Hybrid Clubs

[Dr_Phibes]

Are they a crutch? Should you be doing the honourable thing and slog it out with long irons? Obviously whatever works is right, but will avoiding certain irons be a mistake long term and fuck up my PGA career?
I only ask as I'm going to invest in one on Saturday and am considering what to spend.

Cheers

[Dinsdale]

It's like a long iron, but goes straighter.

I don't hit nearly the lawn darts that I can with an iron, but since it's bombing in from 220, I probably wasn't going to lawn dart it anyway.

[Dr_Phibes]

I tend to wind up in unusual places, I love them. I'm on Golftown.ca and there's three pages of hybrids, page one is 300 fulas, page three is 89 fulas. hmm.

[Felix]

I've got 3 Callaway DST Launcher hybrids in my bag right now...I've replaced my 5 wood with a 2I, and replaced my 3 and 4 irons...the 2I was the first one I bought and I tested lots of different clubs....

two reasons for the switch....first I don't generate the same type club head speed I did when I was younger, and the hybrids are just easier to hit....second, I can work the ball much easier with hybrids than I can with long irons....

good luck

[Dr_Phibes]

Nice one. Found an Apollo UK 16 for 50 bucks at a liquidation sale. Sort of at the opposite end as you, I'm compensating for lack of experience. Seems like there's nothing they can't do, I don't want to put them down and that can't be a good thing.

[Dinsdale]

A 16? That'll bomb it forever. Pretty much a 3W replacement, should hit it about as far.

I carry a 24*. Haven't touched a 5W since, and I also ditched the 3I, so as to carry another wedge (I carry 4 00 standard PW (45*?), 50, 55, and 60).

[indyfrisco]

(I carry 4 00 standard PW (45*?), 50, 55, and 60).

That's like being in the middle of Compton on the golf course for me...

[Felix]

(I carry 4 00 standard PW (45*?), 50, 55, and 60).

That's like being in the middle of Compton on the golf course for me...

my volkey 60 degree has spent more time in my garage than it has in my bag.....simply can't control it no matter how much I practice with it.....I've seen guys that wield them like Excalibur and no matter how much they explain their approach to the club, it just doesn't work for me....confidence probably has something to do with it....

carrying a standard PW, 52, and 56 in my bag right now....

[Dinsdale]

Taken a while to get the hang of the 60. In the past, I've usually used my old BeCu 55* for everything inside3 105, and I learned to hit a bunch of different shots (none of them particularly well, save for a regular full swing standard shot). But since I started using the 60 more (first rounds of spring, so as not to change things up midseason), I've started to get the hang of it.

[BSmack]

Funny thing about the 60 is that is liked it a lot more when I swung harder. Now that I have an old man's swing, I find the 56 and a PW to be all I really need.

[Dinsdale]

At almost 45, I swing as hard as anyone out there.

When I'm in game-mode, my driver seems to hit as many or more fairways than the PGA guys (often goes farther, even with my 12 year old driver).

I'll outdrive the pros... then take 3 more shots to get near the green.

But with two good-working arms these days, and apparently the Sahara Season is starting early this year (been hot and dry for 2 weeks, which is more-than-normal in summer, but a long stretch in spring), I hope the get the mid-irons going straight, and wedge distances really dialed in (note I said "hope").

Wishing all our fine Golf Forumers a measure of improvement this season (although I think the Southern Folks' season is about to end).

[Dr_Phibes]

When I'm in game-mode, my driver seems to hit as many or more fairways than the PGA guys (often goes farther, even with my 12 year old driver).

I'll outdrive the pros... then take 3 more shots to get near the green.

That's why I'm asking about hybrids. I can cannon a drive, then struggle horribly. When I wasn't expecting to play, I'd rent a set and started messing around with them. If you get into trouble off the tee or the green is a ways off, I just started launching them and (always ) straight aswell, the brain started working and.. err, hey what's this?

I sometimes play with a crowd of serious Irish hardcores, all over fifty and in a permanent state of grumpiness. When I first asked, 'Do you use one'?, I'd get dressed down about rescue clubs.

[smackaholic]

Comrade phibes plays golf?

