Has anyone switched from a hybrid to a driving iron full time?

[displayname]

I know driving irons are a hot topic, especially with the Open going on right now. Has anyone here switched from a hybrid or fairway to a driving iron full time? Not just for windy days, or special courses, but full time in the bag?

 

If so, what made you switch, and are you considering switching back at any point?

[kevnixon]

Yes 19 29 deg g20 hybrid to rapture di
Straighter and easier to flight low from the tee
Not as good from semi
May change back when autumn approaches

[kevnixon]

Above 20 deg ping g20 hybrid

[scottaz]

yup and not going back. hybrids are made to hook. so am I.

[DTXgolfer12]

I don't understand why peeps complain about hybrids. They're the easiest clubs to hit! High,low, left right. Get one that doesn't sit closed and they're like cheating

[scottaz]

[quote name='texchad12' timestamp='1405637524' post='9723657']
I don't understand why peeps complain about hybrids. They're the easiest clubs to hit! High,low, left right. Get one that doesn't sit closed and they're like cheating
[/quote]

That's how I feel about my 2 iron. We're all different.

[chrndwg]

I dropped my hybrid for a 712u 3i somewhat permanently. I was having issues hooking the hybrid, like most who move away. I do hit the new 3i about 15 yards shorter than my hybrid, but that is a more natural gap up from my 4i, and I've kept the hybrid in case I'm ever playing a course that needs me to step down from my 3w rather than up from my 4i - but so far I haven't run into any issues without a hybrid and I hit the 3i much more consistently than the hybrid.

[rdmcdaid]

[quote name='texchad12' timestamp='1405637524' post='9723657']
I don't understand why peeps complain about hybrids. They're the easiest clubs to hit! High,low, left right. Get one that doesn't sit closed and they're like cheating
[/quote]

It's not always a case of a hybrid being closed faced that creates a hook. Hybrids for the most part, unlike irons are not easily altered for lie. I have tried for years to find and play the flattest hybrids I can find, however, unless I change my hand position for a hybrid, I end up shutting the face at impact and end up hooking as the heel strike closes the face and I end up left.

The Rapture driving iron is the exception. It can be ordered with various lie angles and doesn't force me to change my swing so I can play it. The fact of the matter is most hybrids suit a player that has a more upright swing than I do. The Rapture is in my bag when the wind blows or the course dictates accuracy over shear length. Truth be told, the DI is very much a hybrid, just not marketed that way.

As ScottAz said some people prefer irons or woods to hybrids.

[srstrait]

Yes, I've recently switched from a 19* 913H to a 18* 712U. I never had issues with hooking my hybrid, i adjusted the 913H to sit a bit more open the normal. Off the deck the 913H is a great club, it's off the tee where I struggled with it. I needed a club for short or medium length tight par 4's or long par 3's and that's where the 712U shines. I very rarely face a shot requiring me to hit a hybrid off the deck into a par 5. However there are some courses around that I play where a driving iron off the tee makes the most sense.

Sean

[bpark1210]

Count me in as well. I've been playing a Bridgestone Airmuscle for 2 seasons w/ graphite and 1 season w/ steel. The last hybrid I bought was a J36. I just prefer the more penetrating ball flight vs. a hybrid which like many others would hook it. Would I switch back? . . . possibly for the right model. I have to admit that a hybrid is easier to elevate off the turf than a 2i and easier to hold greens with.

[DickieThon]

Dropped hybrids for driving irons 2+ years ago and haven't looked back. Don't even have a hybrid hiding in the basement anywhere.

[bladehunter]

absolutely....712U 2 iron is money ..period.... 240 250 down the middle all day long!! I wont bag another hybrid till im old enough to loose swing speed and need to

[IAHacker]

712 U to replace my 913H. Great club. I hit it of the tee and turf and not worry about it going left. I am trying a DHY 16 degree with steel fiber and plan to use it for windy days.

