7 Best Hybrids for Beginners

Golf hybrids have really revolutionized the golf market for the last two decades. Many of you might remember Tiger pulling out his 2 iron so often when he was the top player in the world for years, but even the PGA tour players in today’s game are making the switch to hybrids over irons.

Our partner over at Golf Laboratories has done extensive work in testing out dozens of golf hybrids over the years. We’ve found these to be our favorite for various players. And we think those who are looking for golf clubs for high handicappers will need to try these out.

Here are our best golf hybrids for beginners in 2023

The Stealth 2 hybrid is the best of both worlds: long and accurate. It is a high-launching hybrid that is forgiving and allows for a straight ball flight. It utilizes the same carbon material found in the Stealth driver, which allows for greater weight placement which results in more forgiveness on off-center hits.

A lower center of gravity allows the beginning player to maximize their shot shape when making contact. Overall it is the complete hybrid.

We also see this being one of the best hyrbids for mid handicappers because of it’s launch angle and overall weight of the club. If you tend to have a higher swing speed (something over 80 mph) this club is for you.

Lastly, we think this is one of the best budget hybrid golf clubs on the market. The typical decision for a 5 wood or hybrid for high handciappers can be significant and long lasting.

Frustrated that you can’t get the ball in the air from the fairway? Tired of hitting shots that roll along the ground? Callaway has designed a club specifically for you.

The Callaway 2023 Paradym X hybrid is the highest launching of the hybrids tested by the robot. It also has tungsten in the toe and the heel to provide more forgiveness on off-center hits.

This has been rated as one of the most forgiving hybrids on the market. That may negatively impact the distance you might be expecting to get, but overall, we think this is one of the best budget hyrbid golf clubs.

Their jailbreak technology was designed using A.I. to determine the best combination of weight placement and face thickness to maximize ball speed, launch, and spin. This club gets the ball in the air and helps you hit it straight.

Cobra has been known for decades as one of the top performing golf brands, especially for their woods and hybrids.

The reason they are known for supporting high handicappers and beginner golfers is that they’ve mastered the balance between enough forgiveness and launch angle. For this reason and many others, this club ranks among our best hybrid golf clubs for seniors. If you're not a senior, there are a lot of shaft options that we think could be put into the Cobra LTDX hybrid such as the HZRDUS Smoke Black . With an upgraded shaft there is no doubt in our mind that this is also a great contender for the best hybrid golf club for high handicappers too.

You’ll often see enough cavity behind a Cobra golf club because they are there to support the ball getting off the ground in any condition. This hybrid is a great addition to Cobra’s 2022 collection, as they’ve improved the weight from prior clubs to help make the club face easier to get through impact, no matter your club head speed.

If you are looking for something less expensive with good performance the Launcher XL Halo is a great choice. Cleveland has been refining this model, and this is it’s their best-performing one yet.

The Launcher XL Halo was also one of the most forgiving hybrids on off-center hits tested by the robot. In addition, it has Gliderail technology which helps the club cut through the rough better to get the ball in the air. This is a very attractive quality in a golf club for beginners.

Easy to hit, forgiving, and helpful out of the rough are qualities that the Launcher XL Halo will provide the beginning player.

Keep in mind that teeing the golf ball at the right level will be critical off the tee. How high you should tee the golf ball can really impact your swing and shot quality.

We really love the Callaway Golf Apex Pro Hybrid based on its forgiving design and the “face cup” formation that really helps to allow the club to get through tough lies.

At address, the club can look a little daunting, and we’ve heard from my players that they feel the iron look makes it a little daunting to try and hit the ball. But we think you need to try this because the forgiveness is incredible and something beginner golfers, as well as high handicap golfers, should look to have in their golf bag.

Lastly, the twist face (aka the ability to adjust the weight and angle of the club) is a great attribute of this club that provides the overall customization to support golfers looking for hybrids for high handicappers.

The Callaway Big Bertha Hyrbid comes with the perfect fit for golfers who really need the club to help reduce the amount of slice or hook. Granted, we think you should make sure your grip is right first before you look to your club to be the solution for this. But added support from the club never hurts.

The offset of the club really bodes well for players that have a steeper swing. The same can be said for golfers with lower club head speeds and who want to get the ball off the ground faster. Consider this a club for golfers who might be looking for a senior flex hybrid golf club. The shafts come with varying offerings. Consider your local pro shop to help you find the right shaft for your swing.

