Hybrids

[scctx5r]

This is a tough call. Personally i dont see the need for more than 1 but thats my bag and i alternate between a 19* hybrid and a 18* driving Iron. But im a good ball striker and a fairly low hcp. My father on the other hand has benifited from having several hybrids in the bag and has lowered his hcp. But he got fit for each of them and they all have a different purpose and do go the yardages needed. If you can benifit from multiple hybrids then its no waste of money but get fit hit several to make sure each one hits a specific number and you dont waste money on hybrids you dont need. Like test having a 4 hybrid and then 6 hybrid you might find you dont neef the 5 hybrid because the gap just aint there.

[Paddy_2_Iron]

I'm surprised to see quite of few of you using full sets. I actually picked up some launchers a while back for 100 dollars at a resale shop, the set was missing an 8.

The set only had 4 - 7 and 9. The 5 and 6 were really close. The 9 iron hyrbid was horribly inconsistent

[CDLgolf]

I think everyone has a point of no more gain with all clubs.

For me a 5 iron is not much better than a 6, a 2 hybrid is no better than a 3 and a 3 wood is no better than a 5 off the ground.

Each person has to find that point and set up their bag accordingly.

But to answer your question i play 3 hybrids and get 3 different distances, all about 12 to 15 yds apart.

[Kwheat]

Agreed. Find what works in your bag and for the courses you play most often.

[asofine]

I play off of 5.X and my bag looks like this:

 

11.25° Driver - 250 yards

16.5° Wood - 215 yards

19° Hybrid - 200 yards

23° Hybrid - 185 yards

27° Hybrid - 170 yards

26° 5 Iron - 160 yards

29.5° 6 Iron - 150 yards

33° 7 Iron - 140 yards

37° 8 Iron - 130 yards

41.5° 9 Iron - 115 yards

46° Specialized Wedge - 100 yards

53° Specialized Wedge - 75 yards

60° Specialized Wedge - Don't take full swings with it

 

I am often 2-3 irons shorter than my playing partners and am contemplating toying around with getting some more strongly lofted irons, which would likely necessitate adding a club between my 9 iron and my specialized wedge + removing the 27° Hybrid (because hopefully my longest iron would replace it).

[avguy]

I have two sets of traditional specs irons (both are modern MB) where the loft specs are close to you. I play my bag make-up similar to you in using D-W; 3 Hybrids, Wedges-P. I get a touch more distance in my irons only than you, but just for kicks, I ventured into the strong lofted GI Irons, and frankly overdid this getting two sets!

Most of my reason was to lighten the swing load due to age, as my MB irons are 115g and 128g shafted. My TM irons of much stronger lofts do give me more distance, but the 107g and 110g shafts are also likely giving me some swing speed I could have lost as I have left big old 50 more than half a decade back.

Enjoy the stronger lofts irons, and keep that nice mix of hybrids at the top if they still work in the new blend. I really like hybrids for 18(205yds)-22(190yds)-26(175yds) slots - such reliable shots for me but can't imagine going full bag as others have replacing irons anymore now that I have tried some easier/lighter irons for about 1 year in.

[buckethat72]

I've found that there is so much tech in the long irons now that they are just as easy to hit as hybrids, but the flight and accuracy is so much better that I prefer them. I carry one hybrid which is a 17 degree that I use instead of a fairway wood and very often for chipping through the fringe

[asofine]

Cheers :)

 

What kind of yardage gains did you get from the stronger lofted irons? I'd be curious to see the breakdown of distances per club in your bags relative to mine. I've been really eager to conduct this experiment and would love some reference data, especially from somebody whose bag makeup and distances are similar to mine!

[avguy]

Hi again!

My Driver is really the same as you - I like mine at 9.5 and not corrected. I sometimes play a glued-head older Mizuno MP titanium 5W of 18 for my 215-220 yds. My hybrids are already listed, but they are a two bag mix with the Titleist lines of adjustable lofts, my older TM are glued head 18-21 with a Cobra ACP that is adjustable off of the 25 slot. So - some distance dickering is there for the top end.

