In general, golfers use hybrid golf clubs to replace difficult-to-hit long irons, and usually hit them from the fairway. Most hybrids are made with graphite shafts and their clubheads' center of gravity is set back and lower than irons. This typically results in greater shot distances, though these vary according to individual skill.
Swing Speed
Among the factors that determine the carry distance for a club is the swing speed. If you swing slower than 70 miles per hour when hitting your driver, you likely tend to hit the ball less than 180 yards. A swing speed between 70 and 85 mph typically produces carry distances of 180 to 210 yards. Swing speeds ranging from 80 to 95 mph can produce carry distances between 210 and 240 yards, while swing speeds of 90 to 105 mph can drive the ball 240 to 260 yards. Swing speeds of 105 mph and more generally drive a ball more than 260 yards, retailer Golfsmith calculates on its website.
To determine your swing speed, visit the pro shop at your local golf course or a local specialty golf retailer.
Lofts
Another factor that determines the distance range of your hybrid shots is the loft of the clubface. As with regular woods, lower loft angles on a hybrid club are designed to produce longer, lower shots. Typically, woods --- including hybrids --- have higher loft angles than irons to encourage higher launch angles and ball trajectories. This does not necessarily mean shots hit with a hybrid club will be shorter than those git with irons. On the contrary, hybrid shots are typically longer than iron shots due to larger clubheads with optimized centers of gravity, clubface forgiveness and torque production from longer graphite shafts.
Hybrid Shaft Flex
To consistently hit the distances mentioned in Section 1, your hybrid club needs to be outfitted with a shaft, preferably graphite, that carries the appropriate flex. If you have a slow swing speed, less than 70 mph, use a shaft with a ladies flex. Use a senior-flex shaft if you swing the club between 70 to 85 mph, a regular-flex shaft for swing speeds between 80 and 95 mph, and a stiff-flex shaft for 90 to 105 mph swing speeds. Any swing speed faster than 105 mph requires an extra-stiff-flex shaft, Golfsmith explains.
Distance Gaps
Putting hybrids into your golf bag to replace irons means you have to take into account the new carry distance ranges of those clubs. Even if the loft of the hybrid is the same as that of the iron it is replacing, that does not mean you will hit the hybrid the same distance, "Golf Digest" magazine warns. Ensure you replace every club you remove from your bag with a hybrid that does not create too big of a distance gap in your lineup of clubs. Doing so could make it harder for you to hit tight approach shots that require accuracy.
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