What does a rescue club replace?

Since the hybrid revolution struck near the turn of the 21st century, golfers have removed irons from their bags to make room for hybrid clubs. Even many top professionals have made the switch, including 2009 PGA Championship winner Y.E.

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Equivalents for an 18-Degree Hybrid
Equivalents for a 20-Degree Hybrid
Considerations
MATERIAL & DESIGN
CUSTOMIZATION
GOLF CLUB FITTING

Yang, who told “Golf Digest” in 2010 that he uses three hybrid clubs in place of his long irons. For recreational golfers, hybrids are more tolerant of mishit shots and help players loft the ball in the air, so the shift from irons to hybrid clubs should be a smooth transition for most players.

Step 1

Choose which iron or irons to replace with a hybrid. You can replace any iron, but most golfers replace only their long irons, such as the 3-iron through 5-iron. You may wish to replace a particular iron that you have trouble hitting or that you can’t loft in the air as much as you’d like.

Alternatively, replace a club that you can hit for distance but with a trajectory that’s too low to hold the green on a typical approach shot.

All else being equal, you’ll loft the ball higher with a hybrid than with its counterpart iron, and a lofted shot is more likely to remain on the green. If in doubt about which club to replace, begin with the longest iron you play regularly.

Step 2

Locate the comparable hybrid club.

Each hybrid iron is labeled to show which standard iron the club replaces or the degrees of loft. A 4-hybrid, for example, is designed to replace a 4-iron. Typically, though, amateur golfers tend to hit the hybrid better -- and, therefore, farther -- than the iron it is designed to replace.

Step 3

Test the hybrid club to see how far you’ll hit the ball before you purchase the club. Borrow a friend's hybrid or go to a demo day at your golf club or local driving range, during which you can try out a clubs.

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Hybrid clubs make a valuable addition to many players' golf bags, so much so that they're extremely common on the PGA Tour. Often called utility clubs or rescue clubs, hybrid clubs are available in varying degrees, including 18- and 20-degree lofts. Hybrid clubs are versatile, and when used properly, one club can replace several in your bag.

Design

Visually, a hybrid club has a design that includes elements of a fairway wood and an iron. The hybrid club's face is similar to an iron, but the head is rounded, similar to a wood, with the center of gravity further back and lower than in an iron. This makes hybrids more "forgiving" for many players than either an iron or a fairway wood. Hybrids are among the most versatile clubs any golfer can use, with lofts as low as 14 degrees in men's clubs and as high as 31 degrees in women's.

Equivalents for an 18-Degree Hybrid

Charts showing conversion equivalents for hybrids to either woods or irons list hybrids with lofts between 17 and 19 degrees to be workable as replacements for a 5-wood or a 2-iron for men, and hybrids with lofts from 18 to 20 degrees as suitable replacements for those same clubs for women. An 18-degree hybrid, then, would be worth trying for either a man or a woman having difficulty hitting 5-wood or 2-iron shots, and reasonably could replace both those clubs in a bag.

Equivalents for a 20-Degree Hybrid

For ladies, a 20-degree hybrid is still in the equivalency range for a 5-wood or 2-iron. For men, though, a hybrid between 20 and 22 degrees is charted as being closer to a 7-wood or 3-iron. Of course these are approximations, and the actual play of either loft of hybrid will depend on the individual player, regardless of gender.

Considerations

Because golfers are allowed to carry only 14 clubs in their bag, many players replace one or more clubs with a hybrid. Because of its myriad uses, adding a hybrid club to your bag is generally a smart decision. It can replace clubs that you seldom use or struggle with using. Depending on your ability with hybrid clubs, consider adding a low-loft hybrid and a high-loft hybrid.

There are times on the golf course when you will want a club that offers loft and length with a solid level of control. Whether you are hitting out of the rough, playing off an uneven lie or attacking a narrow fairway, you will encounter situations where you will crave the best aspects of a fairway wood and an iron.

That is why it’s important to have a hybrid club in your bag.

Hybrid golf clubs help fill in the gap between your harder-to-hit irons and fairway woods. They are designed for distance, trajectory, control and playability, combining features from irons and fairway woods. They could even replace a fairway wood or iron in your bag. Here’s how:

Hybrid 2H = 4 Wood = 3 Iron
Hybrid 3H or 4H = 5 Wood = 4 Iron
Hybrid 5H = 7 or 9 Wood = 5 Iron
Hybrid 6H = 11 Wood = 6 Iron

The above chart is a good starting point, but you may need to experiment to find the right hybrid.

What else should you know before getting a hybrid club? Here are a few more things that make a hybrid club unique.