 

I'm not long enough and committed fully into the TM stronger lofts, but I did record my first ace with the M5 5 iron from 178yds. It was well struck, but I even have more. With more consistence of use, I'm seeing a legit 6-8 yds longer from 5-PW comparing same club numbers older sets to the new.

 

There is a spot in the bag I am really good with - 8 iron. I am normal in the Honma and Cally blades seeing 138-146yds out of that. Jump up to the M5 or P790 - and it is the biggest spread I have now where I can easily get 148-156.

I truly need another whole year of staying with those stong lofts to figure out if I am ok to keep rotating between sets. Kinda needed for my ADD with golf in general - keeping it satisfying.

[srksi]

Most pros seem to carry one hybrid. The scratch to low single digit players I know usually carry two. I carry three as a mid hcp. I think a higher hcp should carry four or five.

[jpbova]

I just took the 4i out of my bag for a hybrid. I play my woods and hybrids all turned down 1*

3w - 13.5* - 240yds

3h - 18* - 215 yds

4h - 21* - 200yds

5i - 26* - 190yds

 

the hybrid is so much easier to hit. It flies higher and my misses have a shorter length dispersion

 

[DrSchteeve]

I'm an 64 year old 8ish cap. I've played 3 hybrids for years, gapping 17*, 21*, *25. Even though my swing speed is slow, I am a high ball hitter so elevating hybrids has never been an issue. I use the 17* hybrid for longest shots when I really want accuracy or from less than ideal lies. The 4* gaps give me consistent 10-12 yard distances. In the past year I added a 28* hybrid and it has been a great club. Not quite mentally ready to move to hybrids all through the bag, but I suspect that could be a good move and is in my future.

[tehuti]

I have not had any luck trying to hit hybrids so I went with the Tour Edge HL3, Bazooka Platinum and HL4 ironwoods in the 2-6 iron slots. I don't know how they compare distance wise to traditional hybrids but I can hit them much more consistently than any hybrid I have tried so far. The #2 is basically a replacement for my 3 wood which I can't hit off the deck.

[DrSchteeve]

Ummmm....I think those are hybrids, just called something else. We all should hit what works for us without worrying about what it's called. Easier said than done, though.

[GATYFA]

So in short, is it a waste of money to have 2 - 3 hybrids when the data shows for most average hitting hacks they all go relatively the same distance. In fact the chart also showed the 4 iron and 5 iron for average handicappers going the same distance. Does it make sense to carry a 4 iron knowing that information?

 

[DrSchteeve]

It should be simple. Either get on a sim, or try them on the course. Just because "data" shows similar distances doesn't mean the data apply to you. Numerous posters in the thread, including me, have indicated that our personal experiences don't match the "data". My data, for the hybrids I use (and have for many years) tells me that I have consistent yardage gaps for my 17, 21, 24, and 28 degree hybrids. Others may have different experiences, but "data" doesn't apply to anyone, only the information for your particular use of your particular clubs. Granted my cap is below the 15-25 in the OP's post, but there's no reason anyone should change their bag based on general statistics ("data") when it is easy enough to get the information from sims or on course experience.

To be honest, picking on higher caps a bit, most of the ones I play with need to play clubs - any club, from driver to wedge - that they can hit more consistently, almost forgetting the yardage. When a higher cap shanks one, or hits it OB or the equivalent, the yardage isn't the issue. There are several other threads about some players preferring hybrids (like me, played them for 15 years, ever since they first came out) to others that simply don't get along with them and prefer fairway woods or long irons.

[tehuti]

When I first tried these I was under the same impression. But they are more iron than hybrid. At least for me.

[plumpen]

Hi. Just curious.... how come you have stiff shaft in your strong 3 wood and reg- or senior- shaft in the rest of your clubs (beside the 62* wedge)?

