Equipment
‘5-iron vs 5-hybrid showdown…it wasn’t close’ – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, our members have been responding to a recent post that faced off a 5-iron against a 5-hybrid. WRXer Uglande kicked off the thread saying:
“Over the past couple of seasons, I have incorporated a 7 wood into my bag but have still shied away from hybrids. But after seeing so many lofted fairways and hybrids in some good players’ bags (e.g., I just noticed John Daly goes plays 17-19-22-26 degree Ping hybrids), I decided to put my T100 5 iron (26 degrees) to the test against a TSr2 24 hybrid, set at 25.
It was a blowout.
High, low, draw, fade, punchouts, bad lies … there wasn’t a single shot scenario I could create in which the hybrid did not beat the 5 iron, and usually by a long shot. But the most impressive was the incredible forgiveness on missed strikes. The 5 iron drop-off was dramatically worse. No big surprise, I know, but the magnitude of the separation is what struck me.
Normally, the equalizer would be the big-left miss with the hybrid, but I wasn’t getting any of that.”
Uglande added “What are your experiences with higher lofted hybrids, or what keeps you from bagging them?”, and our members have been getting involved with their takes in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- POKeefe: “I ran the same test with Z785 5i, ZX5 5i, and ZX 5H head-to-head. It also wasn’t close. The only advantage the irons had was a lower ball flight, which I prefer. However, the consistency was much better with the hybrid. My driver swing speed is 107, so I’m not exactly slow either. My hunch is most people would be better off pulling 3-5i out of their bag in favor of woods and hybrids.”
- CDLgolf: “I use a 4, 5, and 6 hybrid and for me they are so much better than long irons or higher lofted fairway woods.”
- 1puttTuT: “Over time I’ve realized I hate hybrids. I struggle with a two way miss and they also want to balloon up at that loft. I really like my set 5 iron, but I do go to a utility iron instead of a normal 4 iron or hybrid. My hybrid issue is probably shaft related, but I don’t need the added forgiveness or launch benefit of the hybrid so why chase the correct shaft when the iron is plug and play for the most part.”
Entire Thread: “‘5 Iron v. 5 Hybrid Showdown … It Wasn’t Close’ – GolfWRXers discuss”
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We got a sneak peek at the new Ventus Blue shaft from Fujikura a few weeks ago, and we are now seeing out on tour for the best players in the world to test.
This week at the Genesis Invitational, the crew from Fujikura is in attendance and excited for the new shaft to make its debut. The new Ventus Blue shaft will have a very similar profile to the current Ventus Blue and should offer players launch and spin numbers that are comparable. What Fujikura has improved is the internal technology, VeloCore, that has made the Ventus and Ventus TR shafts so popular on tour and in fittings all over the world.
We asked Fujikura’s Spencer Reynolds about the new Ventus Blue and VeloCore Plus:
“The key to this one is really new technology…This will be our first profile to feature what we call VeloCore Plus. What we did is we took the original profile of the original Blue we launched…back in 2018 on global tours. So over the last handful of years, we’ve learned a lot about material integration and material layouts and kind of where we can push the envelope a little bit.
“And we wanted to keep a similar profile that gave similar feel, launch, and spin numbers but we wanted to tighten the dispersion and increase the speed. We figured out how to do that and we kinda reengineered VeloCore a bit. We took the key elements…full -length pitch material and then the 40-ton material…we took those key elements and enhanced some of those. We…increased the tonnage and increased the strength of those materials.
“Then we added a third material as a bias core to essentially give it a really solid feel. I think it’s what we’re left with is a profile that bumps up speed, increases accuracy, tightens dispersion, and has incredible feel to it. So what we found in player testing was increases in speed, and a lot of the feedback we got from feel was it just feels tighter than the original — not stiffer, still kind of the same bend profile, softer in the handle, stiff in the mid, ultra-stiff in the tip — but just an overall tighter feeling to the shaft.
“So we tested it. We’re psyched about it. Obviously excited to have it out here on tour, and we’re ready to rock and roll.”
This new Ventus Blue even sports a new matte blue paint that is lighter than the original and has a slightly different “Ventus” text near the center of the shaft. Fujikura also made some slight tweaks to the Ventus logo near the grip, adding some different micro-texture to the silver graphic.
This new Ventus Blue with VeloCore Plus should be out to Fujikura dealers at the end of February.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Genesis Invitational
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After last night’s brand launch event, we fully expected Tiger Woods to arrive at Riviera for practice rounds ahead of the Genesis Invitational in Sun Day Red apparel.
What was less certain — perhaps unlikely, depending on who you talked to — was that the 15-time major winner and recent FootJoy Premiere Series enthusiast would sport Sun Day Red footwear.
