SHOT #1 THE LONG, HIGH, ACCURATE TEE SHOT
No club blends accuracy and power as well as a hybrid. Its relatively long shaft and straighter face help with distance, but it’s the low, back weighting permitted by the head shape that really deliver the forgiveness and launch that leads to accurate, easy yardage. That makes the hybrid the perfect weapon on tight, short par 4 tees, but also on long par 3s – like here on the 13th at Trump International. It stretches to 229 yards, so you need length and height to carry and hold the green. Use these techniques to make the most of it.
SMOOTH OPERATOR
The real key to successful hybrid tee play is to prioritise smooth rhythm and strike quality over brute force. Tee shots generally mean letting rip with a driver, and the rounded shape of the hybrid can lead you into the same approach. Instead, treat the shot like an iron – control of power, not creation of it – and you will hit better shots more often.
TEE IT LIKE AN IRON
While we aim to hit slightly up with a driver and down with an iron, a teed hybrid works best with a level blow. Promoting extra height and carry, a level strike is ideal for par-3 tees. Use a low tee – basically like a good fairway lie – to encourage this attack angle.
PLAY THE BALL FORWARD
Complement that tee height by positioning the ball midway between your lead heel and the centre of your stance. This position represents the low point of the club’s arc and promotes that level strike.
SWING: FOCUS ON A SMOOTH TRANSITION
By far the most common issue club players have with hybrid tee shots is getting too quick, snatchy and aggressive from the top. Beat this by putting your big, slow-moving muscles in charge of the swing. Keep your hands and wrists quiet and instead use your core and shoulders to make a full, wide, controlled turn.
UNWIND NATURALLY
Keep the same feel on the way through. Focus on the tempo of your core rotation; keep your acceleration smooth and controlled, turning through to a full finish where your chest looks even left of the target (right-handers). As before feel your hands, arms and wrists are fairly muted, their movement driven by the steady rotation of your core.