If I do that I'll just say that I mis-hit trying to take some off the swing and I knew I should have hit the 5.....

But seriously Bo's post does have me thinking about getting another hybrid. Right now 4 is the longest iron in my bag.

I bought a set going in to this year that has a 4h, 5h, and 6h. Every once in a while I get a weird look using a hybrid from 170 on a par 3. Going to get a better set next season and get a normal 6 iron, but the rest are staying

I replaced my 4 iron with a 23 degree hybrid, problem is there is a reasonable sized gap now between my 5 iron and 4i hybrid, probably like 15-20 yards, so a lot of 180 190 yard par 3s I'm kinda hopeless unless the wind helps me.

Hey any of you here ever used rotaryswing.com or any other training type site like it? Interested in one of these sites but am hesitating until I hear someone with exp using them to say it's not a ripoff.

Rotaryswing.com is legit

I always find it interesting that I have such a heavy draw on the simulator (think 50 feet worth) but when I get on the range I have a little bit of a cut. Just goes to show how BS some simulators can be.

FWIW I was hitting the 19 degree 3 hybrid around 235y on the simulator. Went to the range and I would say that I was hitting it around 220-225 (no roll) with a gentle cut. The cut is waaaay smaller than what I would have with my 4i.

I think it's a keeper and my 5w is now obsolete. Will be teeing off with this for the foreseeable future unless the hole is so wide open that I can hit a driver.

Given how poorly (or inconsistently at best) I have hit hybrids I have never bothered to look up whether they can be bent. Should do that if I'm going to join the cult.

I used to have a cheap Ram 3h that I could get up over any trees in a hurry. Wish I never threw that out as my Rocketballz 3h is a low trajectory shot now. Don't really have a club for going over trees anymore, so I just go under them.

Think the game finally broke me this morning. Might be done with it

see you tomorrow

I had the same problem, there were several reasons. 1, the hybrid shaft was (as others have mentioned) longer than a 4-iron and therefore hit it farther. To compensate I cut the shaft down after ciphering out exactly what length I needed. 2, for me, a hybrid goes farther into the wind than a long iron. So for a while into the wind I had a huge gap.

But here's the thing, at that distance a small gap isn't that big of a deal. All you want to do is hit the green from that distance. So just pick a club that will do that and don't worry that much about it.

But seriously, I know of perhaps three people here that have any business hitting a 4-iron. Ship, stads, and perhaps Spenda. Might depend on the course and conditions for him. They have the technique and generate the speed needed to properly flight the shot.

For the record, I can fly a 5-iron 190 and have no business hitting a 4-iron. There's just so much difference between long irons and hybrids it's hilarious.

I'm hopeful that some here read this thread and decide to make the switch. Once you get used to a hybrid you'll wonder why you didn't do this 10 years ago.

Good luck!

BO

How much you wanna play a hole?

Lol

If you win you get his hybrid, if he wins he gets your 4 iron.

You can take the 4, but you'll be prying my 3i out of my cold dead hands. Having said that, I ball strike as good or better than a scratch that I know, but putt and chip like a baboon, so whatever.

I dont hit my 3 or 4 iron well (I don't hit my 8 or 9 iron well either tho), but I hit hybrids even worse. I don't think I have ever hit a hybrid that actually was well struck.

So if I do get a hybrid, I should get it at the same length as the corresponding iron it replaces?

Personally I wouldn't mess around with the length at first. See how you hit it, figure yardages and go from their. If you get an adjustable one you can add a tiny bit of loft take it away ect. Cutting down shafts isn't a rabbit hole I would go down if you don't know your game really well and have a consistent swing already like Bo, who as far as I know is actually really good, at least for an old dude.

A great starting point for hybrids is to just go 1 up in the hybrid. So for a 4 iron go 5 hybrid and for a 3 iron go 4 hybrid etc. Im tinkering with the idea of going back to a hybrid instead of the 4 iron but this year I just smoked the par 3s all year and 1-2 of them at my course require 4-6 iron depending on wind so not sure Im gonna switch just yet

It would have to be a ****load of money to put up with you for 18 holes.

BO

If you get a hybrid in the same line as the iron it's meant to replace then you should be ok with the same number. For example Callaway XR 5 iron, XR 4 hybrid. If that's not an option, then look up the length and loft of (for example) the XR hybrid and get one with the same specs.

Often the relevant hybrid will only be 1-2* stronger than the previous iron but will go the correct distance because of the extra length and because hybrids just go farther.

Another thought is that a new, adjustable loft hybrid doesn't sound like a bad idea.

As usual YMMV so it's best to try them out on a launch monitor.

That was fast!

BYN already said it, but you don't want to replace your 4i with a 4h. Replace your 3i with a 4h and replace your 4i with a 5h. Your bag might go 3h, 4h, 5h, 5i, 6i, 7i...

I personally play 2h, 3h, 4i, 5i, 6i.... But that is only because I am comfortable hitting my 3h 200 or 225 or anywhere inbetween. I only use the 4i for punch shots or if its windy and I want to flight the ball down. But the reality is on a full swing I can hit a 3i about 210-215 but I can hit the 3h 225.

Hope this makes sense. I don't keep a handicap, but I play at about a 1-2 handi. and I have business hitting long irons, but I choose not to because hybrids are better all around.
GL

+ 1 on getting one less club for a hybrid vs. iron.

I carry both a 3i and 3h in my bag.

I can carry the 3i up to 225 230ish...and the 3h almost 260...for all the factors Bo mentioned earlier (graphite shaft vs. steel, longer shaft, hybrid head vs iron head, etc.)

First round with it today. Was hitting it in the 225ish range with no roll. I was smashing it fairly well early in the round. I did hit it 260 with a 15 mph tailwind and a little roll on a par 5. Hit 6i to 6 feet. Pulled the eagle putt.

I did lose my swing in the middle of the round on holes 8-12 when I was against the wind. Started to pick it up towards the end.

Give me a couple weeks and I should be consistent with it.

Also, my iron swing has gone to ****.