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To Hybrid or not the Hybrid? Benefits?

SuperStroke
BKloss

BKloss

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This past weekend I went to the local golf store and got fitted and hit 4 different companies and 6 different sets of irons. The irons I hit the best (feel, consistently, distance, accuracy) are the Taylormade RBZ. It was a close race between the RBZ and the Cobra AMP although I am now thinking about what do i do as far as going with the Hyrbid option or stay with the 3-PW or go 3H/4H-PW. Are there any benefits of a Hybrid? Negatives? The distance between the 3H and 3i was 3-4 yards on average (Something I could live with). Any help or insight would be great! Thanks!
 
More mass behind the ball. More forgiveness laterally. Higher ball flight in many cases. Faster ball speed and swing speed in many cases ( due to lighter weight). There are a lot of reasons that many have had success with them.
 
I don't see any reason to not have at least one hybrid in the bag. I like having 2 but they are easier to hit than long irons, fly higher and also offer some great shots around the greens.
 
I have always played with a 4i being my longest iron and I use a hybrid in between a 5 wood and my irons. I feel like I have more control over a hybrid than I do over a longer iron than a 4. Hybrids can also be used with different situations, ie: from the rough, around the greens etc...
 
First of a hybrid tends to be easier to hit for the average player than longer irons such as 3 and 4 irons-unless you are cookie he can hit anything. . .But the advantage in my experience is a higher ball flight and you can use the same technique as your mid irons. I got rid of both my 3 and 4 iron and use respective hybrids and I am hitting them consistently. I also have noticed that I can hit my rescue out of the mid to deep rough much easier than an iron or fairway wood and that I tend to have a nice and soft approach shot do to the higher launch I get from my hybrids. I use them from the tee, fairway,rough, and even for bump and runs on the greens.

I also have used my hybrids from the fairway bunker because the heavy sole and high launch helped me get the ball out!

Plus they were much more forgiving for my game.
 
Demo one for a couple rounds. I dont think the range really highlites what hybrids do well. A bit more distance for a clean lie is in my opinion, the smallest benefit of a hybrid. I firmly believe they are easier to hit, they are awesome for bad lies or deep rough, they shape well ( even the Gs for a hacker like me ), and best of all, they build confidence.

And to use a Jman qoute "ball go far" :)
 
I like my hybrids for much of the same reasons reasons already mentioned, higher ball flight, ease of striking, etc. I also like mine because I tend to hit them much more solid than my longer irons, I rarely hit the ball fat with them, and when struck correctly the balls fly high and land soft, although with some minor tweaks to ball placement in your stance, I can achieve low penetrating flight when necessary. I just find them much more forgiving than my long irons.
 
I haven't replaced any irons with hybrids, but I do carry one. Mine fits in between the 3i / 3W for distance, but the reason I have it is it is just so much easier to hit out of the rough. I used to try and get some distance out of the 3i/3w from poor lies and just hit some horrible balls, where the hybrid now gives me a reliable out. Far more accurate than my 3W as well, if a touch shorter from the tee / fw. That might be the shorter shaft as well.
 
The reason that hybrids are so popular as long iron replacements is that they are easier to hit and get the ball up in the air and they also move through the rough better, having more mass than an iron. The issue (for me at least) is that I need to be careful with a hybrid as most of them will exaggerate my natural tendency to draw/hook. I've heard others have this issue as well, so I'd recommend hitting whatever hybrid before purchasing, because some are more draw biased than others. I've taken my 4 iron out of my bag (21 degree) because I don't hit it well, and have a 3H and 4H and then move into my irons starting with the 24 degree 5 iron.
 
coolbreeze said:
I don't see any reason to not have at least FOUR hybrids in the bag. I like having 2 but they are easier to hit than long irons, fly higher and also offer some great shots around the greens.
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FIFY.

I love me some hybrids. They suit my sweeping swing better as long iron replacements and I find I'm far more accurate with them then I am with woods. By by 3/5 woods along with the 3/4 irons. I don't think it would take a great leap to kick the 5 either actually.
 
RadRob said:
. The issue (for me at least) is that I need to be careful with a hybrid as most of them will exaggerate my natural tendency to draw/hook.
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That should only apply for the ones with a fair bit of offset. There are a number of hybrids out there for the draw/hooker. A12 Pro, Rescue 11, 910H, TEE CB4 should all performe better in those circumstances over say the A12, Mashie, Razr, G20.
 
I carry two hybrids, sometimes three. Hybrids are versatile in so many ways. As I told my friend this week (who is just starting out and still tries to hit low irons), ditch the long irons, look into some hybrids. They have several things going for them that most every golfer is looking for. Higher ball flight than their iron counterparts. They are versatile from a variety of lies, including the rough. And can also be used around the green and in sticky situations. I have went to my #2 hybrid off the tee when it is tight and I don't have much room for error that a driver or 3W might bring into the picture. I love it.
 
