Hybrid suggestions

[JaxBomber17]

Just ordered custom-fitted Mizuno MP-53s, 4-PW. The fitter suggested I replace the 3 with a hybrid 2 or 3 due to my low ball flight. Any suggestions on a good hybrid club? I've never played a hybrid before, and currently I don't play a 5 wood. I'm looking for a good filler between my 4 iron and 3 wood, so I'm leaning towards a 2 hybrid as a compromise between 3 iron and 5 wood so that I can leave my 60 degree wedge in the bag (actually I need a new one of those, but that's another thread). Thoughts?

[lumpuckeroo]

I think I was the last person in golf to put a hybrid in my bag, I was not a fan until I tried the Taylormade Raylor.  I tried Mizuno, Cobra, Callaway (2) before I gave and just stuck with my 3 iron.  But once I tried the raylor I knew it was a better fit for me than my 3 iron.  My point is, try all of them if you can, you might find one suits you better than another one.

[newtogolf]

Good advice here, hybrids seem to be very personal choices, almost to the level of putters.  I've tried most of the popular ones out there and didn't like any of them except Adams Pro A12 and Titleist 910's.  Others swear the R11 and RZB hybrids are great but I didn't like how they looked at address and hit them poorly.

  lumpuckeroo said:

Originally Posted by lumpuckeroo

I think I was the last person in golf to put a hybrid in my bag, I was not a fan until I tried the Taylormade Raylor.  I tried Mizuno, Cobra, Callaway (2) before I gave and just stuck with my 3 iron.  But once I tried the raylor I knew it was a better fit for me than my 3 iron.  My point is, try all of them if you can, you might find one suits you better than another one.

[JaxBomber17]

That's what I like about my fitting place; they just hand you a bunch of clubs to hit and they analyze the results to find the best match. I definitely plan on test-driving the whole rack.

[JaxBomber17]

  newtogolf said:

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Good advice here, hybrids seem to be very personal choices, almost to the level of putters.  I've tried most of the popular ones out there and didn't like any of them except Adams Pro A12 and Titleist 910's.  Others swear the R11 and RZB hybrids are great but I didn't like how they looked at address and hit them poorly.

I love how when I say I don't like the look of a club, people (who aren't golfers) think I'm just being picky. But if you don't like the look of something, it isn't going to inspire confidence.

[WUTiger]

Test out the 2H to see if you can hit it OK. Some players have trouble getting the 2H up in the air because they don't generate enough clubhead speed. Because of this, most companies only make the 2H in the pro or tour models.

When you try hybrids, figure out if you have trouble hooking the ball with them. If so, an H with a Pro or Tour head - less offset - might keep the ball straighter.

As LP suggested, you might try a Raylor (TaylorMade trouble club, now out of production). Raylors came in 19* and 22* lofts, and had a boathull sole on them useful for getting out of the rough. If you use a Raylor, make sure you set up with the sole level - if you rock the head toward the toe or heel, you can push or pull a shot.

I used a 19* R instead of a 5W - really liked it. Only problem was I didn't get much distance out of it. If you want a Raylor, try GolfSmith. A couple of their outlets evidently plucked a bloc of remaining Raylors out of the supply chain, many with cellophane still on the heads.

Note: Raylors are also useful for greenside chips out of really beat-up turf patches.

[newtogolf]

I've heard that too, and as a relatively new golfer people tell me I'm not good enough to be picky.

I like hybrids that have a deep face like the Adams Pro A12.  The RBZ and R11 appear very shallow (maybe it's the white) and usually cause me to hit them fat because of 1) my less than perfect golf swing, 2) fear that I'll hit them thin.  The Titleist and especially the Pro A12 are deeper so I swing them like my irons and have had good results with them.

  JaxBomber17 said:

Originally Posted by JaxBomber17

I love how when I say I don't like the look of a club, people (who aren't golfers) think I'm just being picky. But if you don't like the look of something, it isn't going to inspire confidence.

[Mr. Desmond]

  JaxBomber17 said:

Originally Posted by JaxBomber17

Just ordered custom-fitted Mizuno MP-53s, 4-PW. The fitter suggested I replace the 3 with a hybrid 2 or 3 due to my low ball flight. Any suggestions on a good hybrid club? I've never played a hybrid before, and currently I don't play a 5 wood. I'm looking for a good filler between my 4 iron and 3 wood, so I'm leaning towards a 2 hybrid as a compromise between 3 iron and 5 wood so that I can leave my 60 degree wedge in the bag (actually I need a new one of those, but that's another thread). Thoughts?

Personally, I'm not a high speed player, so I've always found low lofted hybrids a bit more difficult than using a fairway wood. Having said that, I've always found the comparable hybrid to go a club longer than the comparable iron - probably due to the longer shaft length and fairway type size that is the typical hybrid.

If you want forgiveness and almost a mini-fairway wood, I'd probably suggest an RBZ hybrid in the 3 Hybrid.

My favorite is the Titleist 910h - although more expensive, Titleist allows you to vary the loft and lie. I found it more forgiving than I thought it would be - even though it is not for zoro type swings (all over the place).  They will provide a free wrench if you request it when you purchase. If your dealer says "no," call Titleist and they will provide you a wrench. Titleist also allows you to select from a menu of decent quality stock shafts - there are at least 4 choices. The Titleist 21 H is 21 deg, but you can vary from 20.25 to 22.5.

You have an Edwin Watts near you - I'd go by and hit a few in their simulator and see what fits you. Of course, I've found a simulator is only good for evaluating your choices between clubs. I try to ignore the yardage it gives.

