Best hybrids 2020
Published:
Best Hybrids 2020: We bring you our best hybrids of 2020 - tried and tested as part of our biggest ever golf club equipment guide, Top Gear.
In our biggest ever equipment test we reviewed hundreds of golf clubs, and when it came to selecting the best hybrids of 2020, these were our top 10 on the market right now:
Cleveland Launcher Halo
RRP: £179
Lofts: 2H (16°) / 3H (19°) / 4H (22°)
Stock shafts: Miyazaki C Kua 60
Adjustable hosel: No
Cleveland Launcher Halo hybrid review:
There’s a whole new trend growing around making equipment for more casual, less serious golfers – those who just want to play the game for fun and not bother being fitted. If that’s you, then the Halo is a brilliant option for very sensible money. The head has a mid-width size and a matt black crown that’s really attractive. Three sole rails make it easy to flight shots out of all sorts of lies, too
What do you give up for not getting fitted? Our data suggests about five yards (against our longest hybrid), which many golfers will see as a very fair trade considering the price. We see the Halo as a very versatile hybrid. It’s much more useful and friendly than a traditional 3- or 4-iron, and it adds fun. If the truth be known, it probably delivers just the type of performance club golfers don’t believe is possible in the long game.
Cobra King Speedzone
RRP: £189
Lofts: 2H (17°) / 3H (19°) / 4H (21°) / 5H (24°)
Stock shafts: UST Recoil 480
Adjustable hosel: No
Cobra King Speedzone hybrid review:
Even though the Speedzone gave up 12 yards of carry against our longest hybrid, and 2.4% forgiveness (carry distance drop-off) over the most forgiving hyrbid, we still feel this is an excellent hybrid option for 2020.
Our test pro said the cute little head shape was everything club golfers need in a hybrid. Simple crown graphics create a cup shape behind the ball, which really inspires confidence. Face grooves stop short of going the whole way across the face (which focuses attention on the impact location) and we love the matt black crown.
A very fair price for a lovely hybrid, which is more than capable of doing a great job in most club golfers’ bags.
Ping G410
RRP: £225
Lofts: 2H (17°) / 3H (19°) / 4H (22°) / 5H (26°) / 6H (30°)
Stock shafts: Five premium options
Adjustable hosel: Yes, loft can be increased or decreased by up to 1.5°
Ping G410 hybrid review:
Not many brands will admit to making their hybrids 6.5% bigger (the G410 is a mid-wide head), but it’s exactly what Ping did with the G410 (over the G400). The idea not only improves forgiveness, but also tailors the hybrid down to the eye of the typical type of golfer who’ll buy them, which is those looking for extra confidence in the long game.
We loved the lively feel off the G410’s fast face, and how the aerodynamic turbulators and face grooves focus attention on the back of the ball at address. Like a lot of Ping equipment right now, the G410 is a really solid option.
Our thinking’s backed up by a second longest carry in our test (222 yards v the 226-yard TaylorMade SIM Max) and how G410 was our joint highest flying hybrid, which means shots drop out of the sky and stop on a green from distance.
TaylorMade SIM Max
RRP: £229
Lofts: 3H (19°) / 4H (22°) / 5H (25°) / 6H (28°) / 7H (31°)
Stock shafts: Fujikura Ventus Blue
Adjustable hosel: No
TaylorMade SIM Max hybrid review:
TaylorMade invented the hybrid category with the original Rescue back in the early 2000s, so it’s unsurprising they’re right at the sharp end of the market today. The SIM Max is part of a long line of award- winning TaylorMade hybrids and it’s both powerful, forgiving and good looking, too.
We love the mid-width head shape, it sits really square at address and unlike some its chalk and charcoal cosmetics gives a really friendly and forgiving look. SIM Max was our longest hybrid of 2020 (average carry 226 yards), so it’s an excellent option for club golfers looking to replace long and mid irons.
A 16-yard carry drop-off (7%) was under our test average, too, which also tells us SIM Max offers a great blend of power and, crucially, forgiveness.