MATERIAL & DESIGN

Hybrid clubs have heads that are larger than an iron but smaller than a fairway wood. The size of the clubhead can help increase the chance of making contact with the sweet spot and give less experienced golfers confidence in making contact with the ball.

A hybrid’s clubhead comes with several features that can help boost a golfer’s game:

The face is typically made of titanium or steel. The flat face of the hybrid, similar to what you see in irons, can make it easier for golfers to hit the ball squarely.
The center of gravity is moved back and lower on a hybrid club. This can help increase the ability to lift shots into the air easily with slower swing speeds. It can also provide a multi-use design allowing for greater utility options.
The hybrid club has a wider sole that can skid across the ground to help reduce the chance of taking a divot before making contact with the ball.

Hybrid clubs come in lofts typically ranging from 16 to 27 degrees but can go higher. Remember, it’s crucial to get hybrids with the same length and loft as the clubs you replace to avoid distance gaps.

SHAFTS

Hybrid golf clubs typically come with graphite shafts that tend to be the same weight or slightly heavier than their matching fairway wood shafts. The graphite shaft can help produce a faster clubhead speed. Hybrid shafts come in one of several flex categories: regular, stiff, extra stiff, senior and ladies.

LENGTH

Hybrid golf clubs tend to be equal to or slightly longer than traditional long irons and shorter than fairway woods. Because of that, it can be easier to control than a longer fairway wood, which could help increase confidence in an inexperienced golfer.

CUSTOMIZATION

You will also find hybrids that offer adjustability and customization. These specific technology designs can help improve your score on the course:

For example, there are some hybrid clubs that allow you to make adjustments to the face angle to allow for an open, closed or neutral look at address.

Some hybrids allow golfers to adjust the loft of the club within a range of three to five degrees to help you reach the distance and flight you are striving for.

You will even find some hybrids with interchangeable weights in the sole, designed to change the club’s center of gravity.

GOLF CLUB FITTING

Before you set out to buy new clubs, it’s important to get fitted. For optimal consistency and accuracy, you should have clubs customized to your body and swing. Our in-store PROS at Golf Services can help you find your optimal set makeup, loft angle, lie angle, shaft type, shaft length, grip size and more.

A hybrid golf club is a great utility option for golfers at every level. Add hybrids to your bag and get ready to start the trek to a lower score the next time you hit the links.

Once you’ve found the right hybrid for your game, it’s time to head to the course. Learn how to use it to attack a narrow fairway or hit out of the rough with even more golf tips from Pro Tips.

A man is swinging a golf club.

Image Credit: Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images

Many golfers face a challenge when they hit their long and medium irons from the fairway or light rough. Traditional irons have a small sweet spot and that means that if you don't center the ball on the blade of the club when you swing, you are likely to have a poor result. That knowledge adds to the tension that many golfers feel when they are playing competitively. Hybrid irons have a bigger sweet spot and are easier for most golfers--not just medium- and high-handicappers--to hit consistently.

Step 1

Replace your 2-iron and your 3-iron with a 3-hybrid for longer fairway shots. The 2-irons your hybrid is replacing are two of the most difficult clubs to hit because neither one gives you much loft and the clubs are not forgiving. The 3-hybrid gives you much greater loft and helps keep the ball straight. A well-struck 3-hybrid shot will fly higher and at least 10 yards straighter than the 2- or 3-iron. Take the hybrid to the range and practice with it twice a week in addition to using it when you play a round of golf.

Step 2

Try the 4-hybrid to replace your 4-iron. The 4-iron is somewhat easier to hit than the 2- or 3-iron because it has more loft and that will help you get the ball up in the air. However, it still requires an accurate shot and it is not recommended when hitting the ball from the rough. A 4-hybrid will get the ball up in the air significantly higher and can also cut through the rough and allow you to hit a productive shot. The ability to hit the ball up in the air from a poor lie gives the 4-hybrid a big advantage.

Step 3

Use a 5-hybrid to replace your 5- and 6-iron. Many golfers go right from the 5-iron to the 7-iron in their bag and ignore the 6-iron. That's a mistake because a 6-iron is versatile and can handle the trouble shots you may face during your round. The 5-hybrid is an outstanding rescue club. If you are in the medium or even deep rough, the hybrid allows you to get the ball out of trouble, get it on track and do it on a consistent basis.

Step 4

Use hybrid clubs to replace long and medium irons. They can also be used to replace the 3-wood and 5-wood, but that's only for golfers who reject their fairway woods. The hybrid woods will not give you greater distance if that is what you are looking for. If you want accuracy, try hybrids to replace the clubs that are giving you the most trouble.