in my bag.

I'm probably one of those people who will never put a hybrid in my bag.

[Shindig]

I was wondering for the people that have hybrids, do you loose distance with a hybrid as compared to its counter part iron? I hit my 3 iron 240 and my 4 iron 225. Also i never hit my 3 iron out of the rough, but i will hit my 4 iron out of the rough usually with good results. Probably 1 out 5 will go off target. I'm thinking about getting a hybrid but for me i feel it will be a waste since i'm usually hitting driver then 9 iron and lower except for 450+ par 4's and par 5's.

You might notice that I'm using a 4-Iron and a 4-Iron Replacement Hybrid in my bag. I hit my 4-Iron about 155-160 and the 23* Hybrid 165-175.

If you have the distance that you're hitting 9-Iron (do you call it your "nine wedge" sometimes at the 19th?) into most greens, and you hit your low-numbered-irons well, there doesn't seem to be a reason for you to get a hybrid.

[jmurdock]

WOW. You guys are hitting 3 irons 240?!?! I am a 2.8 handicap and average 285-290 off the tee and dont come within 20 to 30 yards of that with my hybrid 3.
Anyway, I hit my Adams Pro Series hybrid 3 about 10 yards farther (215) than I would my 3 iron, but I also hit it 100 times more consistant. Every player is different. If your hitting your 3 iron that well and consistant, stay with it. If you so try a hybrid, I would recommend the Adams Pro series because it doesnt have any offset. Looks great too.

[iacas]

WOW. You guys are hitting 3 irons 240?!?! I am a 2.8 handicap and average 285-290 off the tee and dont come within 20 to 30 yards of that with my hybrid 3.

I plan to hit my 17-degree 585.H about 220. I can hit it 240 if I need to, and I can hit it 200 too. It replaces my 5W/2I.

[Robiola the Monster]

WOW. You guys are hitting 3 irons 240?!?! I am a 2.8 handicap and average 285-290 off the tee and dont come within 20 to 30 yards of that with my hybrid 3.

I had a hybrid once..... till i threw it and the club head snapped off. When i used to pack my hybrid i would hit it 175m it was 22* with a reg shaft, if i wanted to hook it around a tree it was very easy to do, but when i broke my hybrid i put my 3iron back in my bag i hit it about 180-185m so i gained distance but on shots that i dont hit well with my 3 iron they dont go aswell as a hybrid that is hit badly. I read an article that said that woods are harder to hit than irons but are more forgiving and that irons are easyier to hit but less forgiving & that a hybrid is a mix of the 2 & is just like cheating.

But in the end it comes down to personel prefference & how you hit the clubs that you choose to play. I'm looking to get rid of my 3-wood and get a 2 iron or 1 iron hybrid around 18*-20* because i dont hit my 3 wood much.... well actually i never hit it. I was looking into the Cleveland Halo 2 iron replacement iron 19*. I was demoing it a drummonf golf and the computer said i would hit it about 195m-205m that would be handy for when i'm between 5-wood & 3 iron. Does anyone know anything about the cleveland halo? Is there anything wrong with them?

[BaronV]

So far I've switched my long irons completely to hybrids. I sold my old Callaway X-18 3 iron and instead bout a 3 & 4 Taylor Made Rescue Mid hybrids and I get about a food 20 yards carry with the hybrids. I do prefer using a 5 iron than the 5 hybrid that came with my iron set though.

[shortgame85]

WOW. You guys are hitting 3 irons 240?!?! I am a 2.8 handicap and average 285-290 off the tee and dont come within 20 to 30 yards of that with my hybrid 3.

I couldn't agree more. If you're hitting your 3 iron so far and if you're hitting it where you want consistently, why bother with hybrids ( unless, like most of us, you would find it easier to hit the hybrid rather than the equivalent iron out of the rough ). As for me, I have replaced my 4 and 5 irons with hybrids. I hit those hybrids farther than the equivalent irons and, more accurately. This is so, generally, because the hybrids are easier to hit and more forgiving than the irons.

jmurdock: I have enjoyed playing MCC, but I love Spring Creek. Have you played either?

[jmhunter]

I'm a new golfer. I bought a starter set of Nicklaus V18's at costco. The irons are good, the woods are ok (3 and 1) but the 3 and 4 hybrid are incredible. I launch my Topflites over 210 yards consistently with the 3iw.

[beung]

I couldn't agree more. If you're hitting your 3 iron so far and if you're hitting it where you want consistently, why bother with hybrids ( unless, like most of us, you would find it easier to hit the hybrid rather than the equivalent iron out of the rough ). As for me, I have replaced my 4 and 5 irons with hybrids. I hit those hybrids farther than the equivalent irons and, more accurately. This is so, generally, because the hybrids are easier to hit and more forgiving than the irons.

