We Reveal The 10 Best Hybrid Golf Clubs (2020 Update)

Hybrid clubs have seen an increase in popularity over the recent years, with more and more PGA and LPGA players having at least one of them in their bag.

Gone are the days in the past where hybrids are just a beginner’s option for more forgiving long irons. Hence why it is crucial to find out which products can be labeled as the best hybrid golf clubs.

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Last updated on 2020-01-19. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.

10 Best Hybrid Golf Clubs

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From Callaway comes one of the more sophisticated hybrids on the market today in the Rogue X. With a unique design that moves power to the center of the club for remarkable accuracy and distance on every shot, the X is a dynamic, game-changing hybrid.

Overall, we were quite taken by the Rogue X’s performance. The club may be better suited for golfers of the mid-handicap and above skill level, but beginners may find that the X delivers a solid experience worth growing into as their career progresses.

It is our recommendation for most golfers. 

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TaylorMade’s RBZ Rescue is an affordable option for beginning golfers looking for a dependable hybrid that will increase distance and improve accuracy from anywhere you hit the club while on the course.

Because of its dependability and solid gameplay, the TaylorMade RBZ is a terrific hybrid for golfers just getting their feet wet in expanding the club set in their bag.

With a low center-of-gravity, the RBZ gets the ball up into the air without a problem, leaving you astounded at how far and straight it flies down the fairway.

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If you are looking for a solid, if unspectacular, hybrid without wanting to spend too much money, then Pinemeadow has created a club that may fit your needs. The Excel EGI hybrid comes in a variety of lofts for yardage that meets your needs.

A nice hybrid for golfers on a budget or perhaps for a teenage golfer looking to pick up the game without destroying mom and dad’s wallet, the Excel EGI from Pinemeadow is a fine place to start your search.

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TaylorMade’s M4 hybrid is a dynamic club that gives the golfer a tool for easy launching of the golf ball. With a newly designed clubhead and a crown that aids in aligning your shot to your intended target, the M4 is a rock star of a hybrid golf club.

Golfers will be delighted by what the company has done inside the M4’s clubhead. Two internal mass pads have been separated between the heel and toe to increase the moment of inertia and clubhead speed.

With increased ball speed and consistent contact, the M4 stands out as one of the best hybrids we tested for mid-handicap golfers.

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The TaylorMade M3 is a versatile workhorse that delivers premium performance in an overall exciting hybrid. 

What stands out most about the M3 is that it can be anything you want due to its adjustable sliding weight sole system and adjustable hosel with several settings that can craft the shot shape you want for your game.

It’s hard to argue that there are problems with the M3 because we couldn’t find many during our testing. A blast to play with and crafted to tailor fit your golf game, the M3 is a bona fide winner.

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Built for speed, the Callaway XR hybrid is a club that’s made for golfers of all levels, giving players the ability to increase distance and feel off the clubface.

What’s unique about the Callaway XR is that it has a higher moment of inertia, that prevents club twisting, and a lower center-of-gravity that repositions the clubface at impact, creating even more forgiveness and a high arcing shot that every golfer strives for in their game.

Overall, we were delighted at the ball flight and clubhead speed of the XR. Golfers of all ages and skill levels would do themselves a huge favor by placing this club in their bag for their next tournament or day at the club.

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The Cleveland Launcher HB is a terrific hybrid that is dependable and well worth giving a shot at joining your bag. Everything about the Launcher HB is smooth.

From the silver and black finish to the easy distance and height the club delivers with each swing.

Considering our time with the Launcher HB on the range, we must attest that this club has earned its reputation as a simple and easy to hit a hybrid that will definitely enhance your game if you are looking to improve.

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With the body of a long iron and the sole of a hybrid, the TaylorMade GAPR LO is an excellent club for advanced golfers looking for an advantage from 180 yards and over.

The GAPR LO is a dynamic club that shares the precision of a long iron in the modified body of a hybrid.

With the adjustable loft sleeve giving the golfer even more control over their game and a low center-of-gravity that produces high and soft shots, the GAPR LO is a club that all low-handicappers should consider for their bag.

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Another attractive addition to the TaylorMade family of hybrids is the M6 model. With a ton of features, this hybrid is great for low-handicappers who want their hybrid to be fixed and not have the adjustable features of other premium hybrid clubs.

