Any faster guys here with 4h in the bag?

[WristySwing]

I'm 105 or so with a driver, so not quite as fast as you. Years ago before a bad back and broken arm that robbed me of speed I was in the 110 range and played 3H-5H (25-26*) and hit them really well. It was actually my lowest scoring average seasons to date. During that time I waffled back and forth between a Wilson FWC 9 wood and the Wilson Dh6 5 hybrid. I ultimately landed on the hybrid as the fwy I just couldn't control (I think it was a shaft weight thing, stock 65g regular vs. 86g V2 Stiff) but the 9 wood served me on a few occasions.

I now play a 7 wood (21* lofted to 22* and flat - fade) and am looking to add a 5H around the 25* mark this year. When my back got really bad last year after a car accident I toyed with a Diablo Edge 5H (27*) and a Ladies Cobra baffler rail 7H (34*) and reshafted them with 80g stock pulls my shop had lying around. First round out after barely being able to walk due to shooting pain and tightness in my leg I fired an 82. Basically hadn't touched a club almost all of August and this was the first week of September. The ball just got up and went straight. I know why KJ Choi and a lot of the Senior players chuck a couple of these in the bag, they just go.

I was able to trade the hybrids back in for what I paid for them but the experiment was definitely eye opening and I could imagine easily shooting in the mid 70s with these when healthy. The hybrids certainly didn;t hurt me in anyway and the height wasn't any worse than anything else.

[Myherobobhope]

Honestly, I’m working on dropping my five iron...

i swing hard enough that I’m not hitting many long irons into greens.

[BostonWRX]

I’m around 108 I just ordered up a 4H 816H2 hybrid. I have had the 3 hybrid forever with Hzrdus black and it’s the best club in my bag since they came out. Figure worth a shot. Putting Hzrdus black in it as well

[mxskier]

I've been considering a 4h too.

I really like a 4i for short par 4s, into wind par 4s/5s. I have 3w and 5w, but I find that if I'm hitting really well, because of the extra launch of the 5w, it can almost go as far as the 3w (at altitude, about 235-240 carry with the 5w, 250-260 carry with the 3w, and my 4i is about 210-215). That gap between 4i and 5w is sometimes annoying, so a 4h at 22* might do great going about 225, and then go 4w at around 17* for a 240-250 club, then keep my driver around 280.

But I've found that having lots of distance repeatability off the tee to place the ball well is important, and having the consistency from 300-310 total with driver to 270 with 3w and 250 with 5w is so easy to predict that it makes courses that I've never played before more approachable.

Man I wish we could have 15 clubs haha

[Z1ggy16]

I'm really struggling with gapping myself. Recently moved to a 5w that's 19* and on well hit shots from the deck it's about 230, the 3w playing 16.5* is about 250 but then my 4i is more like 205... so again, but gap like you describe. Moving to a 4h would hopefully get the 205 up closer to 210 or so... but as I saw hitting SIM Max yesterday... the 22* was carrying 225 for me, which is nuts. My 5i is like my 185-190 carry club so I really can't have me 22-23* slot going over 210 or so. 205 really is the perfect yardage but I'm struggling to find the 19-20* club that only goes 220-225. May try putting the 5w to 20*.

[Myherobobhope]

I am planning a bag rebuild right now, and due to finances it’s on hold… so instead I’ve been overthinking a ton. I play one course for the majority of my rounds, so it seems silly for me to build a bag for anything else… I likely won’t have all the shots I need away from home, but that’s a future me problem and I don’t think I’m opening up any gaps (while filling crucial gaps I have at my home course). So my view is I have 14 opportunities to put the right thing in play.

Here is what I know is set in my bag:

1. Driver (270+) – Big dog, come out and play!

2. Strong 3w (250-270) – Secondary tee club (I could play whole course with this and be fine…) There are a number of holes where past 270 is trouble, so a shorter length driving club that hits and sits is hopefully going to improve my game. I also hate my current three wood. I blame myself for reshafting it.

