Driving iron, hybrid or 5-wood? Which club is for you?

With so many forgiving options that can replace your longer irons, which one should use: driving iron, hybrid or 5-wood? 

Forgiveness is a hot topic in golf clubs, especially when it comes down to the longer irons. No matter your handicap or ability, everyone wants a bit more forgiveness and control, particularly in clubs that can be harder to hit. 

The best players in the world often carry a mix of these three clubs because they all do something slightly different. 

And that means there will be a specific club which will suit your game more. The question is: which club is for you? 

I used to use a driving iron/utility iron off the tee, as this is a club which is more forgiving than your longer irons. It’s typically a hollow body design, which will deliver faster speeds even on slightly mishit shots, but it will deliver more of a penetrating flight even when hit off the tee.

This is a useful club when playing in the wind and on courses which are a bit firmer, which is why you’ll see the tour pros making this switch for The Open. 

A hybrid is definitely one of my new favourites that I’ve added to the bag. This is more forgiving than a driving iron and it’s ideal if you struggle to get the ball in the air with the longer irons.

The shape resembles more of an iron but is larger, allowing weight and mass to be pushed back to increase the MOI profile. With a hybrid, you’ll tend to find the blade length is the same length as an iron but can be typically shallower and slightly more compact. This visual will help with confidence standing over the ball, whilst also launching the ball higher with better distance and carry. 

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The 5-wood is a perfect club if you want the ball to go straight up with ease. A lot of pros on the PGA Tour carry one, as it’s great off the softer conditions to get the ball up high and land softly. Again, the shape is more compact but with more weight further back, which makes it easier to get the ball up higher and quicker to give you a greater carry distance.  

The 5-wood isn’t for everyone, as the shape might not fit your eye. They can be a bit big and not as long in the blade length as a hybrid. But if you are playing on a course where you need more carry and height, it’s a great club to have. 

If you prefer the shape of an iron but need more forgiveness and launch, then the hybrid is a great option, as it will give you more forgiveness, height and carry on those longer shots, getting you closer to the flag. 

The driving iron will typically be for lower handicap players and top ball strikers who don’t struggle to get the ball in the air but need an alternative option that is more forgiving off the tee and the fairway, especially when trying to reach longer par-4s or par-5s. 

There is an option for every golfer here, but which one will you be adding to your bag? 

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James Tait is bunkered’s Gear Editor. Want to know how the latest Callaway driver, Vokey wedge or Scotty Cameron putter performs? He’s the guy to ask. Better yet, just watch his videos on the bunkered YouTube channel. One of the biggest hitters in the UK, James also competes on the World Long Drive circuit and is a descendent of former Amateur champion Freddie Tait.

Gear Editor