Offering a worthwhile experience on the links, the M6 has a host of really inventive and useful features. From Twist-Face Technology to the lower center-of-gravity, the M6 will boost your distance and raise your shot height without the need for a lesson.

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From Cobra, their hybrid King F8 is a solid piece of golf innovation featuring the very cool Baffler Rail technology that keeps the club set and enhances forgiveness. A backloaded center-of-gravity is controlled via an interchangeable weight that encourages high ball flight and improved distance.

With a killer look and a unique shape, the Cobra King F8 is a great hybrid for golfers of any skill level. For older golfers, the F8 does well at keeping the clubface square and maximizing speed for improved distance.

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Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation

Criteria #1: Clubhead Quality

Not all clubheads are created equal. Some hybrids have clubheads that are long and thin, with a low center-of-gravity that merely lifts the golf ball into the air. Other hybrids have boxy, tall clubheads that catch the ball more squarely, giving golfers a more solid feel at impact.

Regardless of your preference, the shape and design of your hybrid’s clubhead is crucially important because it dictates clubhead speed, the launch angle of the golf ball and exit velocity after impact.

When examining clubheads on hybrids, take into account your overall preference of style. Wider hybrids tend to hit the ball in similar ways to a fairway wood, but companies have tinkered with their design slightly, so the hybrid gets the ball into the air more quickly.

The taller clubface on the hybrid gives the look and feel of your favorite iron. There is a greater sweet spot, so the feel is more solid and muscular. For beginning golfers, looking to dip their toe into the hybrid market, taller hybrids are a great place to begin your shopping.

Criteria #2: Shaft Quality

The quality of a hybrid’s shaft is incredibly essential. It is vital that a golfer has the right shaft flex to match their swing speed. But it is equally crucial that the included shaft on the hybrid from the company meets several demands that all golfers should expect from their clubs.

The first thing that you should know and look for in a shaft is the length offered by the manufacturer. Most of the elite companies provide a host of different options with their hybrid clubs making it almost a bespoke-like experience.

Next thing to look for is the overall weight of the shaft. Think of it like a baseball player looks at the weight of his bat, yes he may lose one ounce and see a dramatic difference. The same goes for the weight of the shaft in that lighter may help or hurt the quality of your shots.

Finally, I suggest you study up and learn about the torque rating of a shaft. Torque is measured by the amount of twisting a club does as it makes its way to the golf ball.

If you are a high-handicapper, then you want a high-torque shaft that helps you get the club back to square at impact. If you are an advanced golfer, then a low-torque shaft is better for accuracy and stabilizing fast clubhead speeds.

Criteria #3: Impact Feel

When we talk about how a hybrid feels at impact, this is what we are referring to when we use the term “impact feel.” You will hear the best golfers in the world talk about how new clubs grabbed them when they experienced the feel at impact.

Experienced golfers immediately know the quality of the shot by how it feels as the clubface comes into contact with the golf ball. And frankly, it is what keeps us coming back to this great game.

We are all chasing that elusive feel when we know we’ve hit the ball on the screws and look up to see a majestic arch that finds the area we intended it to land.

The only way to get an accurate sense of feel with any club is to get it out on the range and hit a few hundred balls.

Criteria #4: Adjustability

When we discuss adjustability in our reviews, we are referring to how the golfer can adjust the weights on the club head or the lie angle or offset on the clubface.

What’s great about modern golf clubs is that they can be manipulated to custom fit your swing in precise ways. This precision that you ultimately control allows you to take a club on the range and dial it into how the club feels at impact and how the ball flight suits you.

On hybrids, only the most sophisticated models offer these technologies. It will be more expensive than hybrids that offer fixed options where the club is stationary and unable to adjust to your liking.

But if you are a mid-to-low handicapper, the expense is worth it because the club will allow you to craft your shots.

So, when examining the specifications of a hybrid, check to see if the hosel is adjustable and if the offset can be dialed in either by hand or through a special tool. If you are a golfer who loves to hit better shots and wants to find every possible way to improve, this is a great start.

Criteria #5: Weighting

When we talk about weighting, we are talking about how the weight is distributed throughout the clubhead. Some manufacturers like to move the weight behind the center of the clubface to promote distance, while others want to evenly spread it around giving the hybrid less side spin and more accuracy.

