Little more than 20 years ago, the hybrid club wasn’t even a thing. Now, the large majority of golfers will have one in their bag. They are easy to use and versatile, whether as a replacement for long irons, a driving weapon, or even a chipping wizard around the green.
One of the most forgiving clubs you can put in your bag, with uses from almost every lie, the best hybrid golf clubs are shot-saving machines.
The best hybrid golf clubs for 2023
Srixon ZX
Price: £229
Lofts: 2-16° / 3-19° / 4-22°
More: www.srixon.co.uk
They say: Compact, powerful, and incredibly reliable. These hybrids inspire confidence, strike clean, and keep you in the game.
We say: These hybrids are great when you sit them down behind the ball, and the performance is just as impressive. It’s long, yet its dispersion area is tight, with excellent forgiveness on off-centre strikes. It’s both style and substance from this sleek hybrid.
TaylorMade Stealth
Price: £229
Lofts: 19°-3 / 22°-4 / 25°-5 / 28°-6 / 31°-7
More: www.taylormadegolf.eu
They say: Combines Tour-validated designs with a new carbon crown construction to elevate performance for all skills. Powered by a redesigned V Steel sole with precision weighting, it is engineered for high launch and forgiveness.
New carbon crown construction allows for the relocation of 7g, transferring it lower in the head to better position CG for easy launch, optimal forgiveness, and better stability.
We say: You can expect high launch and smooth turf interaction with this speed-and-distance hybrid. Weight low in the head helps make it a weapon of mass destruction from all lies; the Stealth is one of the longest hybrids on the market. Built from carbon DNA, the ability to transfer 7g lets you place it where you need it most. The mid-width body is easy on the eye.
Ping G430
Price: £229
Lofts: 2-17° / 3-19° / 4-22° / 5-36° / 6-30° / 7-34°
More: eu.ping.com/en-gb
They say: Ping innovations Facewrap and Spinsistency combine to deliver greater distance and spin predictability, so your approach shots reach and hold greens. A tungsten back weight on the extreme perimeter helps increase MOI for more stability and forgiveness.
We say: Ping clubs *always* deliver—and the G430 is no exception. As forgiving as they are well-built, the G430 is nicely compact at address, and delivers super feedback, feel, and lots of power. The head is compact and sits pleasingly flush to the turf, giving the impression this forgiving club is shallower than expected—thus increasing confidence. It sounds great through impact, too.
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo
Price: £169
Lofts: 3-18° / 4-21° / 5-24°
More: www.clevelandgolf.eu
They say: Rough isn’t all that rough with the new Launcher XL Halo Hybrid. It has Gliderail to glide through any lie, and it’s loaded with MOI for straight-shooting forgiveness.
We say: If you’re looking for a hybrid packed with forgiveness, the Halo is one to consider. It isn’t the longest rescue out there, but it’s incredibly easy to hit. It’s at its best when you’ve got 180-200 yards into a green, and when you turn to look into your bag, you’re so glad the Halo is looking back at you and not a 4-iron that looks like a butter knife.
Its head is bigger than others around, but it’s not unwieldy and sits sweetly behind the ball. A wider body, a higher spin rate, extra height and a steep angle of descent make this your green-holding club of choice.
Mizuno ST-Z 230
Price: £279
Lofts: 16º / 19º / 22º / 25º
More: www.mizunogolf.com/uk/
They say: A throwback profile—with curves for the purist and performance for the pragmatist. Mizuno’s 3rd generation MAS1C face is Mizuno’s most powerful to date. A balanced package of low spin performance and stability—not common in most fairway woods, with an adjustable hosel in both 3 and 5 wood.
We say: Mizuno is noted for making aesthetically pleasing clubs, and the ST-Z 230 certainly falls into that category. Its gloss black crown’s sleek looks will have you feeling like a Tour pro at address, but thankfully there is also forgiveness built into it, with the sweet spot deep and low for extra playability. This also makes it a brilliant option if you want a rescue that performs well off tight lies. It’s a dream for links and heathland lovers.
Oh, and did we mention the consistency of speed and spin and the elegant head’s performance through rough? Versatile and beautiful.
Callaway Paradym
Price: £219
Lofts: 18° / 20° / 23°
More: eu.callawaygolf.com
They say: The Paradym Hybrid is for golfers who want a mid-sized, wood-shaped hybrid that’s long with excellent versatility and control. Our Cutwave Sole design improves performance through the turf, making this our most versatile hybrid.
We’ve adapted our best fairway wood technologies for maximum distance. Our new A.I. designed Jailbreak with Batwing Technology increases stiffness in the body for more face flexure. The result is fast ball speeds and exceptional distance.
We say: Arguably the most exciting hybrid club on the scene for 2023, the Paradym has a mid-size head that offers exceptional levels of forgiveness on hits across the face. It launches high with a strong, neutral flight. It’s versatile, too, ripping through rough as well as sweeping the ball away off tight lies. Looking down on its traditional gloss black crown, it will inspire confidence in the mid-range handicapper and above, yet sits squarely and neatly enough for the better player to fancy it, too.
Cobra King TEC 2023
Price: £249
Lofts: 16º / 18º / 20º / 23º
More: www.cobragolf.com
They say: Our most technologically advanced hybrid is designed to bring maximum distance, forgiveness, and versatility to your game. A player’s hybrid packed with technology, the KING TEC Hybrid has the versatility to fit every player’s game while maintaining the distance and forgiveness golfers have come to expect from a hybrid design.
Three adjustable weight settings allow you to position two 12g weights in the front for lower spin and launch, in the back/heel for draw-bias, or in the back/toe for fade-bias.
We say: Forgiving but elegant, classy yet powerful, stable but lightweight, the King TEC offers confidence and workability in a great-looking club. The higher handicapper will enjoy the flatter face and longer heel-to-toe shape, but the cleaner aesthetics—a one-tone matte black finish—will also appeal to the better player looking to visualise their shot shape. Moveable weights provide easy customisation to allow you to produce a certain ball flight.
