4 Wood Vs 2 Hybrid – Which Club To Use And When
The line between fairway woods and long irons has been blurred considerably in recent years with the introduction of the hybrid.
As you might have guessed a hybrid is a mix between a wood and an iron, offering a blended mixture of distance, consistency and forgiveness.
The 4 Wood isn’t the most popular of Fairway woods , golfer generally tend to prefer the 3 and 5 wood combination.
The 2 Hybrid is also one where the distance is generally covered by the fairway woods but for those hit their hybrids well, the 2 hybrid can easily be one of your 14 clubs.
2 Hybrid Overview
The 2 hybrid combines the distance of a fairway wood with straightness and easy launch of a 3 iron.
The 2 hybrid is a club that is going to pack a bit of distance with the average golfer hitting it about 200 yards off the fairway, which is going to be very close to the 4 wood.
The 2 hybrid has the face of an iron with an extended sweet spot which leads to straight shots more often, when let the club loose on the fairway.
The thicker head provides more distance than you would expect with a similar iron and the 2 hybrid also has a sharp leading edge which allows the club through the thicker rough, earning it the term, Rescue club.
The straighter shots will also dampen some of the workability the better players might get with a 4 wood to draw or fade the ball.
This club will be perfect for long, high and straight shots consistently off the fairway, preferably about 200 yards away.
Each variation should offer varying degrees of workability, shot shaping, forgiveness and distance.
If you are someone that hits their hybrids well, a 2 Hybrid could be just what the doctor ordered for your game.
4 Wood Overview
While the 3 and 5 wood are extremely popular in golf, that is not so much the case with the 4 wood.
Since the driver is usually set to 10.5 degrees of loft, the 3 wood is the likely club to follow on from it at 15 degrees.
If however you set your driver at a higher degree loft of 12 degrees, you may be better suited to a combination of the 4 wood and a 7 wood.
A 4 wood can also be ideal if you want to carry an extra hybrid or shorter club like a chipper for near the green instead.
The 4 wood has a generous 16.5 to 17 Degrees of loft and the ball can be hit about 200 yards from the fairway for the average player.
A 4 wood will also have the advantage of being more workable for a better player with a draw or a fade but that can also result in a slice or hook more frequently for beginners and high handicappers.
The 4 wood is also going to better off the tee than a 2 hybrid. It’s all great to hit from a nice lie on the fairway or light rought.
The Hybrid interacts better with the turf for when you find yourself in a non advantageous lie.
Both clubs hit a fairly similar distance so it will more than likely be one or the other. If you like straight accuracy and distance of the 2 Hybrid or the long workability of the 4 wood, both clubs are going to have their pros and cons.
2 Hybrid Quick Facts
Category – Hybrid – Long Club
When To Use: From Fairway, Light-Heavy Rough, Tee
Average Distance: 185
Longer Hitter: 205
Shorter Hitter: 170
Typical Loft: 18 Degrees
Club Importance: 91/100
4 Wood Quick Facts
Category – Longer Club
When To Use: From Fairway, Tee Or Light Rough
Average Distance: 205
Longer Hitter: 225
Shorter Hitter: 185
Typical Loft: 16.5 Degrees
Club Importance: 89/100
2 Hybrid Overview & First Impressions
At an average hitting distance of 200 yards, the 2 Hybrid is one of the longest clubs in the game.
As the name suggests, a hybrid tries to mix the precision and consistently straight shots of an iron with the distance of a fairway wood.
The result has been a huge surge in popularity for clubs like the 2 Hybrid.
Most golfers will still carry a 3 wood and a 5 wood and the 2 Hybrid has a similar range to the 3 or 4 Wood.
If you are one of the many golfers who hits longer straighter shots with a hybrid than with a wood, a 2 hybrid will be an excellent club to carry.
The sharp leading edge on the hybrid can interact well with the turf and that makes the hybrid a ‘Rescue’ club from the rough.
If you tend to end up in the the rough off the tee, the 2 hybrid can be an excellent way to turn around a bad lie for your second shot.
The hybrid will sacrifice some of the workability of the 4 wood but it is perfect to hit straight consistently from the fairway.
One Club Up – 3 Hybrid
The three hybrid is very similar to the 2 hybrid but it has more degrees of loft and finds its way into more golf bags. The 3 hybrid hits at a more advantageous distance to match with a 3 and 5 wood than a 2 hybrid.
