Basics of Hybrid Golf Club Fitting
Hybrid clubs were initially developed to help solve the problem of "vanishing loft disease" for golfers. The major OEM golf club companies continue to make lofts of irons stronger to help golfers "get more distance" - but when you do this for long irons, these clubs become more difficult to hit. Hybrid clubs initially were designed to replace long irons and make these clubs easier to hit. These days, they can do much more than that depending on the needs of golfers. Here is a short primer on hybrid clubs and the things you should consider when being fit for them.
Hybrid clubs are now being used for three different purposes: - As a direct replacement for long irons - for example, a 3 hybrid to replace a 3 iron;
- As a replacement for ALL irons in a set. There are now sets of hybrids that go from 3 or 4 irons all the way to pitching wedges and even sand wedges. These are for golfers who like the forgiveness and performance of hybrids throughout a set; or
- As a replacement for fairway woods. This is often done by better players - for example using an 18 degree hybrid as a replacement for a 5 wood.
There are also two different types of golf shafts that are being used in hybrid clubs, these are: - The same iron shafts that are being used in "conventional" irons. Golfers playing with these shafts may be looking to have their hybrids play and feel like their other irons. These shafts would typically be 0.370 or 0.355 inch tip shafts like other irons shafts; or
- Hybrid iron shafts specifically designed specifically for hybrid clubs. These shafts often will be designed so that they will promote higher launch of the golf ball - and will often have softer tip sections. These can either be "iron tip" shafts (0.370 or 0.355 tip diameters) or "wood tip shafts" (0.335 tip diameters).
From a custom fitting standpoint, if you swing your hybrid clubs like your conventional irons you should consider hybrids that are built with the same shafts you play in your conventional irons. This would mean the hybrids would have the same shaft, flex, swingweight/MOI, and length progression of your irons. One benefit of this approach is that it can help you maintain the distance gaps throughout your iron/hybrid set, and also allow you to keep the same feel for these clubs. If you tend to swing your hybrids more like your fairway woods and are looking for them to provide distances more like you get from fairway woods, you may want to look at using shafts specifically designed for hybrids. Either way - there are a lot of club fitting options for hybrids that can help make these clubs perform well for your game.
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AimPoint Express Has Arrived!
When you watched the Masters this past weekend, you may have noticed Adam Scott "feeling" the slope of the greens with his feet, and putting one or more fingers up to his eyes. What was he doing? Well, he was using a new approach to green reading called AimPoint Express. As noted by John Graham in the link below, this new AimPoint green reading process was developed in late 2013. It was originally designed to help very young golfers learn to read greens, and it now has become a new green reading methodology. I spoke with my friend John Hobbins this week about AimPoint Express - John is an AimPoint instructor and also the moderator for the "Factors for Putting" Facebook group that I am a part of. John told me that the AimPoint Express read is precise and accurate, but also very simple to learn. He said that Adam Scott has fully bought into using AimPoint Express to read greens. I cannot imagine he would be using it at Augusta, with all that is on the line there for him, if he did not see its value. Here are two links with some information about AimPoint Express. My bet is that it is REALLY going to take off as a method that all golfers can easily use to read greens. I can't wait to take the class somewhere! John Graham - AimPoint Express at the Masters Mark Sweeney - AimPoint Express Video
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Mizuno Demo / Fitting Day
Saturday May 17
We will be doing a Mizuno Demo and Fitting Day at the Oak Ridge Centennial Golf Course on Saturday May 17. Not only will we have the full Mizuno fitting cart available, but the Mizuno rep will be there and we will have a large group of Mizuno irons, wedges, and woods for golfers to test. Come visit us at the Demo / Fitting Day from 10 am to 3 pm on May 17th!
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Sixteen of us had another fun Florida golf trip this year. Congrats to Doug Goeringer, who won the 3-day "Florida Cup" competition. And we are all looking forward to the First Annual Florida Cup Champions Dinner!
Taking YOUR Game To New Heights!
Tony Wright
GAME IMPROVEMENT GOLF
Oak Ridge, TN
The PREMIER Short Game Fitting Center in East Tennessee!
tony@gameimprovementgolf.com
www.gameimprovementgolf.com
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