We really think the TaylorMade SIM MAX Hybrid can continue to be one of the best hybrids in the game solely based on the clubface design.

In our opinion, this club fits well into those golfers who have a swing speed of 90 or more. If you don’t know your swing speed, 90+ should result in your driver going about 200-220 yards.

While the forgiveness with this club is average at best, we think the distance it provides off the tee and in tough lies can be worth the price.

We also really like that this club comes in a wide range of degree options, from 19 to 25. Their “speed pocket” can easily be one of the main reasons players like this club because of how easy it gets through the ball.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do Golf Pros use Hybrid Clubs?

Absolutely. And more than ever! We’ve seen more golf pros switching out long irons for long hybrids over the years because it’s aiding in varying types of shots. This is especially needed when they are playing different courses all around the world, which often result in different grass types. We’ve seen the 5 iron and down being replaced with a few hybrids in most golf pros bags.

Webb Simpson often touts his Titleist 915h hybrid as one of his favorite go-to items in his bag.

Another strong player on tour is Adam Long, who really loves to play the Taylormade SIM MAX hybrid .

What hybrid does Phil Mickelson use?

Phil uses the Callaway Apex UW hybrid , which he likes to play at a 17-degree loft (custom bent for Phil). This gives him some flexibility being a closer length to his three wood while also having more club choices for long shots from the rough and fairway.

Are hybrid golf clubs good for beginners?

You bet! The reason is that they should be easier to hit for most players based on the club face design. The shaft of the club is often graphite, which should help to provide flexibility and support you across all lies, no matter if you’re using it on the tee or the thick rough. We also think hybrids are perfect for high handicappers because they are easier to hit while also giving you the long iron distance but with more control.

What is a 2 hybrid golf club?

A 2-hybrid is a golf club that provides a low loft (similar to a low iron), but the face of the club and the shaft are typically far different than a long iron. The club is generally the length of a 2-iron with a similar clubface to a fairway wood and is expected to be much easier to hit for all types of players, especially beginner golfers and seniors.

What is a 5 hybrid golf club?

A 5 golf hybrid typically mimics very similar specs to that of a 5 iron. Coming with a loft around 25 degrees, but a clubface that is more similar to a golf wood. It also usually has a graphite shaft that provides added flexibility to your game.

Why use a hybrid golf club?

Golf hybrid clubs are usually far wider and also pack a thicker clubface than standard irons. Many golfers are often looking for increased forgiveness and that’s exactly why the club was first created. It then grew into a popular club through design changes over the years to help players get out of thick lies. We really think the golf hybrid is transcending the game because it’s allowing players to deal with tough environments but also reducing the probability of poor shots.

Should beginners use hybrid golf clubs?

Absolutely! It has revolutionalized the game for the greater good of all players. They are typically much easier to hit and pack a lot of forgiveness to get the ball off the ground and in the right direction. You may also see players using their hybrids beyond the tee box and fairway. Greenside has been a new fun way to get the ball rolling when it’s sitting on different levels of grass (often between thicker rough and the fringe).

Should I carry a 3 or 5 hybrid?

You should likely carry both. If you are hitting a 9 or 10 degree driver and your lowest iron is a 4, you have about 14 degrees between your driver and your longest iron that you want to plan for. A good spacing would be to have:

• Driver (9-10 degree)
• 3 Wood (14-15 degree)
• 5 wood or utility (17-19 degree)

How many hybrids should a beginner carry?

If you are more comfortable hitting a hybrid than a low iron (and who isn’t?) then we recommend 2-3 hybrids in addition to your driver and a 3 wood. With that set up you should be able to play 5 Iron through sand wedge and leave your 3 and 4 iron at home. A typical beginner bag would look like:

• Driver (9-10 degree)
• 3 Wood (14-15 degree)
• 5 wood or utility (17-19 degree)
• 7 wood or utility (21-25 degree)
• 9 wood or utility (25-27 degree)

Is a 2 hybrid harder to hit than a 3 hybrid?

Yes it is. Anything that is lower loft where you don’t always hit off a tee is harder for beginners. The angle of attack you use with this club is closer to an iron than a driver and it can be difficult for beginners to hit with a descending blow. We recommend starting with a hybrid for beginners to start.