Hybrids are meant to be easier aren't they?

[Orikoru]

The general school of thought seems to be that higher handicappers can benefit from having a hybrid as they are easier to hit than long irons. So I first got one in March last year, it was an Adams blue hybrid. I struggled with it though, the shaft was incredibly light at 55 grams and I thought that may have been the issue as it felt very whippy and the strike varied wildly. Eventually after a year of trying to make that work I sold it and got a Benross hybrid with a 70 gram shaft instead. Initially this was much better, hit it beautifully when I tried it out which caused me to purchase it, and the first couple of rounds it was good. However it's now reverting back to type and I'm very inconsistent with it again.

So the alternative is a 4 iron perhaps, but long irons were never my forté at all. Since I got my current irons at the start of this year, my 5 iron consistency has improved tenfold, although with not the quickest swing speed, I'm not sure a 4 iron would go any further for me than the 5 iron does.

I have a 5 wood (which is more like 4 wood loft I would say) in the bag, but while it's ok off the tee it's also very hit and miss off the ground. Probably more miss than hit.

Is there another option? I've seen the Ping crossovers, they're a bit pricey, but that's probably the only other option out there that might be worth trying. Failing that, I either keep practising the current hybrid and hope it comes good eventually, or keep selling and buying different hybrids until I land on one that works!? Either way it needs sorting but I'm at a loss at this point.

 

[Crazyface]

I don't like them. I'm currently lugging an Adams one around with me, but I am very loathe to get it out of the bag. It seems to require a different swing to make it work correctly.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Hit it like your trying to fade a 4 iron.

 

[micklson66]

I have always been told that they are easier to hit than irons.
Personally, i cant hit them at all and have stuck with long irons.

Rather than buying and selling different hybrids if i were you i'd get properly fitted and practice with the one you get until you master it

 

[FuzzyDuck]

I'm the opposite, I have a Callaway XR Series 3 Hybrid and love it, I often hit my 2nd/3rd shots with it further than my driver. I also use it off the tee on long par 3's where I can't reach with an iron. The face is starting to get a little battered and I will be sad when it's gone!

I've tried 3 and 5 woods but can't get on with them at all. It's got a stiff shaft which normally I would not spec (regular or light is normally what I go for), I suspect the stiffness helps with consistency.

 

[Beezerk]

A) stick with the hybrid
B) forget about going for greens from 200 yards out and focus on keeping it in play with a shorter 2nd shot 😉

 

[Lord Tyrion]

This was me until halfway through last year. Not enough club head speed, or ability, to hit a 4 or 5 iron, hybrids were hitting the ball all over the place. On a good day it was wonderful but there were precious few good days. This left a 7 iron as my longest, reliable club, yikes! I went to a pro and asked for a lesson specifically on hitting these devilish little clubs that everyone kept telling me was a cheats club, they were that simple . The lesson went well and I have slowly become pretty reliable with it. I don't hit them miles but I have a 23° Ping G25 that I can repeatedly hit straight for 165-175 yds. That will do for me.

The key things for me, doesn't mean they will work for you of course but our h/c are similar:

Swing slowly, I mean really slowly. The reality is it is not that slow, it just feels it and means your arms and body work together. The temptation is to lash the little blighter, you have to fight that.

Take a 3/4 swing. It is enough and gives you more control, keeps the tempo slow as well.

Check your alignment. My chest was open so now I pull back my right shoulder. It feels very odd and I have to force it but it has straightened me up enormously.

I concentrate my left eye, dominant eye for me, on the back of the ball. Not the middle or the whole ball, specifically the back of the ball. This has improved my ball striking immeasurably as instead of thinning the ball, basically picking it up off the grass, I am now hitting through it.


I would never call a hybrid an easy club, I always have to think and work at it but by following the above I suddenly have a repeatable 2nd shot for long par 4's and par 5's that I never had before. For shorter hitters or those with slow club head speed they are worth trying to work out.

Clearly, some of the above points are specific to me but I think the points about slow swing speed and 3/4 length swing would apply to anyone who is struggling with these clubs.

 

[bobmac]

Buying and selling hybrids in the hope one will fit a flawed technique will never work.
Practicing with no specific goals in the hope it comes good eventually will probably never work.

To hit any club well you need good technique.
That requires good, structured and informed practice.
Have a lesson with the clubs you have and practice what you are taught. Then as your technique improves you'll be able to hit anything.

Your swing isn't that far off from being pretty good, it just needs tweaking here and there.

