Titleist 585.H 19° Hybrid not for high hadicappers?

[Akira]

Hi peeps,

I've walked a few rounds with my Titleist 585.H 19° Hybrid with an Aldila NV85 shaft. I'm a high handicapper and I don't like it one bit. The club's sweet spot is to small. And the shaft to heavy. I think I need some thing more forgiving. Funny enough my pro already told me that it's the only club in the bag that stands out. Let's put it this way, it's not the hybrid for me, and I want to replace it for something else. Does any body any recommendation? Preferably from Japan. My birthday is coming up so this is my change.

Please,

[idrive]

Couple of questions...

do you prefer the hybrid look over an over sized driving iron look?

Perhaps a FW instead? Do you get along with your 3 wood?

[Akira]

Couple of questions...

do you prefer the hybrid look over an over sized driving iron look?

Perhaps a FW instead? Do you get along with your 3 wood?

Thanks for your reply idrive...

I don't realy care about the looks of the hybrid. I already have the 3hybrid that comes with the Nike Ignite set, but I was only getting around a 165 yards out of it. I was hoping to gain more out of the Titleist, which actually happened. But not as frequent as I would like. So I thought, let's swap it for a hybrid that's suit me more.

But yes, I do get along with my 3 wood. It's much more controllable for me, but than again, it has a bigger head.

[Duffer19]

Pardon me for being frank but your pro is right in saying that the Titleist is the only club that stands out in your bag (in a sense that it is totally not compatible.) Your Beres 711 R and Shuttle is totally like wet noodles soft yet you play them well enough yet you are playing a US spec 19* thru bore NV that would be too stiff for a high handicapper to handle. I am playing with a lot of seniors and they do not live well with hybrids either but rather take a 7 or 9 woods. Looking at your bag, you are better off with a XXIO, Beres or some of the JDM hybrid available here but dont go lower than 20 or 22* degree. If you want to go a 5 wood distance, get a 5 wood.

[idrive]

I would suggest a Fairway Wood Set up.

Yamaha 2009 Inpres X D-fw - 5 wood 19*

Fourteen 2008 SF308 FW - 5 wood 18*

Their are so many more to look at but either of these will be much easier to hit than your Titleist.

They will have larger heads that will inspire confidence much like your 3 wood does.

Good Luck

[xchangmanx]

Hi Akira,

I agree w/idrive and duffer, 5 wood is the way to go. I personally recommend tourstage viq line. I use the 5 wood and 7 wood instead of hybrids they are easier to hit than my fourteen woods and taylormade woods along w/being unbelievably forgiving.

[Duffer19]

One should have at least one hybrid in the bag (I use 2-3) but as long as it is not a US spec Titleist for a high handicapper.

[jamnguy1]

For someone who needs to get the ball up in the air, I agree with everyone that recommends a 5- and a 7- wood, even a 9-wood. There's no shame in playing woods as long as if it improves your game. Honma makes pretty forgiving woods, but from my experience, most JDM woods and hybrids are quite difficult to hit for a high handicapper. If you can get away with thinking about only owning JDM clubs, I would recommend trying the Tour Edge Exotics XCG woods and hybrids.

[Akira]

Thanks everybody for your quick and honest input.

Well, it's pretty clear than. A 5 wood it is.

So let's see, what do we have...

Yamaha 2009 Inpres X D-fw - 5 wood 19*

Fourteen 2008 SF308 FW - 5 wood 18*

Tourstage 2008 ViQ FW

XXIO 2008 FW

Beres MG713

Tour Edge Exotics XCG woods

Maruman Shuttle FW

That's a lot of FW's to choose from.

And what about the shaft? Any specific things I should take in to account?

[idrive]

And what about the shaft? Any specific things I should take in to account?

Your Driver Swing Speed?

Do you normally launch the ball high, low?

What kind of ball flight do you want this club to produce?

[Duffer19]

I do have some experience with the Beres 7 series and Maruman shuttle and if you are playing your driver and 3 wood well enough in those flex, you should stay close to those specs. I would recommend the XXIO, ViQ FW as they are really easy to hit well and high. Fourteen would be slightly more demanding although 5w off the deck shouldnt be an issue. Epon fw would not be the one for you as it is more demanding than those mentioned above. One thing to watch for is you dont want a open face FW at this stage of your handicap.

