Old hybrids just as good?

[Tinkerer]

I was rummaging through the "bin" at our Pro Shop when I found a new, I think 2014, Callaway X2 Hot Pro 3 hybrid.

 

Ive tried a few hybrids and utility irons in this slot between my 23 degree 5 iron and my 3 wood. A few rounds in, this is the best option by far. It's consistently my 190 to 200 yard club, I can hit it from anywhere. Its not draw bias and its ten years old.

 

Anyone else had a similar experience and does this show, for hybrids at least, that tech advancement is limited?

Edited November 7, 2023 by Tinkerer

[BIG STU]

I tend to agree with you since I am the guy bagging 20 year old FWs. I can hit hybrids but am not consistent with them. I have a couple of old original TM Rescues and a couple of old Adams peanuts and A5-OS hybrids. And all of this is subjective like anything in golf. Maybe and I stress maybe that hybrid is the perfect combination of head and shaft for you. You evidently like the looks and feel of it and have confidence in it. Nothing at all wrong with that from my viewpoint. I have always said regardless of age or brand what works for you works for you. 

[BYK]

3 hours ago, Tinkerer said:

I was rummaging through the "bin" at our Pro Shop when I found a new, I think 2014, Callaway X2 Hot Pro 3 hybrid.

 

Ive tried a few hybrids and utility irons in this slot between my 23 degree 5 iron and my 3 wood. A few rounds in, this is the best option by far. It's consistently my 190 to 200 yard club, I can hit it from anywhere. Its not draw bias and its ten years old.

 

Anyone else had a similar experience and does this show, for hybrids at least, that tech advancement is limited?

That one in particular is a great one. Dunno why I sold mine. Smh. 

[BYK]

3 hours ago, Tinkerer said:

I was rummaging through the "bin" at our Pro Shop when I found a new, I think 2014, Callaway X2 Hot Pro 3 hybrid.

 

Ive tried a few hybrids and utility irons in this slot between my 23 degree 5 iron and my 3 wood. A few rounds in, this is the best option by far. It's consistently my 190 to 200 yard club, I can hit it from anywhere. Its not draw bias and its ten years old.

 

Anyone else had a similar experience and does this show, for hybrids at least, that tech advancement is limited?

That one in particular is a great one. Dunno why I sold mine. Smh.

[BHI 99]

Old hybrids don’t work any longer due to advances in agronomy and fairway mowers. Just ask your local sales rep. 
 

 

 

🤣

[WilliePPQ]

Playing Wilson 5 hybrid don't think I could even guess how old it might be. Just "fits" my old geezer game and has bailed me out of a ton of trouble along the way. Tight par 4 fairway finder for sure as long as 175-185 yards fits the bill. So yes, if it works it works. Also gaming an old Odyssey #9 that I found with the hybrid in the "used section", so at least for me, newer is NOT better. Plus to my eye, hybrid design isn't really all that much different from the ones developed in the past. 

[BHI 99]

My 4H is an old Titleist 913 and it’s not going anywhere. The good thing is there’s a lot of hybrids available second hand so you’re not married to it if you don’t like it. Seems like everyone has different luck with them for whatever reason. 

[ALX]

With the smaller footprint, I'd assume manufacturers are somewhat limited to how much tech and/or changes there can really be. There are the outlier like the super hybrid and king tec with the movable weights, but like others have said if it works for you, it works.

[Jeff58]

The standard against which all hybrids are measured, and almost always fail.

 

 

The Callaway Tour/Pro series has been very consistent over the years. My experience was that the X Hot was actually longer at the expense of consistency than most.

Edited November 7, 2023 by Jeff58

[Cwebb]

 Technology has been limited for all clubs.  If tour guys weren't paid to play drivers, there would be some still playing heads from many years back

[BHI 99]

Aren’t Rocco Mediate and Bernhard Langer kinda in that realm. Langers old bag looks like a yard sale find. 

[shortstop20]

I’ve been playing Adams a12 hybrids since they were released over ten years ago. 

Edited November 7, 2023 by shortstop20

[thedunedain]

I know a lot of pros still play older models because they like the distance it's giving them and the newer models have "hot" faces which gave them distance improvements that they weren't necessarily looking for.  My favorite hybrid that I swap in and out is my gapr hi which looks and sounds like crap but goes my perfect distance that I want it to lol

[Ironzol24]

My fav club and security blanket is a 2014 adams pro hybrid, its never leaving the bag

[DaveGoodrich]

42 minutes ago, Ironzol24 said:

My fav club and security blanket is a 2014 adams pro hybrid, its never leaving the bag

+1.  These are the ultimate Adams hybrids, which is saying something. And the Pro Minis are the ultimate player's hybrid - small, hot, workable.  

