5 Wood Vs. 5 Hybrid Comparison Overview
The numbers used to designate golf clubs can be confusing for beginners.
The general rule of thumb is that hybrid clubs use the same scale as iron clubs. Therefore, a 5 hybrid could be used to replace a 5 iron, a 6 hybrid could be used to replace a 6 iron and so on and so forth.
But what about replacing woods with hybrids? Do woods and hybrids use the same scale? No, they don’t.
This is where you essentially have to use loft to determine which hybrids correlate to woods. In the following overview, we will be comparing a 5 wood and a 5 hybrid.
5 Wood Overview
The 5 wood is going to have a larger head than a 5 hybrid which may make it more congenial for beginner players but they are used in very different situations.
Unlike the longer woods, the 5 wood is mainly going to be used off the deck. In this way it is similar to the 5 hybrid; but the similarities pretty much end there. Your 5 wood is going to cover much more distance than your 5 hybrid.
Better players will be able to squeeze nearly 290 yards from a 5 wood while a 5 hybrid typically lives in the range of about 170 yards. A 5 hybrid will also have a lot more loft than a 5 wood.
You can think of it like this: if you need a straight, long shot from the deck on a par 5, you would typically go with a 5 wood.
5 Hybrid Overview
If however you need to land the ball dead on the green, get over some hazards, get yourself out of a bunker or you’re playing a hilly course, a 5 hybrid would be the better option.
A 5 hybrid will give you a bit more dynamism in terms of shot-shaping because of the smaller, more shallow head design and the stronger loft. This is a mid-range club so you wouldn’t use it off the tee of if your target is more than about 170 yards away.
Still, the 5 hybrid will typically interact with tough terrain better than a 5 wood so in many cases it will be the better rescue club.
So can you replace a 5 wood with a 5 hybrid? No. Don’t make that mistake. Instead, you may want to get to know both of these clubs.
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.
5 Wood Overview & First Impressions
The 5 wood is one of the nicest clubs to hit in the bag form the fairway, light rough and occasionally from the tee as well.
It has a large head with a manageable shaft length and a generous loft which results in a high long and straight ball flight.
When the ball sits up on the fairway is the perfect time to pull out the trusty 5 wood and it’s flight path is higher and we less roll than the club that is one up in the 5 wood.
The Average hitter will average close to 200 yards with a 5 wood so it is quite a long club in and of itself and the next club down the line with be a 3 hybrid , 3 iron, driving iron or even a 7 wood.
Common problems when hitting the club would a hook or a fade and it can be down to a number of issues from shaft length to shaft flex or just the swing mechanics of the golfer.
A D Type 5 wood might help to straighten out a 5 wood’s flight path or else some lessons.
5 Woods have slightly become less popular in recent times due to the hybrid clubs gaining popularity and even finding their way into the professionals bags these days. Still the 5 wood is an extremely popular club in almost every bag.
One Club Up – 3 Wood
A Slightly longer and lower launching club than the 5 wood, it is a staple is every golf bag around the world. It is also quite versatile being useful from the tee, fairway or the light rough.
One Club Down – 3 Hybrid
A common club that we see nowadays one down from the 5 is the three hybrid. Great for accuracy and distance from fairway and rough, it has a sharp leading edge for hitting from the rough, earning it’s name as the rescue club.
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
5 Wood Selling Points
- Easy & Rewarding Club To Hit
- Long, Arching Ball Flight With Less Roll
- Great For Long Par 4’s And Par 5’s
- One Of The Most Popular Clubs In Many Bags
- Higher Loft And More Forgiving.
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 5 Woods For?
The 5 wood is an excellent club for everyone to carry.
It is long, forgiving and easy to hit and it also covers key distances on the course.
The high arching stroke makes this club perfect for hunting the green on a long par 4 or on a par 5, it can be also be used from the tee for par 3’s or to lay up on a dog leg.
All in all the 5 wood is a key component in every bag.
Our Favorite 5 Wood – The Taylormade Sim Max
The Taylormade Sim Max range has a ton of quality features for distance, forgiveness and accuracy.
The Sim Max is not the latest model so you get it at a good price and it is competitive with any club in the game.
The sim max will ideally help high handicappers but the sim 5 wood will be perfect for intermediates.
Distance: 95/100
Accuracy: 94/100
Forgiveness: 94/100
Feel and Control: 91/100
Overall Score: 94/100
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