Best Golf Hybrid Clubs 2024

Hybrids are the most versatile woods you can put in your bag. Here, we take a look at the best options currently available

Best Golf Hybrid Clubs
(Image credit: Golf Monthly)

Over the years, the hybrid has become more and more popular, with it being one of the most versatile and useful golf clubs you can put in your bag. How you may ask? Well, they are created to be a more forgiving replacement for long irons and, design-wise, they essentially resemble smaller headed fairway woods. Whether you are on the fairway, or stuck in the rough, a hybrid can deliver more distance and height to get you closer to the green and, likely, save shots off your score.

It's no secret that, in recent years, club manufacturers have seen more demand for their hybrid models, with many golfers deciding to sacrifice the traditional set-ups of long irons for the more forgiving and easier to hit hybrids. What's more, you don't have to be limited to just one type of loft with hybrids, as manufacturers provide a range of lofts which vary from 17 to 29 degrees.

It's not just amateurs who have benefited from using hybrids, with even the professionals seen using them out on the course. Which professionals you may ask? Well, Major winners like Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson have previously carried hybrids when course conditions required higher flighted, softer landing approaches into par 5 greens.

Whether you are after one of the most forgiving hybrids on the market, or perhaps one that will give you an extra 10 yards of distance, there are plenty of models available which are designed to help and, at Golf Monthly, we have created this guide to help aid your decision.

We understand that there is always an element of subjectivity and personal preference in any club testing, but we cross-reference both our qualitative data (observations, feelings, notes) with our quantitative data (the launch monitor numbers) to reach our conclusions about what makes the best golf hybrids. Some products are targeted at certain skill levels but, in this guide, we've brought you a range of our favorite hybrid clubs that cover a broad spectrum of playing abilities. If you're into finding out more about the best hybrid clubs to use, you should also check out our guides on the best hybrid golf clubs for seniors and best hybrids for high handicappers.

However, if you’re not completely sold on the idea of a hybrid and want something with more of an iron-like profile, then check out our best driving irons guide. 

WATCH: We test and compare all the latest golf hybrids in 2024

The Quick List

Best Golf Hybrid Clubs 

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Top pick

Ping G430 Hybrid Review

The Ping G430 Hybrid held aloft to reveal its sleek looking sole

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 17º, 19º, 22º, 26º, 30º, 34º
Lie angle: 57-59.5º

Reasons to buy

+
Plenty of forgiveness across the face
+
Clean aesthetics
+
Produced surprisingly fast ball speeds

Reasons to avoid

-
Fairly challenging to shape shots

Perhaps one of the best looking hybrids on the market right now, the Ping G430 strikes a superb balance between its fantastic visuals and the excellent performance it delivers. It embodies everything that Ping so often gets right in its clubs, providing a sleek and refined aesthetic that, despite being compact at address, delivers excellent forgiveness, feel and power. While it does come with a compact club head, the sole sits flush on the turf and that makes the club look a lot shallower than expected, inspiring a lot of confidence when you're stood over the ball. It also comes with a single grey dot on the head, which works as a handy alignment aid that replaces the three dots on its predecessor, the G425 hybrid

Some questions on the acoustics of previous Ping clubs have been voiced over the years, but we have to say, with the G430, any metallic sound or 'tin' feel has been toned down to make it very satisfying through impact. Turning to its performance, we found it delivered excellent distances off the tee and from the ground during our testing sessions. 

Equally, it stands out as one of the most forgiving hybrids on the market right now, with mis-hits still delivering strong carries and it also performed very well from a multitude of lies - especially out of the rough. That playability can be largely attributed to the tungsten back-weight on the club, which helps to deliver a lower center of gravity producing greater forgiveness out of difficult lies. 

Best wide appeal

TaylorMade Qi10 Hybrid Review

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 19°, 22°, 25°, 29°, and 33°

Reasons to buy

+
Produces a high and penetrating ball flight
+
Performed well from multiple lies
+
Powerful feel and sound through impact

Reasons to avoid

-
Not adjustable for loft

While the footprint itself remains similar to that of the Stealth 2, a new larger carbon crown has been implemented on the whole Qi10 range, freeing up weight, which is then redistributed and split between the front and rear of the head, lowering the CG (center of gravity) and creating a powerful and extremely forgiving hybrid club that will rival some of the most forgiving hybrids on the market.