3. Strong lofted hybrid 18 degrees (230-240) - I don’t get along with driving irons and want something I can hit off the deck if I need to… Overall rescue club and club for low flighted control shots into the wind… I’ll probably also chase down par 5s in two against my better judgement.

4. Putter – Sadly, I will always need this… Really need to work on my short game!

5. PW – 145 through 6iron 195ish – I need these distances covered, fairly standard

6. 9 iron

7. 8 iron

8. 7 iron

9. 6 iron

So now we get into the variables… I have a gap between 195 and 230 and nothing to cover under 145 yards. My 10th club will be a hybrid I can hit 215. Pretty much a 4 iron replacement. At least 3 wedges, 50, 56, 60 is the current plan… but I have an extra spot, so maybe 50, 54, 58 and 60/62 with a designated bunker club… I could also add a third hybrid in there… or go with a longer hybrid and game a 5 iron for 205… 

For me, long irons tend to only be par 3 clubs, where I get more use out of hybrids… but I’m also playing old ass irons, so maybe that is part of the problem. I also need to match my hybrids as my two right now are way to different from each other in terms of shafts and overall playability. (Adams with a 110 gram proforce shaft, Bridgestone with a Xcalibur shaft). 

For me, I don’t want to carry an iron longer than a 6, and when I put the time, I get along with hybrids. If I’m going to carry one, I might as well carry 2-3.

 

[getitdaily]

Ziggy - I'm 108-110 with driver too. I considered a 4h recently because I was having a less than desired result with a t200 4i I tried. I bought a mizuno mp20 hmb 4i and that has been solid. I get 205-210 carry out of it and it flights like my jpx900 tour 6i. Made me stop thinking about 4h.

[AFcelica]

for me

26* ap2 5 iron is 190-195 carry

Titleist 915h 24* 4h is my 205 carry

915h 18* set to 19.5 is 220 carry

915f set to 16.5 is 240ish carry

 

the thing I like about the hybrids is the versatility, I can hit a draw and try to get a bit steeper to hit it a bit higher on the face and get another 10 yards or play the ball up a little, pick it and hit a high one that takes off 5-10 yards and stops fast. I don’t have enough confidence to pull that off with a long iron

 

[fore_life]

When I did the TPI fitting, i was fit into 5-pw 718 cb’s, tmb 4 iron, and 21* h2 to replace my 3 iron, 235 but on a much better flight than the 19*

[rkillian]

I’m I high handicapper so put whatever kind of stock in what I have to say as you see fit. I am in you swing speed range. I use a 21* 4H Callaway rogue with an evenflow black 85g shaft. For me it’s really more of a 220-230 club though (on good strikes). I can choke down and take a little off my swing to get it down to 210 but I have only done this on the range. I was between the rogue and a ping g400 22*. The ping seemed to fall more into the 210 range on the launch monitor. I wasn’t trying to hit a specific distance, just replace a 19* and 22* that I didn’t get along with. I liked both and the rogue was cheaper. I would like to replace my 5 and 6 iron with one hybrid. Something around 26* as my 7 iron is the longest iron I hit consistently and I hit my 4 hybrid better than my 5 or 6 iron.

[n_rones]

Sim is definitely long. I go 5w 225 carry then the 4h goes 205 then 5 iron 185 but I can play the choke down swing and hit the hybrid 190-195 if I need to so for me it works but sounds like you are a little longer and faster than me so it opens the gap just a bit.

[HandsomeDave]

I swing 110-113 with the driver and have been playing a 4h for a few years. As others have said it’s a bit more forgiving and I love it on par 5s/long 4s for those times you’ve got less than 215-220 and something other than a pristine fairway lie. I also like it on chip and runs around the green as well. Not the best wind club as others have state, but I can punch a 5i from the trees so I don’t miss it there. I have a project x steel shaft in mine.

