Hybrid golf clubs have changed the game of golf for professional and amateur golfers since the turn of the century. The term hybrid refers to a cross between conventional long irons and fairway woods. Many players and equipment reviewers praise hybrid clubs as being easier to hit and control than conventional long irons, which can be problematic even for professional golfers.
Shape
Part of the difficulty in hitting a long iron of a one or two is that the club head is very narrow and has a center of gravity that is forward in the club face. Hybrid clubs have the flat face of an iron with the rounded head of a fairway iron. This moves the center of gravity back in the club and makes them more adaptable to situations where a fairway wood or an iron would be used.
Length
Hybrid clubs are shorter than fairway woods, thus improving your control over the swing. One of the most difficult issues of long irons is that golfers can lose control of the club in the downswing if their club speed is less than 100 mph. The heavier club head and shorter length of the hybrid helps a golfer swing through the ball and thus produces more loft and a straighter shot more consistently.
Distance And Touch
According to a 2007 "New York Times" article by Damon Hack titled "An Alternative to Long Irons, and It’s Legal," some tests of hybrid clubs by low handicap golfers have shown them to hit an average of 10 yards longer than traditional clubs. Some golfers also praise hybrid clubs for the soft touch they produce when landing on greens. Traditional long irons can create forward spin on the ball and roll past the hole easily if you do not have a high level of skill.
Versatility
While traditional golf clubs are selected by the distance you are from the hole, hybrid clubs can be adapted to a variety of hitting situations and used for almost any shot depending on how you swing them. When on the fairway, the club can be swept along the ground like you would a fairway wood. When in rougher conditions, you can choke down on the club and swing slightly behind the ball to create a divot and loft on the shot. Though hybrid clubs can cost slightly more, they may often replace multiple clubs in your golf bag to compensate.
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