Hey all, wondering if you generally find your hybrids stick the greens. I am finding my current one flies a little flat, and while I get very acceptable distance out of it, it tends to bounce/roll off the back of the green on approaches. Is there fitting data on optimum launch angle and backspin like there are for irons/drivers/wedges?
You had answered your own question.
If the trajectory is flat, then, probably will be the reason why the run off after landing.
If anything, try to hit the hybrid like an iron ( hit down and through to trap the golf ball ) and hopefully it will produce s similar trajectory like iron shot.
Learn to use a high fade for long irons / hybrids. With the long sticks, the number one reason for not getting elevation will be lack of club head speed.
I’ve mostly switched to high loft woods for this very reason. The only hybrid I play now is a 7H which launches high enough to stick. Then I play a 7W which flies incredibly high and stops on a dime. I also have 9W and even 11W which aren’t in the bag now but they are great for mid length approaches.
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Between the golfer and the equipment; golfer will bear the relevant to the shot produced more than the equipment.
For the reasons of not able or could not allocate the time to improve the golfer’s ability, the equipment seems to be a quicker and easier fix to the issues.
If that’s the case, to fix your flat trajectory, you’re on the right track by adding loft to elevate the trajectory. Don’t forget to look into the choices of shaft in use. A light weight, low flex point, shaft could improve somewhat to elevate the apex of ball flight.
Going through the golf ball instead of “picking at it” will also improve the shape of ball flight.
I had known someone who had the issue of flat ball flight, no matter which golf club was in use. He was shorter in height and not athletic. The two combined elements made his golf swing flatter and shorter. He had problem stopping the golf ball on the greens.
A properly fitted set of golf clubs improved his golf game; this was after he switching from all the major brands off the shelf OEM golf clubs he bought/traded over the years.
He did not like to exercise to strengthen his body ( especially his hands and arms ); so he had chosen to try different golf clubs instead; hoping for a miracle cure.
It never came. At this point in his life, most sensible advice to him is, to enjoy the game with what he has.
LOL, no, neither of us did. Do you generally find your hybrids stick the greens?
Yes, in fact, the trajectory from my hybrids are generally higher than the corresponding long irons.
Then again, I have higher trajectory from all the sticks in the bag.
Used to try to bring down the ball flight from the hybrids. With the years gone by, the ball flight seems to be more “normal” now.
With the exception of 14/15 degree hybrid; in Ben Hogan and the Bang-O-Matic forged. These two seem to have lower ball flight than the 3/4 fairway woods for some reason. Could be the shorter length and stiffer flex. Much more effective for a tee shot at a short, tight par 4.
I was an equipment junkie, done enough work for the others to know that when golfers complained about their ball flight, they should go see the ball flight from those who could hit it a mile.
Launch monitor, is but a piece of machinery. It’s only as smart as it is programed. So don’t stick to the data alone; the result on the golf course is what we really want. Not, just be perfect on the data sheet.
If you have issue from sticking your hybrid shots. It’ll come from a low ball flight or lack of spin or both.
You had stated that your ball flight from hybrid was a little “flat”. That will be the issue you have.
Flat ball flight could be from many causes. The common issue will be lack of club head speed. Either loft up, or get more fit from exercise. No short cut there.
Kind of in line with what @Dewsweeper wrote, if you’re not holding greens, then they’re not spinning/flying high enough, for you. Regardless of what some ideal chart says.
OTOH, if your e.g., 3H is rolling 30 yds through a green, I’d think something is wrong. I don’t expect to stop my 3I on a dime for a very hard green. So I wouldn’t expect the 3H to do it either, despite the generally higher flight/greater spin from hybrids vs irons of similar length. But I wouldn’t expect 30 yards of roll either.
Do you think it’s a strike issue? A ball issue? Maybe it’s just too tough an ask for a 2/3/4H?
I carry a 5h (more like a 4h in loft) that will hold the green, but my 3h usually won’t. I just don’t have the SS for it’s low loft. I have been looking for 4h or maybe fairway wood to replace it although it’s very useful on those windy days.
I think Wishon wrote an article years ago about how fairways will hit higher due to the head’s lower CoG and having the right 0.335" shaft. He even designed many of his hybrids to take a 0.335" shaft to provide more shot height.
The ball can make a difference too. I always use a urethane cover ball, but I have played some alternate shot tournaments with my buddy using his ball and forgotten it doesn’t hold a green quite as well.
My prior 4h was a regular shaft of fairly light weight and it tended to balloon a bit but also stop. The newer one was fitted as part of an iron set, and is stiffer and heavier. It did take me some time to get used to hitting it at all, because the prior one was so different.
I generally do not take much divot after a wrist injury sort of programmed my body to avoid it. I went back to the fitter who recommended a swing adjustment, and he thought the subsequent trajectory was right in fitting terms. It looked low to me but I was looking at a pretty high ball flight with the prior one. I’m just having an issue watching the ball bounce across the green in actual gameplay, and part of me wondered if expecting a club to go 190+ yards and stop was possibly unrealistic, especially hitting out of the rough. I see YouTube guys shaping the vertical path of their woods for distance or stopping, but that’s a few levels above me.
