Hybrid golf clubs make the game of golf so much easier for the average golfer. They help you to get the golf ball in the air quickly and are very forgiving from tricky lies like deep rough and sand.
If you are thinking of putting a hybrid club into your golf bag you might be wondering which hybrid club replaces which iron. A hybrid may have the same loft as an iron, but do that mean it will go the same distance and give you the same ball speed and club head speed?
In this article we will see which hybrid clubs match up to which golf irons to help you make the best decisions and hit great shots on the golf course.
Hybrid vs Iron Equivalents - The Method We Used
To put this list together, we've base the lofts of the irons against the lofts of the Srixon ZX7 golf irons. These are not super game improvement golf clubs with very strong lofts, but they're also not butter knife blades with very traditional loft values.
Some of the hybrids will relate to the same iron, so if you're on the boundary between tow clubs, choose the loft which makes the most sense for your golf bag set up.
17 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 17 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 2 iron golf club.
18 degree hybrid equals what iron
An 18 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 2 iron golf club.
19 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 19 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 3 iron golf club.
20 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 20 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 3 iron golf club.
21 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 21 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 4 iron golf club.
22 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 22 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 4 iron golf club.
23 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 23 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 4 iron golf club.
24 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 24 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 5 iron golf club.
25 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 25 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 5 iron golf club.
26 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 26 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 5 iron golf club.
27 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 27 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 6 iron golf club.
28 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 28 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 6 iron golf club.
29 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 29 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 6 iron golf club.
30 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 30 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 7 iron golf club.
31 degree hybrid equals what iron
A 31 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 7 iron golf club.
Hybrid Swing vs Long Iron Swing (Key Differences)
My friends have been using hybrids after removing their long irons for years. They can hit the hybrids further with better accuracy without the mis-hits that come with the long irons. Let's compare the hybrid swing to the long iron swing and identify the key differences.
The difference between hybrids and long irons is that the hybrids are more forgiving than the irons. On top of that, you do not need a high swing speed to hit a hybrid airborne but with a long iron, you need a high swing speed over 95 mph. You can swing a hybrid and equivalent iron at the same speed, and get more success with the hybrid.
The average golfer should use hybrids or fairway woods over long irons (3i-5i) because the hybrids are much more forgiving and easier to hit. Let’s talk about some more details regarding hybrid and long iron swings.
How To Hit A Long Iron
To hit a decent golf shot with long irons, you do need a high enough amount of speed through impact with only a slightly downward strike on the golf ball. You don't want to take a large divot like with a wedge - instead you want to 'bruise' the turf after the ball. That means you cut the daisy steam with a little bounce off the surface. b
Here is how you can hit a long iron:
- Stand with the ball slightly forward of center, under your left nipple.
- Put your sternum directly over the club head.
- Your hands should be slightly ahead of the golf ball.
- Swing the club and bruise the turf immediately after the ball.
This takes a lot of practice and you will surely slap shot a few but the feeling you must look for is 95% ball and 5% ground.
Why do people hit so many duffs and skulls with the long irons?
The temptation with the long iron is to hit UP on the golf ball because the loft is so low, that it seems you need to 'help' the ball into the air. This causes you to fall onto your back foot and the clubhead hits the ground before the golf ball.
Hybrids as detailed below, actually allow you to still do this sometimes and get away with it somewhat. The iron will DIG into the ground, while the hybrid will skim off the surface and help to get the ball airborne.
How To Hit A Hybrid
If you don't swing the club fast or hard, you will benefit from a hybrid instead of a long iron. The center of gravity is further back in the club with more mass behind the face of the club. This creates a much SMOOTHER bottom of the club that doesn't dig into the turf. It is in fact, a hybrid of an iron and a wood so you will need to swing the club more like a fairway wood.
Because there is more mass behind the ball with low center of gravity, it enables slower swing speeds to get the ball into the air easier. Much like a fairway wood, if you do hit down on the ball you can make good contact but you can make solid contact even if you sweep the ball off the ground like a fairway wood. Thats how forgiving the hybrid golf club is.
Struggling to hit hybrid? Here's the solution
You have much more freedom to hit the ball any way you like with a hybrid. Here’s how you to hit a hybrid:
- Stand with the ball slightly forward of center, just ahead of your nipple.
- Put your sternum just behind the club head.
- Swing the club and lightly, just slightly brush the ground.
When you make solid contact with the hybrid, your shot goes much higher than an iron, and you will definitely get more distance off the shot. Even slightly fat shots will be fine, as the clubhead glides and skims into the golf ball.
A hybrid is also a versatile club for chipping, pitching, punch shots and tee shots off a tee. Most golfers should have a hybrid in their bag.