The Qi10 hybrid has been designed with the majority of golfers in mind and we’ll likely see this in the bag of both amateur and professional golfers over the course of the 2024 season. Some of the same technology that was so successful in previous years TaylorMade models has been carried over, such as the Speed Pocket - a slot behind the face of the club to aid ball speed and shots struck lower on the face.

Where this hybrid excelled was with its feel and acoustics. The Qi10 hybrid sounds and feels so powerful and springy through impact while letting out an almighty crack through the ball, which I loved. The V-Steel sole enabled the club to perform well out of the rough and even fairway bunkers, allowing it to glide through any trouble and provided superb turf interaction and launch. Despite a bonded head (non-adjustable) I liked that this hybrid doesn’t sit with an overly closed face at address or have too much offset.

Best from the rough

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Hybrid Review

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 18º, 21º, 24º, 27º
Lie angle: 57.3-59.25º

Reasons to buy

+
Produces a strong, powerful ball flight
+
Modern, compact looking head
+
Glided through rough exceptionally well

Reasons to avoid

-
The matte black crown won’t suit everyone

When last year's Paradym hybrid was launched, we were instantly impressed with the performance on offer so we expected big things from the Paradym Ai Smoke models like the standard head above.

Starting with the aesthetics Callaway has moved away from the gloss black crown and has returned to the matte black crown that we saw on the Rogue ST hybrids. The head profile itself has been designed a little larger to inspire confidence and provide the user friendliness to compete with the most forgiving hybrids. No crushed carbon as seen on the likes of the Ai Smoke driver and fairway, but instead there is a steel finish to the sole. 

The club sat flush to the turf and even glided through the first cut of rough spectacularly when called upon. But the club really separated itself from the previous years model when it came to forgiveness though. We struck countless shots when testing both out the heel and the toe and saw remarkably consistent ball flights and spin patterns when doing so. This is testament to the new Ai Smart Face implemented into the whole Ai Smoke family.

Best looking

Titleist TSR3 Hybrid Review

The Titleist TSR3 hybrid lying on the ground during testing

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 19°, 21°, 24°
Lie angle: 57-58.5º

Reasons to buy

+
Beautiful, compact shape
+
Powerful sound and feel
+
Forgiving and versatile

Reasons to avoid

-
Ball flight might be too strong - low - for some

For those in search of a compact hybrid, Titleist has launched a moveable-weight TSR3 model that the brand says should: “Give you more control over every shot.” In testing, the performance certainly backed up this statement, with the TSR3 producing an impressively strong ball flight. 

One thing to mention is that the flight is noticeably lower than, say, the Titleist TSR2 hybrid, so you may need to move the weighting around to get the desired results. However, the first thing that we noticed, aesthetically, is that the TSR3 is significantly more compact. We really like that Titleist is giving golfers some clear differentiation here and, because it is shorter from heel-to-toe, we felt it was a little more useable from a range of different lies.

Delivering a lower-pitched sound and more powerful feel than some of the other hybrids in this guide, the stand-out feature, for us was definitely the moveable weight system in the sole. It is sleek and easy to use and, when we changed it about, it definitely had an effect on the ball flight, which was very consistent.

Most forgiving

Cleveland Launcher XL Halo hybridEditors Choice 2022

The sole of the Cleveland Launcher XL Halo hybrid

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 19°, 21°, 24°, 27°
Lie angle: 60-62º

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to hit from any type of lie
+
Provides naturally high launch conditions
+
Forgiving on off-centre strikes

Reasons to avoid

-
Impact sound is on the louder side

The Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Hybrid ranks as one of the most forgiving hybrids on the market and hence earned a spot in our Editor's Choice Awards in 2022. Featuring an incredible amount of technology, the specific focus in the design process is to help golfers escape poor lies with power and accuracy.

The Halo features Cleveland's XL head design, which is certainly larger than most hybrids. As well as the large head design, the hybrid has an MOI of 2,961 - the most ever in a Cleveland Golf hybrid. This, paired with great stability and resistance at the moment of impact, makes it an appealing option to a wide range of golfers.

