Hybrid Club

[davevandyk]

I am in the market for a new hybrid club and was wondering what everybody thought was the best one. I have heard that the Sonartec MD was amazing, but i haven't heard much about the others. I am not to worried about the price, i am just looking for the pure best hybrid, factoring out the high prices.

dave

[DMurkman]

Dave: About three weeks ago I bought a Mizuno Fli-Hi 21* hybrid. I have to tell that four rounds with the club have really gotten me excited. It absolutely goes where you point it, is easy to hit high and soft, and instills a great amount of confidence to the golfer holding this bad boy. I have knocked it down fairways on par fives nearly as far as my three wood (low trajectory, little draw action), and hit it high and soft to 200-210 yard par three's. It feels great, has a little longer shaft (ExSar stiff) than my old three wood did, and really feels smooth at impact. I can't offer a higher recommendation.

Hope this helps some!

DMurkman - from the Alamo City

[themob]

I'm looking for a hybrid type club too. Something a bit longer than a 3 iron but that dosnt hook as often. So around 19-20*

Particularly i dont want one with a very closed face meant for the high handicappers. I play a tight lies GT 3 wood that gets me 250-260Yds so i want a nice in the fairway 230 from a hybrid for short par 4's and longer par 5's maybe.

Any ideas?

[mmills820105]

I'm a huge endorser of the Nike CPR hybrids. I've never really used the Nike equipment, but I find this hybrid to be the best available. I was sold the second I hit my first shot. You should definitely check that one out if you're in the market.

[BC MIST]

I'm a huge endorser of the Nike CPR hybrids. I've never really used the Nike equipment, but I find this hybrid to be the best available. I was sold the second I hit my first shot. You should definitely check that one out if you're in the market.

I recognize that the setup appearance of a hybrid is important to most golfers, however, and while my bias is obvious, why would you not be shopping around for a suitable shaft, with a hybrid head on it, than a hybrid head, with God knows what shaft in it?

If the purpose of the hybrid is to replace a long iron, but make it easier to hit, ie., get the ball up in the air, how can this best be achieved?

1. make the head weight the same as the iron it replaces
2. make the shaft length the same length as the iron it replaces
3. make the butt stiffness the same as the iron it replaces
4. make the tip diamenter the same as the iron it replaces (.370")
If these 4 happen, then all you have is a fancy long iron. where, if the centre of gravity is low enough, may help you get the ball up in the air a little bit. Big deal. So, what to do?

Simple: Use a wood diameter tipped shaft and keep #1, 2, and 3, as above. By doing this, there will be a little more foreward bending of the shaft at impact which will increase the launch angle of the ball,(easier to hit) making it carry a little farther and making it a more accurate, too.

Therefore, IMO, if the hybrid you want to buy has a smaller tipped shaft, it will perform better for you than one with an iron shaft in it. If this seems reasonable, when you go to look for one, you have enough information to ask some pertinent questions. This is what Tom Wishon does with his hybrids and it sure makes sense.

Lastly, if the head you like has an iron shaft in it, it may be possible to put a wood shaft in it by using a shim that with increase the inside hosel diameter from .335 to .370, without inhibiting the shafts ability to kick the head foreward.

[LobWedge]

Or, get yourself a decent 7-wood.

[BC MIST]

Or, get yourself a decent 7-wood.

Bingo!!! The hybrids are a fad and perhaps a good one, as there is no doubt that they enable we mortals to get the ball up in the air a lot easier. However, a "decent 7 wood" is a better choice because it has the added advantage of enabling the golfer to hit a good shot out of the rough, whereas a hybrid is disadvantageous from a similar lie.

As the 7 wood is "on set", that is, the leading edge is ahead of the shaft, it cuts through the long grass before the grass can get wrapped around the hosel, resulting in a better shot. Its only disadvantage is that the club is a bit longer than the hybrid long iron. Most hybrids are close to being "zero offset," so long grass will wrap around the hosel too soon, causing a pull of a hook.

I tried the Snake Eyes Quick Strike hybrids several years a go when they first came out and found that they were wonderful from the tee or fairway, however, from the rough they were the worst clubs I had ever hit, and quickly went back to a traditional fairway wood.

[el tigre]

Bingo!!! The hybrids are a fad and perhaps a good one, as there is no doubt that they enable we mortals to get the ball up in the air a lot easier. However, a "decent 7 wood" is a better choice because it has the added advantage of enabling the golfer to hit a good shot out of the rough, whereas a hybrid is disadvantageous from a similar lie.

As the 7 wood is "on set", that is, the leading edge is ahead of the shaft, it cuts through the long grass before the grass can get wrapped around the hosel, resulting in a better shot. Its only disadvantage is that the club is a bit longer than the hybrid long iron. Most hybrids are close to being "zero offset," so long grass will wrap around the hosel too soon, causing a pull of a hook.

I tried the Snake Eyes Quick Strike hybrids several years a go when they first came out and found that they were wonderful from the tee or fairway, however, from the rough they were the worst clubs I had ever hit, and quickly went back to a traditional fairway wood.

That may be true for the Snake Eyes Quick Strike clubs, but I don't think you can categorically state that fairway woods are better than hybrids for hitting out of the rought. Not all hybrids are designed the same - so it depends very much on the design features and characteristics of the particular club. Many hybrids are actually designed and promoted as "rescue" clubs - and personally I've never needed to be "rescued" from the fairway!