As you research hybrids discover how the company utilizes the weighting of the clubhead because for a specific level of golfers, it could potentially be custom-made to meet your game.

For example, for low-handicappers who prefer shot control, the manufacturer may create a clubhead that is well balanced, offering less side spin and more control through a wider clubface that is less boxy in shape.

In contrast, high-handicappers needs clubs that send the ball down the fairway with as much clubhead speed as humanly possible. These specific hybrids will be tailored to increase distance and improve the quality of contact.

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Questions & Answers

To answer this question, we must first understand the hybrid club and its purpose.

As the name suggests, a hybrid is a combination of two different types of clubs, namely the fairway woods and the irons.

Specifically, hybrid clubs stand in the middle of the higher-lofted woods (3-, 5-, 7- and 9-) and the longer irons (1- to 4-).

Pro Tip: Hybrids were made as of mix of two different types of clubs: the fairway woods and the irons.

Thus, the main purpose (and common application) of the hybrid clubs is to replace the long irons, which is often known as the most difficult clubs to use. They are also often used to replace fairway woods when on the rough, which is again, a difficult practice.

The purpose of the hybrid clubs is to bring more forgiveness, without sacrificing too much of the quality of the long irons or the fairway woods they try to replace.

Here are the characteristics you should look for when choosing a hybrid club:

Characteristic #1: Forgiveness

This is the main reason of using a hybrid club, so it should be the first thing to look at.

There are many ways to produce forgiveness, but typically they will boil down to just two methods: altering the center of gravity lower and further back, and making the sweet spot bigger.

Different manufacturers can have different approaches, but those are the key principles you should look for.

Characteristic #2: Balance Between Woods and Irons

Fairway woods are designed for distance, while irons are designed for more control.

Hybrids will usually produce more distance compared to the comparable woods, mainly because they are easier to use. Yet, you should also look for the versatility of the club to replace the long irons.

The balance between both worlds is the key characteristic for the best possible hybrid.

Characteristic #3: No Gap In Distance Coverage

Here is an easy way to determine which hybrid number to use: your lowest hybrid should provide 10 to 15 yards shorter distance compared to the highest fairway wood you carry. This way, there will be no gap in distance coverage.

The clubface of the hybrid club is typically flat similar to irons, allowing easier alignment. Yet, it is also relatively hard like the woods, allowing more distance.

The head is typically rounded with a wider sole, allowing the center of gravity to be lower and further back.

The center of gravity placement will not only allow more forgiveness but also helps you get more natural trajectory, which in turn will help with distance.

This combination allows players to make a rounder swing, even if you have issues with slower swing speeds, which is a characteristic of fairway woods. A hybrid will not require a precise and upright swing commonly associated with hitting long irons.

On the other hand, hybrid clubs are shorter compared to the fairway woods, closer in length to the long irons. The shaft is also as thick as the irons, so it is less flexible than what you often encounter in fairway woods, which actually allows better accuracy compared to the woods.

As a result, it is easier to make better contact with a hybrid compared to the woods and the longer irons. It is a feature that can appeal specifically to seniors which will benefit from an easier touch.

Thus, a hybrid – on average – can give additional 4 to 12 yards of distance compared to the irons or woods they replace, especially for high handicappers.

Key Takeaway, the advantages of hybrids are:

• Head rounded with wider sole allowing lower center of gravity
• Rounder swings
• Easier contact with hybrid VS fairway woods/irons for longer shots (ideal for high handicappers for example)

One thing about any hybrid is that they are often a jack-of-all-trade and master of none, and that is actually true with hybrid clubs.

Although a lot of high-end hybrids can provide a nice balance between both worlds, they will never truly capture the advantage of fairway woods and long irons. That is, at least, a case in the present, as technology in the future might allow the making of the perfect hybrid.

For example, on the hand of skilled players with sufficient swing speed and accuracy, a fairway wood will produce more distance compared to the hybrid. On the other hand, a long iron on the hand of a great player will offer more versatility and control.

Hybrids are technically better suited for beginner players, especially those who have problems with hitting long irons or fairway on the rough.

A lot of skilled players and even Tour players are utilizing hybrids to allow more forgiveness. Hybrids are initially made for beginners, not strictly limited to them.