[mootrail]

Picked up a Rapture DI after trying a 3Deep, 2Deep and a Mini. Use to play LDI's, but this club is light years better. Easy to hit from the tee or turf, and super long with any bit of roll. More importantly, it's dead straight and it seems impossible for me to miss to the right. Took out my 3 wood and 3 hybrid, and although I've been carrying a 4 hybrid(actually 2 4s), I find myself never using it. My other 4+ hybrid is actually more an iron replacement as it's shafted with a standard 4 iron length shaft and the only long club I'll play from poor lies in the rough.

[Iam3]

I have tried. Hybrids are just so easy to hit.

[calvinclark11]

I went from a SLDR 4 hybrid to a 21 degree fli-hi. Gave up a little distance but gained a lot of confidence. My gaps aren't too bad either. Best decision I've made.

[ej002]

Ping was back ordered - so I didn't buy it - but it was super easy to hit but a few carry yards shorter than the same loft hybrid. Traj wasn't a problem.

[Harve10]

Dropped my 913h with GD AD DI 105 for a 712U 2 iron and cannot envision switching back. Love the 712U off the tee...point and click.

[braveheart]

Experimenting with a Dynacraft 18 degree driving iron. I like my Titleist 909h hybrid I don't hit it too high like most others I've tried. We'll see how it goes.

[LouLogsdon]

I took my new- to- me TEE CBProH 18* driving iron to the course today. I didn't hook a single shot. This is the reason I got it. Doesn't get much distance on mishits but it flies straight. I'll keep you posted on whether it stays in the bag.

[Yepyukon]

Not quite. I did remove my 20* hybrid for a 19* 5wood and put in a 22* 4 iron that I use as a driving iron, but I dont have a <20* iron.

[displayname]

So overall, it sounds like most people who switch made the switch to avoid the hooks from a hybrid more so than to fix trajectory. Glad to hear all the feedback!

[MelloYello]

Long course w/ deep rough....hybrids are going to win that battle easily.

Short or flat course....driving irons will probably suffice.


C'mon...it's about fitting the right club to the demands of whatever you're talking about. You might love that 2-iron on a 6,500-yard course with medium rough, but it's not nearly the game-changer it was when you take it to play a 7,500-yard course with deep and penal rough. On a course like that, a driving iron clearly takes a backseat to driver or fairway off the tee as well as to what hybrids can offer on those long approaches out of the rough.

If you use one because you can't use the other, you've made no choice at all.

If you use one because you're good enough to force the issue with it in all scenarios congratulations to you I guess.

[calvinclark11]

[quote name='MelloYello' timestamp='1405784998' post='9735503']
Long course w/ deep rough....hybrids are going to win that battle easily.

Short or flat course....driving irons will probably suffice.


C'mon...it's about fitting the right club to the demands of whatever you're talking about. You might love that 2-iron on a 6,500-yard course with medium rough, but it's not nearly the game-changer it was when you take it to play a 7,500-yard course with deep and penal rough. On a course like that, a driving iron clearly takes a backseat to driver or fairway off the tee as well as to what hybrids can offer on those long approaches out of the rough.

If you use one because you can't use the other, you've made no choice at all.

If you use one because you're good enough to force the issue with it in all scenarios congratulations to you I guess.
[/quote]

You are correct. It is course dependent. These pros didnt just start rocking 1 & 2 irons for the heck of it. However, course yardage shouldn't be a factor. It's how the holes are set up and where you're comfortable playing from. The courses I play around here are 6900-7400 yards long and I personally have no use for a hybrid even with the deep rough they have. Sure hybrids are easier to get out of a bad lie but what good is it without control? All of this is my personal belief/preference. I know everyone is different but I know I'm not alone either.

My advice...survey your course(s). Hit shots with irons and hybrids and see where you end up and if it's in your comfort zone. Make your decision based on comfort of position...not a scorecard yardage.

[KrazyTrain18]

I'm very close to making that decision.

[MelloYello]

[quote name='calvinclark11' timestamp='1405786997' post='9735655']
[quote name='MelloYello' timestamp='1405784998' post='9735503']
Long course w/ deep rough....hybrids are going to win that battle easily.

Short or flat course....driving irons will probably suffice.


