System Q Adrenaline Hybrid

I just got one of these for review. The weather still isn’t cooperating here in Michigan, so I’ll have to delay a proper review. Here’s what Hireko has to say:

Based upon our best selling hybrid of all time, the Power Play Adrenaline is more than just a face lift, it is a complete makeover. What is new is a score line pattern and grooves like an iron, improved weight distribution and a slightly larger size at address. Lastly, the addition of a unique uni-rail sole is designed to efficiently get through any lie.

However, a few things did not change. One of which is the hosel position ensures the Adrenaline hybrids are easy to align, easy to hit, accurate and forgiving. But don’t forget about the ultra-low center of gravity over any conventional iron which makes it a cinch for the ball gets up quickly and toward your target. As with the original, the Adrenaline hybrid is available as a full set. Never hit a #1 iron in your life? Now you can!

When regular irons can’t cut the mustard anymore, the Power Play Adrenaline hybrid is there to the rescue.

TAYLORMADE Rescue 11

TaylorMade’s Rescue 11 lets you adjust the club with flight control technology for 4 degrees of face angle change, 2 degrees of loft change, and 2 degrees of lie angle changes. A deeper face and lower center of gravity offer easier lanuch, while a white crown and black clubface offer easier alignment

You can get it at Golfsmith or use my ebay search results page for the Rescue 11 to do a little comparison shopping.

Pinemeadow Secret Weapon Hybrids

Designed along the lines of the classic “rail” style hybrid (there were several of those out before “hybrid” was a category unto itself), Pinemeadow’s “Secret Weapon” features a “V” sole for better performance out of bad lies. That “V” is supposed to keep the slubhead moving forward in a square position through impact. If you’re off the fairway on a regular basis, a “V” sole club just might be your go to weapon.

Pinemeadow’s Secret Weapon is built an inch longer than standard hybrid lengths for extra clubhead speed and thus more distance. Just remember to choke down on the awkward lies.

As with all of PineMeadow’s clubs, this comes with a 100% 30 Day Satisfaction guarantee. I’ve owned several PineMeadow clubs and have liked them all.

COBRA Baffler Rail H

The Baffler Rail Hybrid is the latest in what is a fairly venerable line of Cobra hybrids—now thirty five years old. The main feature is a “rail” on the sole, which reduces contact with the ground, apparently increasing forgiveness.

The press release follows:

NIKE Victory Red Hybrid

The new Nike line is all tagged with the moniker “Red,” which no doubt is supposed to bring to mind Tiger Woods and his trademark Sunday Red shirts. I wonder how that’s going to work for them ...

The Victory Red Hybrids, like the drivers of the same line have a “Compression Channel” that’s supposed to optimize compression for longer shots. They also apparently have toyed with the face angles and center of gravity to improve workability. Workability is not generally a term I associate with a hybrid, so we’ll see ...

Tour Edge Exotics XCG-V Hybrid

Tour Edge is known for producing high quality products at very reasonable prices. I’ve played several Tour Edge products over the years and have always thought highly of them.

With the Exotics line, however, Tour Edge has moved into the premium category. The Exotics Hybrid offer a titanium cup face and crown, combined with a heavy, high-density steel sole plate. A face that’s 25% larger than previous models offers a large sweet spot. With 80% of the club’s weight int he rear heel and toe, the club is designed to produce an extremely low spin weight for an optimal trajectory and maximum length. The heavy sole is v-shaped, sending more weight to the perimeter.

Good looking stuff.

GX2 Hybrid

Grade: B
Teacher’s Comments: Plays well, looks funny.

Following the trends set by name brand manufacturers, GigaGolf for 2009 has released the GX2 Hybrid in a square headed design. Like all of the geometric designs, the goal with the GX2 was to raise the moment of inertia, thus improving the results of off-center hits. GigaGolf says that the club’s sole has been designed to reduce friction by reducing surface area. An internal weight is supplsed to keep the center of gravity low and help produce long, high ball flights.

The clubface is built with forged 455 stainless steel, and feels hot at impact. The stock shaft performs well enough for this mid-handicapper, but I actually think I would have preferred a steel shaft.

And if a steel shaft is your thing, you can get it at GigaGolf. Using their online customizer, you can specify different grips, shafts, flexes and lengths.

In practice, I have enjoyed playing with the GX2. I have the 3-iron substitute, and it goes about as long as I would expect for a three iron, but with a much higher ball flight. I don’t like it as much as my five wood out of the short grass, but the GX2 much more effective out of the rough. In that lies the source of the constant tinkering of the contents of my bag. I can never decide whether to carry hybrids or fairway woods, or what mix thereof makes the most sense.

In spite of the advice I’ve been given about playing hybrids, I found the GX2 to be most effective when the ball is a little forward in the stance, like a fairway wood.

The club I received was professionally assembled, with the grip properly aligned, and the ferrule sitting flush to the hosel. There was no extra epoxy or glue marks.

My complaints with the GX2 are purely aesthetic—and they’re why I gave the club a “B”. To my eye, the small, square head looks for all the world like a Craftsman hammer on the end of a stick. It reminds me of that training club that was out a few years ago that was designed to look like a hammer head (who was the “famous” teacher who was promoting that one?). I’ve had a hard enough time getting used to the look of “regular” hybrids; the GX2 is just another leap for me to make.

But if odd looking heads don’t bother you, the GX2 may be just the club for your bag. I think the performance is solid, and the price—starting at under $40, depending upon how you configure it—is terrific.