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?”
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. 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.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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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.