With hybrids, it's personal. I've found them to be the most difficult club to choose in the bag. While you are at Watts, try the Vokey SM4 if you want a retail wedge. The 60-10 ought to fit for the softer sand, but your mileage may vary.

[JaxBomber17]

  newtogolf said:

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I've heard that too, and as a relatively new golfer people tell me I'm not good enough to be picky.

I like hybrids that have a deep face like the Adams Pro A12.  The RBZ and R11 appear very shallow (maybe it's the white) and usually cause me to hit them fat because of 1) my less than perfect golf swing, 2) fear that I'll hit them thin.  The Titleist and especially the Pro A12 are deeper so I swing them like my irons and have had good results with them.

The only way to get better is to be picky about your game. That's been my strategy lol

  WUTiger said:

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Test out the 2H to see if you can hit it OK. Some players have trouble getting the 2H up in the air because they don't generate enough clubhead speed. Because of this, most companies only make the 2H in the pro or tour models.

When you try hybrids, figure out if you have trouble hooking the ball with them. If so, an H with a Pro or Tour head - less offset - might keep the ball straighter.

As LP suggested, you might try a Raylor (TaylorMade trouble club, now out of production). Raylors came in 19* and 22* lofts, and had a boathull sole on them useful for getting out of the rough. If you use a Raylor, make sure you set up with the sole level - if you rock the head toward the toe or heel, you can push or pull a shot.

I used a 19* R instead of a 5W - really liked it. Only problem was I didn't get much distance out of it. If you want a Raylor, try GolfSmith. A couple of their outlets evidently plucked a bloc of remaining Raylors out of the supply chain, many with cellophane still on the heads.

Note: Raylors are also useful for greenside chips out of really beat-up turf patches.

Clubhead speed isn't an issue for me; I'm in the low 130s with my driver. I tend to drift over my front leg, which is what lowers my shot shape. I'm working on getting rid of that. I prefer my local Golftec for my clubs. Their simulator is fairly accurate and they have heads from eight or ten different brands with all kinds of shafts to plug in; I plan on taking this list you guys are giving me and trying them all out with a few different shafts. Best part about going through them is customization is free. I'm 6'7" with a fairly upright swing and need a lot of tweaks to my sticks.

The Pro/Tour head is a useful thought, my most common flaw is a low hook that occurs when I drift too far forward. I'll definitely remember that.

Thanks!

[Mr. Desmond]

WIth speed like that, it's up to you - with more speed, look at the Adams clubs. The Titleist 910h may be appealing in a low loft because of its adjustability and relative forgiveness. With your ability, it's really what makes you feel confident. The RBZ Tour or Tour TP may also be a consideration.

[xmanhockey7]

Ping i20 has a great feel and look to it.

[JaxBomber17]

  Mr. Desmond said:

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

WIth speed like that, it's up to you - with more speed, look at the Adams clubs. The Titleist 910h may be appealing in a low loft because of its adjustability and relative forgiveness. With your ability, it's really what makes you feel confident. The RBZ Tour or Tour TP may also be a consideration.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is RBZ the next generation of the R11s or something Taylormade did separately? I tried the R11 driver (albeit at Dick's, and I was probably swinging scared because I hit the ceiling a few times) and it didn't seem very responsive to me. I didn't like the feel at impact.

I don't know if ability is the right word lol...I have power, that's about it, and my short game bails me out of a lot of really crappy approach shots. I'm hoping these MP-53s will help rectify that. Stiffer shafts, more workable, and the correct lie angles. Can't wait to stop seeing angled divots and my irons bailing right.

[Mr. Desmond]

  JaxBomber17 said:

Originally Posted by JaxBomber17

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is RBZ the next generation of the R11s or something Taylormade did separately? I tried the R11 driver (albeit at Dick's, and I was probably swinging scared because I hit the ceiling a few times) and it didn't seem very responsive to me. I didn't like the feel at impact.

I don't know if ability is the right word lol...I have power, that's about it, and my short game bails me out of a lot of really crappy approach shots. I'm hoping these MP-53s will help rectify that. Stiffer shafts, more workable, and the correct lie angles. Can't wait to stop seeing angled divots and my irons bailing right.

The RBZ is a new line that took the place of the Burner line. TM calls it RBZ or Rocketballz - and what they've done is designed a deeper slot on the sole of the club to make the face "spring" more to get closer to the maximum spring-like effect. It does not surprise me that the R11S did not feel great. The R11 had  similar feedback last year.

If you have power but still don't make contact consistently in the center, then you might want a more forgiving Adams hybrid, and the Titleist 910h and RBZ, along with others, are still in your wheelhouse. Lots of hybrids out there - it's tough to choose without a demo. WIth power, you may want something forgiving but with a deeper face, which typically keeps launch down. But it's all a balance between head and shaft that fits you. I like the adjustables and a decent shaft.

[BeRich]

  JaxBomber17 said:

Originally Posted by JaxBomber17

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is RBZ the next generation of the R11s or something Taylormade did separately? I tried the R11 driver (albeit at Dick's, and I was probably swinging scared because I hit the ceiling a few times) and it didn't seem very responsive to me. I didn't like the feel at impact.

I don't know if ability is the right word lol...I have power, that's about it, and my short game bails me out of a lot of really crappy approach shots. I'm hoping these MP-53s will help rectify that. Stiffer shafts, more workable, and the correct lie angles. Can't wait to stop seeing angled divots and my irons bailing right.

The RBZ replaces the Burner (most recently, Superfast 2.0) lineup for TM.