5 Iron v. 5 Hybrid Showdown ... It Wasn't Close

[uglande]

Over the past couple of seasons, I have incorporated a 7 wood into my bag but have still shied away from hybrids. But after seeing so many lofted fairways and hybrids in some good players' bags (e.g., I just noticed John Daly goes plays 17-19-22-26 degree Ping hybrids), I decided to put my T100 5 iron (26 degrees) to the test against a TSr2 24 hybrid, set at 25.

 

It was a blowout.

 

High, low, draw, fade, punchouts, bad lies ... there wasn't a single shot scenario I could create in which the hybrid did not beat the 5 iron, and usually by a long shot. But the most impressive was the incredible forgiveness on missed strikes. The 5 iron drop-off was dramatically worse. No big surprise, I know, but the magnitude of the separation is what struck me. 

 

Normally, the equalizer would be the big-left miss with the hybrid, but I wasn't getting any of that. 

 

What are your experiences with higher lofted hybrids, or what keeps you from bagging them? 

[Dan Drake]

I have a 23° hybrid.  You would think that with my speed (120mph with driver) that I would be just fine with a 4i or driving iron in that spot.  And I should be.  But I'm just not, unfortunately.  

 

So, I have a higher lofted (for me) hybrid with a stoopid heavy steel shaft in it and it works for me.  WAY more forgiving and I need that because I just don't pure that many long shots off the turf.  

 

And the bonus is that it is my "chipper," LOL!  If I'm not hitting a pitch shot, I'm 99% grabbing the hybrid and just trundling it along the ground.  It has just enough loft and pop to get the ball scooting along whatever lies between me and the green and get it rolling quickly WITHOUT ever having to worry about the ball hitting and grabbing due to decent angle or spin.  Its what I need, namely, idiot-proof! 

[optimator]

I just picked up a King Tec 5h with this in mind. However my 5I is 26* and the Cobra can only go up to 25.5*. I can see this causing some gapping issues. 

[NoTalentLefty]

I have 2 seven hybrids one at 30 , Callaway Big Bertha and a 34 G430 . Thought it could replace an 8 but too strong for a 140 to 145 shot I get from my 8 iron and almost as long as the 30 degree . Ping makes awesome hybrids. Also added a 9 hybrid from Eleven golf for a try for next year. Will see if it can force out my 9 iron. 

Edited December 15, 2023 by NoTalentLefty

[boycer]

I like my srixon zx5 iron much more then the pxg 5 hybrid. 

[mantan]

It may be an offseason project. The line of demaracation in my bag is the 5-iron.  I am very comfortable with my 6-rion.  Garmin shows I average 173 with it. I trust pulling it out in any situation.  My confidence level with it is an 8.

 

My 4H is my security blanket club. Garmin shows I hit it 202 yards. My confidence level with it is a 10.

 

My 5-iron is the problem. It's intoxicating when I flush it.  But I only pull it out if there is a decent margin of error on the hole. My confidence level is a 3.

 

I need to swallow my pride and just look for a 5h.

 

 

[b.mattay]

2 hours ago, Dan Drake said:

I have a 23° hybrid.  You would think that with my speed (120mph with driver) that I would be just fine with a 4i or driving iron in that spot.  And I should be.  But I'm just not, unfortunately.  

 

So, I have a higher lofted (for me) hybrid with a stoopid heavy steel shaft in it and it works for me.  WAY more forgiving and I need that because I just don't pure that many long shots off the turf.  

 

And the bonus is that it is my "chipper," LOL!  If I'm not hitting a pitch shot, I'm 99% grabbing the hybrid and just trundling it along the ground.  It has just enough loft and pop to get the ball scooting along whatever lies between me and the green and get it rolling quickly WITHOUT ever having to worry about the ball hitting and grabbing due to decent angle or spin.  Its what I need, namely, idiot-proof! 

Just curious-how much does this thing spin for you? I have the same clubhead speed with driver and tried out a similar setup (Apex 16 with a DG X100). Could not get that thing to spin under 5400 RPM. A regular 4 iron is about 4300-4400 RPM.

