Rescue clubs/Recovery woods/Hybrids

[mboy1980]

Call them what you want, but personally I wouldn't be seen dead with one.

I have heard of them being used to "replace a 3 or 4 iron".

Why would you want to do this?

What is wrong with the irons?

They are just a money making gimmick to me.

 

[RGuk]

You're having a laugh, yes?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

mboy

Whats the problem. A large number of tour pro's are carrying hybrid clubs, particularly on the senior tour. If they are good enough for them why shouldn;t club golfers use them.

I carry a Cobra DWS 3 hybrid in place of my 3iron. It gives me extra height when using it on the longer par 3's, I can use it in wet light rough where my 3 iron would get tangled and if I really wanted to I could use it around the green fora pitch and run.

I don't know if your problem stems from vanity or whether you've never really tried a hybrid out but to be honest there are a significant number of guys on here who will disagree with you

 

[medwayjon]

They are fantastic clubs in my eyes and the Bafflers I use are fantastic. Why deny them and make a difficult game even harder.

I hit a 3I ok the other day so when new irons are in order I may opt for irons over rescues but until then the bafflers are firmly in my bag.

Also, if rescues were simply a gimmick there must be a lot of gullible punters on the major tours.

 

[mboy1980]

I've just never seen the point.

I have tried them when out playing practice rounds with mates who have them but they are no better than either long irons of fairway woods.

Maybe it's just the fact that I've never had a problem hitting long irons or fairway woods.

This whole idea that you can play them out of the rough and can't with a long iron is an urban myth.

I can play a long iron out of semi reasonably well.But I accept I can't hit a 3 iron if I am standing in grass up to my shins.But you wouldn't be able to play a hybrid from it either.

 

[theeaglehunter]

out of interest mboy, what is your handicap? Because from a high handicap persepctive hybrids are a godsend. I should imagine its pretty low if you can hit long irons consistently well from a variety of lies in which case fair play to you, but there is no doubt they do work and are not a money making gimmick.

 

[Down_The_Middle]

I carry 4 progen ones in my bag . They replace a 2,3,4,5 iron.I find them easier to hit with. The 2 is a brill club

 

[pjaz]

Its horses for courses.

Some love them (me ) and some don't see the point. Originally seen as a club to help high handicappers but have much more credibility now, especially with many pro's carying them on tour.

 

[brendy]

I still carry my 3 iron etc and have not converted to hybrids (yet) my main reason is that I have a 5 wood that I can cut down a little or a set of irons that I can try to create shots with, If its in the rough, chances are you arnt going to be the most accurate regardless of club used.
Dont get me wrong, if you cant hit a 3 iron then why carry it, likewise a 60 degree club that you might use once in a round, and even then badly! so have a club that you can make use of, Ive no problem with that.

 

[MVP]

personally use a 2iron hybrid, i think 5 and 6 iron hybrids are a bit silly but each to there own!

 

[golfcitydweller]

tried the hybrids/rescue clubs and there great for getting the ball up ,but for where i play i`m finding my 2iron a better club ..great clubs for the higher and lower h`cap`s ..but just not for me

 

[brendy]

A 2 iron is probably the hardest club to hit in the bag as driving irons are usually made with by soles and can sweep the ball, the 2 iron is painful if you mis-hit it. A fella in my fourball uses quite a lot of them as he has a very baseball like swing and doesnt get the distance he would like so they do work for him.

 

[mboy1980]

out of interest mboy, what is your handicap? Because from a high handicap persepctive hybrids are a godsend. I should imagine its pretty low if you can hit long irons consistently well from a variety of lies in which case fair play to you, but there is no doubt they do work and are not a money making gimmick.

5.

 

[GB72]

As a high handicap golfer, I ove my hybrids. At a push I can hit a 3 or 4 iron off the tee or fairway but not out of the amount of situations that I can use my hybrid. Also, when the sand is wet I find it great out of fairway bunkers. These are not gimmicks but vital clubs in my bag.

 

[backwoodsman]

I ain't agin the idea of hybrids but as a high handicapper, I just get confused as to what's what. My irons are 3-9 plus PW,SW. To swap in a hybrid or two, and or an extra wedge or two - what do you drop from the bag? I can't imagine being without any of the original set?

 

[thecraw]

I dont really see the point of this thread other than to $h1t stir. Frankly myboy I can guarentee that a hybrid will cut through the semi better than an iron and it will generate height quicker as well as fly further and land softer. Hybrids are designed for a purpose and if you chose not to use them then good on you!

 

[RGuk]

OK..so you play off 5, and I'm guessing don't struggle with launching rapier 3 irons at the greens. Great news....for you. (I'm not being sarcastic either).

I have been using a 3H for some time, in place of my 2,3 and 4 iron! Off the tee full blown, it's much more reliable than the 2 iron, off the deck easier to use than a 3 iron and choked down goes the distance of a 4 iron....not a bad club to have then!! I still carry the 4 iron for 2 tee shots, because it's marginaly straighter. For me, it's a great club, used off the fairway or out of the fluffy stuff. It's a predicatable lay-up on the long holes.....

I do, of course, appreciate your position. I played with two 8 h'cap'rs yesterday, neither has a rescue, but they are hitting 2 clubs less to the green than me and on the long holes have no qualms pulling out a 3 wood and nailing it 220-230!

For an average player they are up there with the best of modern inventions....in my opinion.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Backwoodsman

I was like you until last year and thought my set had to be the one I bought (e.g. 3 iron through to SW). However by listening to the thoughts and experiences of fellow forum members it became clear that I wasn't really striking my 3 iron consistently enough and that I should give a hybrid a go.

I must have tried at least 10 of the most popular ones (from budget ranges like Ben Sayers and MD through to Taylormade, Mizuno and Callaway). In the end I went for the Cobra DWS baffler 3 hybrid and to be honest really haven't looked back.

Since then I have changed the SW from my original set to one which suits the bunkers at my club more and was using a LW but have since dispenced with that in favour of a 52 wedge to make the gap between my wedges smaller.

My advice for you as a high handicapper would be to ditch the 3 iron and find a hybrid that suits. No one will moan that you haven't got a full or matching set. Its all about making the game as easy as possible.

 

[Lloydy84]

Picture this, you have 190 odd yards to a green, with water in front of it and o.b behind you've found a soggy lie on the fairway. what would you rather be pulling out of your bag...

no doubt 3 irons have many useful attributes, personally i carry 3 wood, 2 hybrid, 3 iron... i usually just use my 3 iron to play a really low runner when ito the wind, plus it's very easy to shape the ball with it, so i can see what mboy is getting at. but i think a hybrid offers so much more margin for error, therefore giving you confidence to hit it high, low, whatever. The benefits for higher hcappers are even greater, i play with a 25 hcapper who is woeful with most clubs, but give him a 160- 170yd shot to a green, he'll whip out his 5 hybrid and put it safely on.

 

[brendy]

I think the hybrid definately offers more height, I can put height on my 3 iron but it usually means sacrificing distance, I just havent felt the need to go hybrid though.