Why Hybrids?

Why Hybrids?

We have hybrid orchids, fruits, cars, etc. so why not hybrid golf clubs? In recent years hybrid golf clubs have been gaining popularity and almost every manufacturer is rolling out some. It was reported that it was Cobra who first created the Baffler in the 70s that gave them huge success but many of the original version hybrids were not perfected or user-friendly enough. Unless your game is quite close to Tiger's, you are going to struggle with your long irons (no. 2,3,4). Many decent golfers play up to only their 5-6 irons. Today's hybrids are a Godsend where technology of thinner face, extreme weighting are being offered making these hybrids not only easier to hit but they go farther too. It's time for you to look at one if you do not already own one.

What are Hybrids

Hybrids are a merger of the best of both worlds like durians crossed for smaller seeds with more flesh. So, the best of both worlds from accuracy of iron play to the fine elements of fairway woods. Basically, they are created to replace your long irons not your fairway woods as they produce higher trajectory, increased consistency, lands softer and achieve better results in comparison since they give you more confidence. It is also versatile as they can be used on different lies - fairways, rough, on the tee and even from bunkers. Some even use them to putt from the fringe of the green for a long putt towards the back pin. They are shorter than your fairway woods and slightly longer than your irons so that it gives you distance, control and accuracy. A Tour player once famously said the 2 and 3 irons are like his in-laws - he would love to hit them but he can't." Every golfer will reach a point where they get uncomfortable playing certain clubs with their irons (due to length and loft). Some can be at this juncture at no. 2 iron while others at no. 5.

Fairway Wood vs Hybrid vs Iron

I have converted some buddies to hybrids and who now swear by it after they saw the results and tested hybrids for themselves. The test of the pudding is in the eating they say. We all struggle with the fairway woods not so much the no. 5 but especially the no. 3 wood. You are faced with a long second shot say a par 5 or even a par 4 from a Blue tee. Many would instinctively draw out a 3-wood knowing jolly well that you'll have a decent chance for birdie or par with a good long shot.

At the back of our minds, the devil start to create mischief and you knew that out of 3 hits using a 3-wood, one would be a very good hit, one just so-so and another would be disastrous but you're not sure which shot is coming but you say to yourself - "I can do it" and soon you find yourself in trouble with your next shot coming from the bunker, rough, forest or worse fishing it out from the pond. The problem and the answer is very simple. A 3-wood is typically 43 inches long, almost as long as a driver and comes with a loft of 15 degrees.

It will certainly make a superb substitute as a replacement driver when teed up and facing a very tight fairway but hitting it well off the deck on the fairway is another story. It requires a flatter swing plane than your irons. Imagine wielding your irons for most of the 18 holes and then suddenly switching to a 3-wood swing plane which may cause trauma to your feel. Hybrids are shorter at 40-42 inches depending on the number on the club and the loft and is therefore easier to use.

From the tee, it is a great companion on par 3s or even par 4s & 5s especially when it is needed to carry over obstacles and hazards. Due to its higher trajectory, some hybrids can offer you parachute landing instead of your shots running out from the green using a fairway wood. Off the fairways, you can reach your par 4s and 5s in two or three. Irons can sometimes get caught on thick rough resulting in mishits as the club heads can get tangled and twisted while the bigger mass of hybrids help prevent it. Good clean shots unleashed from bunkers can produce amazing results. I have hit a few from 170-190m from bunkers to the green. If you need a long rolling putt, this can prove useful after a few practice.

Choosing a Hybrid

Hybrids come in two forms - those that look like irons and those that look like woods. Iron-type have thicker soles and are bigger normal irons while wood-type look like a half-size fairway wood. High handicappers who feel more confident looking down on a bigger mass at address may well choose a full-hybrid set. Such a set has even the shorter irons converted to hybrid and their broader soles prevent digging and the bigger, heavy heads gets the ball airborne quickly. A typical example is the Cleveland HiBore XLi, a full-set hybrid which can be very handy for certain golfers.

If you are getting a few hybrids from a similar brand, you can identify them by its numbers eg. 3H, 4H or 2i or 3i - H meaning hybrid or i depicting the iron's equivalent. If you are replacing a 3-iron then a 3-hybrid and so on. It is important to note that in case you are mixing and matching your clubs then it is absolutely crucial that you do not look at the numbers but to look at the lofts. The reason being different manufacturers numbered their clubs with different lofts.

