Making Hybrids A Go-To Club Cuts Golf Handicaps

When Padraig Harrington won the British Open in 2007, he used his hybrid on the tournament’s final three playoff holes to secure victory. Later, he said it was his “go-to” club, the club he relied on in the clutch. He also said his hybrid was his go-to club in this year’s British Open and PGA Championship. That’s a ringing endorsement for hybrids from one of the world’s best golfers. Below are some tips on using Hybird golf clubs.

Hybrids are your most playable clubs, as I’ve said in my golf tips. They’re also the most versatile. And they’re probably the easiest to hit. You don’t need golf lessons to learn to hit them well. Most weekend players with mid to low golf handicaps learn to hit them effectively without going to special golf instruction sessions. You can hit high, powerful shots with hybrids. And you can make par-saving rescues with them. So why not make one your go-to club?

Hybrids Improve Shots
Tests prove that hybrids improve your shots and your swing. What they show is that golfers adept at hitting a hybrid tend to hit the ball longer than players who hit long irons about 15 percent farther. The hybrid allows players to cock and uncock their wrists more easily while swinging. This in turn allows them to maintain a longer cocking action and a steeper angle of attack.

The hybrid also enables players to generate more hip action in the case of players with low golf handicaps as much as 38 percent faster. That generates more clubhead speed. The body feels this increase and adjusts, moving faster through the ball. Thus, hybrids deliver more power without having to swing harder.

In addition, the latest trend in hybrids makes them even more playable. If you look at the newer models, you’ll see that newer models have slightly bigger clubheads than older models. Bigger clubheads give you a higher moment of inertia for stability and a deeper center of gravity for height. With all these advantages going for hybrids, why not use one to your advantage?

Swing Shape Is Key
Swing shape is often the key to determining how well you hit a hybrid. Few players hit both a wood and a hybrid well. Usually, players tend to hit one much better than the other. Players like Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, and Paul Casey, who have flatter swing arcs through the ball, tend to hit their woods better than their hybrids.

Players like Harrington and Parker McLaughlin, who have more of a descending arc through the ball, tend to hit their hybrids better than their woods. If your swing is naturally steep (your divots are deep even with your long irons), you’re probably better off hitting a hybrid than a 5-wood or long iron.

Another key is the club’s shaft. Hybrids were meant to replace long irons not fairway woods. That’s how they were first designed and that’s how they perform best. As a result, most golfers do better with hybrids when the clubs are fitted with shafts designed for irons rather than shafts designed for woods.

Tips on using Hybird golf clubs
If want to make hybrid you’re go-to club, but are having trouble hitting one, here are some golf tips that will make hitting one easier:

* Start up square at address
* Stay as relaxed as possible
* Make a good strong turn
* Employ a smooth transition
* Start down with your hips
* Push the club at impact.

In addition, position the ball farther back than a wood. The club is shorter than a wood, so you need to move the ball back a little.

Most weekend golfers benefit from making hybrids their go-to clubs even those players with high golf handicaps. If you’re having trouble hitting one, look to your swing shape and the club’s shaft as the causes of your poor shotmaking. If these elements are okay, incorporate some or all of the above golf tips in your swing. Making your hybrid your go-to club with its playability and versatility is a great way to chop strokes off your golf handicap.