Have hybrid heads progressed in 5-10 years?

[roll - gybe]

I don’t see much about new tech going into hybrid heads. 
 

While I have a garage full of hybrids (old and new), I’ve been using an Adam’s LSP and DHY for several years with a couple reshafts. 
 

I'm a believer that tech accumulates in step functions; not every year is an improvement. I’m not sure if anything new has happened in hybrids since the slots and weight ports. 
 

What do you think? Has there been a step function? Can we measure that in MOI or ballspeeds?

[Honman]

12 minutes ago, roll - gybe said:

I don’t see much about new tech going into hybrid heads. 
 

While I have a garage full of hybrids (old and new), I’ve been using an Adam’s LSP and DHY for several years with a couple reshafts. 
 

I'm a believer that tech accumulates in step functions; not every year is an improvement. I’m not sure if anything new has happened in hybrids since the slots and weight ports. 
 

What do you think? Has there been a step function? Can we measure that in MOI or ballspeeds?

Definitely something to be said for finding the right hybrid and sticking with it. 

 

But, Ping and PXG make good hybrids, the flat settings really help. Plus the pxg can also have the toe weight as well. 

[phizzy30]

I don't think hybrid tech has advanced significantly in the past 10 years.  I still have my tour issue rescue 11 which performs just as well as any modern hybrid out there, IMO.  I've tested a bunch over the years including this year's offerings. 

Edited October 28, 2023 by phizzy30

[Moonlightgrm]

I have played my Titleist 910H for more than a decade. I saw no need to upgrade until I hit the Ping G430. Oh my, what a difference. The entire face seems hot and I get predictable ball height/ball flight. I made my purchase 2-weeks ago and with the proper settings for me, it’s not a hook machine like so many others might be. Two thumbs up for the Ping G430 Hybrid. 

[kwcsports]

They haven't progressed enough yet for me to play one haha. Never found one I liked.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

I feel like the biggest reason I bought a new Hybrid (and Fairway Wood) was for the ability to adjust. It does feel a little hotter off the face, though. Yet, some of that I think may be due to the shaft being a better fit.

[Louis_Posture]

Current hybrid shafts arre better than 10 years ago.

Heads are about the same, except that no company I know of is currently offering sole rails, which are very helpful for a hybrid club.

[JAMH03]

Anecdotally no. But every year they try to sell us on that kind of story. This is why we have to measure.

 

[JAMH03]

@kwcsports are you still playing the Parallax irons? What shaft do you have in them? I'm asking because of all the irons I've played I like these the best. Only thing i don't like about them is... they essentially perform like modern blades or worse in terms of forgiveness but the days of me lacing 4irons are ostensibly over. I have some with rifle 5.0's and they are butter.  Keep planning to put some cork in them for me dampening but never get around to it.

I

[kwcsports]

16 minutes ago, JAMH03 said:

@kwcsports are you still playing the Parallax irons? What shaft do you have in them? I'm asking because of all the irons I've played I like these the best. Only thing i don't like about them is... they essentially perform like modern blades or worse in terms of forgiveness but the days of me lacing 4irons are ostensibly over. I have some with rifle 5.0's and they are butter.  Keep planning to put some cork in them for me dampening but never get around to it.

I

DG R300's

[kwcsports]

17 minutes ago, JAMH03 said:

@kwcsports are you still playing the Parallax irons? What shaft do you have in them? I'm asking because of all the irons I've played I like these the best. Only thing i don't like about them is... they essentially perform like modern blades or worse in terms of forgiveness but the days of me lacing 4irons are ostensibly over. I have some with rifle 5.0's and they are butter.  Keep planning to put some cork in them for me dampening but never get around to it.

I

I've had other irons and I hit them better for sure. Higher, farther, easier, etc...

With all that being said, I like looking down at the parallax irons haha. I don't care if they are old or not. I shoot the same 82-86 with any clubs haha.

[phizzy30]

9 hours ago, Louis_Posture said:

Current hybrid shafts arre better than 10 years ago.

Heads are about the same, except that no company I know of is currently offering sole rails, which are very helpful for a hybrid club.