[Akira]

Your Driver Swing Speed?

Do you normally launch the ball high, low?

What kind of ball flight do you want this club to produce?

Driver swing speed is pretty fast. I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but two pro's asked me when I'm going to ditch the graphite Ignites and get some steel ones.

I launch the ball not low, but definitely not too high.

What kind of ball flight? Beats me. I reckon directly straight towards the target. So no hooks, pulls or draws and other things.

[Akira]

I do have some experience with the Beres 7 series and Maruman shuttle and if you are playing your driver and 3 wood well enough in those flex, you should stay close to those specs. I would recommend the XXIO, ViQ FW as they are really easy to hit well and high. Fourteen would be slightly more demanding although 5w off the deck shouldnt be an issue. Epon fw would not be the one for you as it is more demanding than those mentioned above. One thing to watch for is you dont want a open face FW at this stage of your handicap.

You are a great help... but there is so much to choose from and unfortunately I can't try anything upfront. I think I might narrow the list down to these 3 brands/types.

Yamaha 2009 Inpres X D-fw - 5 wood 19*

Fourteen 2008 SF308 FW - 5 wood 18*

Tourstage 2008 ViQ FW - 5 wood 19*

[idrive]

My thoughts are out of that group the Tourstage might just be the best club for you. The stock shaft in R flex should be an excellent club for you assuming that the shafts in your irons are the correct flex for you now.

[Akira]

My thoughts are out of that group the Tourstage might just be the best club for you. The stock shaft in R flex should be an excellent club for you assuming that the shafts in your irons are the correct flex for you now.

Well idrive, I trust your experience fully on this matter, so I'm seriously going to consider the Tourstage. With a R flex shaft. I have to check though with TSG if it is possible to re-grip the shaft, since I use double tape, midsize grips. (I had to get the Honma and Maruman re-gripped.)

Everybody, thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

As soon as I got it I'll let all of you know how it goes.

[NiftyNiblick]

PRGR Zoom 320CX is a sweeting hitting hybrid---long way from the original copper-colored TM FireSole Rescue!

I go with the driving iron type hybrid instead because I prefer conventional size hi-loft metals from the deck. But if I were to try the long-nosed cleek type, the Zoom with which I recently hit a couple of balls is where I'd start.

Edited December 4, 2008 by NiftyNiblick

[gocchin]

As everyone said here go the fairway route. I did. I tried carrying utilities and they are useful in some case but I m much more consistent with woods inlcuding occasionally a 9 wood.

The Tourstage ViQ is a great choice, as are the Royal Collection Star FD or if you really want to try something different the Mizuno JPX A25. All conisderably easier to hit than a hybrid. And yes you will have to regrip as I mentioned to you in your email unfortunately.

[Duffer19]

PRGR Zoom 320CX is a sweeting hitting hybrid---long way from the original copper-colored TM FireSole Rescue!

I go with the driving iron type hybrid instead because I prefer conventional size hi-loft metals from the deck. But if I were to try the long-nosed cleek type, the Zoom with which I recently hit a couple of balls is where I'd start.

Driving iron or the PRGR Zoom 302CX is not the way to go for a high handicapper. That's why PRGR has the 502, Premimum Red and Egg line.

[NiftyNiblick]

Driving iron or the PRGR Zoom 302CX is not the way to go for a high handicapper. That's why PRGR has the 502, Premimum Red and Egg line.

I certainly don't disagree. I'm not a high handicapper, per se, but I'm a senior and I also prefer the conventional lofted fairway metal to either the hybrid (which reminds me of the ancient long-nosed cleek) or the long iron. PRGR models going back to the Speed Hit are great.

I just like the driving iron on the tee on scary driving holes. I use a broken tee pushed all the way in with just the cup of the tee above ground for the ball. That eighth of an inch difference from being nestled onto the deck makes all the difference.

Fairway metal is the way to go for most, I'd say. Notice that some LPGA players, particularly in the Callaway stable, love that 4-7-9 combo of fairway metals. And they've got plenty of game.

[Duffer19]

I am a senior golfer as well but recently changed to a 16:5* 4w and 3 hybrids: I have found that I might only use a 3 wood once per game: I cannot play a 7 wood well either hence 3 hybrids for difference length. One as a 5 wood replacement (20*) and the other 2 for attacking the green. I drop the 4 iron now too.