[belephant]

818 H2 23* with HZRDUS Black 105 6.5 is one of my very favorite clubs in the bag. (This is my third long club / 3i replacement... 4i loft but also bag a traditional 4i) Can hit any shape or trajectory from good lies, and it is my go to club when I need distance out of thick rough. Can cover anything from 225-245 if needed.

if you are high launch/spin at all the key is going to be finding a shaft&head combo that helps keep thing down. With this much loft can easily get too spinny!

[arkslippy]

Not high speed, 105 driver, but my irons came 5-w ping g series, had a problem with 3 longer par 3s on my course needing 180 carry, got a taylormade GAPR hi 22* with the stock KBS shaft in s 80g. Its now an essential part of the bag, even though it states hi flight, its comparable with the m6 or m5 hybrids, as well as having the adjustable sleeve. They are generally on clearout now, i got mine for €100 and im planning on adding the no 3 as well.

[WristySwing]

If the SIM goes to far, why not just get the next highest loft? The 25* should fit the bill nicely, even if it is the same loft as your 4i or 5i. Loft doesn't matter, covering your distance gaps does. Also hybrids will typically have at least a 1/2" longer shaft than their corresponding lofted iron. The approximate drop in ball speed per club is recommended to be around 5mph, which equates to about 13-14 yards of carry assuming a pure strike. By my math that brings you to basically 212 carry, and you could always shorten the hybrid a 1/4" or so to make up for that extra couple yards of carry.

Seems like a simple enough fix rather than trying to find that 21-22* to go that yardage when maybe nothing will at that loft.

[azkaevolution]

my buddy is at ~105-107mph on his driver. plays an M5 4H with a hzrdus smoke shaft. averages 215 carry and can get it running to 235 if he lays into it. he struggled with a really really low ball flight with long irons, which i've seen hit short of a green and skid, skip, and run through greens - we're talking what looks like head height screamers from 200 yards. once he moved to the hybrid, he's been more consistent and actually getting the ball up, and holding the green.

[Jutmoore]

I've gone back and forth, but had the best results with a 23 degree apex and a steel shaft.

[SammyShaf]

Winter has led me to this type of tinkering. I used to carry driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, then 712u 3. I found that I was not using the 5 wood enough so I gambled with a 2 hybrid to replace the 5 wood. I have never carried a hybrid before and it was stupid easy, even more versatile than the utility iron. Now, I figured that sidelining the 3iron with the same model 4 hybrid will generate same results. I am mostly looking for an easy club into longer par 3s, and figure if much better ball strikers don't carry blade 4 irons I can bench mine. The only reservation I have will be playing in the wind, so the 3 iron may stay in the trunk and get swapped in for my rarely hit gap wedge.

Hopefully spring shows up soon so I can quit messing with the bag.

[accordblk]

I always had two hybrids to replace 3i and 4i.

3h: 230

4h: 215

5i: 195-200.

Works perfect for my gapping on bigger sticks. Also, I've gotten G410 hybrids and they are stupid easy, seriously considering 5h as well at this point.

[geochitown]

Club length?

consider shortening?

[AyeAre10]

i hit the Mavrik Pro, Sim max, TS3, and the 2020 CLK hybrids in the same session this weekend. While our purposes are a bit different, I think it would be a mistake to not at least give the CLK a shot. I walked out carrying the CLK with a Tensei blue 80TX. Driver speed on the same day averaged 118.

The Mavrik pro performed well and seemed to be as anti left as I’ve hit, but the thing looked like a toy or something. The way the head sits combined with the top line reminded me of my dads PW hybrid (74 yrs young) and I couldn’t get that out of my head. Was thinking the whole time “a few sky marks would make this thing look better”. Great feel, sound, and data. Even tried it again once I hit the others, no go visually for me. I loved the look in the pics and had my mind made up on this one when I walked in the door. Think it was probably the face color vs top line.

