Two Hybrids, No Fairway Woods?

[GOATee]

12 hours ago, ladders11 said:

What about getting a 4-wood and cutting the shaft down close to the same length as a hybrid?

In other words, if you were to hit two clubs from the same line (e.g. both Titleist or both Ping G):

• one being a 17° 4-wood cut down by 2" to 40.5" with a little lead tape added to the head
• the other being a 17° 2-hybrid hybrid that comes 40.5" standard

What would be the expected differences? 

Not advisable, woods come 42-43" for a reason and hybrids around 40.5" inch for a reason.  It has to do with the delicate balance of shaft to head weight ratio, total weight of the club and swingweight.

You can get away with 1/4-1/2 inch shortening at the most, but 2 inches is 12 swingweights, which would really mess up a club.

 

If you really don't like woods or long-shafted clubs, sure why not 2 hybrids, as long as you find the 17° gives you enough distance gap over the 20°.

I am more confident with hybrids than woods, but I still carry a 4-wood and try to get better at it because it is simply the best club for its distance.

 

 

 

[rehmwa]

you will pry my 3 wood from my cold dead fingers

[WUTiger]

Here's a follow-up suggestion. Get the 4W and learn how to use it. To learn, move up one set of tee boxes and use the 4W off tee instead of a driver. If you hit 14 drives with it and maybe three or four more shots from the fairway, you'll get the feel of it.

And as GOATee cautioned, don't go wild trimming shafts. Trimming back a 4W a half inch to 42.5" is a good idea for control, but more than that throws the club all out of balance. If you order from factory you can get one made with a shorter shaft and tweaked to recapture swingweight. If you get a used one, a good clubsmith can trim it and tweak the swingweight.

[pganapathy]

Hybrids are shorter but generally more accurate than woods.  So see which on you need more in the trade-off.  Distance or accuracy.  And then pick your clubs accordingly.  I currently have a Driver and then a 4 Hybrid in my bag, and then irons from 5 downwards.  I do miss the gap between my 200 yard hybrid and driver, but am adjusting and playing OK so far.  Don't pick a club because it is expected.  Pick it because it works for your game