One Club Down – 5 Wood
The 5 Wood would be a similar but slightly shorter club distance than the 2 hybrid. The 5 wood has a bigger head and is blunter in terms of precision than they hybrid, which can achieve more precise targeting with less work ability.
4 Wood Overview & First Impressions
If the 3 wood is a bit big a daunting for yo, the 4 wood is very similar but it is more compact and possibly less daunting for some.
The 4 wood is often overlooked and the 3 wood is preferred instead in combination with the 5 wood but there is no one size fits all and many golfers will prefer to carry a 4 wood as their solo fairway wood or in combination with a 7 wood.
Those with slower swing speeds might have 12 degrees of loft in their driver and the next logical progression for them will be the 4 wood.
It is easier to carry and wield for those with slower swing speeds and it might be used as a solo wood for a fast swinger looking to carry an extra hybrid or a chipper for around the greens.
Whatever your circumstance is, you should carry clubs that suit your game optimally.
The 4 wood has a higher, shorter flight path with less roll out than the next club down in the 3 wood, which it will almost always replace.
The club is used effectively off the tee on par 3’s or dog legs and also off the fairway and in the light rough.
Golf is a game of tradition but you shouldn’t hesitate to break that if a 4 wood will be beneficial to your game.
One Club Up – 3 Wood
The 3 wood is longer, heavier and produces a longer, lower flight path with more roll out. It is far more popular and the 3 + 5 Wood combo is the one we see most often, especially in average and above swing speeds.
One Club Down – 5 Wood
You would almost never carry a 3 and 4 wood together, they are too similar. When carrying a 4 wood, you may be better off carrying an extra hybrid or a 7 wood over a 4 wood. A 5 wood produces a higher, shorter ball flight with less rollout than a 4 wood.
2 Hybrid Selling Points
- Excellent From The Rough
- Easy Launching
- Straight Shots Consistently
- Hits On Average 200 Yards
- Precise Targetting
4 Wood Selling Points
- Excellent For Slower Swing Speeds
- Can Be Used As A Replace For 3 And 5 Wood
- Easy To Hit From Good Lies
- Versatile Club From Tee Or Off The Deck
- More Precise Than A 3 Wood
Who Are 2 Hybrids For?
If you are someone that hits your hybrids better than your woods, you should consider testing and carrying a 2 Hybrid instead.
If you end up in a bit of trouble off the tee quite often, the 2 Hybrid is a rescue club that get you out of trouble.
The club interacts excellently with the turf and it produces straight shots more consistently than woods for many golfers.
Hybrids are used by a lot of pros these days but the high handicapper can find the most utility from them with their consistent straightness.
The Hybrid is a very resourceful and useful clubs, if you have room for it in your 14 clubs, it is sure to coming out of the bag quite often.
Our Favorite 2 Hybrid – Taylormade Sim 2 Max
If you are talking about top quality in Hybrids, look no further than Taylormade.
This clubs look more like racing cars and they have the performance to match.
The Sim 2 Max, is extremely forgiving, long and it allows for high launch angles easily.
Distance: 96/100
Accuracy: 94/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Feel and Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 94/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Who Are 4 Woods For?
A 4 wood is not as popular a club as we feel it should be.
It’s excellent for slower swing speeds who find a 3 wood more difficult to wield.
It’s also perfect for those looking to carry a 4 wood + 7 Wood combo and those who want to carry 1 solitary wood in favor of an extra hybrid or iron.
A very similar club to the 3 and 5 wood and there is no reason it shouldn’t used more if it fills the distance gaps effectively.
Our Favorite 4 Wood – Cobra Men’s Fly Z
Cobra have made big progress as a golf brand in recent years and our preferred 4 wood right now is their Fly Xl model from 2021.
The club is light and easy to strike and it also has an adjustable loft which means you can switch it from a 3 Wood to a 4 wood easier with the use of an allen key.
The club itself is well priced and has a ton of distance and forgiveness features included.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 93/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel and Control: 91/100
Overall Score: 93/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Aidan Lehane here, I’m a Mid-low handicap golfer who has made tremendous progress in breaking 90 in just over 1 year of playing golf seriously.
I get out to the course or range as often as possible and review all the equipment I’ve come across on this blog.
