Drop the 4 iron for a 24 degree hybrid

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By Joe P

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  • 12 Replies
  1. Joe P

    Joe P
    Paso Robles, Ca.

    Has anyone done this?  I just don't hit the 4 iron off the deck with any consistency anymore.  

  2. Cameron D

    Cameron D
    Newport, RI

    Joe, 

    This is a great option if you aren't having the consistency you are looking for with your longer irons.  A lot of players who start to avoid hitting their longer irons, will tend to have more success from a more forgiving, versatile hybrid club.

    Cameron

    1-888-TITLEIST  

  3. Christian J

    Christian J
    Griswold, IA

    I have just done this in the past week.  I haven't been able to get out and play with it yet because of the weather, but anything will work better than my four.  Great idea, go for it.

  4. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    My golf partner who has a 9 hcp went crazy with the hybrids. He replaced his 2 - 5 irons with them. He hits his 17 degree hybrid almost as far as I hit my driver. There is a lesson here.....

  5. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    Titleist has general recommendations based on ball speed of a 19H for 150 mph, 21H for a 135 mph, 24 H (4 iron) for 125 mph, and 24/27 H for 115 mph.  Too many amateurs have driver shafts that are too stiff.  I think it is K.C. Choi that carries hybrids through 5 iron.  I was mishitting too many 5 irons and now with a 27H, I can both hit and hold the green much better.  Already had a 24H and 21/17 F.  If you can't hit it, switch it.

  6. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Don O said:

    Titleist has general recommendations based on ball speed of a 19H for 150 mph, 21H for a 135 mph, 24 H (4 iron) for 125 mph, and 24/27 H for 115 mph.  Too many amateurs have driver shafts that are too stiff.  I think it is K.C. Choi that carries hybrids through 5 iron.  I was mishitting too many 5 irons and now with a 27H, I can both hit and hold the green much better.  Already had a 24H and 21/17 F.  If you can't hit it, switch it.

    Roger up on amateurs having drivers that have overly stiff shafts and sometimes too low of a loft - part of the ego trip thing.  The best thing I ever did was switch my driver to a 13* draw with a flex (however, it is 44.5" and that is 1.25" shorter than stock so it plays closer to regular); I love finding the middle of the fairway on a consistent basis and my driving has been one of my strong points.   My 19F and 21H both have a flex (again shortened 1" and play more stout).

    I think a 25-27 hybrid is the greatest thing since sliced bread.   I can count on my 910H 27 (which I have set to A4 28.5*) for 150-160 yard shots.  The combination of 7 wood and lofted wood/5H has been pretty lethal since 2006. 

    I dropped the 6 iron in 2006 and have carried 29-32 in its place until 2010. 

    I even carried a persimmon 10 wood between mid 2010 and mid 2011 and could drop it from 165 with a good deal of precision (I picked up an SQ2 5/26 that I hit well and used until I got the 910H 27).  This was just a "funzies" kind of thing because I missed using real woods (I got a 5 wood and 10 wood that year as presents).

    24H is pretty hittable for a majority of golfers.   I hit one well but I hit the 27 so well that there is only a 5 yard difference.  I just recently added a 21 (which I am still learning to hit; however, I have a go to shot with the fairway in a full choke stinger for 170 yards).

    I also have been carrying some form of "approach" hybrid (34-35*) since 2006, mainly as a backup for the 7 iron.   I've found I fare better on the 140-150 yard par 3s with a 34H (a few years ago I could hit one 160 yards).   The beauty of these is they are all carry and stick greens well. 

    As a matter of note, some of the LPGA players are using 11 woods and even 6 hybrids (also consider that they outdrive most men).

     

  7. I dropped my AP2 4 iron for a 21 910H and it seems I need a little more distance for my gaps...the 24 degree was similar to my five iron...so I like how Don discusses swing speed...good point.

  8. pulplvr

    pulplvr
    Spring, TX

    Military

    I made the switch last year, when I replaced my Cobra FPs with Titleist AP-2s.  The fitting pro recommended, and I agreed, to swap out my 4-iron for the 24 degree 910H.  I've been exceptionally happy with it, even though there have been days when I wished I still had the 4 iron.  I'm still learning to hit the low shot from under trees out of the rough with the hybrid, one I used to use the 4 iron for a lot.  But then, golf is a constant learning process, right?

