Gone are the days when golfers had to deal with jumping from fairway woods to irons. The transition to irons can be difficult, especially when long irons are being used. Fortunately, golfers don’t have to helplessly try and master long irons, especially when it comes at the cost of lowering their confidence. Hybrids have entered the market and taken it by storm. Golfers can now use the best hybrid iron sets in place of long irons.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
The popularity of hybrids isn’t unwarranted – they truly are the best of both worlds. A combination of fairway woods and irons, hybrids combine advantages of both. They have the control of irons and the forgiveness of fairway woods, making them the perfect in-between.
The 3 Best Hybrid Iron Sets
This article will list the top hybrid iron sets you can find and dissect them. With the advantages and disadvantages clearly listed, we hope it helps you make the right decision. A buying guide is also included for your convenience.
1. Callaway Big Bertha B21 Irons/Hybrids Set
Callaway’s Big Bertha B21 Set consists of a 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid, 6 through 9 irons, a pitching wedge and an approach wedge (gap wedge). Designed with a tungsten energy core, the irons deepen the center of gravity to increase speed without compromising on accuracy.
The irons are designed with urethane microspheres to maintain feedback while eliminating the vibration that is felt upon impact. Thus, the golfer maintains control but can also improve their speed and distance.
The club faces are one of the most impressive aspects of these irons – the unique 360 Face Cup can flex upon impact and maximize speed while minimizing spin. The construction of the irons also aims to help golfers with launch – wider soles result in higher trajectories, straighter shots and farther distance.
The hybrids in the set provide forgiveness, which is essential for high handicappers. Mishits are no longer a problem. Even if the center is not hit, distance is maintained. The increased offset ensures less slicing, which further helps with straighter shots and forgiveness.
Center of gravity is optimized with tungsten weighting and two jailbreak bars are present to withstand any hit. Even MOI (motion of inertia) is taken into consideration, and weight is adjusted to maximize control and forgiveness.
Pros
- Right and left-hand options available
- Choice between shaft material and flex
- Optimized feel and spin
- Increase in forgiveness, speedand distance
Cons
- Only 2 hybrids included
2. Cobra Golf T-Rail Combo Set
This combo set by Cobra Golf has graphite shafts for both hybrids and irons to increase durability, flexibility and forgiveness. It includes a 4-hybrid, 5 through 9 irons and a pitching wedge. Although only one hybrid is included, all of the clubs in the set feature a hollow design. This allows the irons to act like hybrids by increasing launch and distance.
The hybrid in the set (a 4-hybrid) effectively replaces a 4-iron, and is not only more forgiving, but also more consistent. It makes long shots easier to hit and is an excellent choice for mid and high handicappers.
Additional features include durable and thick club faces. Made of steel, they result in high impact and increased distance, even if there is a mishit. With baffler rails making the clubs easier to swing, it is no wonder that hybrids are replacing irons when it comes to beginners.
Pros
- Left and right-hand options
- Choice between flex
- Lightweight clubs
- Higher launch, increased distance
- Easy to hit, forgiving
- Made of high-strength steel, durable
Cons
- Only 1 wedge included (pitching wedge)
3. Callaway Mavrik Max Irons/Hybrids Set
The Mavrik Max Combo set features a 3-hybrid, a 4-hybrid, 5 through 9 irons and a pitching wedge. Unlike the other sets on this list, this set includes a 3-hybrid. Since long irons are notoriously hard to hit, this is a great replacement for a 3-iron. It also makes this set more versatile, and the golfer is given a variety of clubs to choose from.
Launch is optimized with the use of tungsten weighting, allowing the center of gravity to be deepened and speed to be increased. Even feel is taken into account, with urethane microspheres absorbing vibration so that the golfing experience is more enjoyable. This also increases COR (coefficient of restitution) and thus, speed. Using A.I., jailbreak technology and face up technology, the Mavrik Max set makes sure that distance is increased.
Pros
- Right and left-hand options available
- Choice between graphite and steel shafts
- Increased speed and distance
- More forgiveness and better feel
Cons
- Only one wedge included (pitching wedge)
Factors to Consider When Buying a Hybrid Set
Features and specifications of products should be taken into account when selecting a product. Don’t let overeager salespeople fool you. Keep these factors in mind when shopping.
Forgiveness
Features like cavity back designs, perimeter weighting and head shape all contribute to forgiveness. As with woods, larger club heads result in more forgiveness and straighter shots. The best hybrid iron sets maximize forgiveness and make hybrids the ideal choice for mid and high handicappers.
Loft
Hybrids are known for higher launches. This automatically increases distance, making it a very important factor.
As a rule of thumb, hybrid numbers usually correspond to the number of the iron they are replacing. However, if this isn’t the case, you can use a hybrid-iron chart to match the loft to the iron. For example, a 4-iron will correspond to 22/23 degrees.
Shaft Material
Those with high handicaps usually choose graphite shafts over steel shafts. Not only are graphite shafts more lightweight, but they are also more durable than steel. The relative heaviness of steel shafts is not suited for beginners. Additionally, graphite shafts result in farther distance. However, steel shafts provide better feedback.
Even with less feedback, graphite shafts are preferred in hybrids since the hybrid’s aim is to increase forgiveness and be easier to hit.
Our Final Thoughts
Our three top picks are some of the best hybrid iron sets on the market. Golfers cannot go wrong with any of these sets, but one that stands out is the Cobra Golf T-Rail Combo Set. These hybrid sets will definitely improve your golfing skills and will help you progress to the next level. Good luck!