Don't let the party officials know. They'll toss you out on your head.

I haven't broken down and got a hybrid yet. I still look at them as old man's clubs. And, yeah, I'm pretty much an old guy now, but, I try not to let anyone know.

Actually, I'm just a cheap fukk. Still carrying my Wilson 1200 irons (mid 70s vintage). Did break down and buy a "new" driver, taylor made bubble burner or some such thing from a dude on CL. I think I will get a few hybrids sooner or later to replace the 3W and 5W. Still like my 3 iron. It's a little iffy off the turf, but I hit it great off the tee.

[Dr_Phibes]

Yeah, but my way of getting around it is this:

Subjectively and objectively it's a gathering for bourgeoisie pricks.

Objectively it's a man simply physically moving a small round object about a meadow.

Come the great leap forward, all will be welcome on public courses. The ones I play on are filled with pregnant woman smoking on the back nine, so that makes it all right.

[Felix]

I still look at them as old man's clubs.

Rickie Fowler (Adams Idea Pro Black 20 degree)
Nick Watney (Titleist 910H 21 degree)
Hunter Mahan (Ping i15 17 degree)
Keegan Bradley (Cleveland Launcher DST 18 degree)
Webb Simpson (Titleist 910H 21 degree)

think that's pretty fucked up.....

Kuchar just won the Players carrying 2 Ping I15 hybrids in his bag....

[indyfrisco]

All my hybrids are at the condo in Florida. Loved them at first, but I started to totally duck-hook all of them. Them being the Nickent hybrids. Found out they all had a built in draw so I got a Titelist which was square. Still hooked the hell out of it.

Came to the realization in the past year it was definitely the Indian. I'm grooving my irons like never before now. How so? I am swinging a lot easier. I still launch the driver 300+ as I just have that swing down, but with the irons, I just take a smoothe backswing (used to swing 70mph on the backswing which is what got be off-balance/in trouble) and then take a semi-aggressive downswing around 80-90mph. I am literally hitting the ball straight...as an arrow. Sure, occassionally I get a small draw or fade, but I am still putting. Have not hit the ball like this since my competitive days when I was under par.

Of course...short game is lacking. Just got in my new Scotty Cameron putter. Played Bali Hai in Vegas a few weeks ago and rented clubs. I could not miss with the Cameron putter. I've been using a Ping belly putter. I'm 35; it's time to go back to a young man's putter. I'm not up there with Mike Gundy yet.

All in all, handicap is sitting at 9 right now. My goal is to get it to a 6 this year. Does not seem like much, but once you get to single digits, it is harder and harder to drop it.

[Felix]

All in all, handicap is sitting at 9 right now. My goal is to get it to a 6 this year. Does not seem like much, but once you get to single digits, it is harder and harder to drop it.

it's just as hard to go up.....they've got me at like around a 9 and haven't played well enough to be remotely competative at that level....around here, you'd better be able to put together three rounds in the mid 70's otherwise, all you win is an invite back for next years tournament....

despite all of the 82's to 86's I post, GHIN just tosses them...that fucking blows

[Dinsdale]

Got out for 9 friday evening.

Except for those 2 bad drives resulting in triples... motherfuckingfuck, I was grooving pretty good. The 2 hardest holes are a good a place as any to duff it, I suppose.

The front of this course has 3 5's, and 3 3's, making an interesting 36. None of the 5's are reachable, really (and I'm long).

Dropped a couple crazy-long bender putts... which was nice.

4 booogers, 3 pars, and the 2 "others." Nah, I don't want those 2 shitty drives back or anything. No birds, which bummed me out, but if I can actually play occasionally (been perfect golf weather here for a few weeks) instead of being out of town working, I'll par that motherfucker. If I can keep putting like I did friday, anyway.

[smackaholic]

dropped a whopping dollar fitty on a hybrid at goodwill yesterday. i'll smack a few balls with it and if i don't like it, wrap it around the nearest tree! forget the make of it, but, it has a decent looking graphite shaft and a number 3 on it.

[Dinsdale]

Not many of them are numbered, usually done in degrees of loft.

Sure it's not an OG driving iron?