6 Hybrid Golf Club: Distance, Loft, Pros, Cons

The 6 hybrid golf club is a mix of two types of clubs, and it has a fun story.

Even though people started playing around with this idea back in the 70s, the first hybrid came out in 1998 with something called the Cobra Golf’s Baffler. This new club was like an iron and fairway wood mash-up, quickly making it a favorite among golf players.

But the 6 hybrid is newer and rarer. What’s the story with it?

Quick answer: The 6 hybrid golf club is like a mix of a 6 iron and a fairway wood. Its loft angle is between 27 ° and 29 °, similar to a 6 iron. It’s a good choice for beginners, seniors, and golfers with slower swing speeds. For men, it can cover distances from 140 to 175 yards; for women, it’s around 80 to 135 yards. This club helps hit the ball higher and further, making the game easier.

When I’m working with students, I often recommend hybrids to newer golfers. But they’re not for everyone. If you play with clubs that don’t suit your game, you may never reach your potential. Be sure to read to the end to see if this one fits you well.

In this article, we’ll dig into all things 6 Hybrid, covering topics like:

• The pros and cons of using a 6 hybrid
• Who should use a 6 hybrid
• How far should the ball go with a 6 hybrid
• What’s the deal with the loft of a 6 hybrid
• Some of the best 6 hybrids you can get

So, let’s jump right in, no holding back, and aim straight for the pin as we explore the 6 Hybrid!

Overview: The 6 Hybrid Golf Club

Like all hybrids, the 6 hybrid golf club aims to help golfers who struggle with hitting longer irons and fairway woods. Initially, the hybrid design was meant to be an option for clubs such as the 2, 3, and 4 iron, which are generally more difficult to hit for many golfers.

But the 6 hybrids came later. Over the years, the hybrid craze has morphed into something that covers clubs with much greater lofts and is equivalent to 5, 6, 7, and even more lofted irons. While this was never the original intent, the design could conceivably help higher handicapped, senior, female, and junior golfers.

6 Hybrid vs 6 Iron

The 6 hybrid design has more weight in the back of the head and a more forgiving, larger face than a 6 iron. This allows golfers with slower swing speeds to hit the ball higher and longer, more consistently from any lie.

You might have wondered before reading, what is the iron equivalent of a 6 hybrid? With a loft between 27º – 29º, the 6 hybrid is equivalent to a 6 iron. However, the similarities between the two really end at the loft. The design of a 6 hybrid head differs significantly from the 6 iron design.

A hybrid has much more mass and weight behind the head, similar to the design and look of a fairway wood. But the face size is similar to an iron.

A 6 hybrid is really a beefed-up 6 iron, which allows golfers that have slower swing speeds and find the center of the clubface less often to be able to find some success with their shots.

Longer irons, like 6 irons, are harder to hit for golfers in those categories mentioned above because to hit longer irons and gain their benefits, you need to create a certain minimum clubhead speed for them to fly as intended. Many golfers can not do this.

As a result, lower lofted irons tend to go much lower than intended, and golfers who can not create the required clubhead speed see little to no difference between the distances they hit their middle to long irons.

Let’s look at a few pros and cons of the 6 hybrids because everything that may benefit one may not be for others.

Pros of the 6 Hybrid

• Easy to launch the ball higher, which allows for a softer landing.
• A higher shot apex allows for a more descending and softer landing.
• Able to achieve the carry distance the club’s loft was intended for.
• Forgiving off of mishits is much more than what a six-iron would be.
• Offers an exceptional turf interaction, especially in the rough, where an iron may snag.

Cons of the 6 Hybrid

• Faster-swinging players risk ballooning shots.
• It will land soft when hit properly, which means little to no rollout.
• The look and feel won’t appeal to golfers.

Read more: The Best Golf Hybrid Clubs for Seniors

Who Is the 6 Hybrid Meant For?

The 6 hybrid is meant for golfers with slower swing speeds who need help to hit a more traditional six-iron.

These golfers who should use a hybrid include:

• Beginner Golfers
• Higher Handicap Golfers
• Seniors Golfers
• Female Golfers
• Junior Golfers

The 6 hybrid is not a club for faster swinging or better golfers, and it would serve no purpose for them. In fact, they may even be at a disadvantage in hitting them as their faster swing speeds will cause shots to balloon and go too high.

