Hybrid Golf Clubs

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Hybrid Golf Clubs – What are They?

 

Hybrid Golf Clubs are, in effect, a golf club that is a cross between a wood and an iron. They are used primarily to take shots that would normally be taken with either a long iron or fairway wood. Hybrid clubs are also sometimes referred to as recovery clubs or rescue clubs.

Why Would You Buy Hybrid Golf Clubs?

Many golfers, particularly those with higher handicaps, find long irons difficult to hit. It is quite common for high handicap players to avoid using long irons altogether. In fact it is not unusual for them to carry nothing any longer than a five iron in their bag.

This is one of the reasons that beginner golfers find it difficult to reach long par fours and par fives in regulation. They simply do not have the artillery to hit the ball long distances from the fairway.

To try to compensate many golfers will attempt to play long shots from the fairway with a fairway wood.

Fairway woods have a larger 'sweet spot' than long irons. They do however have longer shafts and require a different swing style to that required for long irons. Learning to hit a ball cleanly off a tight lie from a fairway with a wood can be quite difficult.

Hybrid golf clubs usually have shafts that are only slightly longer than the iron they are designed to replace.

The heads of hybrid golf clubs are similar in appearance to those of a wood but is shallower in both height and depth than that of a traditional wood. They are usually made from titanium or hollow steel. In order to maintain the feel of an iron the sole of a hybrid is flatter than you would find on a wooden club. The lofts of hybrid golf clubs are very similar to (or slightly higher than) those of the corresponding iron.

The swing required to use a hybrid golf club is very similar to that required for an iron. Hybrid golf clubs have larger sweet spots than irons, making them much more forgiving.

The heads of hybrids are generally heavier than those of irons. This can have the effect of slowing down the swing speed but actually increases the amount of force applied at point of impact.

Hybrid Golf Clubs can be used successfully in a wide range of situations. Their unique head design allows them to be used in light or medium rough. They can also be used from fairway bunkers, if the lie is fairly good, when you want the ball to carry longer distances.

The ball flight of hybrid golf clubs is higher than that of the equivalent iron. This is largely because the centre of gravity of the club face of a hybrid is lower than than of an iron.

A ball with a higher ball flight will land more softly. This will help the ball to stop quickly on the green when playing long approach shots.




Hybrid Golf Clubs – Complete Golf Sets

Although hybrid golf clubs are most commonly used to replace 'hard to hit' four and three irons in the bag these are not the only choices available.

Some full golf sets are supplied with a 3, 4 and 5 hybrid as standard. There are also a limited number of manufacturers who make complete sets of golf clubs made up entirely of hybrid clubs.

Hybrid Clubs - Read more on Wikipedia