  9. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    pulplvr said:

    I made the switch last year, when I replaced my Cobra FPs with Titleist AP-2s.  The fitting pro recommended, and I agreed, to swap out my 4-iron for the 24 degree 910H.  I've been exceptionally happy with it, even though there have been days when I wished I still had the 4 iron.  I'm still learning to hit the low shot from under trees out of the rough with the hybrid, one I used to use the 4 iron for a lot.  But then, golf is a constant learning process, right?

     
    I've used my 4W like a pitching wedge when taking the hero shot and not just going lateral.  I can keep it down under 8 feet and let it run.  I consider that 100-125 yards better than a ball ricochetting further into the rough or back to me for a 5 yard net.  If I pull a wedge, I have also kept an opposite side (RH) 5 iron.  It also is used for any terrain that can damage a set club. I can handle partial swings with it fairly well.  This is my heavily wooded course setup for my LH set.
  10. Michael W

    Michael W
    Pikeville, NC

    Yes. Did it 3-4 years ago. One of the best things I have done for my game. I had gotten to a 14 handicap as my consistency had gone away. I bought 2 thru 5 hybrids, but only play with 3 and 4 and carry more wedges. My handicap is back down to an 8 now, at 52 yrs old. Looking to drop that 2-3 more strokes in prep for the US Senior Amateur. I am currently playing Hogan hybrids (some of the best), but am researching the Titleist models as I play the Titleist woods.

    Sorry to ramble on; if you're having trouble with the long irons, absolutely, go for it and don't look back!

  11. tdogg21

    tdogg21
    Chambersburg, PA

    i picked up a 20* this off season to replace my 3 iron.  i liked my 3 iron, but i just wasn't consistent or confident enough to use it all the time. 

  12. Parthur

    Parthur
    Marshfield, MA

    Thanks for the input. Last year I noted I was not playing the best 4-irons of my life. I will definitely try switching out for a 24 degree hybrid (same loft as my Titleist 4-iron) this year. If I remember, I'll post how it went at the end of the year.

    Hit 'em where you want 'em, and have a great 2013.

  13. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    I used to carry the traditional old school setup way back when (3-4 woods, 2-PW irons, SW) and even used a conventional 1 iron back in the 1980s.   When I took up golf again in 2006, I found I couldn't hit anything well above a 6 iron (and even that was spotty).

    I immediately found out that I fared better with a fairway wood vs a long hybrid (15-21).   I can do a lot with a 19-21 fairway. 

    The hybrid game has been a bit of experimentation between 2006-2011.   I used an old 9 wood and a 29H as middle clubs between 2006-2008 and fared very well with them; both had steel shafts (I also had a 3DX 26H but actually hit the 29 just as far).  The 34H was one of those things - I was looking at Golfsmith and saw a Q3A 34* "approach wedge" with 36" shaft and snagged one up; found out I could hit one just as far as a 6 iron (160 yards) so I stuck it in the bag.  Played with G10 28-32H steel shafted between 2008-2009 (had a 15 and a 24 but didn't hit either that well so I sold them).   Also constructed a Q3A 38H in late 2008 as a band aid fix because I started having trouble with 7 irons (I could hit the 38H 140 yards); I used it (along with the DIY Q3I 8-PW) until 2010 (I got the e Q3I 7 iron dialed in and hitting).    What was crazy is I picked up some clone hybrids (6/31 and 7/35; I could hit the 35H 150 yards) in mid 2009 and they actually hit farther than the G10s!  Got this itch to play persimmon woods so I got a LV Even Stripe 10W for Father's Day and used that until mid 2011; I could hit it 160 yards just about on the nose every time (I still have it around the house and take it to the range from time to time; unfortunately broke the head on the 5 wood).   The persimmon 34H was a tax refund present in 2011 and I have been using in place of a 6 iron ever since (also learned how to work it down to 8 iron distance).  The 10W was superseded by an SQ2 5/26H that got 5 more yards and was much easier to hit; I played the 5H, briefly had a Superfast 6-27 and then the 910H 27 (progression, because all hit very well).   

    BOTTOM LINE: WORK SMARTER AND NOT HARDER (I play better golf with an oddball setup).

     

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