What is there main purpose, are these clubs replacing the fairway woods? I was out with my dad the other day and he was always using one it seemed. I grabed a adams tight lies 19 just unsure when to grab it.
They are used to replace whatever club you were hitting from about 15 degree face angle to about a 24 degree face angle. Either a 3W/1i at approx 15*, 5W/2i at approx 18*, 7W/3i at approx 21*, and 9W/4i at approx 24*. A hybrid will typically have a shaft longer that the iron, but shorter than the comparible wood with a face more like a wood (with bulge and roll versus a flat face on an iron) and construction more like a fairway wood but smaller than a typical fairway wood. The theory is that if you were having accuracy problems with your fairway woods and launch problems with your high irons, the hybrid will provide a happy medium.
I was a non-beleiver at first. 10 years ago I had only 1 "wood" in my bag which was the driver follwed by my irons 1 thru LW. When I was on, I could hit my 1 thru 3 irons good, when I was a little bit off they became almost useless. I later transitioned out the 1 and 2 irons in favor of a 3W and 5W. I could launch the ball more consistanly from good lies, but had trouble out of mediocre lies and did not have the accuracy that I had with my irons. About 2 years ago, I built a set of hybrids to see what all the hype was about and have been playing them ever since. My current set consists of Driver, 3W, 18* Hybrid, 21* Hybrid, 24* Hybrid, 5i -PW, Gap Wedge, and Sand Wedge. For me, the Hybrids have renewed my long game. They provide a consistant distance gap from my irons into my 3W, and are as accurate if not more accurate than my irons. There are days that I even think about replacing the 5 iron with a hybrid. When playing rain soaked fairways, you can not beat a Hybrid. It glides across the fairway grass rather than digging in and robbing distance.
Go ahead an demo one if you can and see if they will work for you.
Hybrids are just excellent clubs. I used to play a 2-iron, and loved the thing. Good luck, though, getting it out of the rough 215 yards. My duece hybrid has NO problems whatsoever getting it up and out of the rough. I just can't "knock it down" as I could the 2-iron.
I also use my hybrid off the tee. It's just straighter and more predictable than any long iron I've ever hit from a tee. My deuce hybrid I have striped 270+ off a tee downhill more than a few times. Who needs a driver?
I only have the 2-iron now, but am most likely going to transition out my 3-iron to a hybrid also. Try it out.
Hybrid 3 and 4 irons are included in the Walter Hagen SB3 iron set I purchased a few weeks ago. I've always had trouble with longer irons until I get to my 5 and things finally take off! But they definitely provide some relief. I've never hit 3's and 4's this well. Basically straight every time, good trajectory and launch, and decent soft landings (if I actually hit the green).
I'm seeing more full iron hybrid sets 3 thru PW. Seems to be a bit much for me. I actually like hitting irons.
I haven't gone to the dark side yet, but I recently asked a couple of pros at a local course and they both use a hybrid. That is a serious endorsement. I really didn't think either person would be using a hybrid.
From what I have heard and what they said, hybrids are basically replacing the hard-to-hit long irons. You can hit this easier and it goes higher and lands softer than a long iron like a 3 iron.