 

[LeoLeo99]

I had a 3 and 4 hybrid in my bag and there wasn't enough gap between them to justify carrying both of them. If I flushed them, I'd get 10 yard gap. Talking 190 vs 200 yds. Both the distances are the same to me. For the math folks, the two standard deviations for both clubs has too much overlap to justify carrying both of them. A well struck 4h goes the same as a just ok struck 3h. Going 10 yards long from 190 out isn't going to hurt me.

[DrSchteeve]

Well the simple answer is: I hit that club really well and the shaft doesn't feel too stiff to me. It's a Honma shaft, and perhaps it's to the softer side of stiff, I haven't had it frequencied. I am about to go back to regular shafts in my irons, as the senior shaft experiment with those failed - I was hoping for a little more distance (yes, I know) and/or same distance with less effort, but all I got was a ballflight that included ballooning on many shots. Even though I am a slow swinger (and always have been, it's not just age), I also tend to hit the ball quite high due to my early transition/lack of lag, so I don't need the help getting the ball up that most slow swingers do. Back to the thread, that's one reason hybrids tend to work well for me, and better than most fairway woods.

[skujan57]

I have the strong lofted M4 irons and saw that I could replace the 6 iron with a 5 hybrid. They have the same loft. Happy to do this as the 7 iron is the end of the "hit that iron well" road!

[pinestreetgolf]

Its too player specific to be of use, IMO.

I'm a low single digit and I play hybrids through six iron. I played yesterday at a Pete Dye course from the tips and hit greens on 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 with hybrids. For non-long hitters (me, about 265 off the tee) that want to play in competition nothing can beat a hybrid. I played 9 with a college golfer who was about 35-45 yards longer than me off the tee and managed to beat him somewhat soundly hitting a hybrid of some sort for basically every shot after the tee shot. Hybrid -> Hybrid is a very good move for any hole up to 420 or so if its tight.

Yes, this flies in the face of what I've posted here for years. I was probably wrong.

They are also very easy on the body and very easy off a tee.

I do not like hitting low or even mid irons. They don't make me birdies and sometimes I hit them thin and very right, costing me lots of strokes.

I also think hybrids are very underrated in and around the greens. Reading the Utley book to keep the grip still around the green allows some really nice hybrid chips. I have seen some wonky stuff with people trying to hit 60* wedges. I'll even hit punch shots up into the green with the 6 hybrid if I can run it the whole way, and I can use them out of a bunker by hitting the ball straight into the hill and having it pop up.

YMMV.

[Jifmoli]

24hc here. I have 3 hybrids (3,4,5) but they are never in the bag together. The 3 & 5 are as there is enough difference in length and loft. In fact, I bought the 5 specifically for one hole at my course as it is easier to drive the ball behind a row of trees and then have a longish and lofty club to go over them then it is to find the narrow gap to the left of the trees and risk OB.

when my 2 hybrid broke I wanted one with decent length but with a bit of loft as well and got a 4 hybrid. Good choice and saved me buying another 3 & 5 again (I play in 2 countries and have half a set in each).

[Ram6]

this probably depends on how consistently you strike the ball. A 4 and 5 hybrid should not typically go the same distance. I know it is preference but most people who play hybrids will tell you they are easier to hit than irons and most are now adjustable so you can fine tune the gaps between your longest iron and your fairway wood. I also find hybrids move through the rough better than long irons (I find irons tend to get caught in longer grass and twist more easily). If you are a higher handicap there is a good chance you are not playing most of your second shots from the middle of the fairway. I also find hybrids easy to hit off the tee on those holes where accuracy is more important than distance

[scomac2002]

It seems to me that the OP is asking two different questions here. Do different hybrids go sufficiently different distances to justify carrying more than one? There's plenty of anecdotal evidence that supports that they do. I can add to that positive experience as well as a slower swing speed mid handicapper.