I agree.  I had the OG Diamana Thump in my hybrid.  Good shots would draw excessively and bad shots would hook really bad.  Swapped out to the Ventus Black HB last year and it's like night and day.  Good shots are now straight to a slight draw whereas bad shots are still manageable. 

Edited October 29, 2023 by phizzy30

[gvogel]

I have a friend who is rocking a Paradym super Hybrid and he says it is a cannon.

 

I have a Titleist TSR1 26* which is very easy to hit straight; I have the 23* on order.  The TSR1 is much better for me than the Ping G425 which it replaced.

[unpluggedk]

i'd say minimal, prob the shafts play bigger role than the head.

that being said, i can't get along with taylormades for whatever reason - sim2, stealth, etc..:(

i want to like them

[ShortGolfer]

I realized I can hit my Callaway Mavrik Max 36* 8H with a black Helium shaft and get a nice straight ball flight.  Great for short chips.

Bought the 27* 5H and used it to hit a long chip shot onto a Par 3 green. GIR! Again, nice and straight.  Nice arrow to have in the bag when the green is covered with leaves.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by ShortGolfer

[RightHandRough]

I feel like its marginal improvement at best, no big breakthroughs. As stated shafts are being designed for them instead of a wood or iron shaft which is a good thing as a lot of the hook issues I think were from shafts playing soft in a head that was too heavy for them. At the end of the day hybrids are built to go a certain distance, so if you're getting that, who cares if its 10 years or 10 days since it's release?

[ChipNRun]

On 10/28/2023 at 4:51 PM, phizzy30 said:

I don't think hybrid tech has advanced significantly in the past 10 years.

 

To clarify, I would suggest that most possible boxes have been checked for tech offerings. For a time line:

• 
• Late 1800s: The Bulldog, a short-shafted trouble club with a small head, appears in the hickory-shafted arsenals. It fades away as steel shafts appear in early 20th century.
• 2004 Senior Open at Bellerive CC in St. Louis: About half the field carries a 7 Wood.
• ~ 2005: hybrids and trouble clubs, grandchildren of the Bulldogs, start appearing. Problem: as iron replacement clubs, the early hybrids for everyday golfers can be hook machines - offset helps so-so swingers square clubface, and stronger swingers launch leftish misses.
• ~ 2010: good mix of hybrid heads: low launch, high launch, pro low offset, high offset for everydays... plenty of variety in shafts.

[launcher]

Golf equipment with the exception of utility irons have only made incremental improvements over the last 5-10 years. I could easily still be gaming a couple of older Adams Hybrids that I finally gave away. 

 

My current 818h2 has a timeless design, look and feel. Absolutely no need to replace it ever. Feel pretty good about my backup as well, a Wilson C300. We all get bored though, and enjoy swapping things in and out on occasion. 

[lefthack]

I have a Nike VR Pro that hit better than just about any other hybrid I've tried and it's 12+ years old. 

[AyeAre10]

On 10/29/2023 at 8:02 AM, phizzy30 said:

I agree.  I had the OG Diamana Thump in my hybrid.  Good shots would draw excessively and bad shots would hook really bad.  Swapped out to the Ventus Black HB last year and it's like night and day.  Good shots are now straight to a slight draw whereas bad shots are still manageable. 

This is my take as well. The Ventus Black HB is the best hybrid shaft I’ve ever played.

[ephmen]

100% yes. longer and more forgiving. That being said, old ones still work fine too. More about distance gapping and spin than gross distance. 

[rsballer10]

I think there are more anti-left options out there than in the past, and the modern designs can maintain forgiveness without being overly hook prone.

[PureDivots]

I think hybrids have hit a peak, similar to pretty much all clubs, I can without a doubt say that all hybrids now are better than those 5-10 years ago as a whole. Pry my ping hybrids from my cold dead hands.

[rgk5]

Slightly but not commensurate with the price increases. 🤑

[GHIN n Juice]

I’m still playing GAPRs in 19 and 22.  I haven’t come across anything better since they were released.

[SoCalTitleist]

they may be longer distance wise but if you gapping is good you don't need the extra distance.

 

manufactures talk about forgiveness all the time but realistically  were talking .1% maybe .