Hybrid golf clubs are a blend between an irons and a fairway wood, taking the accuracy and swing of the former and merging it with the distance and ease of use of the latter. They’re very forgiving clubs, making them popular with recreational players and beginners, because of their high launch angle, increased ball spin, and soft landing.

You can use the same swing set-up as you do for your irons, essentially hitting down on the ball from a centralised stance. Don’t take a sweeping swing, but instead hit the ball on the descent rather than scooping it up from the side. For your stance, make sure you have squared your feet and shoulders, point your feet towards the target, and line your hands up with the ball.

Choosing the right hybrid golf club depends on which golf clubs you’re looking to replace, or which you feel you’d perform better without. Hybrid golf clubs are commonly used to replace anything from 3-woods to 9-woods, and it all depends on the loft. For example, hybrids with a low loft can be used to replace 3 to 5-woods, those with moderate lofts to replace 5 or 7-woods and even sometimes 3 or 4-irons. These are however general suggestions and we’d always recommend coming in for a custom fitting, as the right hybrid golf clubs do depend on your swing speed.

Many beginners and recreational golf players find they perform well with hybrid golf clubs, and if you’re a player that needs forgiveness in their shots then hybrid golf club sets are probably for you. You can use them almost all over the golf course, making them very versatile and cost-effective. However, for more seasoned or confident golfers, you may not ‘need’ a hybrid, unless you’re more comfortable using them. Many seasoned golfers all the way up to professionals forego hybrids, but then again pros like Jason Duffner are known to favour them.