Hybrids versus Fairway Woods

[AmandaJR]

So, this old nutmeg again! A bit of history - when I started playing 5 years ago I had a set of Mizuno irons with a 3 & 4 iron hybrid replacement. Hit them quite nicely. Upgraded to c/f Ping G20's with just the 4 iron hybrid which was the ugliest thing I've ever seen and never really got over that at address! Sold it and replaced with a Ping Rapture with a more traditional shape. I also had a G20 3 and 5 wood and never really got on with them - spells of success with the 5 but the 3 was awful.

Posted on here and Imurg suggested Callaway Fairway Woods which had smaller, deeper heads which is the look I prefer. Bought a 5 wood on Ebay (Big Bertha Fusion) and loved it from the outset. Meantime my hybrids seemed to be losing their lustre so went for a matching 7 wood in the Callaway and also since a 3 wood. I hit them all lovely off the tee but a bit hit and miss from the fairway - usually a heavy contact. I also feel I need a different key swing thought with them to my irons as my poor swing is an ott cut which I seldom do with my irons.

So, move on about 8 months and my iron striking is probably as good as it's ever been - or better! It got me to thinking about whether improvements/changes in my swing meant my hybrids lustre may have returned. Rather sensibly I had kept them just in case this moment occurred - the golf swing being such a transient thing after all! Took my 21 degree to the range today and after working on my irons (trying to get a "later" hit) I then hit a few balls with the hybrid with the exact same swing and swing thoughts. I smashed it - really smashed it, and would say the range balls were going the same distance proper balls go with my 21 degree 7 wood. That's hard to fully measure though so some on course comparisons would be required.

I'm still somewhat confused as to what advantages/disadvantages there are between the two club types. I have a 24 and 18 degree version and not sure where they would/should fit next to the fairway woods (not that there's room for all of them)! Should the swing, ball position, set up etc be the same for both or not?

Any advice/opinions much appreciated.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would have thought the hybrid would give a higher ball flight than the woods. I guess the proof of the pudding would be to take the hybrid out for a test on the course again and see how it feels.

 

[the_coach]

With a 3 or 5 metal or hybrid you still want the low point of your swing arc to be target side of the ball, so you need your weight on your lead leg, hip cleared left through impact.
You're striking ball first, ground second so you want to think of swinging as you would with an iron, with the hybrid the ball will be in the same position as you would with a say 4i, strike ball first ground second.

With the 5 or 3 metal the ball position is maybes half a ball to a ball further forward in your stance. That will ultimately depend on exactly where the low point of your swing arc is with these clubs.

Best USPGA strikers of the 3 wood/metal or hybrid all take ball first & at the very least take a small scrape of turf after, you're not looking for a steep swing big divot.

The extra length ot the shafts with the 3 & 5 metals a to a lesser extent the hybrids mean that the swing will naturally bit a little shallower anyways you don't have to do anything in the swing itself that's already taken care of in the set-up as naturally you'll be a tad further away from the ball too given the shaft length.

The really good shot you experienced is because of the things falling in to place I've described above, ball first ground contact after. The 'you've gotta sweep the ball', thinking, off the ground with the 3,5 & hybrids is the main reason lots of folks have such trouble with them.

Once you get the strike better & more consistent you can then work out which of the clubs will be better for you in the bag.

 

[AmandaJR]

With a 3 or 5 metal or hybrid you still want the low point of your swing arc to be target side of the ball, so you need your weight on your lead leg, hip cleared left through impact.
You're striking ball first, ground second so you want to think of swinging as you would with an iron, with the hybrid the ball will be in the same position as you would with a say 4i, strike ball first ground second.

With the 5 or 3 metal the ball position is maybes half a ball to a ball further forward in your stance. That will ultimately depend on exactly where the low point of your swing arc is with these clubs.

Best USPGA strikers of the 3 wood/metal or hybrid all take ball first & at the very least take a small scrape of turf after, you're not looking for a steep swing big divot.

The extra length ot the shafts with the 3 & 5 metals a to a lesser extent the hybrids mean that the swing will naturally bit a little shallower anyways you don't have to do anything in the swing itself that's already taken care of in the set-up as naturally you'll be a tad further away from the ball too given the shaft length.

The really good shot you experienced is because of the things falling in to place I've described above, ball first ground contact after. The 'you've gotta sweep the ball', thinking, off the ground with the 3,5 & hybrids is the main reason lots of folks have such trouble with them.

Once you get the strike better & more consistent you can then work out which of the clubs will be better for you in the bag.

Thanks, that makes perfect sense as my focus has been a later hit with the low point of my swing being after the ball. I've always tended to release a bit early so this past few lessons have been to try and nail that. It's getting there, with divots after the ball and also hitting the range mat after the ball (and scraping range mat off the leading edge more often)! I think I'll pop the 21 degree in the bag for some on course practice too and see where it takes me.