I broke down and bought a hybrid.

[ringin]

Having no friends who play golf left handed, I've never had a chance to try any hybrids on the course, but I've been thinking about just buying one for months now and I've had my eye on one of the Callaway X hybrids, like Phil uses. As if by fate, I was reading xnavyct's thread about cheap hybrids, when I received an email from Callaway Preowned. There I found an almost brand new Callaway X Hybrid 21* for $85 including headcover and stiff Callaway graphite shaft. It just arrived yesterday, but I'm hoping that if this club turns out to be worth keeping, that I can dump my 3 and maybe even 4 iron. I'll post a review after I've worked with it a few times.

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by ringin

Having no friends who play golf left handed, I've never had a chance to try any hybrids on the course, but I've been thinking about just buying one for months now and I've had my eye on one of the Callaway X hybrids, like Phil uses. As if by fate, I was reading xnavyct's thread about cheap hybrids, when I received an email from Callaway Preowned. There I found an almost brand new Callaway X Hybrid 21* for $85 including headcover and stiff Callaway graphite shaft. It just arrived yesterday, but I'm hoping that if this club turns out to be worth keeping, that I can dump my 3 and maybe even 4 iron. I'll post a review after I've worked with it a few times.

Welcome to the 21st century!

I think you'll like the hybrid. It takes a bit of getting used to, both in the sense of how to hit it and saying farewell to the 2-iron, or 3-iron, or whichever club it's replacing. It's a little weird not having a "traditional" set of clubs anymore, but the hybrids really do outperform the long irons plus they have many other uses as well.

They work off of tight lies, fluffy lies, lies in the rough, lies in the sand; plus they're very useful for punching out from under tree limbs and you can even chip with them. One thing about the chipping: hybrid faces tend to be very lively and a chip struck with a hybrid will really jump off the face as opposed to one struck with an iron of the same loft, so if you're planning on using it as a chipping club, I'd practice with it a bit to get used to the difference.

All in all, as much as I hate to admit it, in the case of the hybrids, technology really does beat tradition.


-JP

[ringin]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

Welcome to the 21st century!

I think you'll like the hybrid. It takes a bit of getting used to, both in the sense of how to hit it and saying farewell to the 2-iron, or 3-iron, or whichever club it's replacing.
-JP

Ha ha..yeah I know. I just hadn't jumped on the Hybrid craze. I recently put my 5 wood back in the bag and put the 2 iron in the closet, even though I've always hit the 2 very well.

So now I've got a strong 3 wood (13*), 5 wood (18*), Hybrid (21*). 4 iron (24*)

That covers the gaps perty darn good.

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by ringin

Ha ha..yeah I know. I just hadn't jumped on the Hybrid craze. I recently put my 5 wood back in the bag and put the 2 iron in the closet, even though I've always hit the 2 very well.

So now I've got a strong 3 wood (13*), 5 wood (18*), Hybrid (21*). 4 iron (24*)

That covers the gaps perty darn good.

I have the strong three wood too and my 18 degree club is my hybrid and I still carry a 3 and 4 iron. I did buy a Nike 4 wood with an 18 degree loft but I haven't really practiced at all with it. It seemed like a good idea at the time and maybe it will turn out to be be a great club if I ever get the chance to spend some time with it and actually find out what it can do. That's the trouble with impulse purchases, they're bought on a whim and most of them end up in the closet.

-JP

[ringin]

That seems to be the rule. I bought my Taylor Made 5 wood on a whim and, more or less, this hybrid on a whim. We'll see if they can both get along in the bag and play nice.

[Bigvivec]

I have a closet full of "whims"...


I like the idea of hybrids, but go through phases hitting them...problem I have found is that they take a different swing and I might only use it 3-4 times a round, whereas driver/3wood is similar, irons and full wedges are similar...you get the picture...if I don't quite have the feeling for the hybrid that day, I have very few chances to develop it, and might go an hour between uses...

[ringin]

Originally Posted by Bigvivec

I have a closet full of "whims"...


