Home     My Cart     login  
  My Account     Support     Contact Us  

 


Motherboard Search
Accessories, Batteries, Cables
Cases and Enclosures
CPU / Processors
Memory
Motherboards
MultiMedia
Networks & Communications
Peripherals
Security & Surveillance
Services
Storage & I/O Cards
Systems & Upgrades
Specialty ISA Computers
Specialty Upgrade Kits
Video Cards
Let's Play Golf

Review & Comparison of hybrid golf clubs

Preface:

Every year, the multitude of golf magazines and web sites come up with reviews of golf clubs and by and large they do a good job. But they all review clubs from major manufacturers like Nike, Callaway, McGregor etc. There is nothing to guide the golfing public about minor brands. First most people don't even know that minor brands exist and even if they do, they have no way to read reviews, do a comparative analysis and make informed decisions. At InterloperGolf.com where we specialize in minor brands, we face this issue daily. How to help our customers make better more informed decisions. Left with no choice, we decided to take the plunge and do it ourselves.

The next issue was what to review first, drivers, woods, hybrids, irons or putters? Since we sell more hybrid golf clubs than woods, drivers, irons and putters combined, we decided to review hybrids first. The only thing that comes close to our hybrid sales are our wedge sets.

Now we were faced with the task of doing a fair evaluation. One thing that is frustrating when reading reviews in major magazines is that the clubs come assembled from the manufacturers and all the testers can do is test what they receive. A key component of a golf club is the shaft and if every club has a different shaft, the testers cannot normalize their results. The same club head will perform differently with different shafts. At InterloperGolf.com we have the luxury of being able to assemble our clubs with whichever shaft we want.

We chose the Apollo Shadow Steel Shaft on some and the Apollo Acculite 95 lightweight steel shaft on others. The Shadow's low Kickpoint helps produce higher trajectories for improved distance and softer landings. It is a reasonably priced shaft so the results will not be skewed to favor the affluent golfer. The Apollo Acculite 95 on the other hand is a little more expensive as it is about 20 to 25 grams lighter than the Shadow. Still heavier than graphite though. It helps produce a Mid-High ball flight and generally gives you more roll than the Shadow.

The lighter steel shafts are a new phenomenon. Technology has advanced to a level where you can have a steel shaft that is not as light as graphite but lighter than traditional steel shafts. The result is faster swing speeds without loosing control - and who doesn't want that.

What club # to test? We can't possibly test them all from # 1 to 9, that would just be impractical. What hybrid do our customers buy the most? The # 3 hybrid and that is usually the iron they so desperately want to replace. So we decided to test the # 3 hybrid club from different manufacturers.

What about club length? Usually different manufacturers have different club lengths for the same club size. A # 3 Nickent hybrid may have a different length than a Taylor Made. So we decided to make all the same length.

Using only two shafts with the same length and the same grip on all helped us achieve uniformity of flex, length and weight. We could not control the loft angle as different manufacturers have different loft sizes for their # 3. We could not control the head weight either but they are all pretty close. So out of a total of six variables, we neutralized four - shaft length, shaft weight, shaft flex and grip size. We also spine aligned the shafts for greater consistency of results.

What kind of shots to test? We decided on Tee Shots, Shots off the turf (fairway), Shots in the rough, cut shots, draw shots and flat shots. Every club was tested on the golf range as well as on the golf course to get a more realistic feedback. Not surprisingly, results vary. Besides it is not easy to simulate shaped shots on a range or hit a shot from the rough over water. We used the Cowboys Golf course, Grapevine Golf course, L.B. Houston and the Bear Creek Golf course during our testing. They all pose different challenges.

For simulating rough, we dropped our balls in thick heavy grass and weeds, not just the second cut off the fairway. It hurts club rankings but gives you a much better idea. If your golf course does not have very heavy rough, then the 'Rough' column may not matter to you.

We measured 'Flat Shots' even though many golfers don't even know what a flat shot is and how it is played - you see so many golfers on the weekend wandering through the woods hitting full shots after full shots and getting farther and deeper into trouble when a gentle flat shot would have sufficed. When you land in the woods, all you need to do is hit a shot such that the ball flies above the grass but below the branches and out on to the fairway. Here the lower center of gravity type clubs are at a disadvantage as they are designed to lift the ball. We were using the #3 clubs in our tests so most performed admirably but it could be a challenge if you are trying to hit flat shots with a 7 hybrid.

Club head speed was measured using the portable Swing Speed Radar. The assumption is that the higher the swing speed, the greater the distance the ball will travel. We did not include swing speed in our rankings - it's just there for reference.

