These clubs work a lot better if you approach them like irons.
There’s no question that higher-lofted fairway woods have really increased in popularity in recent years. Even some tour pros are using 7-woods when they were once thought of as taboo for better players. That said, hybrids still are a popular, user-friendly option for average players who struggle to hit middle and long irons.
To that point, the thing to remember about hybrids is that they are intended to be used more like irons. With the beefy clubhead, I know they sort of look like a fairway wood, but you’ll get a lot more out of these clubs if you set up and swing like you’re holding a 5-iron. That means playing the ball more in the middle of your stance and striking the ball with a slightly downward angle of attack. The feeling you want as you stand over a hybrid shot is that your chest is over the ball. You might have heard the term “covering the ball”. That’s what I mean when I tell you to get your chest over it. This thought, combined with a ball position that’s further back than if you were using a fairway wood, puts you in position to pinch the ball slightly off the grass before the club takes a small divot. – Jason Guss, Golf Digest Best in State Teacher, Naperville Country Club, Illinois
