# Hybrid v 5 wood



## NWJocko (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm sure this has been asked before but i cant find it using the search so apologies in advance.

Looking for something between 3w and 3 iron.

What is the difference between a 17 deg hybrid and a 17 deg fairway wood?

Is one typically longer than the other distance wise?

The other ootion is a 2 iron but i hit the ball quite low so could do with a higher flying club at that end of the bag.


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## Tommo21 (Apr 13, 2011)

Interesting as thatâ€™s been my dilemma for a little while. My irons run up to a 4 as I ditched the 3 because this old git doesnâ€™t get it airborne as much these daysâ€¦.no jokes. I mucked around with a few hybrids and settled with the McGregor 20 degree job to replace my 3 iron. My TM V Steel 3 wood goes into the bag for Dunbarâ€™s long fairway shots but gets replaced with my same make 5 wood when I play Royal Musselburgh. Just try a few, even a 7 wood is good if you want the ball up. Oh, a 17 degree fairway wood, longer shaft, should go a fair bit further than the hybrid.


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## Imurg (Apr 13, 2011)

One of the magazines did a thing about this a while back.
It mostly depends how good you are and how fast your swing speed is.
A better player, with a 100+mph swing, only lost about 3-4 yards carry with the hybrid but had a better dispersion. This is mainly down to the extra spin the fairway puts on the ball due to the lower CofG.
A slower swinger loses much more - 15-20 yards. They need the extra spin of the fairway to keep the ball in the air longer - hence the better carry.
So a better player would probably benefit more from a lower loft hybrid than an 5 wood of similar loft, whereas a mid-high handicapper is probably better off with the fairway.


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## Potor_36 (Apr 13, 2011)

I find that there isn't that much difference in distance from fairway shots between a 15-degree 3 wood and an 18-degree 5 wood, and since I never really used the 5 off the tee I replaced it with an 18 degree hybrid. This does a pretty decent job of filling the gap between my 3h and 3w, with the added benefit that if I'm faced with a really tight tee shot where position is much more important than length the 18-deg hybrid is now my weapon of choice. Why it is easier to hit straight than the 5w I don't know, but it is.

I suppose that in theory, I could drop the 3w and put the 5w in its place which would probably make more sense for fairway shots as it still outranges the 18-deg, but then I would be leaving a bigger gap off the tee between driver and hybrid. Plus, I need to use the 3/5w from the fairway twice a round at most so the extra distance from the 3 on tee shots wins every time for me.

I guess it comes down to personal preference and which club you would actually use more often at your course, but my 5w lost its spot in the bag when I bought the hybrid last summer and to be honest I can't even remember the last time I thought 'damn, if only I had a 5w with me...'


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## RGDave (Apr 13, 2011)

So a better player would probably benefit more from a lower loft hybrid than an 5 wood of similar loft, whereas a mid-high handicapper is probably better off with the fairway.
		
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I haven't looked into the science, but this is my experience.
I hit my 5 wood quite well but anything under 20 degrees in a hybrid is hopeless for me. I think it's a swing speed thing.
There's a chap on here (he'll know) who has a 15 (16?) degree hybrid which he hits miles and straight - it's astonishing.
I doubt I could get the ball airborne with it....nowhere near enough b-spin.


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## GB72 (Apr 13, 2011)

I had a similar problem filling this gap. Whilst my 4 hybrid is the most consistant club in my bag, I really just could not get on with a 3 hybrid. I went down the 5 wood route, picked up a bargain Benross VX Proto with the Voodoo shaft and love it. This one could be a keeper.


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## Philm (Apr 14, 2011)

i hit a titliest 909h 17degree and its has displaced my callaway 5wood, and will do for the forseeable future.

Only issue with the hybrid is that i can hit it straight and about 200yards(serious distance for me) at the range, but fail to recover that form on the course.


Phil


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## bobmac (Apr 14, 2011)

If you put a club in the bag, (whether it be a 5 wood or 17/18 hybrid) to fill the gap between your 3 iron and 3w you can only have 3 wedges


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## robbest3offthetee (Apr 14, 2011)

BoB, Have not got a 3 iron in my set up,so have,pw,52,56 and 60 vokeys,Ideal....


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## Philm (Apr 14, 2011)

If you put a club in the bag, (whether it be a 5 wood or 17/18 hybrid) to fill the gap between your 3 iron and 3w you can only have 3 wedges 

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what if... you cant hit a 3iron for love nor money so thats not cluttering up your bag AND 3or 4 wedges would be totally wasted on me. my wee cleveland 52 does everything inside 90yards

Phil


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## bobmac (Apr 14, 2011)

what if... you cant hit a 3iron for love nor money
		
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Have you tried a 3 hybrid?


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## Mark_Aged_42 (Apr 14, 2011)

Although I'm as much of a Mizuno fan boy as many others on here, I dumped my Mx-700 5 wood (graphite reg) for an old Cleveland Halo 2i (steel reg). I have got so much more control and confidence with the Halo. Its probably a better match for my swing, and having a shorter shaft helps too. Also the Halo sits square at address, unlike the MX-700, which sits closed and I found that very off putting.
As ever, horses for courses.


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## Oddsocks (Apr 14, 2011)

gm issued some stats a few issues back:

14-16* hybrid - 3w - 1 iron
17-19* hrbrid - 5w - 2 iron
20-21* hrbrid - 7w - 3 iron
22-24* hybrid - 9w - 4 iron
25-27* hybrid - 11w - 5 iron

im not totally sure on these but thats what they reckon.


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## NWJocko (Apr 14, 2011)

If you put a club in the bag, (whether it be a 5 wood or 17/18 hybrid) to fill the gap between your 3 iron and 3w you can only have 3 wedges 

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Only have PW, 52 and 58 as it is and no intention of getting any more!  They do the job for me, an extra one would only confuse me or not be used very often.


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