Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Lou G — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:43:47 GMT

[quote user="Norris"]

Greg; That's good advise about demoing a club on the course, and using the same ball. The two courses that I play, both have range balls of every make & model, so I can hit the exact same shot with different results. Also, playing on the course, you can tell exactly where and how far you hit the ball. On the range, it's just a guess job as to how far the ball goes.

[/quote]

The main issue with the range is you can't pace off the distance.

The way I do the comparison is I have a neighborhood park that I go to at a very early hour (no people walking and no park maintenance personnel). It has a mound with a sidewalk that is pretty close what looks like an elevated green. The grass is cut about the same as a fairway. There are several sprinkler heads that give me an approximate distance to the mound. Going widthwise from the sidewalk to the west fence is good for comparing distances up to 150 yards. Going lengthwise from the back sprinkler head to the mound center is about 175 yards . Then there are two sprinkler heads at 165 and 150 yards approx. At each sprinkler head is a pretty close to level surface. I've also measured out the distance from the picnic benches to the mound. I use the same golf ball and walk off the distance. The other thing is that the shots have to be dead straight; otherwise they go into someone's yard on the left side or go over the playground on the right.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Norris — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:17:37 GMT

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Lou G — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:29:09 GMT

[quote user="Don O"]

Dave H -

You'll need to try both, or both as 19 degree if you can't get the H/F d's. I have 24 and 27H, and they are very consistent for distance. I can smash the 21F 20-30 yards more than the 24H, but if I needed an exact distance,it isn't that club. It's my 165-190 yard club. A little more sweep and it will roll out to 190, a little steeper and it will fly 155 and stop by 165 - ....most of the time. The H's aren't as easy to roll out.

What you need for distance and how accurate you need to be with that distance and how you feel the clubs will be all in your touch.

[/quote]

That's also about right for me on the distance gap between my 19F (set at 20.5) and 27H (28.5). I hit the fairway around 200 if I stripe it and about 185 with a conservative "green hitting" swing (can work it down to 165 by choking all the way down). With the 27H I hit a full swing 155-160. My 9 wood goes 180 if I stripe it and 170 on a conservative swing. My fairway woods have 41" shafts and my hybrids have 38" shafts - works great for distance control (they are also pretty upright).

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Greg F — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:58:37 GMT

David, I can only pass on experiences, and I would suggest trying out both at a demo day. Since we are near the end of those for this year, try to find a golf course that has demo clubs you can try out on the range or course. I recently did that and came out with different clubs than I thought I would. I went in looking for about an 18deg and ended up with a 15deg fairway and a 19deg hybrid. The hybrid is very useful when I need to punch out of an area with trees, off of pine needles, or out of the rough. I do use it in the fairway as well, however the 15deg gives me that extra yardage that I need more often than not. Since I did my testing on the range and course, no sales person was involved in pushing me to buy. I have used both clubs several times and I know I made the right decision.

I will suggest that playing with them, and using the same ball on the course will give you better information about the clubs. I have seen people use two different brands of balls for testing, and that puts too many variables into the process.

Good Luck,

Greg F.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Don O — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:57:58 GMT

Dave H -

What you need for distance and how accurate you need to be with that distance and how you feel the clubs will be all in your touch.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Lou G — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:08:48 GMT

[quote user="Norris"]

Great round Lou. You should be proud of yourself. Now go out there and get 38.

[/quote]

Yeah, I think I tamed that pesky 9 wood off the tee after that. Been smacking it on the fairways.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Norris — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:35:32 GMT

Great round Lou. You should be proud of yourself. Now go out there and get 38.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Lou G — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:35:16 GMT

Finally broke 40 for 9 holes on a regulation golf course (Par 37) this weekend. Shot 39.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Lou G — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:30:42 GMT

The only major vendors that offer 9 woods are Callie and TM. As far as hybrids - the only ones that offer 31 hybrids are png and Cobra. Callie has an 11 wood (25*). Other than that, the choice is clone vendors for things like a 15 wood (37*) or a PW hybrid.

Most people SHOULD be able to hit an 8 iron.

In regards to getting distance I need..... I use a DIY 31* hybrid vice a 7 iron because that leaves 15 yards either side (27* and 8 iron) and my distance is much more consistent (within 2 yards either way).

