Learning how to use irons may be one of the hardest tasks a beginner player may face. Even professionals may have some issues with these clubs, and with good reason.
Well, if this is your problem, you may find that getting a hybrid golf club can be the best solution. Hybrids can come in many shapes and sizes, which is why they are so versatile on the field.
And it’s because finding a hybrid golf club that’s perfect for you may not be an easy task.Today, we want to help you get the perfect hybrid golf club for you!
That is why we made a list of some of the best hybrid golf clubs you can find and a buying guide that will take you through each step needed to purchase the ideal hybrid golf club.
Why Use Hybrid Golf Clubs Anyway?
Hybrid golf clubs became famous thanks to their versatility and forgiveness. These clubs bring the best of both worlds since they combine the range of a fairway wood club and the accuracy of an iron. You should check out my guide on The Best Fairway Woods.
These clubs have a unique design that gives you more control over the face while you still get the same distance.
This is because the center of gravity is located far back as it would typically be on a fairway woods, but the face is made from a sturdier material, which is most commonly found on irons.
Plus, they tend to have an angle like most irons do. This allows you to control the elevation of the ball without losing distance. There are many different scenarios where you can find a use to these clubs, which is why you may want to have a hybrid club on your bag.
For example, if you consider that using a fairway woods club is a bit of an overkill but using an iron may not do the job, this club will give you exactly what you need.
There are so many scenarios where you could use a hybrid club that you won’t be able to go out on the field without one of them in your bag. Because of this, many companies are replacing a few irons for a single hybrid club in their sets.
Does it Worth to Upgrade to a New Piece?
Yes, if you can, you should upgrade. Mostly because of how versatile this golf clubs can be compared to regular irons or fairway woods.
Come to think of it; one single golf club can do the work of two other clubs. You will not only save some space in your bag; you will have an extra club in your repertoire.
If you know where to look for, you will find that a hybrid golf club is not that expensive. Or at least not as expensive as other clubs in your bag.
What Makes a Perfect Pick?
Because of the wide variety of hybrid clubs that are on the market, it won’t be easy finding the right one for you. And there are many aspects that you should take into account when looking to buy a new golf club.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that hybrid golf clubs are not cheap, so you should take your time in deciding which one to get.
We know that this can be a struggle, so we made a list of the thing you should contemplate when buying a hybrid golf club. We hope that once you are finished reading, you may have an idea of what features you want your club to have, which will also narrow the options.
Length
Regardless of which kind of golf club you are looking for, if it does not have the appropriate length for your body, you won’t be comfortable using it at all.
This is especially true for hybrid golf clubs, mostly because learning how to use a hybrid club is not an easy task.
The length of the club will not only determine how comfortable you will be when using it, but it will also help determine which iron and fairway it will be replacing. I wrote an article about Best Game Improvement Irons That Went Popular This Year 2019 which you can find here.
Shorter clubs give you more control over your shots, and longer clubs will provide you with more distance. This is why hybrid golf clubs are usually between the lengths of the irons and the fairways.
In most cases, hybrid golf clubs will be half an inch longer than the iron they will be replacing, and they may be two or three inches shorter than the fairway club you are trying to replace.
Most hybrid golf clubs will be between 38 and 41 inches, but if you find a shorter model that is more comfortable for you and it replaces the iron you want, go for it.
You should check the length of the club personally, since there may be some cases in which the club can be longer or shorter depending on the manufacturer.
Shaft
There are two primary types of shafts when it comes to hybrid golf clubs; steel and graphite. It’s more of a personal choice to be honest since both types have their pros and cons.
Also, depending on your experience, you may find different perks in each of them which will eventually help you improve your game.
Steel shafts are a lot less flexible, which is why they are not recommendable for players with slow swings. A stiffer shaft will decrease ball flight, but it may increase how much control you can have over your shots. This is why you can see a lot of amateur players using steel shafts.
Flexible graphite shafts, on the other hand, will give you an increased ball flight since they will bend when you swing. This will add a bit more power to your swing without overdoing yourself.
Most hybrids in the market have graphite shafts. You can find them in regular, stiff, and extra stiff flexibilities, but it may be a bit hard to chose one just by looking at the club. Which is why we recommend trying all kinds of shafts by yourself. If you are considering driver shafts then definitely read my guide on How to Choose the Best Driver Shafts.
Technology
The most common hybrid golf clubs have wide soles and a low centre of gravity. They were designed like this for a reason, but you may find that there are many models out there that come with a few extra features that improve or modify the standard design of the hybrid clubs.
For example, there are a few hybrid golf clubs that allow you to adjust the loft angle, change the face angle, or even change the center of gravity with interchangeable weights.
One of the many (and obvious) pros about these clubs are that you can customize them to fit your playstyle perfectly.