For example, Cleveland has the XLS no. 1 at 16 degree, no. 2 at 19 degree, no. 3 at 22 degree and no. 4 at 25 degree (all separated by 3 degrees), TaylorMade are no. 2 at 17 degree, no.3 at 19 degree, no. 4 at 22 degree and no. 5 at 25 degree. You will end up buying the wrong clubs or one too similar in loft which will only get you the same distance. Remember that every 2 degree difference in a club will give you a difference of about 10m. If you hit your 25 degree to a distance of 170m, you will get 180m from your 22 degree and 190m for your 19 degree and so on. Some would opt for a combination of a 2 and 4 hybrid or a 1 and 3 or 3 and 5. If you like you can even have 2, 3 & 4.

It depends on how your map your golf bag. You may also like to know that if you are a decent ball striker and have a decent swing speed, you could also opt for a 18-19 degree hybrid which should reach about 190-200m. Your 5 wood will probably gives you 180m and a 3-wood up to 200-210m. If it were only a 50% for you to use a 3-wood to get 200m straight to target and a 80% chance to reach 190m with a hybrid which would you pick?

This will turn you from an abject failure with the fairway woods to a star hybrid player. Elly Callaway, the founder of Callaway Golf once said that golf is all about "the occasional good shot" for social/hobby golfers. You know, that occasional magical shot that you make with text book precision where even the pros would applaud? He is right. Hit that wonder hybrid shot into the stratosphere straight and long with parachute landing then watch your golf buddies open their mouths uttering exuberance as you stand in a peacock stance then walk away to grudging applause. A shot that would wipe off the smuck on their faces.

Cleveland Golf & Roger Cleveland

In the 60s, Roger Cleveland began designing golf irons producing vintage designs that were popular at the time and started selling them. Cleveland Golf Company was founded in 1979. Cleveland also made other golf clubs like drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, wedges and putters. Later, they have a subsidiary company - Never Compromise which is a putter maker. Cleveland Launcher, HiBore and XLS series of drivers, woods and hybrids became very popular with their coined "Distance Driven Geometry". They have also made some of the best wedges in the game with the gun metal Tour Action 588, CG series 10, 12, 14. In 1990, Cleveland was sold to Rossignol who is a ski company and was later bought by Quicksilver in 2005. By 2007, Quicksilver sold Cleveland and Never Compromise to SRI Sports Ltd., the Japanese company that also owns Dunlop and Srixon brands. The 60 plus industry veteran moved to Callaway Golf in mid-1990s to be the Chief of Club Design for Callaway. Today's Callaway X wedges bears the Roger Cleveland style of design.

Cleveland HiBore XLS Hybrid

Cleveland Launched the Halo hybrid short for High Angle Lift Off which was popular. It was an earlier version and though it was good, I found the stock shaft to be unsuitable and unresponsive. Next upgrade came in the form of the HiBore, a high but boring trajectory shot maker with a shaft from Fujikura in collaboration. Some may find the head shape jarring since it has a scooped crown just like when someone has accidentally stepped on it causing it to be half dented but it was a good club. The latest model which has been around for a while is the HiBore XLS which are offered as number 1-5 hybrids in 16, 19 (40 inches), 22, 25 and 28 degree respectively. Cleveland engineers position most of the weight to the back of the club head so that a deeper centre of gravity is created.

It has the same though slightly altered scooped crown which some people may dislike but to me I like that as it looks and feels more like an iron. It even frames the ball like an iron and has an alignment aid on the scooped crown plague. It is easy to align and set up as all you have to do is to put the club down and it settles and nestles onto the grass easily. Tour feedback has led to a toe that is more blunt. Once you hit this thing, you will forget how it looks - long and straight all day with a consistent flight trajectory and distance. I could hit this monster (no.2 @ 19 degree stiff shaft) 190-200m and even from bunkers without losing too much distance! No joke. It doesn't make a thinny sound but a good whack would produce a solid sound and feel. Golf Digest rated the HiBore XLS hybrid in the Gold Category for 2009.

There are many other excellent hybrids out there - Ping G10, TaylorMade Burner, Cobra DWS, Bobby Jones by Jesse Ortiz (not found locally), Adams, etc. Even Cleveland themselves have the new Launcher but in my eyes and in my hands, having tried and tested numerous brands and types, this one is a champion for me! This is my "go to" club. Check out them hybrids and make new discoveries for yourselves just when you thought of giving up golf for good as some may have exhausted all avenues of trying to play their woods or irons. Cleveland has a full hybrid set too in the XLi model consisting all hybrid for every club in progression of length and club head size, lofts, etc. This one is in the Super Game Improvement category and suitable for high handicappers or slower swingers. Go get them guys and gals!