There is more than one way to hit a Hybrid – says Paula Creamer!

There is more than one way to hit a Hybrid – says Paula Creamer!

Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional.  I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website.  The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time!  Please post your comments below.  Keep it clean and tasteful.  We are here to learn from one another!

Hybrids clubs are one of the best inventions in golf, in my opinion.

Many of my students struggled to hit long irons over the years, and when these clubs came along, I was very pleased. Hybrids have a more forgiving nature, with a larger ‘sweet spot’ to hit, and they are shorter in length, which allows for more control. Most of my golfers have replaced their long irons with several hybrids and are hitting higher, longer shots with relative ease.

Most amateurs use hybrids in the fairway or in rough spots, like pine straw, but LPGA Tour player Paula Creamer in collaboration with Stina Sternberg, explains to us here how to get more creative with these clubs.

My long fairway game is a strength for me, and I have my hybrids to thank for much of it. I might not be the longest driver on the LPGA Tour, but I know how to hit a green in regulation (my 74.2-percent average ranks third). So depending on the length of the course, I carry up to three hybrids and never an iron longer than a 5.

Hybrids are easier to hit in the center of the face, and they fly higher and land softer than long irons, which is crucial on lengthy approach shots. They’re also more workable than people think, and very versatile–from rough, bad lies, even for chipping. The key to hitting a hybrid well is to swing it like an iron, not a fairway wood.

If you hit down on the ball with a hybrid and take a little divot (above, right), it can be just as easy to maneuver as a middle iron. On the following pages I’ll show you my keys to the most important hybrid shots.

THE STANDARD HYBRID SHOT

Your hybrid might look a lot like a fairway wood, but you need to play it the way you would an iron. The hybrid’s shaft is only slightly longer than the corresponding iron, so it’s easy to set up to the ball the same way. For the standard shot, play the ball in the middle of your stance, and keep your weight centered. Your hands should be in line with the ball, and your shoulders, hips and feet should be square to your target. As you take the club back and swing through, make sure to hit the ball with a descending blow–do not use a sweeping motion, as you would with a fairway wood. I focus on moving my right side through the ball and finishing high with all my weight on my left leg.

To read more on the different shots that Paula hits with her hybrid (and watch a video), click here.

Source: Golf Digest & Paula Creamer

Pictures: Golf Digest   Keith Allison

Thanks for watching – There is more than one way to hit a Hybrid – says Paula Creamer!

Related Posts.

The ball & foot position for a standard bunker shot is critical!

Paula Creamer teaches you that in putting to Keep it Low!

How to chip with a hybrid and get out of trouble!

Do you have trouble with your hybrids – Here’s some help!

Who’s turning up the heat for a women’s Masters’?

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL, LIKE THIS VIDEO, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND, LEAVE A COMMENT!