Edited November 7, 2023 by DaveGoodrich

[Ironzol24]

27 minutes ago, DaveGoodrich said:

+1.  These are the ultimate Adams hybrids, which is saying something. And the Pro Minis are the ultimate player's hybrid - small, hot, workable.  

I've never tried the mini but they look really sweet too 

[leftyb]

For me - all I want in a hybrid is a predictable distance. I have Adams in the bag that are probably 8 years old. I'm sure there's newer ones that can go farther, but I know within a few yards where mine will go if I hit them between the screws.

 

Go look at Bernhard Langer's WITB.  

 

WITB

Edited November 7, 2023 by leftyb

[naj959]

Manufacturers have strayed from their original intent of hybrids being iron replacements. The trend towards low spin bombers that look more like mini fws is not what some of us want or need. 

[bossman641]

I play that exact x2 hot pro hybrid. I've been tempted to change it for the hell of it, but can always count on it off the tee when driver is misbehaving.

[argee1977]

Had the X2 Pro's, loved them, when it comes to hybrids, i've not seen a huge advance in technology, those X2's came with lovely aldila tour green shafts, compact head shape and in all honesty, callaway haven't change how they make hybrids in over a decade, i currently use steelheads, and they feel the same as the X2s, and pretty similar to everything since, just couldn't find X2 pro's when i had to replace them about 2 years ago.

[leftyb]

42 minutes ago, naj959 said:

Manufacturers have strayed from their original intent of hybrids being iron replacements. The trend towards low spin bombers that look more like mini fws is not what some of us want or need. 

 

Well said. For me it's all about predictability and confidence that you'll be within a few yards of your number.

[Tim Sherwood]

I've got an 18 degree Adams XTD LSP and 2 Adams Pro hybrids in 20 and 23 degrees in the bag. Nothing I've ever tried has beaten them 👍

[Jifmoli]

Any self respecting youtube golf guru does a ‘20 year ol driver vs the latest, greatests’ video with the inevitable result that you gain one yard distance per year but do get better dispersion/foregiveness. 
 

Hybrids were designed to be more easy to hit so forgiveness was always there. Maybe modern ones go a bit farther but as long as yours gives you the distance you need, any old hybrid will be good. 
 

I had the original TM rescue from 2002:

 

Awesome 2 hybrid. My Srixon zx 2h I bought last year is equally awesome but I wouldn’t say it’s better. I still play a Nickent 3dx from 2007 (?) and it is still great:

 

Not much paint left on the top of the club but that’s ok (didn’t clean it either by the looks of it…😳).

 

Any old hybrid will do!

 

 

 

[SJP1]

Titleist 818 is so good. Ability to change/align CG with strike, looks good, feels good and be found so cheap now.

[Whodamon1]

6 hours ago, BHI 99 said:

My 4H is an old Titleist 913 and it’s not going anywhere. The good thing is there’s a lot of hybrids available second hand so you’re not married to it if you don’t like it. Seems like everyone has different luck with them for whatever reason. 

+1!  I play the 913Hd 18*.  I haven't even looked at anything else.  Its just good!

[J_Tizzle]

The OG Adams Idea Pros always find their way back in my bag randomly, along with the 9031.  They're just as good in general.  Only things I've found close are the TM Rescue clubs but I do find them to be less forgiving overall, but still pretty damned good in all honesty.  On nuts the TM are about 10 yards long I think, but avg the Adams might be a hair longer from a consistency standpoint.

Edited November 7, 2023 by J_Tizzle

[rodge]

I've always thought that TaylorMade could've stopped making hybrids when they made the Rescue Mid TP.  Pretty much a perfect golf club as far as I'm concerned.   

[MountainKing]

5 hours ago, Jeff58 said:

The standard against which all hybrids are measured, and almost always fail.

 

 

The Callaway Tour/Pro series has been very consistent over the years. My experience was that the X Hot was actually longer at the expense of consistency than most.

 

I have one of these as well and it's still as good as anything out there today.  I don't normally keep anything I'm not using, but considering it probably is worth about $20 and not worthy my time to sell, I dunno what else to do with it but hold onto it.

[dono]

Agree with @SJP1 the 818 all day, changing the CG is the best. 

[Jackal]

I'm playing an 818 right now and it's great .

I have an old 912-913 that was the first hybrid I bought that didn't hook.

I can't bring my self to sell the 912, because it has sentimental value. When I get older it may go back into the bag.