Hybrid pros and cons

[s1john]

Like a few people i know i struggle with my 3 and 4 irons off the ground, i am fine off a small tee. I use callaway X20 irons and am normally quite good with all the others distance wise but as said have issues with the 3 and 4.

All my friends have changed to hybrids to replace these 2 and i am toying with the idea of doing the same, so what are the pros and cons of hybrids if any and what do people recommend??

 

[CannyFifer]

I use hybrids as I cant use the long irons but I often top them when not playing well, mind you i do that with my irons too
ps - Is that my avatar

 

[drawboy]

Tsk, avatar dopplegangers scourge of the forum.

 

[s1john]

ps - Is that my avatar

LOL it is the same Doh, are you on Ebay as thats where i got the pic from?

 

[CannyFifer]

Have this one as they're your clubs, still look the same though, lol

 

[s1john]

Nice one, cheers fella been looking for a x20 one

 

[Kellfire]

I was looking for a hybrid to put into my bag and a great deal made the decision for me - £30 for a Cleveland Launcher 18* for this weekend only. It's a bit of a gamble as I've never hit the club but it won't be a costly mistake.

I was very much anti-hybrids when I first started playing but I've seen the light. I struggle with pushing them right but I get the ball airborne much more consistently than I could with my long irons.

 

[RGDave]

Like a few people i know i struggle with my 3 and 4 irons off the ground, i am fine off a small tee. I use callaway X20 irons and am normally quite good with all the others distance wise but as said have issues with the 3 and 4.

All my friends have changed to hybrids to replace these 2 and i am toying with the idea of doing the same, so what are the pros and cons of hybrids if any and what do people recommend??

I have been messing around with hybrid clubs for 2 years. The first one I got was an internet buy, which failed dramatically; I couldn't get to grips with it and yet when I put it in the hands of some friends (who all play stiff shafted clubs co-incidentally) they got on great with it.
Just goes to show a "reg" flex in one make of shaft isn't necessarily the same as another.

I have a 3 iron replacement club (it even says so on the headcover!) a Wilson Staff fybrid, which is absolutely perfect for me. First game out with it I used it on three tees (par 4s) and for 3 par 3s, all of which I hit spot on. Me and the club are inseparable.

I toyed with the idea of another but felt that "doubling up" was pretty pointless. I can easily take 10 yards off the 3 rescue no problem at all, in fact I've used it for as little as 165 yards out of fluffy lies.

We have two holes at mine where a high shot about 5 iron distance (both over trees) is the order of the day and persuaded my sister to buy me a 5 rescue for my birthday. I have to say, for me, it's not a great club. I lose some distance and can't honestly say I can hit it straighter than a regular 5 iron.

For now, I use 5-PW regular irons, a Callaway Big Bertha 4 iron (which I hit really well, off all lies) and a rescue 3.

I think rescue/hybrid clubs are great, but i.m.o. start with a 3 and see how you get on. With a 3 and a 5 in my shed, if someone offered me a 4, I'd say no.......but then again, I chose to buy a super game improvement 4 iron as opposed to a hybrid for a specific reason......I wanted an easy club but still wanted to be able to shape shots, which I can't seem to do with a rescue.

I hope these thoughts are of some use.

 

[NickSwan]

I replaced my 3 and 4 iron with 3 and 4 cleveland launcher hybrids 18 months ago and it has made a huge difference. The issue I find is because they fly the ball higher they don't go as far in a head wind as I imagine a 3/4 iron would - but the forgiveness of the clubs more than does away with that small problem.

Nick

 

[HomerJSimpson]

For the vast majority a hybrid will give you more forgiveness, more options and more shots than a long iron. Simple as. I see a lot of mid-high handicapper with 3 irons adn more often than not they take this from the light rough and it gets a little caught by the longer grass and then don't hit it well. I take a hybrid in a similar situation and even if I don't hit it perfectly it will cut through and pop out a lot cleaner. It comes down softer off the tee especially useful on my clubs par 3's and I've even been known to chip with it

 

[BushFinder]

I just cant stop violently hooking my hybrid

It staying in the bag till I can hit it!

It's 4 iron for long approaches for the time being!

BushFinder

 

[Kellfire]

A range session with the Cleveland Launcher 18* has shown me how easy it is to get off the deck but given how well I hit my 5i, I'm thinking get the 4i to complete my S2 max set and that only leaves a 4* difference between my 4i and my 18* hybrid. Given the more penetrating flight of the 4i, that difference is slightly negated so no need for a 3i for me.

 

[bobmac]

I like both long irons and hybrids, it just depends what type of shot I'm playing.
I've just bought this little beauty off ebay for £10 which matches the rest of my irons so will be giving it a swing this afternoon