I can remember the days when I either loved my 3-iron or hated my 3-iron. Actually, it could change within a round of golf and from hole to hole.
Matter of fact, I never knew what shot was coming from the 3-iron I had in my bag during my playing professional days.
I think back to all the anxious moments that 3-iron created for me during my competitive days and wonder what my career would have been like if there were hybrids then.
I know I was hesitant when the hybrids arrived on the golf scene because they just weren’t traditional, and a lot of players wondered if they added a hybrid to their bag would that not make them a “player.”
As an instructor, I felt it was awesome for my players to add a hybrid because it was much easier for the mid-to-high handicap player to get the ball in the air with solid contact. But the good players were not so willing to add the hybrid, and this included tour players.
In today’s world of golf, however, the hybrid is accepted for all levels of players, including tour players.
Sometimes it takes a while to give up the traditional way (change is never easy) for the better way. It has always been known that hybrids are much easier to hit, resulting in a higher, straighter ball flight and a club that can be used from all playing conditions (high rough, fairway, hard pan, etc.).
Tour players have now accepted the hybrids and the following numbers might surprise a lot of you. The average number of hybrids in the bag for a PGA tour player is 1.7, the Senior Tour is 4.1 and the LPGA averages 3.2 hybrids per bag.
If you do not have at least two hybrids in your bag it’s time to reevaluate the clubs in your bag.
I encourage all golfers to meet with a PGA or LPGA professional to make sure you have the set make-up that allows you to play your best golf. I encourage my average golfers to start their sets with a 5- or 6-iron and go through the sand wedge. That means they could add a 3- and 4-hybrid to their golf bag.
For ladies, I encourage them to start with a 7-iron through sand wedge and they would add a 4, 5 and 6 hybrids to their bags. This is a general guideline.
Again, it’s not one size fits all, so schedule an appointment today with your golf professional so you start the new golf season off with the right tools in your bag.