 

[need_my_wedge]

The general school of thought seems to be that higher handicappers can benefit from having a hybrid as they are easier to hit than long irons. So I first got one in March last year, it was an Adams blue hybrid. I struggled with it though, the shaft was incredibly light at 55 grams and I thought that may have been the issue as it felt very whippy and the strike varied wildly. Eventually after a year of trying to make that work I sold it and got a Benross hybrid with a 70 gram shaft instead. Initially this was much better, hit it beautifully when I tried it out which caused me to purchase it, and the first couple of rounds it was good. However it's now reverting back to type and I'm very inconsistent with it again.

So the alternative is a 4 iron perhaps, but long irons were never my forté at all. Since I got my current irons at the start of this year, my 5 iron consistency has improved tenfold, although with not the quickest swing speed, I'm not sure a 4 iron would go any further for me than the 5 iron does.

I have a 5 wood (which is more like 4 wood loft I would say) in the bag, but while it's ok off the tee it's also very hit and miss off the ground. Probably more miss than hit.

Is there another option? I've seen the Ping crossovers, they're a bit pricey, but that's probably the only other option out there that might be worth trying. Failing that, I either keep practising the current hybrid and hope it comes good eventually, or keep selling and buying different hybrids until I land on one that works!? Either way it needs sorting but I'm at a loss at this point.

Am in a similar boat. I always got on well with hybrids, and like them a lot. I currently have an M4 4H, which was flying a country mile when I bought it. I absolutely loved it at first, then had a few swing issues and couldn't hit it for toffee. Scratched the hell out of it with duff shots, and now can't face using it. Take it to the range occasionally, but just don't feel comfortable teeing it up. As I still hit my irons fairly well, I'm on the look out for a Callaway Apex 4 UT in the hope that this replaces the M4.

I know it's all in the head, I can obviously go the lesson route, but every time I go for a lesson, I tell my pro what's wrong, he says hit a few shots, and it all seems instantly good, until I get back on the course.....

 

[ScienceBoy]

tell my pro what's wrong, he says hit a few shots, and it all seems instantly good, until I get back on the course.....

The answer to that is super obvious, have a lesson on the course.

When I was a member of a club I would never dream of booking a block of lessons without a playing lesson at the end. It’s essential to make the most of all that came before it.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm the opposite, I have a Callaway XR Series 3 Hybrid and love it, I often hit my 2nd/3rd shots with it further than my driver. I also use it off the tee on long par 3's where I can't reach with an iron. The face is starting to get a little battered and I will be sad when it's gone!

I've tried 3 and 5 woods but can't get on with them at all. It's got a stiff shaft which normally I would not spec (regular or light is normally what I go for), I suspect the stiffness helps with consistency.

Hmm, it might be worth me trying a stiff shaft one. I've never really considered that, since I've only ever had regular shafted clubs. Although new club syndrome seems to make anything work on the range when you first try it!

This was me until halfway through last year. Not enough club head speed, or ability, to hit a 4 or 5 iron, hybrids were hitting the ball all over the place. On a good day it was wonderful but there were precious few good days. This left a 7 iron as my longest, reliable club, yikes! I went to a pro and asked for a lesson specifically on hitting these devilish little clubs that everyone kept telling me was a cheats club, they were that simple . The lesson went well and I have slowly become pretty reliable with it. I don't hit them miles but I have a 23° Ping G25 that I can repeatedly hit straight for 165-175 yds. That will do for me.

The key things for me, doesn't mean they will work for you of course but our h/c are similar:

Swing slowly, I mean really slowly. The reality is it is not that slow, it just feels it and means your arms and body work together. The temptation is to lash the little blighter, you have to fight that.

Take a 3/4 swing. It is enough and gives you more control, keeps the tempo slow as well.

Check your alignment. My chest was open so now I pull back my right shoulder. It feels very odd and I have to force it but it has straightened me up enormously.

I concentrate my left eye, dominant eye for me, on the back of the ball. Not the middle or the whole ball, specifically the back of the ball. This has improved my ball striking immeasurably as instead of thinning the ball, basically picking it up off the grass, I am now hitting through it.

I would never call a hybrid an easy club, I always have to think and work at it but by following the above I suddenly have a repeatable 2nd shot for long par 4's and par 5's that I never had before. For shorter hitters or those with slow club head speed they are worth trying to work out.

Clearly, some of the above points are specific to me but I think the points about slow swing speed and 3/4 length swing would apply to anyone who is struggling with these clubs.

