How to Hit a Hybrid Club Like A Scratch Golfer
For amateurs of all handicap levels, hitting a hybrid long and straight can solve many problems.
The club that bridges the gap between fairway woods and irons has become a jack-of-all-trades for high handicappers and senior golfers looking for a club that’s easy to hit while providing long distance.
A golf hybrid combines the compact stability of long irons with the rounded shape and easy lift of a fairway wood, delivering a high ball flight that stays straight on target.
In this article, we’ll give you a golf lesson and some of our best tips on improving your golf swing with a hybrid on the golf course. We’ll share a few tips to help make it one of the great clubs in your golf bag.
What is the proper way to hit a hybrid golf club?
We like to put the ball position in the same place, regardless of whether we are hitting hybrids or fairway woods. We want the ball just off the inside heel of our front foot.
In this position, we don’t have our hands ahead of the ball; instead, we keep them even with the shaft to encourage launch from the face.
On the backswing, we want to keep the club head low to the ground on the takeaway to encourage a rounded downswing. Plus, we want to build power over the inside of the rear leg.
Since we’re making a full turn away from the target with our upper body, we’re keeping the swing shape rounded to help prevent us from getting too steep into the ball.
At the top, we’re triggering our downswing by moving our hands down toward the rear hip pocket in our pants. Turning too early with the lower body can create serious problems, including slicing the ball.
A solid follow-through with a high finish can help slide the hybrid low and just slightly above the ground to make the ball-first contact that players crave.
Also, don’t be afraid to be aggressive when you hit hybrids. It’s an excellent option for players struggling with consistency who need to swing harder since the hybrid is very forgiving, even more so than a fairway wood.
Do I swing the hybrid like a driver?
One of the biggest mistakes that amateurs make when swinging a hybrid is trying to make it work like a driver.
Most weekend warriors use significant shoulder tilt at address to increase launch off the club face, which isn’t necessary with the hybrid due to its shape and shorter shaft length.
Hybrids offer the loft of irons with the rounded shape of a fairway wood that it uses to its full advantage. Since that assistance is already present with hybrids, players don’t need to alter the level of their shoulders to improve the launch when playing with the club.
Do you swing a hybrid like an iron?
Although you technically don’t want to hit your hybrids like an iron, the club’s shape and loft make it easier to take a steep attack angle to make an impact for your shot. This approach is similar to what golfers typically experience with their iron play.
We still feel that a rounded club path to the ball offers the best chance at creating consistency with hybrids. Also, remember that taking a divot, although unnecessary, is completely fine when we talk about swinging the hybrid like an iron.
Why am I topping my hybrid?
Topped shots are the number one source of frustration for high handicappers and beginners. A topped shot is when the leading edge of the hybrid hits the top of the ball first, creating a duffed shot that rolls just a few yards forward.
However, one of the biggest reasons golfers top their hybrid shots is simply because of poor ball position in their stance.
Instead of playing the ball off the inside of the front foot’s heel to hit it, they move it toward the middle of their stance, forcing a steep downward strike into the golf ball.
The sharp angle of attack forces the golfer to lift the lead shoulder quickly in hopes of getting the leading edge under the ball to create a forward lift.
It is the same reason weekend warriors struggle with long irons, as they are too steep for the golf ball. Mid irons don’t have this issue because they carry more loft, making it easier to hit the golf ball into the air.
How do you aim a hybrid club?
One of the easiest ways to properly aim a hybrid is by first standing behind the ball and lining up the shot.
Then, move your eyes from the target to the ball, noting a connecting spot just a couple of feet in front of the ball. Use that spot on the turf to create a good setup that keeps your body aligned to the target.
To hit hybrids successfully, you must also create a balanced stance that puts equal weight on the front and back foot. Taking this approach when squaring your body to the target helps you hit the best shot possible along the center line.
How do you hit a hybrid from the rough?
Playing a hybrid from the long grass is innovative because it can move smoothly through the rough without snagging or closing shut at impact.
With a full swing, players can find more success with a hybrid because, with the ball lower in the longer grass, the hybrid can use its loft to hit the ball with a high launch.
Placing the ball slightly forward in its stance when it’s sitting in the rough can also increase launch, making it a better play than using a longer iron.
The same holds true if your ball is sitting in a bunker. In this situation, you play the golf shot similarly to if the ball was sitting pretty on the ground.
If the ball is buried, you should use an iron, but if the shot just rolled into the bunker or is sitting up, then hybrids can deliver power and a smooth, easy launch.
Final Thoughts
Hitting hybrid golf clubs can add a new weapon to your game, as they are far easier than hitting longer irons. With their compact shape and rounded sole, you can get the golf ball to fly higher with a hybrid, just like a long iron, without worrying about being inconsistent.
Even if you carry a slower swing speed, the hybrid can still generate plenty of distance due to its forgiving sweet spot. And if you want to hit low stingers like a long iron, the hybrid can work the ball left to right with relative ease.
Overall, hitting hybrids can be incredibly fun on the driving range or the golf course, but if you are serious about lowering your scores, the club can help you reach the green more successfully.