 

It was so easy to use, but I need a 225 club and with the spin on the hybrid, it was going 210-215 ish. 

Edited December 15, 2023 by b.mattay

[Golfer from MO]

I'm a scratch high speed player that hits irons really well. I feel like I have way more control with my 5 and 4 than a hybrid in those spots. I do have a hybrid 19deg in my 5wood slot. Cally UW I really like but went thru 6 shafts to love it (100g tx). I think higher lofted hybrids are harder to control varied distances for higher speed players who also strike it well.

[beluga99]

Same as above.  Unless I completely duff my 4-5 iron (Mizuno Fli-Hi) I find the results, and more importantly dispersion better with the irons.  Lots of confidence in them.  Strangely the forgiveness of the hybrid works against me, as I tend to hit it well but have some huge misses.  Different strokes...

[Feelingofgreatness]

My issue is I'm money with any iron including an 18* 4i off the tee but not great with any iron under 27* off the turf.

 

To complicate matters, I'm not great with hybrids into Par 3s but they are way better off the turf from 180 to 200y

[POKeefe]

I ran the same test with Z785 5i, ZX5 5i, and ZX 5H head-to-head. It also wasn't close. The only advantage the irons had was a lower ball flight, which I prefer. However, the consistency was much better with the hybrid. My driver swing speed is 107, so I'm not exactly slow either. 

My hunch is most people would be better off pulling 3-5i out of their bag in favor of woods and hybrids.

[JMB3]

I dabbled with the 425 5H, and it was so easy to hit.  High and consistent number.  I honestly have no idea why I ditched it other than ego.  

[Mobert19]

@uglande Dare I say maybe the T100 might be too much club for you at the 5 iron spot? Seems like you found your solution but maybe these irons aren't the best fit for you?

Edited December 15, 2023 by Mobert19

[mantan]

I may pull the trigger on a PXG 0211 5-hybrid. For $140, it's worth the cheap experiment.....

[PARETO]

I arrive at 50 years old next week and although I’m still generating what I consider to be decent speed, I too am looking at my top end of the bag with concern. From 195 out, I’d like to think I’d pull 5i (with my Wilson Staff D9Forged). Problem is that I seem to struggle to get it to behave. I foresee more head covers in my future. Happily. 

[PJE]

I have found my bladed 5 iron inspires awe with its cruise missile terrain following trajectory. I would never give up the thrill of crossing a water hazard at 3 feet of altitude for a boring hybrid shot. 
Seriously, I do not doubt the utility of a 5 hybrid but once you get up to 25 or 26 degrees, I haven’t seen a hybrid that doesn’t look odd. The face and club just look weird (to me) when I address the ball. It just feels like the ball is going to go straight up in the air. 
in contrast, I’ve got an 18 degree hybrid I get along with pretty well and a 22 degree I use every so often. But I like the fat bodied clubs like Ping Crossovers better than hybrids at lofts greater than 22 or so. I hit those Crossovers pretty well. 

[Audi A-Fore]

6 hours ago, uglande said:

Over the past couple of seasons, I have incorporated a 7 wood into my bag but have still shied away from hybrids. But after seeing so many lofted fairways and hybrids in some good players' bags (e.g., I just noticed John Daly goes plays 17-19-22-26 degree Ping hybrids), I decided to put my T100 5 iron (26 degrees) to the test against a TSr2 24 hybrid, set at 25.

 

It was a blowout.

 

High, low, draw, fade, punchouts, bad lies ... there wasn't a single shot scenario I could create in which the hybrid did not beat the 5 iron, and usually by a long shot. But the most impressive was the incredible forgiveness on missed strikes. The 5 iron drop-off was dramatically worse. No big surprise, I know, but the magnitude of the separation is what struck me. 

 

Normally, the equalizer would be the big-left miss with the hybrid, but I wasn't getting any of that. 

 

What are your experiences with higher lofted hybrids, or what keeps you from bagging them? 

