Hybrid versus 3 iron

[The Saint]

I'm curious to find out since the hybrid craze how many of you have opted for the hybrid and put the 3 iron in the closet.

[beefstuf]

I played with a hybrid for a few rounds but decided to go back to the three iron. I guess I am a bit of a traditionalist in the sense of long irons over fairway woods and hybrids. I do not like the really high ball flight of the hybrid. When I hit long irons I want the ball to run not land high and soft.

[Gopherhomes]

I broke my 3 iron on a punch out shot, thus I now have a 3 hybrid (CFT). Much easier to hit IMO.

[challengegolf]

I took the 3-4-5 irons out of my bag and now play the Hogans CFT Hybrid 3 and 5. The easiest club I have ever hit, they are long,straight and sooooo easy to hit. Once you figure out where to place them in your stance and you play a couple of rounds with them, they will be your go to clubs. I know my CFT 3 is my go to club on narrow par 4 and even sometimes on second shot on par 5 if I don't think that I can reach the green in 2 with my 4 wood. I can hit it between 180-200 yards depending on how strong I swing. I embrase the new technology and thank god for something easier to hit than those dreaded 3-4 irons.
Thanks
Claude

[Big Johnny69]

Saint, you saw me hit my hybrid, as per one of the member's handle states: Left and gone. Can't hit it worth a dime. My hybrid is a two iron equivalent seeing that I don't carry any fwy woods. Give me a three iron anyday. Smoked one today about 230-240ish. Enough said.

[jeffc]

I don't carry a 3 Iron or a 5 wood and have the TM Rescue #2 in the bag instead. It's a real nice go to club off the tee and comes in hand out of the rough and fairways as well. I don't hit a lot of 3 irons types of shots on the course anyways, so I get more use out of this (off the tee for instance) than I would the 3 iron.

[el tigre]

I dislike both long irons and hybrids. I've always hit fairway woods well and I replaced my 3-iron with a 7-wood a long, long time ago. Tried a few hybrids to take the place of my 4-iron but never found one I could hit consistently. Now I have a 9-wood instead and I just love it. Right now the least favourite club in my bag is the 5-iron - so who knows, it could go to.

[mberube]

I hit my 3 iron very good but since I tried a 7 wood I has amazed with the ball flight and the landing.

7 wood all the way.

Mike

[spackler]

I go back and forth between a hybrid and a three iron. Hitting it before I bought it, I thought the hybrid was going to change my game, it was awesome off the tee and the deck. Not so sure now that I've had it out for a few rounds. I'm going to keep plugging away, but I want to try a 7 wood, as I love my 3 and 5. My three iron play is too inconsistent to count on.

[sharkhark]

Last season I took my 3 and 4 irons out of the bag (didn't use them much anyway/not confident) and bought a #2 & #4 graphite reg flex ben hogan cft hybrids.
Awesome clubs. Multiple uses i.e. off the tee as confidence leads to decent distance about 215 yds. Lite to medium rough, hit down it flies out no problem.
If ever stuck in an awkward situation such as sidehill lie and still significant distance i.e. 175 to 190, just choke down and swing away, the solid feel of the club will go.

[Andru]

I'm curious to find out since the hybrid craze how many of you have opted for the hybrid and put the 3 iron in the closet.

bought a 7 wood.

[bobblehead]

I liked the TM Rescue Mid #4 so much that I picked up the #3 recently. Definitely easier to hit than the long irons once I learned to hit down on them.

[GarthM]

I replaced my 3 with a 19° SnakeEyes hybrid. Same loft as my 3 iron yet much more versatile. I can hit it off the tee anywhere from 210-230 and from the fairway on long par 4's and short par 5's it is the money club. I guess you could say I like it.

G.

[BC MIST]

There is no doubt that overall, that a hybrid type club launches the ball higher, is easier to hit out of rough than the corresponding iron it replaces, and therefore accuracy should be better.

Most hybrid clubs take .370 irons shafts so while the head may be better than an iron, the shaft is not. IMO, the best combination is a hybrid head that takes a wood shaft, .335" in tip diamenter, and now you get the benefits of both. The softer tip of the wood shaft deflects forward more through impact, making it easier to achieve good contact and suitable trajectory.

The Wishon 321 LI's, are this type. I have made several for others and they see immediate improvement. My 3 hybrid, I am hitting poorly overall, but that is because my swing has suddenly turned lumpy.

[bbad]

I find that using a hybrid is much easier to hit the ball (off hits) with, but I'm finding it difficult to work the ball with the hybrid. I've been resistant to change (I just recently took my 1 iron out of my bag), but love to hit my long irons, and hit them very solid....average 230 with my 3 iron or so....

The hybrids get the ball way up in the air, but I have problem with hitting them into the wind...maybe it's just me.

Anybody else have these types of problems

[ros_bif]

I currently carry both a 3 and 2 iron, and recently traded out my 3wood for a 16 degree hybrid.

For me, nothing beats the accuracy offa long iron off the tee, and they have so much more feel and control...but it sure is great to have the hybrid around for when i'm in a bad lie, the rough etc.

[Golfbum]

I just put a 21 degree hybrid in my bag today and took out my 3 iron. On my course I don't have to hit the 3 iron often except on one 200 yard par 3. I play Wishon 550C irons and there is not a lot of offset on them, hence I don't hit the 3 iron that high. There are times I need a higher trajactory with a long iron. Hence the hybrid. I will play a few rounds with it and see what happens. However there is nothing better than a well struck 3 iron With less height my 3 iron shots bore through the wind.
It all comes down to a personal preference, if you struggle with longer irons by all means use hybrids. That is what they are designed for, that is why they are one of the best selling clubs on the market other than drivers.

[dbleber]

I use a 3h and 4h, my 3 and 4 irons are in the basement. I too use the Hogan CFT hybrids and if you are in the hybrid market I would give them a long hard look before you buy. They are like butter to hit and the price is a joke for what you are getting compared to other OEM's.

[byerxa]

I put together a Wishon 321LI #2 (18*) with the Wishon 335I graphite iron shaft (stiff). When I am swinging well, I can hit 3 and 2 irons good with a fairly high trajectory (Maltby M-05s hit high). However, the hybrid is more versatile. It is much easier to hit out of the rough than a long iron, and is handy to chip with around the fringe/collar. And I find the trajectory of this club is right in line with my M-05 irons. I specifically chose the Wishon since to me it is a true "hybrid", i.e., plays more like an iron but has some of the forgiveness of a wood.

I swap my #2 hybrid with my Ashton X-1 7 wood depending on the conditions. If it is not too windy and there are par 3s with 210+ carries, the 7 wood is in (I hit towering 200-220 shots with the 7 wood). If it is windy or I don't really see a specific need for a 210-220 shot, the hybrid is in since it hits lower (and more consistently) than the 7 wood. BTW, 4 iron is the highest iron I carry since I have 4 wedges.