Why Hybrid Golf Clubs Are Completely Indispensable

Why the heck are hybrid golf clubs so popular these days. Is it a lot of hype or is there reality to this story?

Okay, for all the new kids, here is a little history. I heard that! No groaning.

You see, back when the Earth was still cooling (circa late 1970's) Taylor Made came out with one of the first clubs of this type called the Rescue. The Taylor Made hybrid clubs were a new type that had the look of a wood but was easier to use than the iron it was intended to replace. For the most part they work well as replacements for long irons.

Hybrid golf club sets have become popular because the long irons have a low loft and small club face, making them quite difficult to master. Traditionally, golfers have favored fairway woods in situations that would be appropriate for long irons. But with their longer shaft, the fairway woods do not deliver as much accuracy as the irons, and the required additional swing room makes it unsuitable for shots from tight locations such as near a tree or shrub. Since most country clubs frown on the use of chain saws under these circumstances, golfers are hungry for another option.

The best hybrid club performance derives from having a heavier head, and a club face that has a high coefficient of restitution (COR) - better known as the "trampoline affect". These two "wood-like" characteristics deliver more power to the ball than the corresponding iron. Yet it retains the shorter shaft of the iron allowing it to be used in tight situations and making accuracy more attainable.

On top of those properties, the best hybrid golf clubs give the ball a slightly higher loft with more backspin. This means the ball is less likely to roll past the target. The higher loft is apparently due to the lower center of gravity in the club head. The result is a slightly more vertical trajectory for the ball which lands at a steeper angle. Some of the pros like to call this the "parachuting in" effect. Another aspect of hybrids is their "forgiving" nature. They will also penalize you less in terms of either distance or accuracy for mis-hits.

Callaway hybrid golf clubs are available in both the Big Bertha and FT line of clubs. They feature a selectable center of gravity placement to customize it for your swing. The FT line is their top of the line model featuring a graphite shaft that is less prone to twisting during the swing. It is reported to be slightly less forgiving off the tee than a lot of other brands.

If you are a beginner and like the Callaway brand then I would recommend getting thee Big Bertha Diablo Hybrid/Utility club. It can be had with either a steel or graphite shaft, both at a reduced price from the FT line.

The Adams hybrid golf clubs are a solid and affordable brand. The Adam Idea A3 Boxer is a good buy with a graphite shaft at the price of many steel shaft models. I suppose the name "Boxer" may refer to the nice square head which can make a more obvious sight line in the rough. The Adams Golf Speedline models are more upscale but still cheaper than Callaway.

So if you have not purchased your own set of hybrid clubs yet, you are probably wondering what you have been waiting for. Personally, I have to wonder how civilization survived before this wonderful club type was invented.

Okay, that last was a little over the top. But check them out, you deserve it.