Gary Players says don't bother with 5 iron use the 5 hybrid instead

[caniac6]

I use two old Cleveland Halo hybrids. They are 22% and 25%, and marked 3 & 4. I use them as 4 & 5, even though they play just a bit longer. I still carry a 5 iron, but take it out of the bag in the winter. One of these springs, it might stay out.

[Jack Pearsall]

Mizuno us3d to make a 4 iron replacement hybrid and it spun like a top. The 24* and up have sometimes Been too spiny, but JP sometimes uses a 21 and 17* hybrid...JP really doesnt want to give up his 4&5 irons.

His frail ego just couldn’t take it.

Take a hike Gary Player.

[Lamb]

Easy to say for someone who's 107 tears old.

And still playing!

 

And better than anyone on golfwrx!

[halliedog]

I despise Gary Player, and hit my 4 and 5 irons much better than their hybrid equivalents - coincidence?

[Lamb]

People often don't understand advice and who is being addressed by that advice.

 

Gary is speaking to most AVERAGE golfers. Most average golfers absolutely, unequivocally, would be better off with a hybrid than a 5 iron in their bag.

 

If you can hit a 5 iron nice and high and carry it more than 185 yards and can stop it easily on a green, He is not speaking to you. Most AVERAGE golfers do not hit a 5 iron as I just described. They struggle with both direction and elevation and not enough spin. They don't swing fast enough for a 5 iron in the bag.

 

This web site has an unusually high number of faster swinging, more accomplished golfers. Certain advice won't be applicable to them.

 

No his audience were not your average players, well thats my impression from watching the video. But in fairness he was referring to people who were not scratch.

 

To quote him @10:18 he said "unless you were a zero handicap take your 2,3,4 and 5 iron and throw it away"

 

 

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[Hawkeye77]

I watched a video clip where GP was saying players use the 5 hybrid instead of the 5 irons. His reasoning was that hybrids gets you out of the rough much better. Well, hybrids are not as popular as they were a few years back. Thanks to the stupid prices and many people finding out there are overrated. In fairness to him the video was a few years old.

 

Who says they are overrated? Yep, expensive, but not because they aren't as popular, lol. You're wrong on a lot of this.

 

Anyway, agree with Gary that it's good advice for the vast majority of golfers - for "better" players, who are the very small minority, who knows. I don't consider myself a "better player" but at 6.8 when I quit for the year and anywhere from that to 12 or 13 a few years ago, statistically that is still in the small minority. A handicap of 15 - 20 is still damn good and among the better golfers category IMO considering most golfers don't keep handicaps and those golfers would usually lie well above single digits. Some awesome players on here, and heaven forbid, pros, enjoy their hybrids very much.

 

I still like my 5 iron just fine, but I still look for a hybrid to replace it and honestly, probably should - maybe this will be the year.

 

Gary knows a lot about golf.

[SurfDuffer]

Would old Gary Player give young Gary Player the same advice? I don't think so. Young Gary Player would laugh at him.

[Senna]

Bit of bitterness around here that someone would dare to say you could hit a 5h more consistent than a 5i, looks like some people are offended by it :)

[CDLgolf]

A couple years ago i bought a Ping g30 26* hybrid. I hit my 5 iron ok but not great and didn't use it that often so I didn't make the switch. A couple months ago I made the switch and couldn't be happier. For me the 5 hybrid is much easier to hit than the 5 iron.

[bird_4_3]

Love the egos on here. Keep hitting the 5 iron and will hit my 5 hybrid. Much easier club to use.

[halliedog]

Maybe it has nothing to do with bitterness or ego, and everything to do with the fact some people don't hit hybrids as well as irons? I know that's the case for myself after trying numerous brands/models because I always read they are "so much easier to hit".

 

I don't hit fairway woods particularly well either, and depending on course layout and conditions often won't carry one of those, opting to carry what gives me the best scoring opportunities vs. "maybe being able to hit a 3 in 10 shot to reach a par 5". Has nothing to do with bitterness towards Gary Player or ego, everything to do with what suits my swing the and the course the best.

[@_the_crook]

prior to the manifestation of modern hybrids, knew a senior that played woods to the nine and he was good.

smooth swinger and carried few irons.

 

god bless you Tim Cornell for every tip you gave me.

one of his favorites - 'swing easy, the ball goes straight.'

[Krt22]

I love purring my 4i so not sure how the bag would look with a 5h mixed in. Modern GI long irons are so good these days they can really reduce the need for hybrids unless you really are down on speed

[JDMRN81]

Love the egos on here. Keep hitting the 5 iron and will hit my 5 hybrid. Much easier club to use.

 

Maybe it’s an easier club for you but maybe not others. I’ve had my fair share of hybrids and fairway woods in my bag and on the range and just can never get comfortable with them. It’s much easier for me to hit a long iron straight/more consistent. If a hybrid works for others that great, no judging on my end. Play what works for you!

[BearQ]

Love the egos on here. Keep hitting the 5 iron and will hit my 5 hybrid. Much easier club to use.

 

Much easier club for some. Useless for others.

[citizenfore]

I split the difference a little with a split set: 3 & 4 hybrids, 5 & 6 cavity back irons (maltby KE 4’s), then 7-pw blade-ish (maltby mmb’s). First season using the split set and was fortunate to find success with it. But I can appreciate some folks get along better with irons and others hybrids (“some people like their cucumbers pickled....”).

[Lancj1]

Great advice- 4 and 5 hybrid all the way

[kmay__]

I just replaced the 3h I was gaming for a 4h, and yanked my 4i out of the bag. I found I was hitting my 3h almost as far as my fw anyways, so wanted to spread that gap a bit and get a touch more loft on my hybrid. Makes sense for me though to lose the 5i eventually as I'm a slow swinger and don't get all that much more out of my 6i and 5i compared to my 7i anyways. But I don't wanna give up on learning how to hit them properly just yet.

