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It’s often said that it takes three years for a new business to establish itself. Last that long, the theory goes, and you’re on your way to making it. That seems to be the case for hybrid clubs, a product that hit the market in 2005 as an alternative to long irons. Sometimes referred to as rescue clubs, a hybrid combines elements of woods and irons to provide distance while maintaining control. “The past two years the industry has taken some giant steps in embracing hybrid clubs,” said Joe Scienski, co-founder of Tourmaker Ironwoods, a hybrid club manufacturer in Capistrano Beach. “If you classify them as irons, they’re the fastest growing segment of the market, especially in terms of replacing the lower irons. And, more and more, you’re seeing hybrids coming out to replace every iron in your bag.” While the intent of hybrids was to help average players, many tour professionals are beginning to use them as well. “There have been a lot of innovations in club design claimed over the past 10 or 20 years but that was mostly marketing,” Scienski said. “Not a whole lot that can be done in traditional club design works for every golfer.” The evolution of hybrid clubs began with the introduction of cavity-backed irons. By allowing weight to be transferred to the perimeter of the club, cavity-backed irons were more forgiving than blade irons. Hybrids are an extension of that, Scienski said. “You can only go so far [in weight distribution] with a traditional iron,” he said. “What hybrids allow manufacturers to do is put a tremendous amount of weight much further back than a standard club. And that gives these clubs a level of forgiveness on off-center hits that is almost unheard of. They’re almost impossible to hit fat. They’re extremely stable at impact, there’s very little twisting and they have a much lower center of gravity.” While most players who use hybrids are replacing some long irons in their bag, Scienski’s company offers complete sets (see accompanying photo). Scienski said it took a couple of years for hybrid clubs to catch on because they were viewed in the beginning as products for high-handicap golfers. “A lot of golfers are unwilling to overcome the norm and opt for less-than-traditional equipment in favor of making the game more fun and shooting better scores,” he said. “Plus, the industry leaders have put untold millions of dollars into marketing standard golf equipment. So it’s a gradual process and now you’re seeing the biggest brands offering some kind of rescue or hybrid |
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