Hybrid vs Utility Iron. Need help

[tsecor]

I have played a hybrid for years but will try a utility iron at the PGA store in the near future. Any brand you recommend? for those who have played both on the course, what are the pros and cons of each? How did you like hitting a UI from the rough? looking for some opinions on what might be the way to go

[Golf64]

I don't have the swing speed for DIs. Prefer the versatility of a hybrid. The ones I had the best luck getting airborne were the Crossover, Apex, 500, and the new Wilson.

[sfdoddsy]

I don't really have the swing speed for DIs either. But I hit them much more consistently than hybrids.

Except for the occasional shank, I'm enjoying the TM GAPR Mid.

[nfreda2211]

I just put the cobra utility 3 and 4 in the bag. It’s really easy to hit. The 410 and u500/510 are also good options.

[Jimjam651]

I currently go 19 degree hybrid to four iron but the gap is too large so have ordered a Mizuno fli hi 3 iron to slot in the middle

I'm looking forward to mixing the two clubs together, what the hybrid offers you out the rough the driving iron will offer off the tee

 

[tsecor]

thats my current set up as well....in also have a gap on the other side of the hybrid bc i do not carry a 3 wood or a 5 wood

[Titleist_PT23]

I think a lot depends on swing speed / how far you can carry this type of club, especially as you get in the low 20 degrees or below. They are still a lot more iron like than anything else and require both a good strike and speed to keep the ball in the air long enough.

I tried the Ping Crossovers (original and G400) and just thought it was too limited for me. Basically only a tee shot club or need a perfect lie / stance on a cushy fairway.

I have a 20 yard gap between a 7 wood (about 200) and a 25 degree iron (about 180, whatever number you want to call that club). I've thought about the smaller hybrids for this spot. Like TS3, Callaway Apex, etc.

[kamizzou91]

I recently kicked the 3 wood out of the bag, and went with a 17 degree hybrid and 20 degree u510. I have tried a few utlity irons over the years (Adams DHY, Srixon u65) and the u510 is by far the most verstile and forgiving one I have tried.

[Joelsim]

I have a 21* hybrid and a 21* utility, totally different clubs. The utility is used mainly off the tee (Wilson Staff Tour Model) and is easy to hit. The hybrid is only really used from the fairway or rough, wouldn’t dream of attempting the utility from the rough. The hybrid goes higher and further in winter, I suspect when the fairways aren’t slushy mud then the utility will roll further.

[Tree Levino]

Most driving irons/utilities are way more demanding than hybrids. Hybrid 100% gets the nod out of the rough. I’m currently testing the Srixon U85 in 20* and initial impressions are great. High ball flight but very easy to lower if wanted and can work it both ways. Previously had a P790 3 iron bent strong and over length as a poor mans UDI. Srixon is way more forgiving. Kind of like a hybrid with a straight face. I much prefer the idea of the U85 for 215-230 par 3s. I really worry about lefts with my hybrid even with it lofted down and flat as I play a draw which can overcook.

[TServos]

I have never liked the hybrid....a pull hook machine. I go with a Ping 3 Crossover.

[tsecor]

the srixon looks really chunky from the pics ive seen. how does it look in person? The U500 looks very pleasing to the eye.....are they similar? The srixon is under $200 though.....i cant believe such a great company has such great prices in comparison....iron sets under $1000, golf balls under $35......i need to look at srixon a little more closely

[Chuck905]

I still rotate the U45, they are bulky but do work with the right shaft.

Back to the OP, I’ve demo the Cleveland, MP20HMB,G410 crossover, and I was very impressed with the Ping at 17*. Just a straight tight bullet every time and very easy to hit. Got the most ball speed as well.

If you can at least swing 95 mph with a UDI club, you”ll make it work.

[Joelsim]

Unless you strike the ball dead-centre every single time, chunky is a very good thing. I’d suggest that anyone over a 5 hcp should play a chunky utility.

[Springsteennut]

I was at the Chicago golf show yesterday and tried a utility iron from a company called Sub 70. I have a physical issue where my legs don’t work very well in the golf swing as I get closer to the end of a round. I start to hook my longer clubs but Irons usually stay pretty straight. I’ve tried several utility irons and haven’t had much luck. This is the first one I’ve tried that I can hit almost as far as my hybrid and I kept pretty close to the center line on the simulator even when I took swings where I didn’t really use my legs . The club seemed pretty forgiving and the face was definitely hot. I’m going to order one for demo when the weather gets better and I can try it on the course.