However, Woods is doing just that, as evidenced by these shots from our tour photographer.
While we don’t have product details for the new shoes — or much in the lineup, really — we do know product will be available at retail starting May 1. Additionally, polos will cost between $115 and $175, cashmere sweaters will be $250 to $350, per a New York Times report.
Woods and Nike ended their famed 27-year relationship in January. The Genesis Invitational is Woods’ first “non-Nike” tournament.
Check out more photos of Tiger in Sun Day Red here as well as a full WITB look.
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- Tiger Woods WITB accurate as of the Genesis Invitational. Woods’ 3-wood will be a game-time decision.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (10.5 degrees @9.75)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 X
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Titanium (15 degrees @13)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees @18.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: 2023 TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7TW (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 Raw (56-12TW, 60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype
Grip: Ping PP58 Blackout
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X (2024)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord 58R
More Tiger Woods WITBs
- Tiger Woods WITB 2023 (November)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2023 (February)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (December) (new in-hand photos)
- Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (July)
- Tiger Woods WITB at the 2022 PGA Championship (with a new 2-iron!)
- Tiger Woods WITB: 2022 Masters
- Tiger Woods WITB 2021 PNC Championship (new in-hand photos)
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Here’s what happened when LPGA star Nelly Korda took on a scratch/plus handicap amateur golfer – GolfWRXers react
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Tiger Woods WITB 2024 (February)
Tiger Woods WITB accurate as of the Genesis Invitational. Woods’ 3-wood will be a game-time decision. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS...
Jason Day WITB 2024 (February)
Jason Day what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping...
Byeong Hun An WITB 2024 (February)
Byeong Hun An what’s in the bag accurate as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. More photos from the event here....
Nick Taylor’s winning WITB: 2024 WM Phoenix Open
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Blue Tour Spec 6 X 3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees) Buy...
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CrashTestDummy
Jan 15, 2024 at 12:18 am
Hybrid distances generally go quite longer from the same iron number they replace. Hybrids are very versatile clubs that can be hit from many different lies, but much harder to stop on greens than irons. Still not gonna give up my long irons. One of the best feelings in golf is just pure-ing long irons.
J
Jan 12, 2024 at 2:17 pm
Sure, but it my experience dispersion is much worse (at least for me) with a hybrid despite extra height and distance.
Darryl’s brother Darryl
Jan 9, 2024 at 7:05 pm
I hit 4-9 hybrids and I’m amazing
OldJoe
Jan 5, 2024 at 4:39 pm
Can’t keep the Adams peanut 5h (25*) out of the bag, but it replaced my 4 iron. PRGR Nabla ID Tour forged 5 iron full 12 yards shorter than 5h.
Bob Jones
Jan 5, 2024 at 3:00 pm
I used to be able to hit a 4-iron pretty darn well, but when I tried the equivalent hybrid I got the same results so much easier I made the switch.
Birdman
Jan 4, 2024 at 10:50 am
I thinknwe can file this one under “Uhhhhhh…..no $hit Sherlock”
Barry W Pagano
Jan 4, 2024 at 10:00 am
I have the series of 4 thru 8 hybrids ..Im so pleased I made the change …when I do hit them right , the feel is amazing and they’re much more forgiving.
Rich
Jan 3, 2024 at 2:31 pm
The hybrid is a no-brainer for those who paddycake the ball, yes. Much depends on swing speed and strike quality. Those of us who can still swing the driver at say 105 and higher and hit the ss 95% of the time will take the 5 iron for better dispersion.
Erik Ugland
Jan 10, 2024 at 3:16 pm
I’m the original poster and I swing driver at 110+. Your comment is exactly what I would have said prior to doing my testing. But with my 5 iron (T100 bent 1 strong to 26 degrees), I was getting carry of 205 at about a 44 land angle. With hybrid (TSr2 set at 25), I was getting the same carry distance but with a 46-47 land angle (stopping power without ballooning) and significantly better consistence and dispersion. But, of course, YMMV. (Also, I was playing a AD DI 9x shaft, tipped 1 in., in the hybrid, FWIW).
Ace
Jan 3, 2024 at 1:05 pm
People just figured this out! Wow
Joe
Jan 3, 2024 at 10:54 am
I use a 2 hybrid and I have no problem hitting low shots like one person claimed.
The 2 hybrid replaced my 3 wood since it was only 5 yards shorter but much easier to hit.
My next hybrid is a cobra one length 4 hybrid which for my swing speed bridges the gap easily and it being only 7 iron length makes it the best club in my bag and my go to club.
Long irons are no contest against hybrids.