The utility club or often referred to as the rescue club is one of them. More recent names have since surfaced where it is commonly known today as the hybrid club. This type of club is rising in popularity mainly because it makes the game easier, particularly for the recreational golfer and not so much among the competitive golfer. It must be noted however that more competitive golfers have since ‘switched’ to using hybrids today.
Hybrid means the combination of wood and iron
The term hybrid is used because it is actually a combination of wood and iron in the body of the club. This means that they are not as lightweight as the wooden club and not as heavy as the iron. As such, it changes the game a lot in terms of ball elevation while making them easier to hit.
What this actually refers to is that it would be the most ideal replacement for the long irons which is the direct reference to the 2, 3 and 4 irons. In some cases, the hybrid replaces the 5 iron as well. Through this context, golfers are now more receptive to the idea of hybrid sets instead of the full set of clubs complete with the 3 and 4 irons as it has been practiced previously. Short irons are from 6 to 9.
What about Rescue Clubs?
It must be noted that each category of club has its own purpose. Whether it is a putter or a fairway woods, a driver or a rescue club, they are all designed with specific reasons. In most ways, a rescue club is actually a type of ‘hybrid’ club. Unlike the Fairway Woods (also more fondly known as ‘woods’), a rescue club is actually a smaller version of the ‘woods’. Because of this, it is often mistaken to be the same thing.
Where Fairway Woods have larger clubheads and being the longest clubs, the rescue club is different. In fact, they are often just known as hybrids. However, some would call them utility clubs. The main difference between a rescue club and a ‘wood’ is the size and the material used to make them. If you look at the club head of a rescue club, you will notice they are slightly smaller and definitely shorter than ‘woods’. They are usually made of wood and metal.
What are Rescue Clubs used for?
As the name implies, you will be forgiven to believe that the Rescue Clubs are used for rescue purposes. In fact, the clubhead has been designed and used to cut through thick areas of grass. This club is perfect for chips and even hitting down a ball.
What then is a hybrid?
As explained earlier, a rescue club is actually a hybrid club. So, what exactly constitutes a hybrid? Basically, it means the club is designed using the aspects of irons and woods but is not used the same way as either one. As the name ‘hybrid’ implies, it is a combination of different types or a mixture of 2 or more types. The main idea behind this is to get the best of both worlds. In other words, a hybrid club is one that swings like an iron but gives you the distance of what a ‘wood’ can do. At first glance, it might look just the same as any other club you might have in your bag but the hybrid head actually is designed to be different from either one of the other clubs.
You will definitely play better!
What you get with hybrid clubs is that you get higher shots, the landings are softer and the ball even stops faster. And to make it even better, they can take the place of your 2s, 3s and 4s. And yes, even the misses are not as bad as the irons. A lot has been said about hybrids over the years. These clubs are surely here to stay as they have already been used by golfers at all levels. Some have called it cheating as it means you do not have to finetune some movements as much as the conventional clubs. But in whichever case, they are now essentials and not just accessories.
Should you really change to hybrids?
This is a resounding YES! What makes hybrids so good is that your hits become finer and better. As a rule of thumb, as long as you want better shots, change to hybrids. Other reasons include:
- When you play at greens that are elevated, the ball will come in flatter naturally. This means you need to offset the effects of the slope and to make the ball stop faster. Hybrids give you that function.
- When you play at tight fairways, you definitely need better hits through better swings. Try this on your typical long-irons and then switch to a hybrid. The difference will be tremendous.
- Hybrids are most typically your answer if you have been finding it hard to get solid hits with the old irons. With a wider sole and better center of gravity, it has a better balance from the grip to the swing.
- Above 3 handicap – golfers with a higher handicap should use hybrids because long irons don’t give enough speed.
Generally, there is no one way to say this but if you want to have a better game and to get nicer swings, you must change to a hybrid. It is, after all, meant for this reason when it was designed. Holding on to your old long-irons could just drag you down since you will be playing the same way for years to come.