[tsecor]

i just came back from the PGA store and the Srixon in person is really ugly. It looks like a brick with a huge annoying shiny square piece hanging off the back. the TM P790 and the Titleist offerings were superior in the aesthetic departments

[granata10]

I have tried a few driving irons but I still hit my Callaway Apex hybrid better, its a more versatile and for a hybrid does not like to go left. For me its a height issue, I hit the hybrid higher and its not a problem for me to lower the flight with the hybrid. I just don't hit driving irons high enough.

[LeoLeo99]

I have an Apex hybrid with R shaft and G400 DI extra stiff shaft. The DI is only usable off the tee on short par 4s. It's not stopping on a green and it's not working off the grass unless it's fluffed up high. But I know it's going to go reasonably straight. Might worm burn 150 yds if I mishit it but it's not doing anything crazy to the left or right. Great club on hard fairways if you want to hit that 200 yd stinger. At the end of the day, it's an iron with 20° of loft. Going to take a nice strike to get a decent result

[Joelsim]

My experience is limited, I’ve had a few but not kept any for more than a year.

 

Ping G Crossover was ok, but every few shots I’d mishit it and so lost interest. The G400 Crossover was better but for some reason I couldn’t get comfortable with its length, inches rather than distance. I had a Cobra King One-Length Utility after that which again was decent. I then got a P790 UDI which lasted the sum total of one range session, a horror show, the worst club I’ve ever (tried to) hit.

Now have the Wilson Staff which I’m liking, it was either that or the Titleist U510 which i demo’d and liked too.

[Drivingrangehero]

I play both. I have a Callaway Apex 2 hybrid (18 degree loft) and a Titleist 716 T-MB 2 iron (17 degree loft)

I think in order to discern what is best for you, go out and hit a few!

What else would you be carrying in addition to the Utility iron? Are you Keeping your current hybrid? Are you trying to fill in a gap up top between your 4iron and hybrid? (I see you don’t carry a 3 iron from previous posting)

I will sometimes swap them out and carry a 3 Wood instead of both 2Hybrid and 2 Iron, depending on the weather. If calm, I carry the hybrid because I can bomb it off the tee and hit it well from more difficult lies than the 2 iron. It goes high, long and pretty straight for me. If there is a bit of wind, I go with the 2 iron and carry my 3 wood. If I lose the 2Hybrid I have a large gap between my Utility iron and Driver.

With that being said, as many have mentioned, there are many factors to consider when discerning between the two clubs. Some clubs fit some swings better. A driving iron is best suited for my current set up, but that will change soon. The utility iron is a versatile club for me, being that I can flight and shape it effectively plus it fills in the gap between my 3 iron (which is a 4-5 iron in modern lofts) and Hybrid.

Things change though, I am looking to buy a new set of clubs where I wouldn’t need my 2 iron, being that the “modern lofting” of my 3 will replace the 2 iron. I also would like to drop the 3 wood, being that it is marginally better at finding the fairway than my driver. So to fill in gaps I’m considering keeping my Callaway Apex 2hybrid, and possibly going with the Callaway Super hybrid for gapping reasons. I figure I could just hit my soon to be new 3 iron to replace the utility iron, and that would allow me to pick up something up top, to better gap between my Driver and Apex 2 hybrid

The objective is to find what club Fits your swing. What club gives you the greatest confidence to hit fairways and greens. Also, what club will fill in your gaps most effectively as I see it anyways.

[tsecor]

My set up has many gaps at the top

driver

hybrid

4I

 

So im looking to fill those gaps a little better. I have been able to get away with this in the past but im sure i lost a few strokes here and there.

[Drivingrangehero]

Driver-Hybrid-4iron through PW then? What are your current gamers 4-PW (since loft between manufacturers and models vary greatly) also, what do you carry for wedges?

I Carry a driver, 2Hybrid 18 degree (or 3 wood 16 degree if I drop the hybrid out the bag)

2 Iron/ Driving iron 17 degree, steel shaft.

3-PW + GW+ SW and putter for 14 clubs

My Mizuno MP 67’s

3 iron is 22 degrees

PW is 48 degrees

I carry a 52 GW and a 56 SW currently.

My next set MP 20 HMB will have

19 degree 3iron (22 degree 4=Mp67’s 3) and a

46 degree PW.

to gap I will use a 50 degree GW (bending my 52)

55 degree SW (bending my 56)

I have never seen the benefit from using a 60+ LW

so in gapping my soon to be new set, it shows me I can drop the 2iron and keep the 2Hybrid, plus carry the 3Wood full time, or buy a Callaway Super hybrid to replace my 3Wood ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

For me, filling in the gaps on top, work to my benefit rather than carrying a 50-55-and 60 degree wedge to fill a non existing gap on bottom, I can hit my 55degree 105 or 55 yards, and don’t see the need to take full swings from 80 yards out. It just becomes a wasted club in the bag for me.