I like the idea of hybrids, but go through phases hitting them...problem I have found is that they take a different swing and I might only use it 3-4 times a round, whereas driver/3wood is similar, irons and full wedges are similar...you get the picture...if I don't quite have the feeling for the hybrid that day, I have very few chances to develop it, and might go an hour between uses...

Are you supposed to be hitting hybrids with more of a sweeping, fairway wood type swing, or hitting down and through?

[Bulls9999]

Heck, my hybrids and my putter are my most consistent clubs. I often joke around that I just need to get a humongo-driver-sized hybrid, lol?

I can't hit my long irons as straight as my hybrids, and I love the way the balls just 'drop out of the sky onto the green' without rolling through it.

I also think it really depends on the hybrid. I had received a free Callaway 'Heavenwood' when I bought my Callaway X460 driver, but I couldn't hit that heavenwood for beans. Then I got a Taylormade Dual Rescue #4, and hit the snot out of it...straight, soft, could put a little cut on it, etc. ....followed that up with a TM Dual Rescue #3, and the same....now looking for a #2, but graphites in that version are more rare (I'm also lefty).

Originally Posted by ringin

Having no friends who play golf left handed, I've never had a chance to try any hybrids on the course, but I've been thinking about just buying one for months now and I've had my eye on one of the Callaway X hybrids, like Phil uses. As if by fate, I was reading xnavyct's thread about cheap hybrids, when I received an email from Callaway Preowned. There I found an almost brand new Callaway X Hybrid 21* for $85 including headcover and stiff Callaway graphite shaft. It just arrived yesterday, but I'm hoping that if this club turns out to be worth keeping, that I can dump my 3 and maybe even 4 iron. I'll post a review after I've worked with it a few times.

[Bulls9999]

FWIW, my best results are 'down and through'.

Originally Posted by ringin

Are you supposed to be hitting hybrids with more of a sweeping, fairway wood type swing, or hitting down and through?

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by Bulls9999

FWIW, my best results are 'down and through'.

Agreed.

Just like the name of the club, the swing I use for it is sort of a hybrid itself; a cross between a fairway wood and long iron swing. "Down and through" is a pretty good description.


-JP

[xnavyct]

I've always had trouble hitting the hybrid I did have, a Tour Edge Bazooka, but seem to be able to hit the Hogans pretty decently. Bulls9999 is right on when he says it depends on the hybrid.

Hope the Cally works out for you!

[Bigvivec]

Ringin...I hit mine and position it ball position wise just like a 4 or 5 iron...and don't tee it up higher than you would a 7iron tee shot out of the box...you'll sky the bejebers out of it...they are weighted low enough to get the ball up from a low tee...and I always take a divot...just make sure you're aware where the leading edge is and focus on that for alignment and swing bottom...

[ringin]

I've taken it out on the course 3 times now and have hit shots from the rough, tee, fairway, sand...and I think it's a keeper. I definitely hit it more consistently than my 3 iron. It goes much higher and lands very soft, but it might lose just a little distance with it compared to a 3 iron. I'm hitting the hybrid about 205-215 and I was getting only a few more yards from a pure 3 iron. I don't have basis for comparison, but the Callaway X feels very solid and I'm looking forward to experimenting with it more.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by ringin

I've taken it out on the course 3 times now and have hit shots from the rough, tee, fairway, sand...and I think it's a keeper. I definitely hit it more consistently than my 3 iron. It goes much higher and lands very soft, but it might lose just a little distance with it compared to a 3 iron. I'm hitting the hybrid about 205-215 and I was getting only a few more yards from a pure 3 iron. I don't have basis for comparison, but the Callaway X feels very solid and I'm looking forward to experimenting with it more.

I find the hybrids to be more forgiving in more situations and conditions over the fairway woods.

The highest fairway wood that I use is the 5W, now, and I use the 3 W for the driver alternative.

[Bigvivec]

IF I catch a 3 or 2 iron pure, I will hit it farther and with more control than my hybrids...with roll...the hybrids are all carry, are decently accurate, and just so easy to hit that it is tough to argue against them...in the end they save shots...