Is it a wood, is an iron? Hybrids are making their mark in the game

Tom Wishon's latest hybrid design - 331H

Hybrid golf clubs by Alex Nicolson, PGA Coach

In the recent British Open where Tom Watson so nearly made sporting history, you may have noticed the prolific use of hybrid golf clubs by all sorts of players. The trend has been rapidly moving in this direction in the last three years, even though manufacturers like Adams and Orlimar paved the way long before.

The reason they didn’t take off before was two-fold.  Firstly, golfers weren’t ready for the culture change, where long irons were still treasured. It would have been considered a cop-out to opt for a “gentleman’s persuader” as I’m sure Peter Alliss referred to them. Secondly, first-generation hybrids were a little clumsy compared to their modern equivalents. Times have changed.

Why should we use a hybrid golf club?

I recently attended an event with the legendary clubmaker Tom Wishon, and posed this question to him. He said that in order to answer, we had to understand the 24/38 rule and the vanishing loft phenomenon which has occurred in golf over the past 2 decades. 

The 24/38 Rule

Clubmakers like Wishon have long since used this phrase to state the fact that large majority of golfers do not have the skill to strike an iron with 24 degrees or less of loft, and 38 or more inches of length with any consistency.  In short, the average golfer is going to struggle with any iron longer than a five if they have an unreliable swing.

The Vanishing Loft Phenomenon

Golf manufacturers figured out a long time ago that length was the prime determinant of a golfer picking a new set. Given that loft has the most influence on length, they simply started creating 5 irons with 4 iron lofts.  Whereas a 4 iron was 28 degrees loft 2 decades ago, it is now nearer 24 degrees. Instant satisfaction for the golfer, but applying the 24/38 rule to this means that the minority of golfers today can consistently hit a 4 iron.

Why is the hybrid easier to hit than a long iron?

In a word (well three actually) – Centre of Gravity. Whereas the CG of an iron is slightly behind the face, the extra mass of a hybrid allows the designer more freedom to place the CG in a strike-friendly position. Putting it nearer the back of the club and lower (nearer the sole) creates a higher spin rate and greater launch angle. Thus the ball will get into the air easier and stop quicker.  The shafts in hybrids are shorter than fairway woods, which add control. The face has no bulge or roundness like fairway woods which adds simplicity to shot making. The sole of many designs also have runners or rails to keep the club stable as it makes contact with the turf. With lofts ranging from 16 to mid 20 degrees, there is a variety of options.

Should You Hit Hybrid Golf Clubs?

For most golfers, the 24/38 rule applies (particularly those not having instruction), but if you see as many tour players using them as in the recent British Open, it must be time to re-evaluate your long irons.

Tips for hybrid fitting

Your club fitter will advise you on how to integrate hybrids into your existing set whilst avoiding large gaps in yardage.  Arguably, the longest iron in the bag should be a 5 iron for many players. For the new hybrids, get the same lofts as the irons you are replacing. Ideally you want your 3 iron hybrid to go the same distance as your 3 iron did (albeit the same distance as a really well struck 3 iron).  Also make them a similar length as the irons they are replacing. The longer the shaft, the harder it is to control the clubhead and it would defeat the object to make them too powerful.

For the golfers we have helped with hybrids, the thought of going back to the long irons never crosses their mind. One of my pupils described it as, “Not a chance - it would be like going back to persimmon woods”.

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Alex Nicolson, PGA Coach

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