The only counter argument would be that because a hybrid has more carry and less roll. If you are hitting into a green with either, there is more chance that a low iron will roll off then the hybrid will. If you hit them equally as good, I would take the one with more carry because distance control is easier when you don't have to factor in the roll.

Also the hybrid is supposed to be easier to hit off poor lies then an iron. I myself do not have a hybrid, I did have one to fill the 5w gap but I couldn't hit it very well (largely because of the club setup, too much offset for me) so I replaced it with a 5w instead.

[jmurdock]

shortgame85: I have played both Memphis CC and Spring Creek. I would have to say, I like Spring Creek more than MCC. Its longer and more challenging. Dont get me wrong, MCC can be brutal when they have the greens running 13, but its a lot shorter. Most par 4's are driver or 3 wood and a short iron. Spring Creek can play 7400 yds. from the tips and the greens are very tricky.

[Mhinderaker]

I have replaced my 4 iron with a 24* Hybrid and I routinely hit it significantly farther and at a MUCH higher trajectory, making it easier to get it to sit down when I need it to. (Just for reference, I hit the club about 235 yards, with my 5 iron traveling about 210 and old 4 Iron traveling about 220)

The main thing for me is not that I hit it that much farther, but that it is far more reliable from a variety of lies and more flexible around the green for tricky shots.

[shortgame85]

shortgame85: I have played both Memphis CC and Spring Creek. I would have to say, I like Spring Creek more than MCC. Its longer and more challenging. Dont get me wrong, MCC can be brutal when they have the greens running 13, but its a lot shorter. Most par 4's are driver or 3 wood and a short iron. Spring Creek can play 7400 yds. from the tips and the greens are very tricky.

I know this is a bit off topic, for which I apologize, but in response to jmurdock: I like Spring Creek a lot more than the MCC. MCC fairways are so narrow and the greens can be so very penal, depending where the pins are placed. This is a course which begs for one to use a hybrid ( that sentence relects the truth, as well as my meager attempt to get this post back on topic ). I have rarely, if ever, hit the fairway on the very short, horribly narrow par 4 18th. At least at Spring Creek, I have a better chance of having a second shot from the fairway. And at Spring Creek, the greens seem a little more reasonable. On the other hand, walking the MCC course, especially with a caddie, is like stepping back in time about 50 or 60 years, which has its own peculiar appeal.

[ukgolfer]

Wow. 3 iron 240 and driver / 9 iron on par 4's. Sincerely hope your handicap isn't 16.1, if it is what the hell are you doing with your putter?! ;-)

Back on topic, Distances are similar but flight is different. I swapped out my 3/4 iron for a 21 degress 909H and then recently my 5 wood for a 17 degree 909H as the shafts match and the swing feel is very similar so my longer fairway / longer par 3 clubs have a similar look and feel to them. Can pull either out and put the same swing on them. Great flight, easy to hit, easier to hit a consistent shape on them compared to longer irons, and sit down more than the corresponding iron/fairway wood.

[Dad-2-3]

Originally Posted by ukgolfer

Wow. 3 iron 240 and driver / 9 iron on par 4's. Sincerely hope your handicap isn't 16.1, if it is what the hell are you doing with your putter?! ;-)

Back on topic, Distances are similar but flight is different. I swapped out my 3/4 iron for a 21 degress 909H and then recently my 5 wood for a 17 degree 909H as the shafts match and the swing feel is very similar so my longer fairway / longer par 3 clubs have a similar look and feel to them. Can pull either out and put the same swing on them. Great flight, easy to hit, easier to hit a consistent shape on them compared to longer irons, and sit down more than the corresponding iron/fairway wood.

Holy thread revival batman!!

[LankyLefty]

I hit Driver then 9 or higher on most par 4s... when I hit my driver in the fairway.

I hit my hybrids much better and longer then I ever did long irons. The gap between my 5 Hybrid and my 6 iron was so gaping I had to develop a half swing 5h swing to close it.

That said that has more to do with me dumbing down my swing in order to be able to compress the ball effectively with Irons then it does the clubs themselves.

I think hybrids are certainly higher they don't roll as much but I'm not sure they are longer.

[SouthernILGolfer]

I have hybrid replacements for my 3, 4, and 5 irons and would never go back to hitting regular irons.   Im not a long player, probably hit the 20 deg 3H 190-200 yards on a good strike,  170-175 with the 23 deg 4H and 160 with the 26 deg  5H.   The 3 gets used a lot on longer par 3's and if im in the rough as 2nd shot on par 5's.    Im usually at least long enough that if i hit a decent drive, i can hit 3 hybrid and then pw on 3rd shot to reach the green on most moderate length par 5's and im ok with that.   The hybrids help to make better contact out of the rough and get the ball in the air to get more distance.   They're not easy to hit low punch shots with though like traditional irons are, like if you are trying to hit under a tree limb.   I think hybrid clubs have more than anything else helped higher handicap players score better because they allow you to make shots from the rough.