In testing, we felt that the three Glide Rails on the sole helped keep the clubface straight for better strikes, regardless of lie quality, and it also scored high marks for its versatility. It was easy to hit out of any lie, performed exceptionally well on mis-hits, and also got the ball up in the air quickly. 

Best smaller profile

Cobra Darkspeed Hybrid Review

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 17º, 19º, 21º, 24º, 28º

Reasons to buy

+
Very fast ball speed
+
High launch produces long carry distances
+
modern , sleek club design

Reasons to avoid

-
Long blade length from heel to toe may not suit all

Straight out of the box, the Darkspeed hybrid has a look synonymous with Cobra hybrids - a slightly longer blade length with a compact footprint and slightly more toe-heavy look to it from the top. The same stealth-like finish has been applied to the Darkspeed hybrid as seen on the rest of the Darkspeed family and provides a modern and premium aesthetic. The combination of black and grey tones alongside a matte dark grey crown make this one of the best looking hybrids at address.

Some of the same technology found in the fairway wood range has been installed in the Darkspeed hybrid and serves a really good purpose. The PWR-bridge technology and H.O.T face technology once again provide outstanding ball speed numbers and straight away made this hybrid one of the longest hybrids I have tested this year so far.

Upon testing indoors on a Trackman 4 launch monitor and using Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, we saw carry distances of 243 yards on average and ball speeds pushing just north of the 150mph number. For a 19° head, these numbers are pretty unbelievable considering my club speed was around the 103mph mark. 

Best for better players

Mizuno ST-Z 230 Hybrid Review held aloft to show its blue speed pocket

Mizuno ST-Z 230 Hybrid Review held aloft to show its blue speed pocket

(Image credit: Future)

Specifications

Lofts: 16º, 19º, 22º, 25º
Lie angle: 55.5-60º

Reasons to buy

+
Very consistent speed and spin
+
Extremely versatile
+
Classic sleek looks

Reasons to avoid

-
Long blade length may not suit everyone's eye

Another forgiving and versatile club that we really enjoyed testing, the Mizuno ST-Z 230 hybrids deliver a forgiving and versatile feel off the tee and the ground. Aesthetically, they are fantastic looking clubs too, with Mizuno opting for a gloss black crown here which is very compact at address. It does possess a very long-looking face that we thought, when squared up to the golf ball, inspired confidence.

What's more, Mizuno have featured a Cortech Chamber inside the clubhead that moves the weight closer to the face of the club and lowers the center of gravity to help control the launch and spin of the ball. 

The sweet spot of the club has also been lowered, making it even easier to hit, especially when playing off tighter lies on the fairway. That also meant that the ST-Z 230 performed incredibly well out of the rough with the ball launching high and sitting up softly on the greens. 

Best for simplicity

Srixon ZX Mk II Hybrid

The sole of the Srixon ZX Mk II hybrid

(Image credit: MHopley)

Specifications

Lofts: 17º, 19º, 22º, 25º, 28º
Lie angle: 57-59º

Reasons to buy

+
Better look on crown
+
Sole design more versatile
+
Neutral playing design

Reasons to avoid

-
No hosel adjustability

The Srixon ZX MK II hybrid supplements the excellent ZX5 MK II irons and ZX7 MK II irons that were released in tandem with this rescue club. Here, the brand has taken the best bits from the previous Srixon ZX hybrid and upgraded them, introducing a smoother clubhead which looks a little cleaner at address. 

It also comes with a very cool dark matte black finish with some very stylish alignment decals, positioned behind the centre of the clubface. The taller crown helps to push the center of gravity of the club back a little, and that adds more spin to launch the ball a touch higher for greater carry distances. 

The face of this hybrid sits in front of a Rebound Frame on the inside of the head and this helps to stiffen the structure of the club to improve ball speed. That makes it one of the best hybrid golf clubs for higher handicappers and slower swingers looking for a little extra distance off the deck. The shape of the sole also means this club cuts through the grass very easily and is great from thicker lies, making it a very handy club to have in the bag. 