C'mon...it's about fitting the right club to the demands of whatever you're talking about. You might love that 2-iron on a 6,500-yard course with medium rough, but it's not nearly the game-changer it was when you take it to play a 7,500-yard course with deep and penal rough. On a course like that, a driving iron clearly takes a backseat to driver or fairway off the tee as well as to what hybrids can offer on those long approaches out of the rough.

If you use one because you can't use the other, you've made no choice at all.

If you use one because you're good enough to force the issue with it in all scenarios congratulations to you I guess.
[/quote]

You are correct. It is course dependent. These pros didnt just start rocking 1 & 2 irons for the heck of it. However, course yardage shouldn't be a factor. It's how the holes are set up and where you're comfortable playing from. The courses I play around here are 6900-7400 yards long and I personally have no use for a hybrid even with the deep rough they have. Sure hybrids are easier to get out of a bad lie but what good is it without control? All of this is my personal belief/preference. I know everyone is different but I know I'm not alone either.

My advice...survey your course(s). Hit shots with irons and hybrids and see where you end up and if it's in your comfort zone. Make your decision based on comfort of position...not a scorecard yardage.
[/quote]

You can't say that accuracy is limited with a hybrid. That's a really subjective thing. I've met tons of people who rely on their hybrid to be their "go-to" club and who would find these driving irons to be far less reliable and too demanding on a consistent basis.

Likewise, you can't say "accurate" if you're only talking about direction. For many people, there's way more consistency in distance when using a hybrid. Thus, for whatever "accuracy" you think you're getting in direction with a driving iron, you're losing it to the hybrid not being able to hit a consistent distance regardless of lie (the hybrid's specialty). Both clubs have clear appeal, but people need to realize that you can't stereotype these clubs with such vague terminology, or at least you shouldn't if you're offering up reviews and you're trying to be helpful.

I'm glad you agree about the "depends on the course" or "hole setup" (whatever you want to call it). The point we agree on is that a person needs to look at their specific needs.

What I will say is that folks who can't hit something well, need to stop giving reviews on those things. How would you feel if someone said, "well, I can't drive very well, I've had 5 accidents already this year, but you should still trust me and my opinions on high-performance cars."

No offense to you on that last bit. That's a different point.

But, an 18* hybrid in the hands of someone who knows how to use it can be as deadly accurate as any 2-iron because "accurate" can only be used to describe how far away you end up from exactly where you intended to be. Common sense tells me that the ease of hitting a hybrid should make 100% of golfers more accurate in terms of missing long and short. Maybe the hybrid misses more left and right, but the 2-iron is more long and short hence why the iron is preferred off the tee to get it going straight down the fairway and why the hybrid is preferred out of deep rough where the goal is to be pin-high.

[calvinclark11]

[quote name='MelloYello' timestamp='1405792715' post='9736069']
[quote name='calvinclark11' timestamp='1405786997' post='9735655']
[quote name='MelloYello' timestamp='1405784998' post='9735503']
Long course w/ deep rough....hybrids are going to win that battle easily.

Short or flat course....driving irons will probably suffice.


C'mon...it's about fitting the right club to the demands of whatever you're talking about. You might love that 2-iron on a 6,500-yard course with medium rough, but it's not nearly the game-changer it was when you take it to play a 7,500-yard course with deep and penal rough. On a course like that, a driving iron clearly takes a backseat to driver or fairway off the tee as well as to what hybrids can offer on those long approaches out of the rough.

If you use one because you can't use the other, you've made no choice at all.

If you use one because you're good enough to force the issue with it in all scenarios congratulations to you I guess.
[/quote]

You are correct. It is course dependent. These pros didnt just start rocking 1 & 2 irons for the heck of it. However, course yardage shouldn't be a factor. It's how the holes are set up and where you're comfortable playing from. The courses I play around here are 6900-7400 yards long and I personally have no use for a hybrid even with the deep rough they have. Sure hybrids are easier to get out of a bad lie but what good is it without control? All of this is my personal belief/preference. I know everyone is different but I know I'm not alone either.

