Many players dread hitting long irons (2,3,4,5). Even with the proper golf instruction, these players would rather hit a short iron any day. Others prefer higher lofted woods.
Thanks to the hybrid (utility) club, a cross between an iron and a wood, these players need no longer even carry a long iron, never mind hit one. This club replaces the long irons in you bag.
A hybrid club is easier to hit than a fairway wood or a long iron, as most golf tips stress. It has a loft from 16 degrees to 25. It has a low-center-of gravity. And it has a slightly smaller head and lower profile.
The Hybrid club is practically a “universal” club. Use it off the tee, from all lies in the fairway and rough, in fairway bunkers, and near the green, for pitch-and-run shots.
• Off the tee
Tee the ball very low. Position it near the center of your stance but towards the target. Use a smooth tempo, with a full swing. Complete the follow-through.
• From the fairway
Use a ball position closer to the center of your stance. Swing more down and through the ball. Hit the ball first, then take a small divot. Complete the follow-through.
• From the fairway bunker
Assuming a good lie, position the ball in the center of your stance. Dig your feet into the sand. Use a shorter swing. Complete the follow-through. Don’t try to kill the ball.
• From the rough
Position the ball in the center of your stance. Use a 3/4 back swing, with a full follow through and a smooth tempo. Accelerate the downswing through the ball. Again, don’t try to kill the ball.
• From in front of the green
Pitch and run shots as you normally would but swing the club like a putter.
Hybrids can really help your game, whether it be in the longer shots or around the greens. So, if budget allows, go and pick one up and start to see a difference in your game.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.
