How To Hit A Hybrid Golf Club
Author: Johnny Hamm | Category: TechniqueHave you heard about the hybrid golf club movement? If you play golf at all, you surely have. We all know golfers who have run out and bought hybrids without doing any research at all. Hybrids have great benefits, but before jumping on the bandwagon, you should at least do a bit of research.
Are hybrid golf clubs right for me? Will they improve my golf scores? These are the questions most often asked. In this article, I will take you through some basics so you understand how to properly use hybrids once you have determined they are for you.
Most amateur golfers are not very consistent players of long irons. Long irons are widely known as the hardest to hit clubs in the bag, so it is no wonder why many amateurs struggle with them. Hybrid golf clubs are designed to be an easier to hit alternative to long irons. The truth is that even if you are a decent long iron player you should still consider using hybrids as they really are likely to improve your game. In my own case, I am an 11 handicap golfer. I happen to be a pretty consistent long iron player, and not a very good fairway wood player. My one and only hole in one came with a 4 iron from’4 yards, and my longest eagle was a 5 iron shot from 173 yards. I am very comfortable with hitting long irons rather than hitting fairway woods.
Having said all the above, I am still a better golfer when I put hybrid golf clubs in my bag and take out my 3, 4 & 5 irons. So the short answer to the question of whether you should use them is a resounding yes!
So, the next question is, just how do I hit hybrid golf clubs? Many players mistakenly think they should play hybrids like they play fairway woods. This is wrong, and if you play hybrid golf clubs like you play your fairway woods you will not be taking full advantage of their benefits, and you will still be leaving strokes on the golf course.
The easiest way I can tell you to properly hit a hybrid golf club is to say, just use your normal long iron swing. Now, if you have a bad long iron swing, that advice does not really help, does it? In my case, I don’t use the swing a golf pro would advise me to. I believe that golf is a sport in which you have to be as comfortable as possible. I don’t play the ball in my stance in the same place as most golfers do. I am more comfortable with the ball farther back in my stance. I tend to draw the ball, while most amateurs play a fade. The point is, find what is comfortable for you, then practice it and try small changes to improve. Your swing should be something you can repeat over and over in addition to swing that is comfortable to you.
So, we all have our own swing. OK, what does that mean for your switch from long irons to hybrid golf clubs? The biggest key is to use the same swing on a hybrid golf club as you would a long iron from a similar distance and lie. You want to hit the ball with a descending blow, just as you should be doing with your long irons. Don’t make the mistake of using your sweeping fairway wood swing with your hybrids. You will not get the same result. Concentrate on a descending blow on the golf ball, and let the club do the work.
Now put the same swing on the ball with a hybrid golf club as you did with the long iron. Even if you hit the ground first, the ball will still probably get in the air due to the design of the hybrid club head. It will also probably go straight and not hook or slice. You will not get the desired distance, but unless there is trouble short of the flag, your ball lives to be hit another day rather than finding the trouble right or left. Hit the ball thin and the results are probably similar, but with more distance.
To summarize, pretty much all amateur golfers will benefit from replacing their long irons with hybrid golf clubs. They are almost sure to lower your score if used properly. Use a descending, long iron type of swing, hit the range to get the feel of your new clubs, and I would be very surprised if you do not lower your score the first time out with your new hybrid golf clubs.
Want to find out how to playHybrid Golf Clubs, then visit Johnny Hamm’s site on how to choose the best hybrid golf club for your needs.