You should ask someone with experience to help you with these clubs since they are not easy to configure. For example, if you have a hybrid club with interchangeable weights and you don’t know how to set these correctly, you may find yourself with an unbalanced and uncomfortable hybrid club.
Loft Angle
Hybrid golf clubs usually have the same loft angle as the irons in your set. This is why the loft angle will be the deciding factor on which kinds of irons will your hybrid be replacing.
You can find hybrids with different loft angles that can replace all kinds of irons. But you will soon discover that most hybrid golf clubs are designed to replace long irons since they are mainly used as the halfway point between fairways and long irons.
You also should take into account that a hybrid golf club of a certain angle will not completely replace an iron or a fairway with the same angle. This means that a 19-degree hybrid will not give the same results as a 19-degree fairway woods.
This is because although hybrid golf clubs are designed to replace long irons and fairway woods, their face is entirely different from that of iron or fairway.
Hybrid Golf Club vs. Irons vs. Woods
When comparing these three types of golf clubs, you will notice that there are a few characteristics that pop out to the naked eye. We will analyze each of these carefully, so you can be sure that you know the pros and cons of each of these golf clubs.
Clubhead
As you surely know, fairway woods are not easy to use if you don’t have enough experience. This can be due to the sole being bigger than in other clubs so there’s a more significant chance that you can hit the ground when you swing.
With irons, it’s a different story. We know that there are a few iron clubs that can be a nightmare for amateurs. And this can be due to the inflexible and rough clubhead irons usually have. This makes them hard to control especially if you don’t have enough experience.
Hybrid golf clubs, on the other hand, have half the sole size, a lower centre of gravity and a flexible clubhead. Because of this, these clubs are a bit more forgiving.
Forgiveness
Irons are definitely some of the less forgiving clubs you can find. They are stiff, and the head has a smaller sweet spot. A slight miscalculation and your shot will be inaccurate or sloppy, which is another reason why many inexperienced players struggle with these clubs.
Compared to irons, fairways woods can be a lot more forgiving if you have enough experience with it. As we mentioned before, if you miscalculate your swing and hit the ball a bit lower than usual, the sole could hit the ground, which will completely ruin your swing.
Hybrid golf clubs completely elude these aspects, which makes them very forgiving. They have a shorter shaft than fairway woods, and a bigger sweet spot when compared to irons. (Source) Because of this, hybrids are forgiving enough for both experts and amateurs.
Our Suggested Contenders of the Best Hybrid Golf Clubs
As we mentioned earlier, finding the ideal hybrid golf may not be an easy task. Therefore, we decided to make a small list with some of the best hybrid golf clubs that you can find out there.
Let’s take a look at what we consider some of the best hybrid golf clubs for amateurs or professionals.
Callaway Golf Epic Hybrid – Most Innovative Hybrid Golf Club
As it is usual with Callaway golf clubs, The Epic Hybrid model comes with many innovative and modern features that even beginners can find a use for. This model is designed to deliver distance without compromising forgiveness, which is what any player should look for in a hybrid golf club.
This model brandishes a Hyper Speed Face Cup which is designed to maintain the speed of the face even when you are not hitting the sweet spot. This means that even when miss-hitting, you will get a decent distance on your shots.
You can also find that this model has an innovative triaxial carbon crown, which significantly reduces the overall weight of the club.
Callaway knew that a lighter head might become a problem since you wouldn’t be able to add the amount of power as you would with heavier clubheads. This club compensates this by positioning the center of gravity deep on the clubhead, which will considerably increase your launch.
Things We Liked
- The Hyper Speed Face Cup makes this club very forgiving.
- The clubhead is a lot lighter.
Things We Didn’t Like
- It is more on the expensive side.
Callaway Golf Rogue X Hybrid – Best Hybrid Golf Club for Experienced Players
This hybrid golf club has a lot of technology behind it. It is known as one of the best hybrid golf clubs Callaway has, and with good reason. Its many features on this model make it a bit pricey, but its worth it.
Its Jailbreak technology stiffens the face of the club the moment it impacts the ball. Thanks to this, the ball will receive the entire power of the swing, which will result in an increased distance.
Additionally, this hybrid golf club will reward both perfect and not-so-perfect swings thanks to its Hyper Speed Face Cup. When hitting the ball, the face of the club will retain its speed regardless of the hitting point, making it very forgiving. Here you can check my complete guide on How to Choose the Best Golf Ball for High Handicappers.
You can also notice that the center of gravity is low but at the front of the club. Because of this, the ball will not rotate as much while airborne, which means that it will cover more distance.
Things We Liked
- Jailbreak technology stiffens the clubhead on impact, which increases distance.
- The Hyper Speed Face Cup increases ball speed when hitting the sweet spot.
- Its center of gravity rises launch while it reduces spin.