The second question that is being asked is do you need more than a couple of options for the long approach of 175-200 yards? That's less certain of an answer and depends not only on the golfer, but also the courses that are being played and carries that need to be made in give the highest probability of scoring well. If I have a club that I can hit near 200 and then another that goes 175 followed by a third that goes about 160 then I'm probably good. Below that the gaps can be closer as we hone in on scoring distance. What you use to get the job done is an individual choice. Personally I'm finding bigger loft gaps in clubs with progressive lengths are more suitable for me. If we're talking hybrids that may well be skipping one in succession: say 3/5 or 4/6. I have all those options that I can rotate through the bag depending upon where I'm playing.

[Paddy_2_Iron]

I clearly stated for high handicappers, and the answer is no. It doesn't make sense to carry a 3, 4, 5, 6 etc... You could easily go 4 then 6 etc..... It would make more sense to get use to one hybrid for "advancement" between 175 - 200 yards for a high handicapper. They will shoot exponentially better EVENTUALLY if they practice the one and become confident in it, rather than working all these different hybrids.

I'm not grouping in the singles who hit hybrids, that is different. For whatever reason you are unable to play irons so you play hybrids, that's fine.

[og512]

I am 15.4 handicap. I currently carry a 3 hybrid 17* and a 4 hybrid at 21*... that are 2 completely different clubs for me.

The 3 hybrid i use as a 3 wood replacement. I used it off the tee and any shot over 190yds. It has a very low and penetrating ball flight. Usually hits and runs out a bit.

The 4 hybrid is a 4 iron replacement for me. It has a much higher ball flight to land and stay on greens on.

Both are cobra F8 hybrids but the shaft differences (brand, flex and length) create 2 vastly different clubs for me.

If they both had the same shaft, I would not have them both in the bag.

[Paddy_2_Iron]

This makes a lot of sense.... Absolutes are for idiots, just saying...... That if Hacker Tom goes to SS or GG and purchases a 3, 4 hybrid for 250 a pop assuming specs are the same etc.... It makes very little sense.

And if you did get fit for the club they would fit you same shaft specs. You are an informed golfer, most certainly a black swan for sorts. And besides you are a 15, not a hacker by my defintion. I'm talking 20 or greater than. or there abouts.....

[tgoodspe1991]

I'm a decent player and a somewhat long hitter (117-121mph with driver). One of the easiest (and best) rounds of my life was nearly two years ago when I played Pebble Beach for the first time ever. We played from the tips and I shot an even-par 71 with 2-birdies and 2-bogies. The greens were just punched and sandy so it made putting difficult. Nevertheless, it was one of the most stress-free rounds of golf ever.

The long end of my bag went:

Driver --> 15* 3W --> 19* 3H --> 23* 4H --> 27* 5H --> 6i

I hit my hybrids a bunch that day; off tees and into greens. I hit many, many good shots with them too. Some shots I just don't know if I would've pulled off as easily with long irons. I very distinctly remember the approach shot on #8, that's the hole where you're playing over the canyon and open ocean into a tiny green. I hit a skinny 3W up the middle only like 230y or something, and I had about 205-210y to the pin. Perfect distance for my 27* 5-hybrid.

Took a swing, and hit the ball super thin, very skinny. Flew dead straight, little lower than normal, landed into the middle of that tiny green with plenty of spin and held within 5ft of my pitch mark. With an iron that would've been well short of the green and definitely not straight. All in all, I hit 17/18 GIR that day.

I have no idea why I sold that bag setup. Maybe it was the GolfWRX club ho in me, or honestly, maybe I was embarrassed to be a +handicap carrying that many hybrids. But I think back to it quite frequently and how easy golf felt with those clubs, so much so that I think I'm going to throw ego out the window and recreate that bag moving forward.

[ChipNRun]

Back in the previous century (circa 1970) I played Wilson Staff 1,3,4 woods / putter / Top Flite syncrodyned irons 2-9 / Hogan Equalizer PW, Wilson Triple Duty wedge (SW), and a 1930s era Top Flite niblick (thin-bladed PW).

The niblick was the ultimate recovery club - it could cut through rough and tiny trees. So, to make room for it, I dropped out the 9i. Never really missed it that much, just choked down on 8i.