How to Choose the Best Hybrid Golf Club
By Bill Herrfeldt
In the good old days, golfers carried irons, woods, two types of wedges and a putter. That's all. Then along came hybrid clubs and almost every player on the planet had to have them. Hybrid clubs are a combination iron and wood, and and are replacements for long irons and woods that were difficult to hit. Club manufacturers began making various hybrids to satisfy the market's need to continually find that special edge on the golf course. If you're in the market for a new hybrid club, here's how to go about it.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Determine the biggest weakness in your game then go shopping for a hybrid with that in mind. Perhaps you can't hit your long irons high enough to stay on the greens, or you mis-hit them too often. Then again, poorly hit woods contribute to scores that are higher than you'd like. Today, they make hybrid golf clubs to solve a range of problems like these. More players are abandoning most of their clubs in favor of hybrids because they are much easier to hit.
Before you go shopping for a hybrid club, understand that they fit into two categories: those that replace long irons and those that replace woods. If you want a hybrid to replace some of your long irons, look for those whose club heads are thicker and somewhat larger than your typical iron. If you'd like to replace some or all of your woods, look for hybrids that have faces as shallow as your woods.
Get into the habit of calling your new hybrids by the degrees of their lofts instead of by a number, like a 5-iron. Instead, call it a "20-degree" or a "23-degree" hybrid. It never hurts to use the right golf lingo. Also, you will hit your hybrid a little shorter because their shafts are somewhat shorter than those you plan to replace. But your shots will be a lot more accurate, and you will not mis-hit so many shots.
Make a budget before you go shopping for a hybrid, because some models cost $300 or more. But you'll find others that are much more reasonable in price and about as serviceable. If you have little to spend, consider buying used hybrids. (See Resources)
Tips & Warnings
Because of other variables such as shaft materials and stiffness, there is no substitute for trying out hybrid clubs to find the best fir for your swing. Many sporting goods stores have facilities on-site to let you try before you buy.
About The Author
Bill Herrfeldt specializes in finance, sports and the needs of retiring people, and has been published in the national edition of "Erickson Tribune," the "Washington Post" and the "Arizona Republic." He graduated from the University of Louisville.