Results were logged on a scale of 1 to 10 on every shot and then averaged out. Bad shots, that is golfer error, were not recorded. The table will give you our test results. Following the test results is a commentary on all the clubs to give you more information on a club's unique features / characteristics. Every golfer is unique and what works for one golfer may not necessarily work the same for another.

Review and Comparison of Hybrid Clubs
    Swing Speed Tee Shots Turf Shots Ball Shot Shaping Flat Shot Rough Club Total Score Ranking
  Make/Model   Range Course Range Course Trajectory       Aesthetics    
    Scale of 1 to 10. 1 being the absolute worst, 10 being as good as it gets    

Power Play Select 5000 hybrid clubs, review of hybrid clubs

Power Play Select 5000
Loft: 21°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Apollo Shadow
95.3 7.6 8 6.9 6.8 8.7 5.5 3.8 6 7 60.3 9

acer xds wide sole hybrid clubs

Acer XDS wide sole
Loft: 22°
Head Weight: 244 gms
Shaft: Apollo Shadow
90.2 6.8 7 6.7 7 9.0 5.8 7.5 8 8 65.8 8

power play system q hybrid clubs, review and comparison of hybrid clubs

Power Play System Q
Loft: 19°
Head Weight: 231 gms
Shaft: Apollo Shadow
88.7 8.3 8.8 8.1 7.4 8.7 7 5 7.2 7 67.5 7

power play system q adrenaline iron like hybrid clubs, comparison of hybrid clubs,

Power Play System Q Adrenaline
Loft: 21°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Acculite 95
103.8 8.5 8.6 7.3 8.5 6.3 7 7.3 6.7 8 68.2 6

power play caiman wood like hybrid clubs / utility irons, best deals on hybrid clubs

Power Play Caiman
Loft: 19°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Acculite 95
104 9.6 8.8 8.6 7 8.8 7.5 8 5.7 9 73 5

acer xk utility irons / hybrid clubs

Acer XK
Loft: 19°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Acculite 95
101.3 8.3 9.4 7.8 8 8.4 8.6 9.6 6 9 75.1 4
Acer XF hybrid clubs, utility iron, review of hybrid clubs, Acer XF
Loft: 19°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Acculite 95
103.2 9.4 8.8 8.8 8.5 8 8 9 7 9 76.5 3
power play system Q2 hybrid club, rectangular face, utility iron, faced, Power Play System Q2
Loft: 20°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Apollo Shadow
97.4 9 8.6 9.2 9.1 8.9 9 8 8 8.8 78.6 2
dynacraft avatar evolution hybrid clubs, utility iron, wood like hybrid clubs, review and comparison of hybrid clubs, Dynacraft Avatar Evolution
Loft: 21°
Head Weight: 242 gms
Shaft: Acculite 95
116 9.5 9.7 9.7 10 9.1 8 9 6 9.2 80.2 1

* Swing Speed excluded from totals

Notes:

  • Swing Speed: Swing speed translates to distance however most people buy hybrids not for distance but for control and trajectory. Testing was done with the conscious exclusion of speed as a variable. This helped us avoid errors that creep in when you are trying to hit a ball real hard. The tester had to focus on everything except speed. We recorded the speeds and are presenting you the data but we are not including that in the ranking. Having said that, the Dynacraft Avatar Evolution gave our testers so much confidence that they really got after it.
     
  • Range Shots vs On-the-course shots: The purpose is to measure shot dispersion, that is the ball ends in the general area where intended. We are listing results from both to give you a better idea of how the results were derived and how they vary from the range to course in real play.
     
  • Aesthetics: The looks, feel and sound of a club: Though very subjective, how the club feels like at address and how it sounds at impact can affect your confidence. If a club gives you confidence, quite often you will hit a better shot.
     
  • Trajectory: Most amateur golfers struggle to get the ball high enough with their long irons and this looses them distance. The lower CG and design of hybrids is meant to overcome that. They all vary in their ability and hopefully our research will help you pick the right club.
     
  • Shot Shaping: It covers draw and fade shots. If you are a very high handicapper, this probably will not matter much to you as your focus will be to just get the ball up and straight. Better players though need a club that they can guide the ball with left or right. Most of the hybrids clubs above did very well on draw shots but not so well on fades and hence the lower scores.
     
  • Flat Shot: Why did we add a separate column for flat shots when shot shaping should cover that? The low CG of hybrids creates a problem - the ball pops up more than conventional irons. A feature that you want in your hybrids except when hitting a flat shot. It is an important shot as quite often we are in the trees and to get out, we need a flat shot that just grazes the grass underneath and comes back out to the fairway.
     
