You're Correct!

The introduction of hybrids over the past years has revolutionized the game of golf and the improvement of golfers globally. There are many misconceptions of how hybrids should be struck and from what ball position they should be struck from.

The hybrid is exactly how it sounds. Its a hybridof an iron and fairway wood but both clubs are very different in how they are set up and how they are struck.

For example, an iron approaches the ball from a slightly steeper angle of attack in relation to how a fairway wood approaches the ball which would be much shallower. An iron should leave a small divot or take the top of the grass from the surface whereas a fairway wood sweeps the ball from the turf. If the angle of attack into the ball is similar to a fairway wood or driver then the angle of attack would be too shallow causing the club to potentially land too early creating fat strikes and total loss of distance.

The ball strike from a hybrid should give a descending blow into the ball so the ground would receive a small divot but nothing too much otherwise the angle of attack would be too steep. The angle of attack should be somewhere in between the shallow angle generated by a fairway wood and a steeper angle generated by an iron shot.

The set up with a hybrid should be similar to that of a fairway wood or a long iron in terms of the ball being positioned underneath the left armpit with the head slightly behind the ball and the hands pushed over the top of the ball. During the swing, the player should aimto make a similar to a 5 iron strike whereby the body weight shifts over to the left side at impact hitting down on the ball creating a small divot.

The set up with a mid iron sees the feet shoulder width apart with the club centred in the stance to create a steeper angle of attack in to the ball. This set up and angle of attack is not ideal for a hybrid as the length of club is too long therefore the angle too steep. If the ball is struck right, the length of the club does not allow the club head time to rotate square to the target and it will slice right.

If the hybrid comes into the ball too shallow then the chances of a good strike are reduced as the ground before the ball comes into play leading to fat strikes or if the ground is avoided then potential thin strikes. When the ball is struck well, the downward angle of attack would not be steep enough to encourage a penetrative ball flight and maximum distance.

The golf clubs shape is not dependent on which angle the club should approach the ball from but where the club may be best utilized. For example, the hybrids with a deep face would be best used on the fairway or off the tee and those with a smaller and shallower face will be better used from the rough and fairway but may not be so consistent from the tee.