I'm a huge hybrid fan. Easier to get the ball out of the rough than a 5 wood.
Probably easier to hit and control for all shots than a 5 wood.
You can use it like a putter from the fringe as well as punch shots from under trees, etc...
 
Super Tuna said:
That should only apply for the ones with a fair bit of offset. There are a number of hybrids out there for the draw/hooker. A12 Pro, Rescue 11, 910H, TEE CB4 should all performe better in those circumstances over say the A12, Mashie, Razr, G20.
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Thanks Tuna. I was all excited about the TEE CB4 you mentioned, but sometimes I dislike being a lefty golfer due to lack of availability. I may check out the A12 Pro as I like Adams hybrids. I'm using a Ping G10 now and I find if I use a completely neutral hand position, that I have fairly decent results keeping it straight.
 
I am in the minority, I have more confidence with long irons so i do not carry a hybrid. It is all personal preference, but they did not work well for me.
 
Like the others said: higher launch, more forgiveness and more versatility. You can hit a hybrid out of lies that you wouldnt even think about with a fairway wood or long iron.
 
Thanks Tuna. I was all excited about the TEE CB4 you mentioned, but sometimes I dislike being a lefty golfer due to lack of availability. I may check out the A12 Pro as I like Adams hybrids. I'm using a Ping G10 now and I find if I use a completely neutral hand position, that I have fairly decent results keeping it straight.

TEE XCG-4 and XCG-V (probably others as well) come in lefty. I had hooking issues with the Callaway hybrids (ft-iz) I used to play, but now have XCG-4 3 and 4 hybrids and love them. Mine have the blur shaft, and the combination has a bit more swingwieght that the callaways, which I also like.
 
Imagine someone came to you and explained they had a new technology that allowed you to hit the ball further, straighter, higher, with greater ease and with more consistency; the technology can be played from the tee, fairways and rough...and in a pinch even around the green for chipping. Would you want it? Welcome to the world of hybrids.

Now let's examine the reasons not to play them. I am aware of exactly one - the stygma that you aren't good enough to play long irons and need undue technology to asssist your game. Of course, the same people who make those type of arguments also have 460cc drivers, cavity back irons, laser/gps units, modern shafts, belly putters, super advance golf balls, etc., in their bags.

This the utlimate no brainer.
 
It depends on the person. I have no problem getting my 3i into the air and feel more accurate with irons so I don't use hybrids. Most people love them, but I've just never found one I've liked all that much that would replace my 3i... and I love fairway woods.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Imagine someone came to you and explained they had a new technology that allowed you to hit the ball further, straighter, higher, with greater ease and with more consistency; the technology can be played from the tee, fairways and rough...and in a pinch even around the green for chipping. Would you want it? Welcome to the world of hybrids.

Now let's examine the reasons not to play them. I am aware of exactly one - the stygma that you aren't good enough to play long irons and need undue technology to asssist your game. Of course, the same people who make those type of arguments also have 460cc drivers, cavity back irons, laser/gps units, modern shafts, belly putters, super advance golf balls, etc., in their bags.

This the utlimate no brainer.
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You say that, but I love my long irons and have tighter dispersion with a 3i off the tee than any hybrid or wood. It depends on the player and all the array of shots you mentioned hybrids do can be done with an iron or fairway wood.
 
I can still hit a long iron just fine in fact one of the ways I check to see how I am swinging a club is to hit a few 1 irons at the range and bend them either way just to know I can still do it. I didn't carry a 3i for a long time I had a 2i that was longer for me off the tee so I was playing driver, 3w, 2i, 4i etc for a long time. I found a few years ago that hybrids are really a lot more versatile than a long iron. I can hit it out of lies and situations that I wouldn't think of pulling a long iron to hit and I have been known in the past to hit that 2 iron out of a fairway bunker from time to time. I was reluctant to switch and in fact still carried that 2 iron until fairly recently before finally dropping it and making the commitment to the hybrid. I can hit any shot with the 3H I could hit with the 2i and more which makes it more valuable to have in the bag. I do like my hybrids to have steel shafts not graphite, steel makes them play a little more like irons, anyone who doesn't like graphite hybrids should try a steel shaft hybrid.
 
I'm a big hybrid fan. For me, I see more distance and a better (higher) ball flight than with a long iron. I've found some to be extrememly versatile in terms of hitting from the rough, sand, punch shots, side hill lies, etc.
 
I am personally a big fan of hybrids. They are much more forgiving than a long iron, and IMO much easier to hit (maybe because they are more forgiving). They are pretty darn versatile too, which is something I did not think they would be when I first started gaming them. Now I could not imagine not having at least one in the bag.
 
jag398 said:
You say that, but I love my long irons and have tighter dispersion with a 3i off the tee than any hybrid or wood. It depends on the player and all the array of shots you mentioned hybrids do can be done with an iron or fairway wood.
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Yes, but you play to a 7 which makes you far better than average. I believe the masses would benefit greatly from hybrids.
 
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