 

As I tell my friends I help fit, “the most forgiving club you’re willing to looking at”. I also ask them to stack rank a few attributes (distance, forgiveness, looks, feel, performance). For those who can’t see hitting a hybrid, it’s the looks/feel outranking performance, which is fine. I play to score and to win my bets vs. my friends, I do prioritize look and feel to a point, but I also play what works best for me.

 

I have Miz Pro 223’s, previously had ‘19 Apex/Apex Pro combo set and can hit my 5i fairly well. I found a matching Titleist 816h in 23*, set to 24*, with my preferred Diamana blue board shaft (I found out it was 1/4-1/2” short) . It slotted perfectly yardage wise between my 21* 816h (3i-4i replacement) and my 6i. The major difference was that it was automatic compared to my 5i - with strong fligh, sky high and I’m able to make it go high/low, fade/draw (mostly!). 

 

The course I play the most (Half Moon Bay Old Course) has a par 3 that plays into the wind with trouble left and right, followed by a dog leg right par 4 with a super shallow green. Both are perfect 5i shots for me, the par 3 helps to be able to hit it consistently with a slight draw. If I don’t catch the drive well or the winds up on the par 4, it helps to be able to carry it consistent yardage while hitting it high and soft. 

 

The kicker is that I bought the 23* for about $1 per degree via eBay. $26 shipped, as it was a few generations old! It’s paid for itself many times over with plenty of side bets. 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Audi A-Fore

[Audi A-Fore]

3 hours ago, mantan said:

It may be an offseason project. The line of demaracation in my bag is the 5-iron.  I am very comfortable with my 6-rion.  Garmin shows I average 173 with it. I trust pulling it out in any situation.  My confidence level with it is an 8.

 

My 4H is my security blanket club. Garmin shows I hit it 202 yards. My confidence level with it is a 10.

 

My 5-iron is the problem. It's intoxicating when I flush it.  But I only pull it out if there is a decent margin of error on the hole. My confidence level is a 3.

 

I need to swallow my pride and just look for a 5h.

 

 

Why not just hit the 4h choked up 1/2”? I may be an outlier, but I do play partial and knockdown shots, or choke up to hit those in between yardages with the hybrids

[bladehunter]

8 hours ago, b.mattay said:

Just curious-how much does this thing spin for you? I have the same clubhead speed with driver and tried out a similar setup (Apex 16 with a DG X100). Could not get that thing to spin under 5400 RPM. A regular 4 iron is about 4300-4400 RPM.

 

It was so easy to use, but I need a 225 club and with the spin on the hybrid, it was going 210-215 ish. 

Look at heavy graphite it will drop some spin. I see same issue with x100

[CDLgolf]

I use a 4, 5, and 6 hybrid and for me they are so much better than long irons or higher lofted fairway woods.

[bladehunter]

8 hours ago, beluga99 said:

Same as above.  Unless I completely duff my 4-5 iron (Mizuno Fli-Hi) I find the results, and more importantly dispersion better with the irons.  Lots of confidence in them.  Strangely the forgiveness of the hybrid works against me, as I tend to hit it well but have some huge misses.  Different strokes...

Agree there. I lost a club championship on the final hole  due to a slightly pushed 4 hybrid.   If it were an iron the same shot would have been well short and below the tree branch that it hit , and went into a hazard. Not whining. And I’m playing a 9 wood currently, but it is true. A wood or hybrid will go farther offline on a bad swing. There always a trade off. 

[1puttTUT]

Over time I've realized I hate hybrids. I struggle with a two way miss and they also want to balloon up at that loft. I really like my set 5 iron, but I do go to a utility iron instead of a normal 4 iron or hybrid. 

 

My hybrid issue is probably shaft related, but I don't need the added forgiveness or launch benefit of the hybrid so why chase the correct shaft when the iron is plug and play for the most part.

[Radeon962]

Moved to a Callaway Paradym X 5H Mitsubishi Tensei AV White 85s and Titleist TSR1 6H PX Evenflow White 90s at the end of last season. 
 

Love them and now my irons start at 7i. 
 

High and straight and have both playing with a slightly open face setting.

 

Played 4w, 7w, 9w for years but changes in my swing over the years caused too high a launch with too much spin.