I don't hit middle irons very well so the choice is a 27 and 31 hybrid. I don't hit long hybrids very well so I carry a 19F and a 9 wood. I also do better with a 27 or 31 hybrid vs an 11 wood.

Since changing my driver to a 13* draw, I've dropped the 3 wood. The 19F does what I need, especially considering they mow the fairways very short on a lot of courses in SD. If I have to play a 200 yard par 3, I usually hit a stinger with the driver or swing away with the 19F. I can still make 560 yard par 5s in 3.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Quintin H — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:03:43 GMT

A hybrid is both a fairway wood and an iron, and it is neither.

If you hit irons better than fairways, go for the hybrid to replace the fairways.

But don't gauge by loft, go by the distance you need a club to hit then find the hybrid that hits that far.

If you hit fairways better than irons, go for the hybrid to replace the long irons.

Or use high lofted fairways, for some high lofted fairways just don't work.

Again, don't go by the loft, go by the distance you need.

If you hit fairways and irons equally well, then forget about hybrids.

If you hit fairways and irons equally bad, look into a set of hybrids.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

eboos — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:22:11 GMT

[quote user="david h"]

How would you describe the difference in determining/choosing between a 913 FD 18 degree vs. 913 HD 18 degree. Both have the same degree of loft but what is the playability differences? Course conditions? Turf? I am a 4 index. Thanks

[/quote]

I would demo the closest comparible head with the shaft that you plan on getting. I know the HD may not be available in the fitting carts, but try the 19*H and see if it is giving you the results.

I was planning on getting a 19* H and dropping my gap wedge, but I was hitting it too far. There was no difference between the H and my 3 wood. Instead, I will be getting a 21* and drop my 3 Iron.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Lou G — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:51:35 GMT

I'm a die hard fairway wood fan myself. I've tried for ages to hit a 3H (18-21*). Found out in 2006 when upgrading from persimmons to metals that I fared better with a 7 wood vs a 3H.

Even last year I found I could hit a Superfast 1.0 5-18 fairway better than a 3-18 hybrid.

The best I've done with a 20* hybrid is 180 yards. I've hit a 21 fairway as far as 225 yards.

I've been trying to hit a 21 hybrid probably since about 2011 and invariably end up going to a choke shot with my fairway wood. Upon finding a Steelhead III 9 wood while helping a friend clean his storage shed out and taking it to park and hitting some shots, I have had it in the bag for 3 months now and there is no turning back; it does what I want - hit a 170-175 yard shot and I can work it down so it overlaps the 27H. I got rid of my 910H 21* hybrid and made some money on the deal.

I've had my 910F 19* since last year and I'm getting pretty deadly on the long par 3s. The way I have it set up is a 41" shaft, A3 Surefit setting (lie angle of 59.5* - crossover from TM Burner days), Winn Lite Dri Tac oversize grip. I generally hit it 185-190 with a conservative swing but am capable of over 200 yards with it. I've trained myself to hit a full choke stinger shot with a good degree of success.

The place where I would have to say a hybrid wins out is 27* and 31* loft. I have both of mine (910H 27* at A3 and DIY 31*) set at 38" with lie angle of 61*. I can shape shots very well with them. The longest iron I carry is an AP1 8 iron (set at 36*) and have only a 15 yard gap to the 31* (I have a 7 iron but the distance varies by 20 yards).

I actually carried a persimmon 10 wood for a year (2010-2011) and it was my go to club for 160 until I found a 5H that I could hit well (Callie Heavenwood had the distance but very hard to hit; SQ2 5/26, Superfast 2.0 6-27 and 910H 27* all hit well with a progressive improvement but found I could work the 910H better). I still have the persimmon but the head is cracked.

Re: Hybrids vs. 3 woods

Skylar T — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:14:54 GMT

For me, fairway woods always go longer than hybrids even if they have the same loft. I know that hybrids usually have shorter shafts so this could be the difference in distance. I prefer playing a 5 wood over a 2 or 3 hybrid because I don't feel like I can shape shots with hybrids and control the trajectory. The advantage of hybrids is that I would say they are easier to hit, especially out of the rough.