Sim Max while seemingly a bit longer club head, suited my eye and performed well. Couldn’t hit anything other than a draw with the combo, no hooks, just wanted to go left of center despite my efforts to do the opposite. Great feel and sound, launched a little bit low for me in the factory configurations I had available. Overall it’s a great unit.

TS3 - loves the looks and sound, strongly dislike the evenflow shaft offering personally. Also, my average ball flight was eerily similar to a John Smoltz slider. Least forgiving of the bunch

The CLK was the best looking, feeling, sounding, and performing of the bunch. Most forgiving of the bunch. Loved the Tensei shaft and was surprised how well the 80g version performed. Also at $210, considerably cheaper.

At least hit the thing if possible.

[mn44]

Shouldn't a 110 driver ss translate to 200 carry with a 4 or 5 iron, not hybrid?

[Z1ggy16]

I'm not sure if it comes in 4h as a lefty but I'll look into it. I did love my old jpx hybrid back in the day. It was a bit draw biased but it was super easy to hit.

[Albatross85]

117 with driver and been playing a 4h for last 3 years. I love the height on it and its so much better out of rough than a traditional 4i. I wont use anything longer than a 5 iron ever again. Now my 3h slot can go either way with a driving iron or hybrid but that has a different use case for me. I want 225 in the air with height out of my 4i slot. For me thats much easier to do consistently with a hybrid.

[Yuck]

I currently carry an 18 degree hybrid, 21 degree 3 iron and 25 degree four iron. (S55, one degree weak). 4 iron is about 205 carry. If I was to keep my three iron, and insert a 4 hybrid, would I need a 25 or 26 degree loft on the 4 hybrid to keep my gapping? Although I can hit my irons pretty high, 205 carry over tall trees off a tightLy mown, down-slope lie is not a shot I can hit with a 4 iron.

[Z1ggy16]

I'd go test. I'd never have expected the 22* sim to carry 225 for me. I'm skeptical a bit because I know from experience that my 5w carry from the deck is about 230-235, so for the 4h to only be 5-10 yards behind that seems a bit high. Heck... Maybe my recent lessons have boosted my CHS.

I think I'm going to go back with some other clubs just to verify distance. I'm going to bring my own ball too.

[VNutz]

A little late to the party, but I'm around the same SS, maybe down to about 105 with a cranky back the past few seasons. The past couple years I've had an Adams dHy 4h in the bag, it's by far my longest tenured club right now. Not quite a full hybrid, but not quite full driving iron. I've tried hybrids in the past but didn't always get along with them, the high or snapping hook always came into play and I always had to hold back the swing to make sure I didn't overcook it. The dHy isn't pretty, and I can hook anything on occasion, but it has given me everything I need for that spot in the bag. Off the tee is easy, off the deck no problem, easily my go to 210 club. The only issue I have with it is maybe thick rough, which you mentioned. You might not find a ton around anymore, especially if you're relying more on in hand experience, but when you do they're a cheap experiment. Something to consider.

[geochitown]

I’m probably a bit slower at 103

I find the 5h at 24 or 25 to be much more effective from deeper rough

 

 

[cmatthews77]

I’m 101 to 103 with driver. I LOVE my original Apex 4h. My favorite thing about the club is how versatile it is. It’s about a 185/190 stock carry club for me with a nice high flight and easy to hit. But compared to even my 5 iron, I can hit so many shots with it. High cut to a tougher pin or long forced carry taking a bit off is easy. Draw one to squeeze a couple more yards or a back left pin is doable. Great club.

 

[ChipNRun]

I'm not one of those guys, but I have seen single-digit senior golfers drop their 4i and play 3W, 2H and 4H.

Also, I caddied one event on the Symetra Tour (LPGA developmental). Probably half the women had one fairway wood, and a 3H + 4H.

BTW, if you want to learn how to really use hybrids, go to an LPGA event or top women's amateur event. These ladies are magicians with the H-clubs.