K.J. Choi and Hybrid Heaven

Some tend to get a little hooky.   Others, with their elongated faces, can dig in a little too much for steep swingers.  Still others, with their exaggerated offset, just don't look right at address to some players.  But when you find one that works, a hybrid is so good it's almost like cheating.

With me, it all began with my purchase of a Callaway Heavenwood 4h about a half-dozen years ago.  I had been through numerous other hybrid designs and none of them worked for me the way this one did.  I liked the slight onset at address.  The sole seemed to handle any lie I threw at it.   And for some reason, the steel Uniflex shaft performed like it was built for me.  (Maybe that's because it is designed for the masses, and I have a very average swing.  But I digress...)

Well, I hit the 4h so well that it wasn't long before the 4h begat the 5h... and the 5h begat the 6h... and the 6h begat the 7h.  If they made a Heavenwood 8h, it might also be in my bag.  But for now, my irons end at the 7i, then my 7h goes about as far as my 6 iron used to, only with much more height and consistency.  I hit the 6h about as far as a 5 iron, and so on up the bag.  The main problem is wading through a bag full of headcovers, but it is well worth the hassle.

I also don't see too many other players with a similar setup, so imagine my surprise when I read that K.J. Choi put three hybrids in his bag at Bay Hill to help him hold the greens on the long par 3's and to prep for the shots he needs on the back nine at Augusta.    Choi's current setup:  a Driver, two fairways, three hybrids, and 7-thru-SW.  Imagine that from a tour pro, who went out and shot a 64 with those clubs on Friday and finished with a top-10 at Arnie's place.

So what's the point of all this, that you should go out and buy a trio of hybrids?  Of course not.  You need to find the clubs that work for you...period.  But if you have been hesitant to give hybrids a good look for any reason other than performance,  learn a lesson from K.J. Choi.  Real men don't need long irons.  And if you are seeking long, high shots that land softer than the proverbial butterfly with sore feet, maybe your time for hybrids has finally come, too.

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Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. He has also created a new website at www.DealTrackerGolf.com, a resource for golfers seeking the best bargains on clubs, apparel and everything golf.