How to Hit with Hybrid Clubs

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 16, 2021 References

Hybrid clubs are the cross between iron golf clubs with their flat metal heads and shorter shafts and wood clubs with their long shafts and large, bulbous heads. Hybrid clubs one of the most versatile golf clubs you can use. With one, it's possible to hit a ball from almost anywhere on a golf course, including problem spots like the rough or the thick grass that grows around the mowed grass of the fairway. It can be tricky to figure out the right way to hit with hybrid clubs, but with careful positioning and the right downward swing, you’ll be hitting with them in no time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Setting up Your Swing

1
Spread your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. You want a stance wide enough to allow your body to turn comfortably when you swing. You don’t want one so narrow that you won't hit the ball in the right spot.^{[1]
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- If standing this way is uncomfortable or you're miss-hitting the ball, try setting your feet at armpit width instead.^{[2]
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- Keep in mind—the longer the hybrid club, the wider you should spread your feet.
2
Bend your knees slightly. This should also create a natural bend at your hips giving you the athletic, balanced stance that you want. You should be able to bounce in place if you’ve flexed your knees correctly.^{[3]
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3
Move the ball closer to your front leg if hitting the ball off the top of the rough or the fairway. Having the ball sitting up in the rough or on the fairway makes hitting with a hybrid club easy. It’s just important to the adjust the position of the ball so you can hit it at a high enough angle^{[4]
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- The ball should still be close to the center of your stance, so only move it a distance equal to around 1–2 golf balls.
4
Move the ball towards the center of your stance if you’re hitting out of the rough. This will help you create the downward arc needed for hitting with a hybrid club. Position the ball so it’s slightly behind your hands as you swing downwards.^{[5]
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- If you're miss-hitting the ball out of the rough, it might be placed too far off-center. The grass could be slowing down the club-head before it hits the ball.^{[6]
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5
Stand as close to the ball as you can to establish a base position. You want to avoid the straight arms and elbow locking that come with standing too far from the ball. Just make sure you can still swing your hybrid club freely in front of you without it hitting your feet and you have your base position.^{[7]
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6
Step back 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm) from your base position. Hitting with a hybrid clubs requires standing farther away from the ball due their length. The longer your hybrid club, the farther back you need to stand.^{[8]
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- You can look at how much longer your hybrid club is than any long iron club you own and move back that distance.^{[9]
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- Try a few practice swings and pay attention to the angle of the club and the force behind the swing. If you’re not comfortable or if the swing feels weak, step forward or back as needed.^{[10]
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7
Grip the shaft of the hybrid club tightly. A firm grip will help you maintain control throughout your entire swing. Use the same grip for a hybrid club that you would for a long iron. If you don’t have a long iron for reference, think of it as a 7 level grip on a scale from 1–10.
- Be careful not to use a death grip! You want to avoid too much muscle tension in your arms.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Hitting the Ball

1
Maintain a triangle shape with your arms as you swing up away from the ball. When you hold your hybrid club down in front of you, your arms should form a natural triangle as your hands come together on the club shaft. You need to keep that triangle shape without moving your arms closer together as you rotate your chest and shoulders and swing back to set up the shot. Keep your wrists straight but not rigid.^{[11]
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Continue rotating your body as you finish the backswing. Let your wrists bend naturally when your hybrid club is at waist height. Take your time on this part.^{[12]
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Research source} You want a controlled motion as you set up to hit the ball.^{[13]
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- Try to keep this entire movement as smooth as possible. Your hybrid club backswing and downswing should be one fluid motion so you have maximum acceleration through the hit.
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Swing downwards into the ball. Don't try to scoop the ball up into air by trying to lift it off the ground from behind it.^{[14]
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Research source} It probably won’t go very far if you do that and you don't need extra lift anyway due to the shape of a hybrid club.^{[15]
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Research source} Instead, aim to hit the ball before the ground as you swing downwards.^{[16]
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- If the ball is sitting up on the rough, using more of scooping swing is okay because there’s already space under the ball and you’re less likely to dig the club into the ground before impact.^{[17]
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4
Try to hit the ball in its center or at its equator line. The trick to making a long and powerful golf-shot is to hit the ball in the right position. For hybrid clubs, you want to hit high enough for the club to lift the ball and continue towards the ground.^{[18]
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- Think of this as aiming the club for the ground but happening to hit the ball through the air on the way there.
5
Ensure any divot your club makes is shallow. A divot is the patch of grass a club will skim off the ground after ball impact. They're a good thing if you're hitting with hybrid clubs, but you don't want too deep a divot because that means you’re swinging downwards at too great an angle.^{[19]
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Follow-through with your swing. Don't pull-up short after you’ve hit the ball. Your swing should be quick and fluid, forming a complete arc from beginning to end.^{[20]
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- Don't overthink this part. A lot of swing follow-through is just going with the natural movement of the swing.