Hybrids

One of the hardest clubs to hit in the golf bag is the long iron; they are low lofted and have less consistency and forgiveness than shorter irons for most recreational golfers. Instead, golfers can turn to a more modern take on a long iron to help golfers see more consistency on the course: the hybrid.

Adding a hybrid can help a golfer who wants to carry a 5-iron in their bag, but also wants to carry a 3-wood and 5-wood. The loft gap between a 5-wood (19-21 degrees) and a 5-iron (24-26 degrees) is going to create a serious gap in distance. By adding a 3- or 4-hybrid, you can bridge that gap and have a better chance at attacking the course! Hybrids come in a few different styles and have various uses on the course.

Traditional Hybrid Clubs

The traditional hybrid is a longer, graphite-shafted club with a clubhead that looks like a combination between an iron head and a wood head. The result is a club with expanded forgiveness, increased spin, and therefore increased distance. These clubs have advantages over both woods and irons. Over woods, they can be hit in a wider range of lies, from heavier rough to tight lies on the fairways to fairway bunkers; a hybrid can help get the player back into a great position. When compared to irons, the increase in forgiveness and spin allows a golfer to have more control and take on bigger risks from further away when attacking a hole.

Utility Driving Irons

Do you have a faster swing speed and thus a faster ball speed? Maybe you should consider a utility driving iron instead of a hybrid. These clubs have a slightly wider sole than an iron, usually a hollow head construction, and perform well for those with shallower swing planes. Many players choose to utilize these clubs off the tee when they feel called to control the tee shot or need to hit it short of trouble.

How Many Should I Have in My Bag?

While this answer tends to depend on the golfer and their preferred setups, the general rule of thumb would be to replace a 3- or 4-iron with a hybrid and then add one more to close the distance gap between your woods and irons. For the regular player, no more than three would be best, but as you get older and your swing speed dies down, adding more can benefit and revitalize the golf game!

Talk with an Expert

Come check out all of the best hybrid and utility driving irons at Curated where not only do we have the latest and greatest, we have a team of Experts ready to help you narrow down what is best for your game and what can help bring that handicap down in a jiffy!