Most fairway wood like

Photo of the Callaway Apex UW sole

The sole of the Callaway 2024 Apex UW

(Image credit: Future/Joe Ferguson)

Specifications

Lofts: 17°, 19°, 21°
Lie angle: 57-57.5º

Reasons to buy

+
Clean minimalist aesthetic
+
High launch
+
Surprisingly forgiving

Reasons to avoid

-
The new sole design cheapens the look

In 2014, Callaway opened up a whole new market by introducing a long and forgiving forged iron for better players. Then recently Callaway is attempted to create a new gear niche with the launch of its Apex UW (Utility Wood), a club that looks and flies like a fairway wood but offers the versatility and precision of the best hybrids.

Now onto its second iteration, the Callaway Apex UW sits almost in a category of its own. When assessing the looks of the new Apex UW, the club retains a clean, unfussy profile with a gloss black finish and no markings on the crown. The clubhead sits extremely squarely behind the ball and there is no noticeable change in head shape from the original when looking down at address.

Well-struck shots have an impressively high launch angle but still flew powerfully through a fairly stiff headwind without the excessive backspin that a fairway wood may produce for a higher swing speed player. It also performed excellently, and dare we say better than the previous UW, out of the rough, thanks to the new sole technology. Finally no matter the wind conditions, the Apex UW could even rival the best fairway woods on the market.

How we test hybrids

When it comes to Golf Monthly's testing procedure, we use the same ethos and methodology for all golf products to make sure they are as insightful, honest and as comprehensive as possible. When it comes to testing for the best hybrids, we usually attend product launches so we can meet with the manufacturer’s R&D experts to understand the new technology.

After we have an understanding here, our first port of call when hitting clubs is usually the indoor simulator at Foresight Sports, where the team can test in a controlled environment using premium balls and the GCQuad launch monitor. We also use TrackMan at golf facilities across the UK. With hybrids, we look to assess how each club performs in terms of its forgiveness, shot shaping abilities and how much distance it provides off the tee. We also look to test hybrids on different lies to gain a better understanding of how each club performs around the course.

How to choose the right hybrid

It's one thing knowing what the best golf hybrid clubs on the market are, and something else entirely choosing which model to add to your bag. So, how do you make such a decision?

In an ideal world, a properly executed club fitting will provide the answers. However, if this isn't possible for whatever reason, we have a few tips.

1. Performance

How a hybrid performs is the most important factor. You are looking for versatility that will improve your scores and help you out of trouble in a range of on-course situations. We would recommend trying out hybrids off the tee, from the rough, fairway, around the green and even from the middle of low-lipped fairway bunkers. You need to gauge how well they perform for you and a demo day is an ideal opportunity to do the kind of testing you need to be sure a hybrid is right for you. 

2. Feel

A thorough test can inform how some clubs feel during the golf swing and most importantly at impact. Some models sound loud at impact, others are more muted. Some will feel like the contact is a dense thud, others will feel hot and energetic off the face. Feel is entirely subjective and personal to the player. Again, we recommend hitting some models indoors and outdoors, so you can have an idea of what you like and dislike.

3. Looks

With all golf clubs you need to like how they look, especially at address, because you don't want to be distracted by a club you really don't enjoy looking at. Take some time to shop around, feel the club in your hands and see if you like the way it looks and feels at address. Does it match the rest of your set-up, will you feel completely comfortable putting it in the bag? As much as it may seem vain to judge a club on looks, it can increase your confidence on-course if you love the look of your hybrid when you pull the headcover.

Not every hybrid is the same. Some are more wood-like in appearance, whilst others have a higher toe and are designed to look more like an iron. Some are also more rounded and more square so getting the clubs in your hands will allow you to see what you like and what you don't.

4. Budget

The penultimate factor you should consider is budget. Given the number of hybrids available on the market, you can find a quality club at most price points and to suit almost any budget. If you want a premium brand model then you can get one, or if you want to save money, there is usually value for money to be found if you are happy not to own a club by a marquee manufacturer.

5. Testing

We hate to sound like a broken record but go to a range and try some out. Most places still tape clubs up and let you conduct your own range test. It won't be as thorough as a custom fit but you can draw some conclusions. For example, you'll be able to get a sense for the weight and looks of the club and whether the shaft suits the way you swing it. 

