A hybrid golf club is an essential tool for any golfer, especially the high handicapper. As a new golfer or high handicapper player, the game of golf can be very overwhelming.
You will have times where you feel like you have it all figured out, only to lose it all the next day. Luckily hybrids can bring some consistency to a higher handicappers game.
In this guide, we put together our best hybrid golf clubs for high handicappers and beginners in 2024.
You will find an option on this list for all budgets and plenty of information in our buyer’s guide to help you make the right choice.
Our Best Hybrid Golf Clubs For High Handicappers in 2024
- TaylorMade SIM MAX Hybrid (Best Hybrid Golf Club for High Handicappers)
- Callaway Rogue Hybrid (Most Forgiving Hybrid For High Handicappers)
- Cobra Speedzone Hybrid (Easiest Launching Hybrids For High Handicappers)
- Pinemeadow EXL EGI Hybrid (Best Cheap Hybrid Golf Club for High Handicappers)
- Callaway Golf Super Hybrid (Best Premium Hybrid Golf Club for High Handicappers)
- Callaway Big Bertha B21 Hybrid (Best For Senior High Handicappers)
Best Hybrid Golf Club For High Handicappers: TaylorMade SIM MAX Hybrid
PROS
- Incredible distance
- Great ball speed
- For all swing speed players
CONS
- Expensive
The newest release from TaylorMade has created a buzz on both professional tours and the amateur golf world.
Somehow TaylorMade seems to make their clubs fly further and further each year. When you think they have finally maxed out the distances they can provide, they add more.
We think the TaylorMade Sim Max Hybrid is the best hybrid golf club for high handicappers because it provides incredible feel and performance for a forgiving golf club.
Most of the time, when you start adding in forgiveness, you have to get rid of feel. This is one of the better feeling hybrid club heads on the market. Most game improvement type hybrids don’t feel like this.
The SIM MAX comes in five different loft options, and it comes stock with the Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft. The Ventus Blue is a very well known shaft that performs very well. It is available in the stiff, regular, or senior flex.
The revolutionary speed pocket design helps to guarantee an increase in speed as you move into the impact position. With a low center of gravity and some of the best ball flight, you will see on the market the only downside to these golf clubs is the price.
Runner Up 1: Callaway Rogue Hybrid
PROS
- Incredible distance
- Low center of gravity
- High performing stock shaft
CONS
- Feel is not as great as the top choice
- The new Mavrik hybrid club golf is a little longer
The Callaway Rogue Hybrid is a fantastic golf club that is a perfect fit for the higher handicapper. This club was built to give you maximum distance and forgiveness. In addition to the length and ease of use, the Rogue looks, feels, and sounds great as well.
For the first time ever, Callaway introduced their Jailbreak Technology to a hybrid golf club. The Jailbreak bars help give a club an extra jump off of the club face. If you feel as though you struggle with getting enough ball speed, the Rogue will make up for it.
The Callaway Rogue produces some of the faster ball speeds in golf. You should be able to find these hybrids in a 3H, 4H, and 5H.
Since they are not the latest release, they have dropped in price quite a bit. For the price, you get quite a bit of distance and accuracy from a hybrid that will stay in your golf bag for years to come.
Runner Up 2: Cobra Speedzone Hybrid
PROS
- Fairly priced
- Longer than previous Cobra models
- Very forgiving
CONS
- Clubhead look a bit large
Historically speaking, Cobra has always made some amazing hybrids for the higher handicappers. This Cobra Speedzone hybrid is the best hybrid they have put out in many years.
Where Cobra always offers forgiveness, some of their hybrids have lacked distance. The Speedzone does not lack length at all.
Probably our favorite thing about the Speedzone hybrid is that you can use the Cobra connect technology to check on how you are hitting this club. Simply download the app on your phone, and you will have real-time data as to how you are performing.
The irons and drivers that Cobra produces now all have this technology. For the beginner looking to improve their overall golf game, this is a great feature. Apart from this Cobra also makes the Cobra F9 Speedback Hybrid which is another solid choice.
The Speedzone is available in four different loft settings from 17 to 24 degrees. You can get the Cobra Speedzone in a regular, stiff, or senior flex, and as always, the pricing from Cobra is very fair.
Pinemeadow EXL EGI
Best Cheap Hybrid Golf Club For High Handicappers
PROS
- Cheap
- Available in many lofts
- Large sweet spot and lightweight
CONS
- Not extremely high quality
- Could break with stronger players
- Not built for very fast swing speeds
The pricing on the Pinemeadow EXL is quite impressive, but there are a few other things about it that stand out as well.
First of all, you can get the Pinemeadow hybrid in 8 different lofts. This is almost unheard of as most companies offer their hybrids in about three and sometimes four different lofts.
This low priced hybrid features a very large sweet spot and has excellent weighting as well. The graphite shaft is lightweight and will help you get plenty of clubhead speed. If you are a strong player with high swing speeds, this is not going to be the club for you.
The shape of the head on this club is designed to help you get out of rough, but also have luck from the fairway. If you find yourself enjoying hybrids, you can add several of these to your bag for a very fair price.
Callaway Super Hybrid
Best Premium Hybrid Golf Club for Higher Handicappers
PROS
- Incredible distance
- Almost as long as fairway woods
- Easy to hit out of a variety of conditions
CONS
- Very large club head
- Very high price
If the price is not a problem for you and you only want the best hybrid golf club for high handicappers on the market, the Callaway Golf Super Hybrid may be the right choice for you.
This is one of the more expensive models available, but it is a great option to replace those long irons.