A good example of what I'm talking about is the two versions of the Mizuno Fli-Hi, which can be found on their website here: http://www.mizunousa.com/equipment.n...~Clubs~Utility

The Fli-Hi II is an iron-like hybrid, where the shaft definately leads the clubface into the ball. I've never tried it but I imagine it would have the problems hitting out of the rough as you described above. However, the Fli-Hi CLK is more like a fairway wood, with the leading edge ahead of the shaft. Most wood-like hybrids are now designed this way - they have the added advantages in the rough of a shorter shaft and heavier head. I have a Taylor Made 200 Steel 9-wood and a Taylor Made Rescue Mid of the same loft - the leading edge of the shaft is about the same for both.

In my experience, shallow-faced fairway woods like the Adams Tight Lies, TM 200 Steel or the Orlimar Trimetals can be very tricky out of the rough unless you have a nice lie and the grass is not thick. Hybrids with a little taller clubface and more head weight often work better, and "tall" fairway woods like almost every Callaway work very well. But to each his own, I guess.

[mmills820105]

However, a "decent 7 wood" is a better choice because it has the added advantage of enabling the golfer to hit a good shot out of the rough, whereas a hybrid is disadvantageous from a similar lie.

I don't necessarily agree. The CPR, called the Club for Prevention & Recovery, is the best club I've ever used from the rough. Everyone I let try it also agrees.

[BC MIST]

I don't necessarily agree. The CPR, called the Club for Prevention & Recovery, is the best club I've ever used from the rough. Everyone I let try it also agrees.

If you have found a club that works well from the rough then it will obviously help your game. This is great. As pointed out not all hybrids have zero offset so the on set ones should make it easier to get the ball out of the rough.

The one that you mentioned, is the leading edge of the face ahead of the shaft? If not, I would be very interested in finding out what design features of a club that is not onset, make it capable of getting the ball out of thick rough, without closing the club face.

[PowerFade]

I see from other threads that you made a 321Li back in September and are currently using the 1i replacement. I take it you won't be using that out of the rough. Did you have trouble with the face closing on the 321Li? Have you found the heavier head weight to dig balls out of the rough better than other hybrids? How does this club (I'm looking at the 3i replacement) compare to other clubs you've used out of the rough (7w, 2i, 3i, hybrid). Thanks.

Bingo!!! The hybrids are a fad and perhaps a good one, as there is no doubt that they enable we mortals to get the ball up in the air a lot easier. However, a "decent 7 wood" is a better choice because it has the added advantage of enabling the golfer to hit a good shot out of the rough, whereas a hybrid is disadvantageous from a similar lie.

As the 7 wood is "on set", that is, the leading edge is ahead of the shaft, it cuts through the long grass before the grass can get wrapped around the hosel, resulting in a better shot. Its only disadvantage is that the club is a bit longer than the hybrid long iron. Most hybrids are close to being "zero offset," so long grass will wrap around the hosel too soon, causing a pull of a hook.

I tried the Snake Eyes Quick Strike hybrids several years a go when they first came out and found that they were wonderful from the tee or fairway, however, from the rough they were the worst clubs I had ever hit, and quickly went back to a traditional fairway wood.

[BC MIST]

I see from other threads that you made a 321Li back in September and are currently using the 1i replacement. I take it you won't be using that out of the rough. Did you have trouble with the face closing on the 321Li? Have you found the heavier head weight to dig balls out of the rough better than other hybrids? How does this club (I'm looking at the 3i replacement) compare to other clubs you've used out of the rough (7w, 2i, 3i, hybrid). Thanks.

I have only used the Wishon 321Li and a few years ago the Snake Eyes Quick Strike, both of which are NOT onset. From fairway lies they're great, from the rough, not so, at least for me.

I made the shaft length of the 321 1 iron a little shorter than my previous 7 wood which should give me a little more control, and yet at the same time I get more distance than I would normally get from this 7 wood. The 321Li weighs in at 224 g while the 515GRT 7 wood is 226 g, so the difference in head weight is not a factor. I have the 3W and 5W of the 515 GRT, and I find that both go farther and higher than my Callaway Steelhead Plus FW woods.

If anything I hit more balls to the right(pushes) with the 321, however, the truth is I can hook anything with a poor swing.

The 321 is OK, but, for me a seven wood is better from the rough. I have not used a hybrid that is a little onset, and it is probably better from the rough than the 321.

[PowerFade]

Thanks for the info!

I have only used the Wishon 321Li and a few years ago the Snake Eyes Quick Strike, both of which are NOT onset. From fairway lies they're great, from the rough, not so, at least for me.

I made the shaft length of the 321 1 iron a little shorter than my previous 7 wood which should give me a little more control, and yet at the same time I get more distance than I would normally get from this 7 wood. The 321Li weighs in at 224 g while the 515GRT 7 wood is 226 g, so the difference in head weight is not a factor. I have the 3W and 5W of the 515 GRT, and I find that both go farther and higher than my Callaway Steelhead Plus FW woods.

If anything I hit more balls to the right(pushes) with the 321, however, the truth is I can hook anything with a poor swing.

The 321 is OK, but, for me a seven wood is better from the rough. I have not used a hybrid that is a little onset, and it is probably better from the rough than the 321.

[el tigre]

PowerFade, you might want to check out the LPG Tour Series 888:

http://www.lowprogolf.com/LOWPRO_Com...ductID=WSF2409

I have the 17* and 26* being shafted with TX90's at CB's right now, so I haven't had a chance to try them yet (and it'll be a few months before I can try them from the rough), but I can tell you that these heads are HEAVY. The leading edge is definately ahead of the shaft and they set up square. Might be something to consider.