  • Rough Shots: Since most recreational golfers end up in the rough more often than not, we thought it would be a good idea to test shots out of rough as a category. As the results show, different clubs perform differently in thick rough.
     
  • Chipping: Pretty much the same results from all makes. The # 3 hybrid is not really a club you would use to chip in most cases so the test results were pretty much the same and we decided not to include them in the comparison. Most golfers would use a mid to short iron or a wedge for chipping, not a # 3.

Commentary:

  • Dynacraft Avatar Evolution: The # 1 ranked club:
    • We tested this the most, not because it was difficult to but because we couldn't believe any club could help you hit so straight. It is very hard to hit a bad shot with this hybrid.
    • Testers used words like "incredible", "this one is mine", "I am keeping this one", " I found my hybrids" to describe the Avatar Evolution.
    • The most forgiving of all hybrids clubs we tested. It has the most MOI - translation - it goes the straightest on mis-hits compared to other clubs.
    • Larger head - looks like a sculpted wood - it's more wood like but only on the longer clubs. The shorter clubs, # 8 down are more like traditional irons.
    • Good hits fly off the face - consistently got us close to 250 yards off the tee on the golf course - neck to neck with others who were using drivers.
    • Available in size 3 to 9, PW, GW and SW. That means, you can have a complete set of these hybrid golf clubs if you like.
    • We would suggest order 2 or 3 of these first and once you experience for yourself how good you can play with these clubs, order the rest of the set. Click Here for the Order Link.
       
  • Power Play System Q2:
    • Perhaps the most colorful and delightful club in our arsenal. Great aesthetics - just looking at it makes you want to play golf.
    • Not too big, not too small.
    • Rectangular design - looks like a square head and almost is but not quite.
    • Provides great control and shot shaping ability.
    • Stellar in all categories.
       
  • Acer XF:
    • A very close third with a more traditional design. Looks like a flattened smaller wood.
    • Another one that is hard to hit bad shots with - gets the ball going in the right direction.
    • You can do anything with this club - want to hit it straight or shape your shots, it will not let you down.
    • Because of its traditional design, there isn't much of a learning curve.
       
  • Acer XK:
    • A very well balanced club that handles all kinds of shots.
    • Incredible performance in shot shaping. Even on flat shots, you can fade or draw.
    • Wide clubhead makes it look like a smaller wood. Helps you play with confidence.
       
  • Power Play Caiman:
    • Bold design.
    • Big square face offers a large hitting area. You can't miss the ball with this club.
    • Very forgiving on mis-hits.
    • The harder Maraging Steel face gives you more distance.
    • Superb ball flight.
       
  • Power Play System Q Adrenaline:
    • It is more iron like while the other hybrids are more wood like. Great for those who are better with irons than woods.
    • Wide selection - 1 to 9, PW and SW. You can have a complete set of these hybrids.
    • Uni-rail sole to efficiently get through any lie.
    • Great for those who have a smooth, stable and consistent swing.
       
  • Power Play System Q:
    • Has a draw bias and that makes it difficult to fade. However; the draw bias can be changed with the interchangeable weights.
    • It's low CG design makes it difficult to keep flat shots down. The ball just keeps popping up. This could be a virtue if you don't often land in the woods.
    • Ideal for those who struggle with draw or fade.
    • Wide selection - 2 to 9, PW and SW. You can have a complete set of these hybrids.
       
  • Acer XDS:
    • Its sole has distinct rails that makes it easy to slide through thick rough. If you play on a golf course that has heavy rough, this club can be a life saver.
    • The XDS has the largest head of all the hybrids we tested. It is half the size of a regular wood. Off the tee, it gives you confidence. It's an intangible advantage.
    • When you are getting set before a shot, the wider sole helps the club rest squarely on the turf. You don't have to contend with the wobble associated with conventional irons or hybrids that are more like irons.
    • The ball goes further on flat shots than you expect.
    • Wide selection - 1 to 9, PW and SW. You can have a complete set of these hybrids.
    • Has been our best selling hybrid two years in a row.
       
  • Power Play Select 5000:
    • It has been our second best seller hybrid this year and is at a very aggressive price point.
    • It is more iron like while the other hybrids are more wood like. Great for those who are better with irons than woods.
    • If you have a smooth stable swing, this will be an excellent club for you.
    • Wide selection - 1 to 9, PW and SW. You can have a complete set of these hybrids.


  Home     My Cart    Login     My Account     Support     Contact Us     About Us     Press  

Copyright © 2019 INTERLOPER.COM. All rights reserved.