Read more: The Best Hybrids for High Handicappers

6 Hybrid Distance

The distance a 6 hybrid can cover varies based on the player’s swing speed. For men with slow, medium, and fast swing speeds, the distances are around 140 yards (128 meters), 160 yards (146 meters), and 175 yards (160 meters), respectively.

For women, the 6 hybrid distances are around 80 yards (73 meters), 110 yards (101 meters), and 135 yards (123 meters), respectively, with slow, medium, and fast swing speeds.

The loft angles for a 6 hybrid typically range between 27 ° – 29 °.

As mentioned above, not all manufacturers create their 6 hybrid lofts the same, including the loft the club may have. That specification, combined with the length of the club and the lie angle, will produce slight differences in the results.

Making a chart and determining how far any club will travel is not an exact science but rather an educated guess. Below is a result of my scouring the internet and combining my 27 years of experience into what I found.

CLUB	Average Degrees of Loft	WOMEN SLOW	WOMEN MED.	WOMEN FAST	MEN SLOW	MEN MED.	MEN FAST
6 Hybrid	27º – 29º	80 yards	110 yards	135 yards	140 yards	160 yards	175 yards
5 Hybrid	24º – 26º	85 yards	120 yards	145 yards	145 yards	168 yards	190 yards
4 Hybrid	21º – 23º	90 yards	127 yards	155 yards	150 yards	176 yards	200 yards
3 Hybrid	19º – 20º	100 yards	135 yards	165 yards	157 yards	184 yards	215 yards
2 Hybrid	16º – 18º	110 yards	143 yards	175 yards	164 yards	192 yards	225 yards
3 Wood	13º – 16.5º	120 yards	155 yards	190 yards	175 yards	208 yards	250 yards
Driver	9º – 10.5º	150 yards	175 yards	210 yards	200 yards	220 yards	275 yards

6 Hybrid Loft

Most 6 hybrids have a loft between 27º and 29º. However, some manufacturers may have their version of the 6 hybrid one degree higher or lower than that range.

Here are some examples of 6 hybrid lofts from popular golf clubs:

• Callaway Paradym X: 27º loft
• PING G430: 30º loft
• Taylormade Stealth 2: 28º loft
• Titleist TSR1: 26º loft
• Srixon Zx Mk II: 28º loft

You can learn more about these great 6 hybrids below, you should check out if you are a candidate for one; not all manufacturers produce 6 hybrids the same.

The Best 6 Hybrids You Can Buy

As noted, the Hybrid was originally intended to be a substitute for the long iron. In recent years, however, the Hybrid market has taken on a life of its own. You can now find hybrid offerings from all manufacturers with lofts as high as even a wedge…crazy, I know!

Below are some of today’s best and highest-rated 6 hybrids on the market.

Callaway Paradym X

Loft	Length	Lie	Cost
27º	39.50”	58.50º	$300.00

The Callaway Paradym series is a hot pick in 2023. It has been extremely favorably reviewed by many of golf’s most respected club review panels and experts. Although I have not hit this club, I would absolutely trust the reviews.

PING G430

Loft	Length	Lie	Cost
30º	38.75”	59.00º	$325.00

The PING G430 is another highly favorably reviewed hybrid in 2023. This is a club I have indeed hit, although not in the 6 hybrid loft. Regardless, even with the 4 hybrid that I hit, I was impressed with the look and feel of this club. The results were also great, as I got great height and distance.

TaylorMade Stealth 2

Loft	Length	Lie	Cost
28º	39.25”	61.50º	$300.00

There is always a massive buzz around TAYLORMADE Golf and any club they put out. The same applies to the Stealth 2 series, including their hybrids. This is another club I have hit, but once again, in a loft other than the 6 hybrid.

In this case, I hit the 4 hybrid. As with the PING G430, I liked the TAYLORMADE for the same reasons. I recommend it, however, and you will see it is not my go-to for a hybrid in a bit.

