Questions from a VERY new golfer

[Se7inhand]

In fact I have less that 10 rounds under my belt and don't even own my own clubs yet. Let me apologize, however, if my grouping of these questions makes this the wrong forum.
First off, a club question. What is it about hybrids that are supposed to make them inherently easier to hit? Like I said, I'm still very new but it seems to me that I actually hit long irons better than hybrids or fairway woods.
Another club question. Why are blades easier to shape shots with and why do cavity-backs tend to negate the effects of off-center hits.
Lastly, a swing question of sorts. I see a lot of divots taken in the pro events on TV and it looks to me as though the divot is taken from directly beneath the ball. However, I have read in a golfing magazine that the bottom of the swing with shorter irons should be about 4 inches in FRONT of the ball. It seems to me that this would take the divot in front of the ball rather than from beneath it.
Thanks for any answers to any of these questions.

[Shindig]

In fact I have less that 10 rounds under my belt and don't even own my own clubs yet. Let me apologize, however, if my grouping of these questions makes this the wrong forum.

Reasonably smart move. It will help you make a far better decision when you get your first set of clubs. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

First off, a club question. What is it about hybrids that are supposed to make them inherently easier to hit? Like I said, I'm still very new but it seems to me that I actually hit long irons better than hybrids or fairway woods.

The phrase "beginner's luck" comes, in part, because sometimes when you don't know that something is "supposed" to be hard, you manage to do it. Lots of people have trouble hitting long irons, and so hybrids and higher numbered fairway woods are meant to replace these in the bags while giving the same distance. Many professionals have replaced their really long irons (1,2) with a hybrid; some on the Champions tour have gone further.

That having been said, many accomplished players don't use hybrids. I seem to recall this guy Tiger doesn't much care for them. The wonderful thing about golf is that you can use whichever clubs you like; I prefer my 3- and 4- hybrids to the equivalent irons. You might prefer the irons to the hybrids. Try this http://golf.about.com/od/faqs/f/hybridsvsirons.htm for an explanation as to why they're easier. But in short, if you hit long irons well and hybrids poorly, stick with the long irons.

Another club question. Why are blades easier to shape shots with and why do cavity-backs tend to negate the effects of off-center hits.

Same reason causes both; rather than focus on the physics, pretend that the club is trying to figure out what you meant to do and will react to that. An off-center hit on a cavity back means you probably wanted to hit it center but didn't succeed. Since blades are used by better players, they can probably hit center when they want to, and instead hit it off-center in order to get a shot shape, which is what the ball does.

Obviously, the clubs aren't trying to figure out what you're doing. The real reason deals with center of gravity and so on, and I don't fully understand it. But the guys at about.com's golf page have a brief explanation: http://golf.about.com/od/faqs/f/perimeterweight.htm

Lastly, a swing question of sorts. I see a lot of divots taken in the pro events on TV and it looks to me as though the divot is taken from directly beneath the ball. However, I have read in a golfing magazine that the bottom of the swing with shorter irons should be about 4 inches in FRONT of the ball. It seems to me that this would take the divot in front of the ball rather than from beneath it.

The "proper" divot, I believe, comes from the ball being compressed between the club and the ground. This is consistent with both the club striking the ground ahead of the ball and the divot being under the ball. Or it could be an illusion. I'm not really sure.

[lamebums]

First off, a club question. What is it about hybrids that are supposed to make them inherently easier to hit? Like I said, I'm still very new but it seems to me that I actually hit long irons better than hybrids or fairway woods.

The weight in a hybrid club is located toward the edges of the club, in effect increasing the forgiveness on an off center hit, since your strike is close to its center of gravity. Hitting an iron may be your forte - it takes a different type of swing to hit an iron than a 3 wood, or a hybrid, and you may be better at one or the other. Generally speaking, whether or not to carry a hybrid, and if so which clubs to replace is all personal preference (I can't hit one to save my life, so I keep the long irons in the bag - I'm not that bad with them, anyway). I'd suggest trying them both out and seeing which one your perform better with.

Also, hybrids are easier to get up in the air, because of a lower center of gravity - without a lot of clubhead speed, people can struggle to get a lower-lofted iron shot into the air, leading to less carry.

Another club question. Why are blades easier to shape shots with and why do cavity-backs tend to negate the effects of off-center hits.

Cavity backs are more forgiving on mishits for the same reason a hybrid club is - in effect, you're not as far off the center of gravity if you ding it off the toe, which means the ball flies further and straighter.

Lastly, a swing question of sorts. I see a lot of divots taken in the pro events on TV and it looks to me as though the divot is taken from directly beneath the ball. However, I have read in a golfing magazine that the bottom of the swing with shorter irons should be about 4 inches in FRONT of the ball. It seems to me that this would take the divot in front of the ball rather than from beneath it. Thanks for any answers to any of these questions.

That comes from pro's hitting down on the ball. That allows them to "trap" the ball against the turf, causing it to import more backspin, and generally speaking it will bore through the air more accurately. Most pro's take divots - it starts after the ball because they're still hitting down on it through impact and remain so for some time afterwards.

Hope I answered all your questions.

[Se7inhand]

Thanks for the quick answers guys. This is going to help me understand the game a bit better I think.

[Golf Yokel]

First-off... where in Arkansas are you? I'm in Memphis...

Second, welcome to the forums

Third, and this is coming from experience... don't try to over-analyze your swing until you have someone to work with you.

I know I am sort of getting off-topic from your original questions... but what has slowed my progress down the most, I think anyways, has been me trying to listen to too many people's advice on something I don't even understand.

If you are just starting out, just focus on making the swing that you make the best contact with for now. Don't try to focus on making a perfect divot, focus on your weight shift, focus on your grip, focus on your stance, focus on your swing plane, focus on your trajectory, focus on your body pivot... I mean, see how they add up?

Instead, focus on straight back, and straight through. Proper grip is easy to practice... go grab your broom. But for your swing, don't try to focus on changing everything at once just because you are told it is better.

I have taken some of the advice from golfing magazines and made shots that would make Charles Barkely snicker. Why would good advice make me worse? Because I don't understand it.

Instead simply focus on your stance, club-face alignment, grip, and going straight back and straight through.

Like I said, I know this is off-topic... but if you are a new golfer I want to save you some of the frustrations I went through.

The less thoughts that run through your head as you take that swing, the better it will be... I promise you.

:end rant:

[DirtCheap]

I know exactly what you mean about long irons.
Right out of the box, I was hitting straight, consistant 170 yard "drives" with my 3 iron.

Sure my driver would go farther... Into the woods.. Or in the water.. Or somewhere never to be seen from again... but my trusty 3 iron would land the ball right where I wanted it to about 90% of the time.

I hope this "beginners luck" stays with me for a while.

[Shindig]

I hope this "beginners luck" stays with me for a while.

Hold on, let e clarify this "Beginner's luck" problem I may have started.

All I meant is that many people will tell you that the 3-iron is a hard club to hit. No one told you that. You hit yours well. Continue doing so, and laugh at those who find it hard to hit.

[DirtCheap]

Hold on, let e clarify this "Beginner's luck" problem I may have started.

I was actually thinking of pushing my luck and buying a 2 iron off e-bay..

I doubt I go to a 1 iron....

If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron. Lee Trevino