Things We Didn’t Like
- There is no way to change the center of gravity.
TaylorMade M3 Hybrid Rescue Club – Best Customizable Hybrid Golf Club
TaylorMade has become a favorite brand; thanks to their stylish and incredible golf equipment. And there is no better example of this than the TaylorMade M3 Rescue model.
This compact but sturdy club will give you everything you need to have on the field due to its innovative and technological design.
One of the most noticeable features on this model is the “Speed Pocket” technology. This feature adds speed but reduces spin, which will make your shots travel more distance.
Besides, this increases the size of the sweet spot which is why this model is exceptionally forgiving.
It also brandishes an Adjustable Loft Speed which allows you to customize loft, lie, and face angle. This feature works incredibly well with the weight system that will enable you to customize the centre of gravity.
Things We Liked
- The adjustable weight allows you to customize fade or draw depending on what you need.
- Speed Pocket technology increases sweet spot area.
- You can adjust loft and lie; thanks to the Adjustable Loft Sleeve.
Things We Didn’t Like
- It is not a cheap model
- The wrench that is needed to change the weights is not included.
TaylorMade M4 Hybrid Rescue Club
The TaylorMade M4 rescue club may not be as customizable as the M3 model, but it is one of the best TaylorMade hybrid clubs nonetheless.
This club has some of the same features that the M3 model has. For example, it retains the same Speed Pocket technology that will increase both the sweet spot area and the distance of your shots.
Compared to the M3 model, the M4 is more about forgiveness. To accomplish this, it includes a set of twin weights on both sides of the sweet spot area. This is so those off-center hits won’t feel as bad as they would typically do.
It also includes a Geocustic section on the bottom side of the club. This small feature improves the balance and feel of the club, which will also result in a soothing sound when hitting the sweet spot.
This short section combined with the low center of gravity will considerably improve your launch. Good enough, right?
Things We Liked
- Speed Pocket technology increases sweet spot area.
- The Geocustic section improves launch, even when not hitting the sweet spot.
- The Twin Weight Pads on either side of the model increase forgiveness.
Things We Didn’t Like
- It is pricey, so should be sure that you want this model before purchasing.
Ping G400 Hybrid – Best Hybrid Golf Club for The Money
According to Ping, the G400 Hybrid will be the only hybrid golf club you will need in your bag. This stable and robust golf club is designed to give you an increased launch and distance.
The face is made from maraging steel that can be described as a hardened steel alloy. This means that if you can hit the sweet spot, your shots will go a bit further than usual with better accuracy.
One of the most noticeable features of this hybrid club is the interchangeable weight system. You can change the centre of gravity of this golf club so it can fit your play style.
All you need it the extra weight and a screw, and in a few seconds, you can change the overall weight distribution of the club.This hybrid golf club may not be perfect for beginners since it is not as forgiving as other clubs in the list.
Plus, if you don’t have a specific play style and add the wrong weight to the club, you may not feel the weight distribution right. So, it would be best if you know what you are doing.
Things We Liked
- The interchangeable weights allow you to customize the center of gravity to match your play style.
- It has excellent feedback when miss-hitting.
- The maraging steel face will enable you to shoot with increased accuracy.
Things We Didn’t Like
- It may be hard to find different weights for this model.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know that there may be a lot of questions about hybrid golf clubs that were not answered in this article. We made a list with some of the most frequently asked questions, so you won’t have to go through a lot of random websites trying to find answers.
Q: In what scenario should I go for a hybrid instead of iron or fairway?
A: Hybrid golf clubs are the ideal option when you need to launch the ball without sacrificing much accuracy. But to be honest, there are many different occasions where a hybrid could be useful.
Q: My TaylorMade M3 Hybrid club did not include any wrench to adjust the weights, what should I do?
A: You could try sending a letter or email to whoever shipped the product, but the wrench required to loosen the weights is pretty standard. There is a chance that you have one of them on your toolbox. If you don’t, you could find one in any hardware store.
Q: Do any of the clubs on the list come with a headcover?
A: You should read the product specification carefully before purchasing since not all of them include the headcover.
Q: I am having trouble with irons, should I learn how to use a hybrid golf club instead?
A: If you want to become a professional player, you can try learning how to use hybrid golf clubs but not to replace irons. Although hybrids are designed to replace some irons, there will be many cases in which an iron is still the best option.
Concluding Thoughts: My Top Pick
Durable and fully customizable, we believe that the TaylorMade M3 is the best choice. The fact that you can change both the center of gravity and the loft to your liking makes this an excellent addition to anyone’s collection.
This single model can replace more than one iron or fairway, which means that you won’t need to spend more money on a different hybrid.
We believe that this hybrid can be the ideal option for many players out there, regardless of their playstyle, experience or budget.