Hitting some shots, even with tape on the face, will also give you an idea of how easy each hybrid is to hit and get airborne. For higher handicappers, this will likely be very helpful. Better golfers may be in the market for something that's more workable and therefore would be suited to something with plenty of hosel adjustability. Ultimately, it depends on what aspect(s) of performance you value above all else and which hybrid is able to tick the most boxes for your game.

If hybrids aren't your cup of tea we have plenty of information on our website on the best golf irons, best fairway woods and best wedges that'll help you get around the course.

FAQs

What is the difference between a hybrid and a rescue?

There is next to no difference between a hybrid and a rescue because a rescue club is actually just the TaylorMade version of a hybrid.

What is a hybrid golf club good for?

There are two clear benefits to a hybrid when answering this question. First the best thing about a hybrid is that it combines the best bits of a fairway wood and long iron into one convenient club. They help players get the ball in the air easier and help fill the gap between woods and irons in relation to distance gapping.

Hybrids are designed with a lot more perimeter weighting, which is possible because the heads are so much bigger. The hollow design also allows for a lower and deeper centre of gravity that encourages a higher launch, making it much more versatile from tricky lies.

Therefore, for the average golfer liable to mishits and drives finding the rough, a hybrid can be handy for getting back into position. Another big benefit to the hybrid is versatility. Not only can hybrids be used to help in the rough, from the fairway and off the tee, but also around the green too.

What is the difference between a hybrid and a fairway wood?

Hybrids are smaller than fairway woods in terms of clubhead size and shaft length, because they are designed to fill the gap between woods and long to mid irons. Hybrids are usually easier to hit than woods because of the lower centre of gravity and denser head construction and because the club design encourages you to hit down on the ball, in the same way you would with an iron.

Hybrid shafts are heavier than those in a fairway wood, with average weightings around 80 to 90 grams, which makes them easier to swing with more control. Lighter and longer fairway wood shafts can often tempt players to try and swing too fast resulting in inconsistent strikes and a lack of accuracy compared to hybrids. 

Which hybrids should I carry?

This is completely personal and comes down to the way you choose to set your bag up. If you use several long irons and struggle to hit them, then a hybrid could definitely help fill these spots in the bag. Alternatively, if you are not getting on well with your five-wood, then hybrids come with similar lofts so can replace it easily.

Senior golfers and women golfers often favour hybrids that replace longer and mid irons in the bag, because they are more playable and offer more distance than their iron equivalents. This is why you will see hybrids available in lofts and head sizes ranging from 2H to 7H, or 17° to 29°.

Do professionals use hybrid golf clubs?

Interestingly, with the growth in hybrid technology over the last few years, more and more professionals are starting to put hybrids in their golf bags now because they are significantly easier to hit than long irons, and they tend to help get the ball in the air easier which can be very useful when hitting out of rough or hitting second shots into par-5's.

Top players like Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson have both put hybrids into the bag at one time, and the clubs usually come in and out of the bag dependent on course, setup and conditions.

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Sam De'Ath
Staff Writer

Sam has worked in the golf industry for 12 years, offering advice on equipment to all levels of golfers and as Staff Writer, he tests and reviews equipment throughout the bag. Sam graduated from Webber International University in 2017 with a BSc Marketing Management degree while playing collegiate golf. His experience of playing professionally on both the EuroPro Tour and Clutch Pro Tour, alongside his golf retail history, means Sam has extensive knowledge of golf equipment and what works for different types of golfer.

Sam is a member of North Hants Golf Club in Fleet, Hampshire, where he won the club championship 3 times in succession from 2015-2017. His golfing highlight to date is shooting a round of 10-under 60 at his home club, narrowly missing a wedge shot for a magical 59.


Sam’s current What’s In The Bag?


Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2, 9°

Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus, 15°

Hybrid: Ping G430 19°

Irons: Titleist T-100 4 iron, Titleist 620MB, 5-PW

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8, 50°, 54°, 62°

Putter: Scotty Cameron Select GoLo

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x 2021 


With contributions from