Callaway Mavrik Pro
RRP: £249
Lofts: 2H (18°) / 3H (20°) / 4H (23°)
Stock shafts: KBS Tour Prototype 70g/80g
Adjustable hosel: No
Callaway Mavrik Pro hybrid review:
Everything Mavrik comes in threes (there are three drivers, fairways, hybrids and irons) but Mavrik Pro is our pick of Callaway hybrids in 2020. Our thinking comes down primarily to head shape; data has Mavrik and Mavrik Pro neck and neck on ball speed, launch, backspin and carry.
Where we love the Pro’s neat, attractive head shape, the rest of the family have bigger, wider heads with more offset. Mavrik Pro has a neutral shot bias whereas the regular Mavrik and Mavrik Max are more draw orientated, and there’s a more demanding KBS hybrid shaft so it’s not for everyone, but as far as “player” long iron replacements go, it’s a beauty.
Our data has it down as our joint second longest hybrid (222 yards) of 2020, with an 8.6% drop-off in carry on off-centre hits. That means its fast and long, but ultimately not the most forgiving, as you’d expect from a players’ hybrid.
Best Hybrid 2020 - How they compare in data
Hybrids 2020 - Best of the rest
PXG 0317 X Gen2
RRP: £375
Just like PXG’s fairway woods the 0317X hybrid can be set up as a low spin, forgiving
or shot-biased hybrid which puts ultimate tinkering and adjustability on the table, in a way most hybrids can’t compete with.
We love the mid-wide head shape, which is just as useful for rifling through rough as it is at nipping shots off compact sand in low-lipped fairway bunkers. Many won’t be able to justify the price. If you can, the PXG hybrid is a beauty.
ROBOT TESTED: Which golf ball suits your game?
Honma T//World XP-1
RRP: £269
2020 is the year game improvers who specifically need lighter club weights (to bolster speed) get to fill their boots, with so much equipment launched this year for this area of the market.
The XP-1 isn’t just draw biased, it’s lightweight too, and it pulls off that trick with a very attractive head shape and design, which is unheard of for the category. What’s really interesting is how the XP-1 gave our test pro his smallest carry drop-off (10 yards; 4.6%) which highlights brilliantly how forgiving hybrids really can be.
It’s another pick for Honma, who have a really solid line-up this year for a wide range of players.
36 SETS TESTED: Which forged iron is best? And which suits your game?
Callaway Apex
RRP: £249
It goes without saying with the Apex irons positioned as “player” models, the matching hybrid needs to perform in the hands of the same type of golfers. The thinking dictates Apex having a narrow body, with a centre of gravity closer to the face which lowers spin and adds speed, but also means a drop-off in forgiveness (Apex had a drop- off of 9%, compared to our test best of 4.6%).
This style of hybrid suits golfers who hit hybrids like irons, hitting down into the turf rather than sweeping wide-body models away like fairway woods. We were impressed by the simple, boxy head; there’s no alignment aid or distracting graphics, which for decent players is often the look they’re after.
READ NEXT: Best 2020 Spikeless golf shoes
Srixon Z H85
RRP: £179
At a time when prices are soaring, the Srixon is a very simple, unpretentious hybrid which can mix it up with the very best in terms of performance, without costing the earth.
It’s no secret Srixon have refocused attention on better players, and it’s that sort of player who’ll love the clean head design and full- face grooves, which don’t draw the eye. The mid-wide body is actually pretty forgiving, and with the H85 due to be replaced in 2020 you might well find one for a very reasonable price later in the year.
TESTED: Best Game Improver Irons 2020
Mizuno CLK
RRP: £219
We love how Mizuno now offer shaft options in every category at absolutely no upcharge. The idea’s really important, as we loved how the softer-tipped Mitsubishi Tensei Red in our sample helped pop shots up into the air and gave a very easy launch impression over some of the firmer shaft models.
Mizuno might not be front of most golfers’ minds when it comes to hybrids, but just like how Mizuno’s ST200 is a serious driver contender in 2020 the CLK deserves similar respect, too. A very attractive hybrid that we reckon will work in a lot of club golfers’ hands.
How forgiving is each Hybrid on mishits?
Our drop off data shows the difference between our test pro's fastest and slowest Ball Speeds. Highest to lowest Back and Side spin rates and longest to shortest Carry Distances. Giving essentially a guide to forgiveness.