Titleist TSR1

Loft	Length	Lie	Cost
26º	39.50”	58.00º	$300.00

The TITLEIST TSR1 series is another hot pick in 2023. This club, like the others mentioned here, has been favorably reviewed by all of the game’s most respected club review panels and experts. As I said about the Callaway Paradym X series, I have not hit this club, but I would absolutely trust the reviews on the TITLEIST TSR1 hybrids.

Srixon Zx Mk II

Loft	Length	Lie	Cost
28º	38.75”	59.00º	$249.99

This club is my jam! I have been on staff with Srixon and Cleveland Golf for nearly 15 years. I play the clubs and balls, wear the gloves, and rock Srixon and Cleveland gear faithfully, and I love their offerings.

Currently, I am carrying the Srixon ZX MK II family of woods, hybrids, and irons. I also carry the Cleveland RTX6 Zipcore RAW wedges.

The hybrid I carry is the 4, which has a 22° loft. I have indeed hit the 6 hybrid in this model, which carries a loft of 28°, and although it is not a specific loft I would typically prefer to use, I could tell that it would be a banger for someone who needed a hybrid in this loft set up.

The Srixon ZX MK II hybrids are beautiful to the eye, set up visually well behind the ball, and perform outstandingly. No doubt about it, this is my favorite hybrid on the market!

Tips To Help You Hit The 6 Hybrid

The following are great tips and things to remember when hitting a hybrid. Remember, although these clubs are built to help golfers, you must be aware of a few things when hitting them to succeed.

Tip #1 – Hybrids Need To Be Hit Like an Iron

A hybrid, like irons, requires you to have more of a descending approach into the ball at impact, with the hands leading slightly and a divot taken just after impact.

You want to resist the urge to “sweep” the ball off the ground at impact. Be aggressive at impact, with the hands slightly leading, and take a nice shallow divot.

Tip #2 – Hybrids Have A Square Clubface

It is common to look down at a higher lofted hybrid, like a 6 hybrid, at address and think, “Man, that looks open” when it is not.

A hybrid’s bulkier design may look a little open at address, and you may instinctively close the face.

In most cases, I say, resist that urge. It can merely be an illusion that the face is sitting open at address.

Tip #3 – Sole The Club Appropriately

This is an excellent tip for any club in the bag, but even more so with a higher lofted hybrid, like a 6 hybrid.

Golf clubs are designed to sit with the sole and center of the club flat on the ground. As long as you have an appropriate club length and lie for your body, the club’s lie angle is designed so that the toe or heel should match up and be level at address.

When I look at my golfers down the line view in set up, I do not want to see excessive “daylight” under the toe or the heel and am looking to see a club that is soled very level. Sometimes, with higher lofted hybrids, like with the 6, you will see the toe up too much.

Having the toe up too much may cause shots to start too much to the left, and of course, the opposite will be true with a heel that is up more than the toe. In that case, shots will start right too much.

FAQs

Do Any PGA Tour Pros Use 6 Hybrid?

PGA Tour Professionals generally do not hit a hybrid with any more loft than the equivalent of a 3 or 4 iron. These players have enough clubhead speed to hit irons with the loft of a 6 hybrid very well and accurately without the aid of a hybrid design.

Are 6 Hybrids Easy to Hit?

Yes, for the most part, any hybrid made by a top manufacturer will deliver ease of use. The one thing I caution against is better players, with higher swing speeds reaching for a 6 hybrid. Those with faster swing speeds could see shots balloon with higher lofted hybrids.

What Distances Does a 6 Hybrid Go?

The carry distance of a 6 hybrid all depends on the golfer and their swing speed. In very general terms golfers can expect the following based on gender and swing speed:

• Men with slow swing speed- 140 yds
• Men with medium swing speed- 160 yds
• Men with fast swing speed- 175 yds
• Women with slow swing speed- 80 yds
• Women with medium swing speed- 110 yds
• Women with fast swing speed- 135 yds

Final Thoughts

The 6 hybrid golf club is a great choice for golfers with slower swing speeds. Its unique design is a boon for higher handicappers, seniors, females, and junior golfers, making the game enjoyable and easier to play. This club strikes a nice balance, offering the ease of a fairway wood and the precision of a 6 iron, proving to be a valuable addition to the golf bag.