Hybrid/Rescue Irons?

Zascar

Can anyone tell me if there Hybrid/Rescue irons are any good? Long iron shots are a definite weakness of mine and this might be a good solution.

"Why not replace your hard to hit long irons with an easy to use utility club. These clubs will give you the forgiveness of a wood but with the control of an iron to create a valuable addition to any golf bag."

This looks really good: http://onlinesports.ie/product_info.php?pName=dual-rescue-club-with-adjustable-weight-ports&cName=golf-rescue-club

Is this true? Does anyone use one? I'm just gettting back into my golf after a break of a few years. My short game is fine but my long game is terrible. Can something like this replace the 3-5 iron, and is it worth using off the tea box if you want a better chance of a striaght shot?
Cheers

FlutterinBantam

While they may work for some ,personally I wouldnt use them.If I was struggling with low irons I would get a 7 wood or maybe a 9 wood.

Better though to take a trip to the practice ground and drill those 4irons 180 into the breeze:p

GreenHorn

My best use for my rescue is around the green to be honest, I've great confidence in it from the fringe and for skip and run shots.

I'd recommend having one in the bag to eb honest, alot of people swear by them... When I hit mine well it goes very far. Mine is 19* and cost next to nothing so not necessarily important to spend alot of money either.

delboy159

I'm a very bad golfer but there are times I can hit sweet mid irons straight at the pin and chip brilliantly and hit my driver straight and close to 250yrds - but never all in the one round and never consistently.

The only club I'm fairly sure of hitting well is my 22deg utility club. Even on a bad day I'm pretty sure of hitting it 170 yrds pretty straight! If I'm crap with my driver and 3 wood in a round I'll use the Utility off the tee. It'll usually get me 180 yrds down the fairway. If I'm 130 yrds out and I'm hitting my mid to low irons terrible I'll grip down on the utility and punch it 100yrds and let it dribble on towards the green.

This is the gods honest truth - there are days when I'm 120 to the green (probably 130 to pin, 140 to back of green) with an 8 iron in hand and not feeling confident of hitting it well at all. I generally close my eyes and pretend I have the 22deg utility in my hand. Take a practice swing or two to mimic the feel of the 22deg and quickly set up and hit the 8i before the feeling fades - generally I get a good contact and hit at the pin and roll to the back of the green....

I am a very big fan and I'd really recommend it. I tried the 7 wood (which was 24 deg loft) - which was easier than a 3i, but the 22deg utility had a shorter shaft than the 7 wood which I found made the utility easier to hit - especially when playing poorly. Both clubs went the same distance when hit well - about 180 yrds, but the utility was much better on the poorer swings!

I will admit a lot of my faith in the club is because I feel so confident over it, rather than it actually being that brilliant. I'd get one if I were you and take some 3/4 swing punch shots with it on a tee (not on the mat) and you'll get a really comfortable feel for it.

Mine is a RAM Wizard - which isn't top of the range by any means...

DIEGO WORST

They really are very easy to hit from just about everywhere, off the tee, the fairway, rough, fairway bunker, and even for bump and runs around the green.

There seems to be a big difference in the performance of the various Hybrid clubs out there. Some are closer to driving irons, others resemble high lofted fairway woods. If you are having trouble with your long irons, I reckon Hybrid is the way to go. Most importantly, try a whole bunch of demo clubs at the range, see which one, if any, you prefer.

Retief Goosen wrote a similar article for Golf Digest (can't find it at the mintue):
http://www.golfdigest.com/search/index.ssf?/gfw/gfwinstruction/gfw200503hybridintro.html

Zascar

Thanks for the replaies guys, I definitely want to buy one now. Some questions first:
- What loft do you think I should get? I think I'll get the 16 degree for maximum distance so i can use it off the tea. Or should i go slighly higher for tricky shots?
- The shaft: i'm told it is better to go for a regular flex as stiff flex is only for better players.
- The Shaft: Graphite or Steel?

Also, the website has another rescue club: http://onlinesports.ie/product_info.php?pName=security-midsize-rescue-club&cName=rescue-club
Its 10 quid cheaper and on the bottom it as a "2" whereas the first one has a "4" - does this mean what wood it is equivelent to?

Thanks
Zascar

delboy159

I have a 19deg one which I can only hit off the turf when I'm swinging well. The 16Deg will not be that different to a 3 wood, so I assume even harder to hit on the ground.

I have found the 22deg to be a spot on fairway and tee box compromise. If you find that working for you - then think about an 18deg (be it 16deg or 19deg area) utility, but for now I'd recommend the 22deg to start. I wouldn't be to quick to order on line straight away. If you could pop into a golf shop and try a few it would be a great idea.... Give a few a try and you'll get an idea of things...

Regular and graphite tend to be the ways to go - but if you try a few different shaft etc. in a golf shop you'll get a better personal idea!