My advice...survey your course(s). Hit shots with irons and hybrids and see where you end up and if it's in your comfort zone. Make your decision based on comfort of position...not a scorecard yardage.
[/quote]

You can't say that accuracy is limited with a hybrid. That's a really subjective thing. I've met tons of people who rely on their hybrid to be their "go-to" club and who would find these driving irons to be far less reliable and too demanding on a consistent basis.

Likewise, you can't say "accurate" if you're only talking about direction. For many people, there's way more consistency in distance when using a hybrid. Thus, for whatever "accuracy" you think you're getting in direction with a driving iron, you're losing it to the hybrid not being able to hit a consistent distance regardless of lie (the hybrid's specialty). Both clubs have clear appeal, but people need to realize that you can't stereotype these clubs with such vague terminology, or at least you shouldn't if you're offering up reviews and you're trying to be helpful.

I'm glad you agree about the "depends on the course" or "hole setup" (whatever you want to call it). The point we agree on is that a person needs to look at their specific needs.

What I will say is that folks who can't hit something well, need to stop giving reviews on those things. How would you feel if someone said, "well, I can't drive very well, I've had 5 accidents already this year, but you should still trust me and my opinions on high-performance cars."

No offense to you on that last bit. That's a different point.

But, an 18* hybrid in the hands of someone who knows how to use it can be as deadly accurate as any 2-iron because "accurate" can only be used to describe how far away you end up from exactly where you intended to be. Common sense tells me that the ease of hitting a hybrid should make 100% of golfers more accurate in terms of missing long and short. Maybe the hybrid misses more left and right, but the 2-iron is more long and short hence why the iron is preferred off the tee to get it going straight down the fairway and why the hybrid is preferred out of deep rough where the goal is to be pin-high.
[/quote]

I think you're hinting at the point that I don't know how to use a hybrid. WRONG. I just don't like the majority of them being draw biased and prefer to look at an iron. I'm a plus handicap, former division 1 NCAA golfer(teammate of a three time winner on tour) and now I'm just a weekend warrior like the most of us.

However...I do have extensive knowledge and advanced ability to play this game. My posts are honest and based on the way I play and my experiences so I'm not going to stop giving reviews or advice. You seem to have missed where I said "this is my personal belief/preference." Also...I'm fully aware of what accurate means. My 20degree iron only loses about 5-7 yards carry over my hybrid. Both my direction and distance are "accurate". You're arguing against using an iron...maybe you don't have the ability or strength? That's an assumption but If that's the case...you are the one who can't use something properly and your post makes no sense. We all play the game differently and enjoy it just the same. There's absolutely no reason to get upset because I have a different view than you.

Again...and please stay with me here...this is my personal opinion. It was meant to help the OP..not to disagree and get your panties in a bunch. This site is all about talking about topics that we agree or disagree about so chill out, be glad there's a hybrid in your bag, and don't go assuming things about someone else's game.

[Noyes26]

I've tried, many times. I do struggle with left with hybrids and always have. Finally I found the I25 with a Speeder 9.8 has eliminated the lefts for me.

I do miss having a driving iron some days. I have had the 712, Cally, and DHY. They are all great off the tee. Not so much off the deck. If you only use that spot in your bag for off the tee I would tell anyone that the driving irons of today are great and you should do that. But If you want something with more versatility find that hybrid that works for your swing.

Btw to the people saying they have trouble with hybrids off tees but not off the deck.... it's not illegal to not use a tee on the box....

[rpaige88]

What shafts are you guys putting in your DI's? I just got my Ping DI yesterday. I like the feel of the head but I'm not loving the shaft. Just curious what some people have done on here. Keeping with graphite or switching to steel on their DI's?

[calvinclark11]

[quote name='rpaige88' timestamp='1405797757' post='9736473']
What shafts are you guys putting in your DI's? I just got my Ping DI yesterday. I like the feel of the head but I'm not loving the shaft. Just curious what some people have done on here. Keeping with graphite or switching to steel on their DI's?
[/quote]

In my 2010 20* fli hi, I use a flighted project x 6.0.
That being said, I've never had a graphite shaft in an iron but I love the idea. I'll be trying a recoil or steel fiber in the new stuff. Hopefully it'll be a good mix.