When to use them
If you can’t carry the ball for around 240 yards, you should seriously consider replacing your 2- and 3- iron with a hybrid and if you struggle to hit 220 yards consistently you should probably also think twice about your 4-iron. In fact if you feel any apprehension about hitting a long iron, you should consider trying a hybrid.
And it's not just club golfers who appreciate their benefits. Champions Tour player Sammy Rachels once famously quipped. ‘The 2- and 3-iron are like my mother-in-law. I’d like to hit them, but I just can’t’. The Open in 2004 saw PGA rookie Todd Hamilton, who emerged as victor, using his trusty Sonartec hybrid. Hamilton stunned his play-off opponent Ernie Els, with an impressive short game featuring long chips with this club. At the final play-off hole his pitch from 30 yards off the green to within 3 feet of the flag, proved to be the tournament-winning shot. And he used the same club throughout the tournament off the tee on tight driving holes. From tee to green the hybrid was his winning club.
Like Todd Hamilton, you could find hybrid clubs useful in all kinds of situations around the course. Their low centre of gravity makes them easier to hit out of the rough, on tight lies and even out of sand. Here is a list of 5 different instances when you could find a hybrid club invaluable.
1. Off the Tee
Hybrids are great on long par 3s or short par 4s when you need to carry a bunker or water hazard. They have a higher launch angle and consequently come down again on a much steeper angle than a long iron, making it easier to clear the obstacle and stop the ball on the green.
2. From the Fairway
Their distance control and accuracy makes them good for building confidence on long approach shots to the greens on par 5’s and long par 4’s. You could find yourself reaching more par 5’s in two or three, creating more welcome eagle or birdie shots.
3. From the Rough
Long irons have a tendency to get caught up in the rough causing them to twist, resulting in mishits. In contrast, hybrids have a bigger size and mass, helping you to drive through the rough and keep the face square.
4. On Long Bunker Shots
On long bunker shots it is important to hit the ball first, to get it airborne quickly and out of the trap. A hybrid can come in useful here. By moving the ball back in your stance you can promote a steeper angle of attack. The bigger clubhead and larger sole of a hybrid club makes it easier to swing through the sand without catching it heavy.
5. Around the Green
On bump and run shots around the green a hybrid club can help you get the ball rolling on the ground quickly. Its shorter shaft helps you to hit the ball almost like a putt without having to choke down on the shaft. As Todd Hamilton said following his Open Victory “It’s a very versatile club. It’s about a 14-degree loft, so it’s basically a 1-iron and great to chip-and-run
shots with”.
With all these potential uses, you can see just why the hybrid club has earned its reputation as the most versatile club in the bag.
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