Hybrid swing...

[Kellfire]

I'm getting myself an 18* hybrid in the coming week and wondered how I should swing it?

Is it more like a wood, stretching out a little with it and sweeping it away, or more like a long iron with a more vertical attack?

[Jar]

For me the lower lofted hybrids should be swept rather than hit with a steep angle of attack. It may depend on your natural flight and which brand you get. There are draw bias, neutral, back weighted, etc. I would plan a practice session with x-number of balls in forward, then a more central position to optimize angle of attack. I am not sure about moving it farther away, that is your call.

[DIETER]

It sorta depends on what kind of shot you're looking for. If you want a high trajectory with a soft landing, swing it like a fairway wood and "sweep" it. If you're looking for a lower trajectory and more run on the ball, you can hit down on it like an iron. That's the beauty about hybrids....they're so versatile - you can hit 'em anyway ya want.

[Bigvivec]

I disagree...I have found best results by hitting like a 5 iron...ball under the heart, hands slightly forward, good speed and wrist cock, hit down...this gives a high trajectory and feels like an iron in terms of swing timing and control...lower flight is farther back in the stance with the club angled forward in the same alignment as the previous shot...of course I hit down with fairway woods as well so I suppose we might be describing the same thing, just with different recognizable sensations...

[old spoon]

Originally Posted by Bigvivec

I disagree...I have found best results by hitting like a 5 iron...ball under the heart, hands slightly forward, good speed and wrist cock, hit down...this gives a high trajectory and feels like an iron in terms of swing timing and control...lower flight is farther back in the stance with the club angled forward in the same alignment as the previous shot...of course I hit down with fairway woods as well so I suppose we might be describing the same thing, just with different recognizable sensations...

Could'nt agree more Big!vivec!

I only have one Hybrid. Adams iPro 4 @23degrees and I hit the best Iron shot ever, today, from low beneath a tree. ..about 160yds or so, to within 15 feet of the pin. Made my day. I hit it like an Iron and it is a very fine mid distance club.

It requires the more Vertical Iron swing. Not like my FW's.

JMO

Old Spoon... Had a great 'round today!

[DIETER]

We are describing basically the same thing - I'm just saying you can hit the hybrid like a fairway wood or a long iron....and descibing it in the simpliest way. Yes, many people can and do hit down on a fairway wood...I do too, not all the time though. I have found that if I want the high ball with a soft landing, I don't hit down on the hybrid, I sweep it, as I would with a faiway wood.

[Jake]

I have to guard against pulls w the hybrids for some reason , so i also go more vertical: thinking small shallow divot...divot not always there.... but it helps the swing....

[Bigvivec]

Originally Posted by DIETER

We are describing basically the same thing - I'm just saying you can hit the hybrid like a fairway wood or a long iron....and descibing it in the simpliest way. Yes, many people can and do hit down on a fairway wood...I do too, not all the time though. I have found that if I want the high ball with a soft landing, I don't hit down on the hybrid, I sweep it, as I would with a faiway wood.

Not exactly the same then as I hit down all the time and hit more like a 5 iron rather than a 3...the harder I hit down the higher the ballflight is for me with pretty much any club in the bag, including the hybrid...

[Fourputt]

I have 3 in my bag at the moment (See sig), and I play all three in a similar fashion. I play them like a mid iron, hands ahead and hitting the ball before the club reaches the bottom of the arc. They are definitely the most consistent clubs in my bag.

[pick-it-up]

I hit mine differently depending on the play.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by pick-it-up

I hit mine differently depending on the play.

I do too... but then I do that with every club. I think the original question is referring to hitting a normal shot. All clubs have a "normal" stance and swing that you would use from average lies, and all have modifications on that stance and/or swing that would be used in specific situations. Those can only be judged by the particular lie and shot requirement at the time, and can't really be applied to a general question.

[Kellfire]

I do indeed mean as a general shot from a decent, unimpeded lie.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Kellfire

I do indeed mean as a general shot from a decent, unimpeded lie.

I hit some memorable hybrid shots today. On the par 5, 2nd hole I pulled my tee shot into a tree, and it deflected into what would be deep native rough in summer, now is just old stubble and powdery dry clay. Hit a great recovery shot back to the fairway at the 150 yard markers with my 19° TM and salvaged a par. On the 12th hole I hit a beautiful shot from the fairway bunker with my 22°. I had no chance to reach the green from 220 out in the bunker, but I put the ball 10 yards short of the green in the center of the fairway, for an easy pitch to 10 feet... then left the putt short in the center of the cup...

Just practice with your hybrids a bit and use the same sort of setup that you would use for a mid to long iron... I love my hybrids, and I think you will too.

[tmtp]

I generally take a very thin, small divot with my hybrid, closer to a long iron than a fairway wood. As many have mentioned already, I will change this depending on lie and the type of shot I am trying to play.