 

Play Driver, 3w, UW 19, UW 21, 5H, 6H, 7-GW, SW, LW now. 

[hook_or_slice]

2 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Agree there. I lost a club championship on the final hole  due to a slightly pushed 4 hybrid.   If it were an iron the same shot would have been well short and below the tree branch that it hit , and went into a hazard. Not whining. And I’m playing a 9 wood currently, but it is true. A wood or hybrid will go farther offline on a bad swing. There always a trade off. 

 

That's my experience also.

A miss hit long iron may look and feel much worse than a hybrid,  but my bad miss long iron is usually way short leaving an easy chip up to the green, a missed hybrid can be anywhere. 

[Maine Golfer]

i have a Nike slingshot 5 h at 26 degrees , I don't always carry it but when playing blades it fills a nice gap. I have a lot of confidence in it and know ill get good height. 

[Warrick]

I did this test also, same results, have the TSR3 5H, such an easy club to hit, and versatile.

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

8 hours ago, PJE said:

Seriously, I do not doubt the utility of a 5 hybrid but once you get up to 25 or 26 degrees, I haven’t seen a hybrid that doesn’t look odd. The face and club just look weird (to me) when I address the ball. It just feels like the ball is going to go straight up in the air. 

I'm laughing with you, not at you.  I too, have experienced the joys of a golf shot trying to sneak in under the radar.  Adds a certain frissance to the proceedings, especially when the green is guarded by some hideous deep bunker up front.

 

Replying though to point out that not all hybrids address the same.  Completely agree with you on the Ping hybrids---I'm still trying to figure out the best way to line that sucker up, and when I do, the weight feels weird in my hands.  Titleist TSR2 though, feels natural.  Looks it.  Easy to line up.

 

I don't go hybrids for 4-5-6, (despite the TSR ostensibly being a 4H), because I already hit the ball too high and I've i210s in the long irons.  No lying though, there's something fun and circus-y about hitting something like an older Cally 7w/Heavenwood, but who needs a 190 yd pitching wedge flight?

 

Anyway, gapping is pleasantly 5-ish mph and about 12 yds of carry between 4, 5, and 6-irons.  And they seem to go and stop where I want them, so why mess with it?

[Dan Drake]

12 hours ago, Feelingofgreatness said:

My issue is I'm money with any iron including an 18* 4i off the tee but not great with any iron under 27* off the turf.

 

To complicate matters, I'm not great with hybrids into Par 3s but they are way better off the turf from 180 to 200y

[dmeeksDC]

I can’t seem to hit hybrids as consistently and precisely at the target as I can an iron. The hybrids are easier to hit and do go longer. (Always thought the 5 hybrid replaces a 4 iron, a 6 hybrid replaces a 5 iron, etc.) My solution is an iron that is as easy to hit as a hybrid and I don’t care if it matches the set. I think I found a great choice with a Paradym 5 iron (23 degrees). So easy to launch and not huge. Looks great from address. Only Paradym iron I have. 
 

My misses with irons generally leave me in a better spot than an offline hybrid. My best swings with an iron usually leave me closer to the hole. I like hybrids for layups more than hitting to a green. 

[DaveGoodrich]

My 26* Pro Mini hybrid is just so much easier to hit than my Z565 5-iron.  I built mine with a 95g graphite shaft, which falls right in line, weight wise, with my irons.  For those that don't like the look of a high-lofted hybrid, try looking at some of the smaller hybrids. 

 

I've always argued that a lot of folks struggle with hybrids because "long, high and crooked" really isn't better than "low, short and crooked."  That definitely holds true in the 5 hybrid spot.  But IMO, in the long run, its going to be easier to improve the former situation, rather than the latter.    Folks that haven't had good experiences with hybrids, especially in the higher lofts, should consider trying heavier shafts.   I also think a lot of folks could also benefit from just going to a SGI iron in this spot as a "bridge" between their irons and lower lofted hybrids.  I play a Z565 in the 6-iron vs. Z765s in the rest of the irons.  Whatever it takes to keep the distance gaps and descent angles where they need to be.  

Edited December 15, 2023 by DaveGoodrich
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