[Davidv]

Sometimes Gary Player comes close to knowing what he is talking about.

[farmer]

Would old Gary Player give young Gary Player the same advice? I don't think so. Young Gary Player would laugh at him.

Would a young me play a bunch of hybrids? No, I didn't need them. Is an old me happy to have them? Yes, I need them.

[cardoustie]

to those uncertain on 5h . .try the old model of the Cally Apex 5h. AMAZING STICK

 

I was never a hybrid fan until the G25's .. and then found the Cally Apex's which were narrower and have zero hook bias

 

Everyone I know that his this 5h is IN LOVE. You can hit any shot you want with this beast .. and it is far better out of the rough

 

Apparently the new ones coming out from Callaway are very similar ... but have adjustable hosels like the woods ... WOW

[boggyman]

to those uncertain on 5h . .try the old model of the Cally Apex 5h. AMAZING STICK

 

I was never a hybrid fan until the G25's .. and then found the Cally Apex's which were narrower and have zero hook bias

 

Everyone I know that his this 5h is IN LOVE. You can hit any shot you want with this beast .. and it is far better out of the rough

 

Apparently the new ones coming out from Callaway are very similar ... but have adjustable hosels like the woods ... WOW

Pics of upcoming ‘19 offerings show the Apex hybrid with a glued hosel over in the Tour section. I’d like to try these with Jailbreak. Callaway might just be getting deep in my pocket in 2019. Hmmmmm

[propman]

Just curious, what loft constitutes a 5 hybrid? I imagine there will be different answers to this question.

[Itsjustagame]

As with any other club (driver through putter) everyone will have an opinion about what works best for them.

Good thing manufacturers give us so many choices.

Hybrids work best for me

[cardoustie]

Just curious, what loft constitutes a 5 hybrid? I imagine there will be different answers to this question.

 

24 to 26* of loft is my guess

 

to those uncertain on 5h . .try the old model of the Cally Apex 5h. AMAZING STICK

 

I was never a hybrid fan until the G25's .. and then found the Cally Apex's which were narrower and have zero hook bias

 

Everyone I know that his this 5h is IN LOVE. You can hit any shot you want with this beast .. and it is far better out of the rough

 

Apparently the new ones coming out from Callaway are very similar ... but have adjustable hosels like the woods ... WOW

Pics of upcoming '19 offerings show the Apex hybrid with a glued hosel over in the Tour section. I'd like to try these with Jailbreak. Callaway might just be getting deep in my pocket in 2019. Hmmmmm

 

I just saw those pics. i will stick with mine, love the feel and I have the matching 2 right thru to 5. The JB makes them feel hard per the poster .. pass for me

[Senna]

There's no shame in admitting it guys, if you can't hit a 5h,just get lessons ??

[Big Ben]

Make sure you test hybrids to determine the appropriate gap. It’s usually not as simple as saying 5 iron equates to 5H. I for one can hit the hybrids significantly further so I would consider more lofted hybrid models to dial in corresponding distances. I still carry 5 & 4 irons because I actually hit the hybrids too far regardless of number. I carry one 4h and use it basically as a weak 5 wood. Also, since I play most of my golf on old tree lined tracks it’s nice to have the 4 iron for low launching punch shots. Point being think about your entire game and bag when making your selections. BB

[Luke'sdad]

Guess I never understood the theory of newer technology being that beneficial for most hybrids in the first place. New tech, new models, bigger price tag. I get that, but I always have believed a hybrid was simply beneficial to get you a desired consistent distance relative to the loft of hybrid one was playing. I'm not expecting a 22 degree hybrid to give me 5 wood distance, as that wasn't what I bought it for in the first place. I am happy knowing that I can get from point A to point B with a specific hybrid, whether it had some new face flexing tech or not. I actually am more concerned with the shape of the hybrid head, & the sole design in relation to it being effective. That being said, there are many reasonably priced hybrids, (slightly used) which I would consider. Just picked up a 4 & 5 Cally Xhot 2 set of hybrids at Play It Again, 1/2 off sale for $50. Both in good shape, no sky marks, minimal face & sole ware. Replaced a older set of Adams hybrids. And the Cally's do what I want them to do, get me the desired distance and ease of use the Adams did. But, to each their own I guess, but I would rather spend my money on clubs/tech which is just more measurable and useful for my game.

[gvogel]

Having aged gracefully, I am now an average golfer. I can hit a 5-iron off a tee on a 170 yard par 3. From the same distance from the fairway, it is an easy, or 3/4 7-wood.

 

Some average golfers don't get along with hybrids.

[BIG STU]

Love the egos on here. Keep hitting the 5 iron and will hit my 5 hybrid. Much easier club to use.

 

Maybe it's an easier club for you but maybe not others. I've had my fair share of hybrids and fairway woods in my bag and on the range and just can never get comfortable with them. It's much easier for me to hit a long iron straight/more consistent. If a hybrid works for others that great, no judging on my end. Play what works for you!

That is my sentiments--- That is why I offered up another alternative in a previous post---- Personally hybrids do not work for me I have absolutely no confidence at all in them. But that is just me--- On the other hand like you stated I absolutely have no problem if one hits and likes hybrids. We have one retiree at my course that uses mostly hybrids about 6 in all--- He carries a driver and a trusty Rusty 56 and besides the putter it is all hybrids. Now he has been doing this for some 10 years now. He utilizes those hybrids better than anyone I have ever seen. He is around 74 years of age now and shoots in the 70s on a regular basis. I know on more than one occasion he has shot his age .