Interesting thoughts. I have noticed it working better when I swing slower, but the fact that it's lighter than a long iron seems to make it difficult to keep it slow. Sometimes it almost seems to whip through uncontrollably! In fairness I already have a short backswing on every shot, I've been doing that for a while and it's improved consistency with most clubs. The other stuff you've said I'll have to think about next time I'm out there, cheers.

Buying and selling hybrids in the hope one will fit a flawed technique will never work.
Practicing with no specific goals in the hope it comes good eventually will probably never work.

To hit any club well you need good technique.
That requires good, structured and informed practice.
Have a lesson with the clubs you have and practice what you are taught. Then as your technique improves you'll be able to hit anything.

Your swing isn't that far off from being pretty good, it just needs tweaking here and there.

Agree that I don't want to keep selling and buying new ones. That's a trial-and-error process that could go on indefinitely. I have always been a bit resistent to lessons for multiple reasons, but I can see I'm going down a dark alley here without them now. Most other aspects of my game I've been to improve just through regular play, but not this. Maybe time to bite the bullet and go for it.

 

[Orikoru]

The answer to that is super obvious, have a lesson on the course.

When I was a member of a club I would never dream of booking a block of lessons without a playing lesson at the end. It’s essential to make the most of all that came before it.

That's fair, but in this situation, a hybrid isn't something I regularly need to use on the course. On a typical 18 holes there might only be 3 times I need to use the hybrid. This relative lack of use is probably another thing holding me back with it - a club you use often would obviously improve faster you would think.

 

[garyinderry]

try different ball positions mixed with how you actually attack the ball. either sweeping or slightly down.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

As someone who always loved long irons, I was in a similar position re never hitting hybrids well. After a few different ones, and shafts I have gone to the Ping Crossover and banished the hybrids to the "need to sell really" bag. I dont care what anyone says about the club, it works well for me

 

[Slab]

They might well be easier to hit than the equivalent distance iron but the player still has to do the job (I realise that sounds bloomin obvious) but I wonder if there’s a subconscious expectation, at least in part, that because they are easy to hit that the club somehow has a ‘automatic’ flip switch and all you need to do is address the ball and swing

All the usual parameters and dynamics are still in play as they are for any club in order to get a decent hit on it

i.e the putter is the easiest club to hit in the whole bag but we’re not all great putters
A driver is also a very easy club to hit (let’s face it the head is massive you can’t really miss!) but perhaps it’s the hardest club to hit well

Hybrids are easy to hit compared to the iron its replacing, but you still gotta do it right

 

[Lord Tyrion]

That's fair, but in this situation, a hybrid isn't something I regularly need to use on the course. On a typical 18 holes there might only be 3 times I need to use the hybrid. This relative lack of use is probably another thing holding me back with it - a club you use often would obviously improve faster you would think.

I'm on a long course now. I either had to develop hitting hybrids or move clubs! I use a hybrid, I have a 23° and 26° one, on 17 of our 18 holes. That tends to focus your mind and make you very determined to learn. Learn or bust basically.

On the swing speed point, they are so light in your hands that the urge to swing fast is overwhelming. It is a constant fight for me but swinging slower has really helped. Part of that is also accepting the distance I can hit with the club. My son hits the same club 200-220yds but I have come to terms with a shorter distance in order to be consistent and straight. The compromise is worth it to me.

 

[HankMarvin]

Practice Practice Practice and wear a red shirt as the shirt will help you get good clean strikes at the ball any other colours just don’t do it

 

[bobmac]

Maybe time to bite the bullet and go for it.

It's not like going to the dentist, it won't hurt.

 

[garyinderry]

I'm on a long course now. I either had to develop hitting hybrids or move clubs! I use a hybrid, I have a 23° and 26° one, on 17 of our 18 holes. That tends to focus your mind and make you very determined to learn. Learn or bust basically.

On the swing speed point, they are so light in your hands that the urge to swing fast is overwhelming. It is a constant fight for me but swinging slower has really helped. Part of that is also accepting the distance I can hit with the club. My son hits the same club 200-220yds but I have come to terms with a shorter distance in order to be consistent and straight. The compromise is worth it to me.

You know that hybrids come in all shapes and sizes. they are certainly not all 'so light'.

 

[Tashyboy]

Bob mac and Beezerk make excellent points, ironically a point which LT explains so well.
if a high handicapper can hit a ball to a well guarded green from 200 yds. He ain't a high handicapper. Laying up and chipping on is the easier option.
As Bob Mac says. It ain't th club, it's the flawed swing, as LT noticed when he went for his lesson which fixed his problem when using a hybrid. A problem which may be differant to yours.
Me I always seem to hit it better when it is in the first cut sat up a little bit.