Since we opened up this subject. Let me ask you this question. How are the other approach shot with other sticks in your bag doing?
Is the 7 iron holding the green? How about 8 iron? 9 iron, maybe?
The reason why I did not ask you about your wedge game was, the wedge does not compare to the other clubs in the bag as far as producing spin and the apex height.
If your 7 iron does the hop and stop ( back spin on the sloped from back to front) during normal playing condition, dry condition, or wet condition?
I know a local guy who could not stop anything on the green like he would like to. He is short ( 5’ 2-3"). The swing plane is flat with every stick in the bag because he would not go shorter in club length than the lady’s std length. No matter what I told him, his way of handling it was to switch driver and hybrids, in hope of finding the magical stick which will give him the ideal ball flight.
Mind you, there are some very short professional golfers who did very well in tournament golf. Ian Woodsnam comes to mind. I think he is only 5’3" at best? However, he is a very strong person with the height.
Ben Hogan was rumored from 5’8"-5’9" and no real data for this but, he was one of the longest driver on Tour in his time.
This guy I know is short and not very strong ( not into sports when he was younger ) on top, he is over 65 and lack the motivation going to the gym.
In this game, there are two parts of the formula; namely, the golfer and the equipment. In the same order as the importance to develop a good golf game. It’s easier if one has the athletic built and the eye-hand coordination; but one could still develop a good golf game lacking the natural assets.
I am considered below the average build for male in this country, but I could belt it out there with most of the amateur golfers. Had a few close to 300 yard drive with persimmon and the first generation metal driver ( Taylor Made ) with 43" steel shafts. Up hill then plateaued so not much run on those tee shots.
So, comparing to other golf clubs in your bag, do you have one besides the wedge that you could elevate the ball flight and stop quickly with the approach shot?
If not, then it’s not the issue for hybrids?
If you experiment, trim the 3H the same length as the 4H. You still would have a lower ball flight but, perhaps not that low and more distance.
One set on my hybrids took after the model from the Adams club 2-3 decades ago, in which the 3H and the 4H are the similar length as the 2 iron and the 3 iron. Swing them like a long iron and they produce high ball flight.
Me too, LOL.
Stopping anything out of the rough from that range is going to be a tall order. Especially if launch is going to be in the 12-14 range. Hopefully, your distance rose as your launch angle dropped and perhaps spin dropped too. There’s no free lunch, albeit one can differentiate between high launch and high spin.
Me, 190 is a good 4-5 iron, and I have no idea if I can stop anything from the rough with either. Range balls seem to, but LOL, the range.
Land short and run stuff on?
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JJ,
190 yards from the rough is not a piece of cake for amateurs. Like you said, 4-5 irons from the rough will be tough to put a stop on demand because we’ll never know how much brass will get in between the club face and the golf ball. They call it, the flier lie.
even the professionals hitting their stock 7 iron from 190 out in the rough will have a 50/50 chance of keeping it on the green.
You gave great advice of hit it shorter and allow the run off.
I have to muster a 3/4 iron from the same distance and hopefully landing the ball to the front part of the green to allow run-off and keep the ball on the putting surface.
Anything more than 170 yards these days are tough for my game. Age caught up with me and also have not really been participate in the game for almost 2 years now.
Wife still advise me not to be too relaxed, just yet. Part of being a senior with battle ridden body. Can’t act like I’m still young, although I’d very much like to believe that I am still young- wishful thinking.
I think this is the answer. I looked back at the long 5i/4h approach shots where this happened and they are mostly out of the rough. I also have a gap in the bag, as irons go AW-5i, then 4h where a 185 yard shot isn’t really available. After that is 5 wood. Last round I only lost strokes against a 10 hdcp on approach in the 150-200 yard range. Part of that is recovery shots (I don’t know if ShotScope knows you don’t have an open shot on green), but still.
I may consider a 5h. That would fill my bag, though I haven’t gamed my 60 deg wedge this year and a second tee shot club for the 225-230 distance would probably be good.
I have both hybrids a bit shorter and heavier now and that works better but the 3h just doesn’t have enough loft for me. My original 3h was about 20* I think and this newer one is probably 18*. I can hit some really long tee shots with it, but off the deck I need my absolute best swing to elevate it. Honestly it probably is not a good fit for my set. I could easily drop it from the bag and not miss it.
Sometimes “hit it short and run stuff on” is not an option with hazards in front of the green, elevated green…
instead of thinking attacking the green, think of where to miss the green. Will it be best to miss it to the left or right or over the green? or simply the only wise choice would be play it short of the green to a yardage which you feel comfortable for the next shot.
Modern technology is very helpful in identifying the hazards, yardage… just remember to use your eyes and your experience + learned judgement to make a decision. Technology is great to aid you in decision making, not taking over what’s sitting on top of your shoulders.