Different uses for the Hybrid in your Bag
In the last 10 years golf equipment has changed the way we play the game. The best innovation has been the hybrid. This club has made the game a lot easier for every golfer around the world. In a decade or less, we went from very few of us having ever seen a hybrid club, to nearly 100 percent bag penetration with golfers of all skill levels. The biggest reason for that that is because they are so easy to hit, compared to the long irons in your bag.
One great use for your hybrids that doesn’t get much press is how good they are around the greens. If you haven’t experimented with them, you should spend a little time learning what they are capable of.
Currently in my bag, I carry a Callaway Apex 19-degree loft. When taking a normal swing I hit the club about 230 yards, with a nice high ball flight. But this club’s “hidden talent” is as a chipping club when a wedge shot just isn’t the best play. This play is great from nice tight lies and not a lot of fairway or rough to cover before the green. So, I usually take my hybrid, put the ball back a little in my stance, and “putt” the ball through the collar. The loft of the hybrid gets the ball on top of the grass, where a putter would not, and it takes a truer roll onto the green.
To hit this shot, you need to grip down on the hybrid, as it is six inches or so longer than your putter. I always grip the hybrid when doing this with my putter grip that I use. I like to grip down to just have my left thumb and forefinger on the shaft below the grip.
And an important key is to grip the hybrid more gently even than you grip your putter, as it is a lighter club and does not provide the resistance of a putter. A light grip will help you have the feel you need to control the distance the ball rolls.
“Putting” with your hybrid is a great shot to have in your arsenal. It also comes in handy when your ball has rolled up against the collar, with thicker grass behind it. Practice this shot just a little and you’ll find it saving strokes in the rounds ahead.