Alpha Golf

The “hybrid golf club” gets its name from combining the feel and accuracy of irons with the power and distance of fairway woods.  They’re exploding in popularity among recreational golfers since they’re a lot easier to hit than long irons.  Yet, more than 50% of pros also have a hybrid in their bag as reported by the Darrell Survey.

 

How are they designed?

Hybrid heads are made from hollow steel or titanium.  The center of gravity is positioned towards the back and near the bottom of the club head.  The lower COG increases the launch angle, making the effective loft higher than that of a similar iron.

The shafts are usually steel.  And their length and lie (shaft angle) are closer to an iron.  The stiffer and shorter shafts make them easier to hit than fairway woods. 

 

How does a hybrid perform?

Since the head and face of a hybrid is modeled after a wood, you’ll get the same sort of impact as a wood - namely a huge impact with high coefficient of restitution (COR).  Combine this “tramopline effect” with a high launch angle, and the hybrid gives you a lot of backspin. 

So you’ll get an airborne shot with a high spin rate.  This is a recipe for a ball that drops sharply with little roll.   

How do I swing a hybrid?The swing mechanics are like those you’d use for mid-to-long irons.  So play the ball slightly forward in your stance, and use your normal grip, stance and posture.  Make a sweeping-type swing, hitting down and through the ball.

If you decide to tee off with a hybrid, tee it up a little higher than you would with an iron.  And as always, let the club do the work!

 

When do I use a hybrid? 

I think there are 3 situations when a hybrid is the ideal ”rescue club”:

1) The dreaded long iron shot - when you need distance, but need the accuracy to get on the green.  Most amateurs are inconsistent with long irons.  This is what the hybrid was designed for. 

2) In the rough - remember your swing is just like an iron.  But because of the added weight of the head, you’ll have a slower clubhead speed.  This means you can cut through tall grass with more momentum at contact than an iron.  And you sure as hell don’t want to swing a fairway wood when you’re in the rough.

3) A hazard in front of a green - you want enough carry in the ball but little roll upon landing.  A fairway wood or long iron will get you the distance to get over the hazard, but will roll away.  Your hybrid, on the other hand, will stick where it lands.

 

 

Happy (hybrid) golfing!

 

 

The proper golf swing (not to be confused with the perfect golf swing) can be achieved by any golfer.  There are some underground training tricks that well-known golf pros use to teach their beginner students. 

 

1) Put a tee in front of the ball

 

Place a tee 5-6 inches in front of the golf ball.  When you swing, hit not just the ball but the tee as well.  This focuses you on swinging through the ball, and not at it.  Your follow-through after impact will also be improved with this technique.
 

 

 

2) Close your eyes on a practice swing

 

Take a full practice swing with your eyes closed.  This heightens your awareness of posture and balance.  Try to determine if your club head is opened or closed while you swing with your eyes closed.  You’ll be a lot more sensitive to keeping balance throughout the swing after a few blind practice shots!

 

 

3) Use your club to correct your posture at set-up

 

Hold your club shaft against your lower back.  Bend over while keeping your lower back straight and parallel against the club.  Maintain this posture, then drop your arms to let them hang naturally before gripping the club.
 

 

 

 

 

4) Use 2 parallel clubs to set your alignment

 

Put one club down along your intended target line.  Put another club down along your feet.  Both clubs should now be parallel to one another, forcing you to have your shoulders parallel to the target line.  Parallel shoulders means parallel arm movement during the swing.
 

 

 

 

 

 

5) Put a penny on your shoe

 

Put a penny towards the front of your left shoe.  Try to keep the coin on your shoe during your swing.  If the penny falls to the right of your shoe, you’re putting too much weight on the back foot during the backswing.  If it falls to the left of your shoe, you’re shifting too much weight during the finish.

 

6) On a scale of 1-5, grip a 2

 

Too many beginner golfers grip the club too tightly.  Grip your club on a scale of 1 to 5, one being the weakest and five being the strongest. Go through each number slightly gripping harder as you near five.  Then go back to 2. This grip level should let you swing the club freely while still maintaining control.

 

 

7) Watch your swing in the mirror

 

In front of a mirror, first check out your grip - a “V” between the thumb and forefinger should point at your right shoulder.  Then check your posture, alignment, and stance.  Finally, see if you look balanced while taking a swing.