11 Wood Vs. 5 Hybrid Comparison Overview
You don’t see a lot of players pulling 11 woods out of their bags these days. After we tested a 5 hybrid against an 11 wood, we think we know why. The 5 hybrid is meant to replace the 11 wood specifically so it’s easy to view these two clubs as interchangeable.
You may not share that view after reading our comparison article though. In the following article, we are going to be going over the key differences between these two clubs and offer some advice as to which one you should be carrying.
11 Wood Overview
An 11 wood will typically have slightly weaker loft than a 5 hybrid which, right off the bat, may turn off a lot of players.
After all, the 11 wood and 5 hybrid are mostly made to do the same things. Indeed, the 11 wood we tested was good for getting us back on the fairway and out of tall rough. We were also pleasantly surprised when we discovered that the 11 wood was better for dodging overhead trees.
So basically, if you need to stay under trees the 11 wood would be better than the 5 hybrid because of the weaker loft. Other than that though, the 11 wood doesn’t offer much benefit over the 5 hybrid. It plays an average of 155 yards so it is significantly shorter than a 5 hybrid.
Woods in general are also less workable than hybrids. This proved true with the 11 wood that we tested against a 5 hybrid. You get straight shots which may be beneficial for high handicappers; but our better testers preferred the shot-shapeability of the 5 hybrid.
5 Hybrid Overview
The 5 hybrid is the more versatile of these 2 clubs that are often seen as interchangeable.
So to avoid mincing words, we would recommend using a 5 hybrid over an 11 wood. It plays longer so it’s more suitable on par 5 holes, it has stronger loft which makes it better for attacking fast greens and the head shape allows for more dynamic workability.
To top it all off, beginners and high handicap players tend to gravitate towards 5 hybrids because they are more forgiving than woods.
Keep in mind that some players simply prefer the feel of woods. You may be that kind of player too. Still, if you can’t get a fitting in, we would recommend picking up a 5 hybrid over an 11 wood any day of the week.
5 Hybrid Quick Facts
Category – Long/Mid Hybrid
When To Use: Fairway, Light To Heavy Rough
Average Distance: 170
Longer Hitter: 180
Shorter Hitter: 165
Typical Loft: 25 Degrees
Club Importance: 94/100
11 Wood Quick Facts
Category – Rare, High Lofted Wood
When To Use: From Fairway Or Light To Mid Rough
Average Distance: 155
Longer Hitter: 170
Shorter Hitter: 120
Typical Loft: 31 Degrees
Club Importance: 82/100
5 Hybrid First Impressions
The 5 Hybrid has a large head, large face and a huge undercut to cut the turf and long grass easily to produce high and long shots.
The 5 hybrid is usually excellent for getting to the green in 2 on par 4’s or 5’s holes. You get great distance control from 5 hybrids which also makes them very handy on particularly long par 4’s.
The best part about the 5 hybrid is the consistency. It’s like training wheels on a bike compared to an iron but it does sacrifice some of the precision of the mid range irons.
Versatile and easy to use club that is also excellent from the rough.
The only problem with these types of clubs is that they launch very high so in windy conditions, they are not the best option.
One Hybrid Up – 6 Hybrid
A hybrid 6 club can essentially be used as a rescue club when you find yourself in the rough. You should treat your 6 hybrid as a cross between an iron and a wood. The 6 is less popular but it is useful for higher launching, shorter strokes.
One Club Down – 4 Hybrid
The 4 hybrid will produce a lower and longer flight than the 5 but because there is about 10 yards between the clubs, the 4 and 5 are a good option to be carried in unison.
11 Wood First Impressions
The 11 wood has a large, forgiving head that looked great at point of address and if you’re not used to seeing them, the high loft of the 11 wood can look a bit strange.
The 11 wood is more of a blunt object than the 6 iron, it can get the ball moving in the direction of the green without too much workability.
The 11 wood would be a great choice if you find yourself in a tight lie or if you require easier distance. The high loft cuts through the rough and has a high arching flight to target the green with an up and down flight path, without too much rollout.
The clubs also got a shorter shaft and is more manageable than some of the longer woods.
We found the versatility to be lacking. While you will typically get better average distance out of an 11 wood than a 6 iron, it doesn’t do much other than that.
It doesn’t have the consistency of a hybrid or the precision of an iron, meaning it nearly also misses out on inclusion in the 14.
Again, it’s great for getting out of the rough or tight lies but for us, that’s not enough to keep it in our bags.
One Wood Down – 9 Wood
A 9 wood will surely play longer, lower and with more rollout than your average 11 but suffers from the same performance limitations as an 11 wood. Another rare club to see.
One Club Up – 13 Wood
A huge loft, large head and a higher ball flight that might put a divot in the green when landing. Again, very rare but great for those who love to hit fairway woods.
Benefits of Using a 5 Hybrid
- Better for long fairway shots
- They can be used for getting on the green
- Good launch angles
- More forgiving than a 5 iron
- Good ball contact
11 Wood Benefits
- Easy, high launching distance
- Large head
- Good for beginners
- Good for slower swing speeds
- Good rescue clubs
- Good for getting out of fairway bunkers
Who are 5 Hybrids Good for?
Traditionally, 5 hybrids have been a favorite among junior players, senior players and lady golfers although getting more common with pros these days too.
The 5 hybrid offers a higher degree of forgiveness and is the perfect club for long approaches on par 5’s and long par 4’s.
They are also fairly effective as rescue clubs from the rough. Our only real gripe with this type of hybrid is that it is really unstable in windy conditions.
A Good 5 Hybrid to Check Out – Callaway Epic Super 5 Hybrid
The Callaway Epic Super 5 hybrid features Jailbreak bracing bars for added stability. There is even an adjustable hosel to get the kind of launch you need for every shot.
We really liked the versatility of this 5 hybrid. The perimeter weighting also makes it plenty forgiving.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 92/100
Feel and Control: 91/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Overall Rating: 94/100
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Who are 11 Woods for?
11 woods would benefit beginners and high handicap players – especially if they miss the fairway often.
They play about as long as 6 irons on average too so they are a viable replacement but they also face stiff competition these days from Hybrids.
Slow swing speeds like Juniors, Seniors and Ladies will do very well with these clubs, especially if they hit woods better than hybrids and irons.
As always, it is going to be decided by personal preference.
An 11 Wood to Check Out – Titleist Tsi1
The Titleist Tsi1 11 wood has an adjustable hosel so you can reign in the loft if you need to. It yields really nice distance too thanks to the high-flexing face.
Distance: 92/100
Accuracy: 90/100
Feel & Control: 88/100
Forgiveness: 91/100
Overall Score: 92/100
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