The Rise of the Hybrids

• Posted on 5 November 2025
• By Gijs van Aken
• 0

Do you already have one (or more) in your golf bag? The hybrid golf club is on the rise, and those of us who know the advantages of this club perfectly understand why.

Do you still not have a hybrid golf club in your bag?

Then you probably haven’t really looked into it yet. After reading this article, that might change. Many golfers have already “discovered” it and see the advantages. Let us tell you why.

What’s in the bag?

Every golfer carries, apart from putters and wedges, a set of irons in their bag. These clubs are relatively easy to use because the shaft is short, which makes it easier to aim at the ball. Modern irons are quite forgiving, so even shots that aren’t hit perfectly still keep a decent distance and direction. That’s a great development over the past ten years, helping golfers in their battle with the course.

Nowadays, almost everyone also carries a driver. “Big steps get you home faster” is a solid principle, since you cover the most distance with a driver. That said, many golfers reach for their driver too often , a bit of strategic thinking will show that on par 3 and short par 4 holes, you might be better off leaving it in the bag. You’d be surprised how many golfers never use their driver because they just can’t handle it. Even players with lower handicaps sometimes get more consistent results with other clubs and therefore don’t use the driver. Of course, if you don’t practice with it, you’ll never get good at it, so the advice is simple: practice often! :-)

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Fairway woods on the fairway?

To cover long distances on the fairway, “wooden” fairway woods were developed long ago. These clubs have a longer shaft than irons, meaning more swing speed , and thus more distance. The large clubhead inspires confidence, which is why many golfers grab their fairway wood instead of a 5, 4, or 3 iron. Long irons have less loft and are therefore harder to hit cleanly. Golfers with higher handicaps often avoid long irons altogether.

Fairway woods also feature a lot of technology to help keep the ball “between the lines.” So even though they can be tricky to hit due to the longer shaft, many golfers use their fairway wood frequently , on the fairway or even off the tee. That’s fine, but...

The ball in the rough… now what?

Every golfer finds their ball in places they didn’t intend to hit it. That’s golf! :-)

Let’s say your ball is lying in the tall grass, next to the fairway, far from the green. What do you do? The clubface of an iron is fairly upright, and even though you can come down steeply on the ball, the club will encounter a lot of resistance from the grass. Hitting far with an iron from the rough is usually out of the question. Trying to swing harder rarely helps either , in fact, it often backfires.

If you grab a fairway wood, there’s a bit less resistance than with an iron, but still plenty. The large clubhead of a fairway wood also slows you down, and the longer shaft makes it harder to hit the ball cleanly.

If you don’t have a better option, you’re left improvising. That’s exactly when a hybrid is the ideal club to use. The shorter shaft makes it easier to make solid contact, and the smaller clubhead creates less resistance. Hybrids have a low center of gravity, which helps get the ball airborne , even with a lower loft. The lower loft also means extra distance.

In short, hybrids are perfect for situations like these. It just feels good to have a solution for everything. :-) That’s also why hybrids are often called rescue clubs.

Psychology

Every golfer knows the game is largely mental. If your head’s in the right place, your game improves. This explains why people don’t always choose the club that’s technically ideal, but the one they trust most. Some golfers leave clubs they really need sitting in the bag because another feels better in their hands.

Of course, some shots shouldn’t even be attempted (like putting from the fairway!), but there are players who, given the chance, always reach for their 7-iron , or, in this case, their hybrid. In the end, everyone should play with what feels right for them. Confidence leads to better shots, and that’s what matters most.

Conclusion

Regardless of what’s being said, I believe that especially beginner and intermediate golfers should have one or more hybrids in their bag. Players with lower handicaps can also benefit greatly , for example, hitting a ball from the rough 200 meters from the green. Sure, you can play without one, but why make things harder than they have to be? :-)

Enjoy your game!