Equipment
Should you replace as many irons as you possibly can with hybrids?
In our forums, our members are having a lively discussion on replacing irons with hybrids. WRXer ‘CaptAmerica103’ is thinking of going as high as a 7-hybrid, but has concerns, and kicks off the thread saying:
“I’m giving some thought into replacing as many irons as I possibly can with hybrids (as high as a 7H). The looks or judgment I may get from others (because I wouldn’t have a traditional iron set) would not bother me at all, as all I care about is getting good scorecards.
Where I am concerned is, merely replacing irons with hybrids may not be as beneficial as I am thinking. My questions are, has any one tried this, and if so, what were y’alls experiences (good or bad)?”
And our members have been sharing their thoughts and experiences in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- BowMain42: “I wouldn’t go so far as to replace all of them in one go. That might be a tad extreme. Irons are a mainstay in golf bags for a reason (even if it’s just in the short end). Start out with 3h/4h/5h and just stop there for a while, hitting the 5h and 5i side-by-side to really get an idea what the differences are for you and whether you might eventually move further down the bag. I’m still at the point where I won’t give up my 6i for a hybrid if the survival of the universe depended on it. Anything longer than that, though, has already been replaced.”
- BogeyTed: “I’d keep loft in mind doing so. After having huge success replacing my dynapower forged 5 iron with ping g440 5 hybrid. I decided to replace the equivalent 6 iron with a 6 hybrid. But the lofts were so different my 6 hybrid ended up going my 7 iron distance. A bit annoying. At least check the lofts before ordering. Don’t be dumb like me.”
- Old Tom Morris: “Figure out where the drop off in effective strike is in your bag is . I’ve managed a switch to hitting a 24° hybrid instead of a four iron. Still hit a five iron very well. On good days I can still hit a four iron well but not always. Keeping the 24° hybrid in the bag gives me the confidence that I can hit any of my fourteen clubs as they are supposed to. A day will come that I will lose club head speed and switch out the five iron for a hybrid but not this year.”
Entire Thread: “Should you replace as many irons as you possibly can with hybrids?”
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Lefthack
Nov 4, 2025 at 10:28 am
My issue is gapping. I carry a 3 hybrid, but my 4 hybrid goes further than my 4 iron, so the gap to my 5 is now 30 yards. If I replace my 5 iron, then the gap to my 6 is now 30 yards. So I rarely use the hybrid, but it is good for a few shots, just not every round.
Marcus
Oct 28, 2025 at 10:34 pm
I added a 6 hybrid a few years back, and it was one of the best decisions ever! Along with my 7 Wood, those are two clubs I can’t live without.
Murv
Oct 28, 2025 at 2:28 pm
My longer hybrids became harder for me to elevate. So I switched to a 7 and 9 wood. That was successful, so I tried a 6 and 7 hybrid. Bingo, more success. Ended up adding an 5,8 and 9 hybrid. Only irons I carry are pw and 9i plus 49, 54 & 58 wedges. I am 81 and have lost a lot of speed. This set up has me shooting regularly in the 70’s on a 5330 yard course with not much roll. Course rating 65.5.
No longer have to bounce my low approach shots into the green.
Bob
Oct 28, 2025 at 12:02 pm
I’ve replaced my long irons with woods. My longest iron is a 6, while carrying 9, 7, and 5 woods. The woods are easier for me to hit than the long irons were.
Matts
Oct 27, 2025 at 4:12 pm
The question posed should not be about what number is shown on the bottom of the iron or hybrid. It must be about the left and right dispersion numbers and the carry and rollout numbers. If the carry is too short or the rollout is too long to be functional, then the hybrid (with more carry and less rollout) is the better choice.