Hybrid Golf Club Sets: The great equalizer

A few years back, my uncle and I happened upon a curious looking golf club at a local shop.  It had a flat face and a bulbous head.  At first I thought it was a type of driver, but rather it was a hybrid golf club, a new type of club that I'd be hearing much more about later on.

Months later, my uncle bought a TaylorMade hybrid club and I was able to try it on the driving range and at the course.  Since I'm a very casual golf player, I cannot say that the hybrid club improved my game, especially just from the few times I played with it.  But it sure made me feel a lot better when hitting golf balls. 

There were a few occasions when I used my uncle's hybrid club to tee-up.  And then used it again to hit from the fairways until I'm on the green.  Surprisingly enough, I'm able to hit straight more so than when using my traditional clubs.  But again, my experience with the hybrid golf club was limited.

Other sources, however, are much better at demonstrating the legitimacy of hybrid clubs in the golf course.  Other sources such as pro golfers.  Both men and women professional golfers use hybrid golf clubs nowadays.  Retief Goosen credits a hybrid 1-iron club in one of his games.  Se Ri Pak's use of a hybrid 4-iron to win the 2006 LPGA championship is considered one of the best in the game.

Why is the hybrid golf club easy to use?

I think an article written by Randy Phillips of the Montreal Gazette best answers that question:

"The key feature of a hybrid is that the centre of gravity is back and to the bottom of the clubhead, making it easier for golfers -- even those who don't swing the club as hard -- to get the ball aloft quickly and with power. The hybrids also, for the most part, have shorter shafts and clubfaces that are flatter than fairway woods, which makes them more forgiving on mishits."