Female players will also benefit from hybrid clubs, in fact, there are more hybrid options for ladies, emphasizing their importance. High handicappers may evenly be able to benefit from these hybrid golf clubs by giving them more flexibility during shots.

Key Takeaway: Hybrid golf clubs are usually better for beginner players – particularly if you have trouble hitting long shots. Advanced players use hybrids, but for their better forgiveness.

The current trend is to use graphite shafts on hybrids, although some manufacturers use steel and offer an option to choose between them. To answer this question in more details, let us do a quick summary of the differences between steel and graphite shaft:

• Steel shafts are naturally stiffer and heavier, slowing the player’s swing speed
• On the other hand, steel shafts produce better feedback, due to the vibration of the steel material during impact
• Graphite shafts with more flexibility will naturally produce more distance, yet will not offer similar level of feedback as with steel shafts
• Graphite shaft can be too flexible so can hinder accuracy

With those points being said, graphite shafts will be more suited for most general applications of hybrids to assist players with less accuracy and swing speed.

Keep in mind that the shaft on a hybrid is a little thicker compared to your usual wood, so it will not produce too much flex, which is often the problem of a graphite shaft.

Therefore, in most cases, graphite shafts are a better choice for hybrids, excepting for players with higher swing speed but with accuracy problem. A steel shaft can help slowing their swing and bring more consistency.

This answer will vary with different individuals due to the difference in swing speed and accuracy. Here is a quick way to determine what shaft you will need:

• If you can produce 250 yards or more distance with your driver, go with Stiff (S)
• If you can produce between 230 to 250 yards, you can go with Regular (R)
• Use Senior (A) flex if your drive is between 200 to 230 yards
• Lastly, for those that can only produce 200 yards or below, go with Ladies flex (L)

To be more accurate, it might be a good idea to consult the local pro at your driving range or your course. Here are other considerations you might want to have:

If you tend to produce slice (your drives tend to go left for a right-handed), you will benefit from a stiffer flex. Beginners (especially male players) tend to over swing, and softer flex can help slow your tempo.

The easiest way to tell the correct loft is that your lowest-numbered hybrid should be 10 to 15 yards shorter than your highest wood, and you can fill in the blank for others. This way, there will be no distance gap between your woods, hybrids, and irons.

This is looking to be the case, as more and more PGA and LPGA Tour players are using hybrids, and the number keeps increasing every year.

The technology surrounding the hybrid is advancing rapidly, and they are slowly becoming the perfect hybrid that can get all the advantages of woods and irons while eliminating their weaknesses.

Phil Mickelson has been known to carry a Callaway hybrid prototype to accompany his driver and 3-wood.

Jimmy Walker, 2014 Sony Open winner is also using a Titleist hybrid. Mark Wilson, Jim Furyck, Davis Love III and even Tiger Woods are some of the prominent players carrying hybrids in their bag.

For LPGA, hybrids are even more common where most LPGA players are carrying at least one hybrid club.For example, Helen Alfredsson is carrying a hybrid to replace her 3-iron, while Ai Miyazato uses both 3- and 4- hybrids.

We can expect more players adopting hybrids in the future, especially when the technology and design of hybrids are getting perfected, and it is looking very bright at the moment.

Yes, not all hybrids are made with the same technology, design, and ingenuity. Companies like TaylorMade, Ping, and Callaway spend millions of dollars each year in research and development to create clubs that will send golf balls flying farther and straighter.

Lesser known companies suffer because they don’t have the resources that these popular brands have at their disposal. But that’s not to say that they cannot make quality clubs.

There are small companies out there that produce a fine product, but they will always struggle to be among the elite. The most well-known brands build clubs that are crafted with top-of-the-line materials and seamless construction.

By purchasing a hybrid from a known brand, you are taking advantage of all that their immense resources have to offer.

For hybrids, this means building the club with an aerodynamic clubhead that makes hitting the golf ball easy for golfers of all skill levels. Then, finding a balanced and durable shaft that can handle thousands of swings that leads into the impact with the golf ball.

If you are looking to purchase a hybrid, the best place to start is with a reliable, well-known brand. The club may be a good fit for you, but if it is not, there are plenty of other high-quality brands waiting for you to try them out.