Dropping a 60+ degree wedge may be something worth considering if you are at the 14 club limit, so you may better gap up top!

 

 

 

[tsecor]

4-pw. Titleist 712 CB.....with a vokey gap wedge and a Cleveland SW.

[boggyman]

Tried several hybrids and utilities last week. I fight the lefts with the hybrids. Ping G410 17* came out the winner. Utility fits my eye better at address as well. Will put it to the test tomorrow.

[gandor]

for some reasons i cant get along with a hybrid. my misses are crazy bad compared to a long/driving iron. i just got a callaway x-forged UT 18* and had 1 round with it and its automatic fairway finder. easy to hit on both off the tee and deck. easy to launch so ball flight is kinda high. feels is fantastic(softest driving iron) ive hit.

[naws-golfer]

i have the u65 Srixon.

its not about the gapping or distance for me, it was about the miss. I have dr, 4wd and then went to 4h and on to a 4iron. 4s? Amirite?

the issue was the 4h went really high and really far due to my ss. But the miss was far right and far left too. I never really found myself using it unless on like 230 par 3s or an occasional 2 shot on a par 5. Short par 4s I’d hit my tmb 4 iron, which off a tee went about 215-220. Id hit the 4wd when there wasn’t a lot of trouble around the green, but it was 240 or more away. The 4h just didn’t really have a place. I got the u65 3/20* and really like it. It’s chunky, it’s got an orange shaft. I have yet to lose one waaay right or waaay left. I don’t get the launch but get a lot of roll and it won’t get me into trouble. In the south, we can get pretty baked out so it’s perfect.

the other thing I like is how easy it is to hit low punches. The hybrid would jump when I tried to keep it really low. I’ll putt with the 4wood on occasion. I find my big miss with the hybrid has just about gone away

 

[mizunotpz]

Notice that a lot of the hybrid players saying they wouldnt use the utility in the rough, but then you got a think again. I use my Ping Crossover G410 from the rough all the time. Its just the perfect utility. Creates a lot of speed with it.

[chch3]

I was really big on the driving iron over the years. I have played them and loved them. Having said that, I have swapped out my DI/Utility for a hybrid. I think the problem people have with hybrids is finding one with the right lie angle. I was able to get a shaft/lie/loft combo that really works well for me. It is now one of the most consistent clubs in my bag. The biggest advantage that a hybrid has over a DI/Utility is that it is infinitely better out of the rough and or crappy lies. I have hit my F7 hybrid out of some nasty stuff and made solid contact. I can't say the same for the DI/Utility.

[Drivingrangehero]

Sounds like you have 2 clubs you can put in the bag without removing any?

Driver-4-PW-GW-SW-putter? 12 clubs

if that’s the case you have options.

So, you need to fill the gap from 4- Hybrid and prefer an iron over hybrid, why not try out a 3iron that is hollowed bodied Utility 3 iron ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ no need to buy brand new, there are many older ones you can get on the cheap, that are great, and if you like the modern ones by Taylormade, Titleist, PinG, Sub-70, Hogan PTX or whatever fits your eye. It’s best to get a proper fitting for one, but if that’s not in the cards, go to a shop that carries the ones you like with a bunch of shafts that can be swapped out, and see what looks, feels and produces the best numbers on a GC quad or Trackman, that goes for the low lofted driving iron as well. Some are as low as 16 degrees out there.

Never know, you may find a hybrid that you like.

I have found 3 my entire life

Sonartec :I could flight and shape, I got rid of it because I bought into the hype that newer means better back in my 20’s (I’m 43 now)

Adams Idea Pro: I loved it, thought it would never leave the bag. It was my go to club, more so than the Sonartec

Callaway Apex 2015? I found out it was designed by the same guy who did the Adams Idea Pro, and it seemed to be much of the same as the Adams, but with a hotter face ......... it’s a little harder to flight down than the Adams was though.

My misses can be hooks or blocks to the right, Ive never had a problem with those hybrids going left. I have hit some of my friends from time to time, that do hook a bit. I look for ones that seem square to open. My friend had an old Cobra that seemed closed to me, and I’d play a giant hook with it. Not all hybrids are universal, you may just find one that you like.

I find it easier to shop for a utility iron than a hybrid because of that, but a good hybrid can be a great addition to the bag! ?

[chippa13]

What's the story with the excessive signature?