The Super Hybrid is built to help you increase your swing speed and ball speeds to maximize distance. This hybrid truly has fairway wood-like distance. Some golfers are taking their fairway woods out of the bag and putting in the Callaway Super Hybrid.
You will get a low center of gravity and plenty of room to hit the ball, as the size of this club head is huge. In fact, aside from the price, that is one thing we don’t love about the Super Hybrid.
It feels like the club itself is a bit confused as to if it is a fairway wood or a hybrid. For the results that it provides, it doesn’t matter.
The Callaway Super Hybrid is a low spin club, so when you hit this, it’s going to run for a while. This is a great thing when you want distance, not so great when you want the ball to stop.
It may be worth carrying a Super Hybrid for your longer hybrid and then something with a bit more spin for your other hybrids. It’s good to create some diversity in your golf bag.
Read our Callaway Super Hybrid review.
Callaway Big Bertha B21 Hybrid
Best Hybrid for Senior High Handicappers
PROS
- Impressive distance
- Artificial intelligence to help with ball speed
- Straighter ball flight than previous models
CONS
- Not the lowest priced hybrid on the market
The Callaway Big Bertha B21 Hybrid is a great hybrid for both high handicappers and beginners as well as the senior golfer. Senior players need to use a hybrid with a high launch, lots of forgiveness, and a very high ball speed.
With the Big Bertha B21, golfers can get all of these things with just one golf club. The inside of the Big Bertha B21 has two internal Jailbreak bars. The bars are going to help the face of the hybrid feel like a trampoline. You can expect that the ball is going to launch quite easily from the club face.
In the end, senior golfers will find that the hybrid becomes their favorite golf club in the bag; the Big Bertha B21 is one club that senior golfers have come to trust and believe in. Regardless of if your golf ball is in the rough or in the fairway, the B21 can deliver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions that we are asked about the best hybrids for high handicappers and beginners.
What To Look For When Buying Hybrid Golf Clubs for High Handicappers and Beginners?
A high handicap golfer needs a specific type of hybrid. If you have struggled with hybrids that just don’t feel right or cause you more trouble than they are worth, chances are you just chose the wrong one.
Here are a few tips for making sure you get the perfect hybrid for your game.
Shaft
Probably the most important part of any golf club is the shaft you choose. If you choose something too heavy or too stiff, you will be making the game much harder on yourself.
The general rule of thumb is that if you can hit a seven iron further than 160 yards, you should swing a stiff shaft. Anything less than 140, and you need a light shaft. If you are right in the middle, a regular will work best.
All hybrids are going to need a graphite shaft in them. If you come across an older club that has a steel shaft, this is not a good option for a higher handicapper to put in their golf bag. Let somebody else mess with that one and get yourself the proper equipment!
Forgiveness
A hybrid for the higher handicap golfer needs to have a large sweet spot and a low center of gravity. The combination of these two things will help when you do not this the center of the clubface.
As a high handicapper, this likely happens quite often, and if you want a genuine replacement for your long irons, you need a forgiving hybrid.
Loft
Hybrids golf clubs come in a variety of lofts. Most of them are made to replace your long irons, so you will see a 6, 5, 4, and 3H most commonly. Some brands offer the 7H and the 2H. For a high handicapper, it is best to stick with the five or 4H.
These clubs will have just the right amount of loft to help you get the ball in the air with optimal ball flight. As you get better, you can fill in with other hybrid golf clubs.
Adjustability
We have said this many times before, getting an adjustable golf club is like getting two or three clubs for the price of one. Especially in the case of the higher handicap golfer, you will want to change the club as your game changes.
If you start struggling with a slice, set the hybrid to close. Having trouble with a hook, try opening the face a little.
Distance
The vast majority of higher handicappers are looking for extra distance. You can rest assured that all game improvement type hybrids are going to take distance into account.
Key terminology to look for when you want an option that travels far are things like, “speed,” “ball speed,” and “moment of inertia.” If the golf hybrid club you choose has words like this in its description, you will be more than satisfied with the length.
If you have hybrids from several years ago and you are wondering if it could be time to replace them, we can help. Most of the time, a hybrid purchased in the last five years will still have very relevant distance technology. Anything outside of that is most likely ready for an upgrade.
Set Makeup
As a higher handicapper, it can be confusing to make sure that you have the correct setup as far as lofts and lies are concerned in your golf bag. Ultimately what you want to try and do is have an option for every situation that you may run into on the golf course.
If fairway woods are not your thing, you can carry extra hybrids. If hybrids are new for you, it’s completely acceptable only to have one.
When it comes to irons for the higher handicappers, it really does not make sense to carry things like three irons and four irons. These irons are too challenging to hit and cannot perform out of difficult lies the way hybrids do.
Try to make sure that your golf bag has a mix of clubs to give you a variety of ball flight, distance, and control. If you do this, your set will last you for many years, even as your scores start to go down.
Pricing
A hybrid golf club is going to cost between $100 and $350. As a single club, they are not all that expensive, but when you think about adding three or four to your bag, things can get a bit pricey.
As long as you purchase a quality club that works well for your game, you should be able to hold onto it for 7-10 years without replacing it. Looking at equipment that is 1-2 years old is where you will find your best value.
Conclusion
Choosing a new hybrid for your bag should be a fun process. Unfortunately, with the number of options on the market, it quickly becomes overwhelming.
Hopefully, our guide helped to give you a bit more direction into which of these works the best for your game. We strongly believe that the TaylorMade SIM MAX is a club that you would be pleased with.
With the speed pocket technology, premium shaft, and twist face providing you tons of help at impact, it’s hard to say many bad things about the SIM MAX. The only problem will be the price tag when you want to add four or five of these to your bag!