The Expert Guide for Junior Hybrids
If you are thinking about adding a club or two to your kids golf bag, you might be wondering, which club should I add next? A hybrid, wedge, or fairway wood? In order to understand which might be the next best club for your child, we will discuss when it’s beneficial to use a hybrid on the golf course and which manufacturers offer junior hybrid single clubs. We’ll also go through our top picks for junior hybrids currently on the market. Feel free to checkout all of our Youth Hybrid Golf Clubs.
Why and When to Use a Hybrid?
Having at least one hybrid in your child’s golf bag makes a lot of sense. Most kids hit hybrids with more accuracy than fairway woods and can more easily hit hybrids off the fairway than fairway woods. Your child’s distances might be slightly shorter with a hybrid, but the increased accuracy might be worth it depending on your kid’s experience level. Hybrids are also great for getting out of high grass or tough lies. That’s why many manufacturers call hybrids “rescue” clubs.
What’s Available in Junior Hybrids?
Manufacturers that sell single clubs offer one or two hybrid options in their junior sizes. If they offer just one junior hybrid, the manufacturer calls it just a “hybrid” with no number attached, but it is most likely similar to a 4 hybrid. To verify, we recommend checking the loft which can be found on the product features section. A typical 4 junior hybrid has a loft of around 24 degrees. If the manufacturer offers two hybrid options, they are typically a 3 Hybrid and a 4 Hybrid. Some manufacturers offer 5 hybrids, which feature lofts greater than 24 degrees. Keep in mind that the higher the loft, the greater the accuracy, but the distance will be shorter.
As with most junior golf clubs, finding left-handed junior hybrids will be more challenging, but AllKidsGolfClubs.com offers the largest selection of left handed hybrids you will find, so your left handed child isn’t “left” out. Additionally, we’ve searched far and wide to find you the smallest hybrid on the market which is appropriate for children as young as 2 years old!
How We Select Which Hybrid to Purchase
Determine the lofts of your child’s current woods: In order to set your child up for the most success, it is very important to know the loft of the hybrids and fairway woods your child currently plays with so that you can add the most appropriate club that will bridge the largest gap between his/her current clubs. In most cases, the clubs’ lofts are not found on the clubs themselves, so you will have to do some research online to locate your child’s current clubs and determine the lofts of these clubs currently in his bag. You can find this information on the product specs section of the product detail page at an online retailer.
There are no standard lofts: You might be aware that for adult and kids golf clubs alike, there is no standard loft for each club type. For example, the loft of a 4 hybrid child’s golf club could range anywhere between 24 and 29 degrees. For some manufacturers, the lofts even change as the size of the junior hybrid changes. So in these instances, the loft on a hybrid for a 3-5 year old would be highest with the loft decreasing in each age range with the lowest loft on the teen hybrids. This large variation in lofts is why it is so important to know the lofts of your child’s current clubs because otherwise you might be placing two similar clubs in your child’s golf bag even though they are named differently.
The Junior Hybrid Golf Clubs We Recommend
Top Choice: Lynx Ai
There is so much we love about the Lynx Ai hybrids for juniors! The Lynx Ai Junior Hybrids are made using artificial intelligence so that each club in every size range is the very best it can be. For example, the Lynx Ai hybrids feature a different (but optimal) loft in each of its six (yes six!) junior height ranges so that the child will experience the best distance and accuracy possible. Each size range also features the most optimal shaft flex, club length and head weight based on artificial intelligence. Lynx offers both a 3 Hybrid and 4 Hybrid as well as right and left handed options in all of its six height ranges. These clubs are available for kids starting at 45 inches tall. So no worries if your child is left handed, Lynx has you covered.
Lynx manufactures its junior clubs in four-inch size ranges. So when selecting the proper size Lynx clubs, measure your child with his shoes on and select the club that best matches his current height. So in summary, Lynx is our number one choice due to the large number of options available (6 height ranges and two hybrid options all available in both left and right handed) combined with clubs manufactured using the newest technology on the market. And at $62.99, they won’t break the bank. You just can’t go wrong with the Lynx Ai hybrids.
Our Selection of Lynx Ai Junior Hybrids
Best on a Budget: Tour Edge Bazooka Max-J
Tour Edge is a quality name in golf and they bring the same top of the line technology from their adult clubs into their junior line. The Tour Edge hybrids are available at a great price point of only $39.99, so if your child is new to the game and you’re not looking to spend a fortune on junior golf clubs, Tour Edge might be the ticket. They only offer one hybrid in their junior line, and it is most similar to a 5 hybrid which has a 29 degree loft. The red version is available in three junior size options, ages 3-5, 5-8 and 9-12, and in both left and right handed. Tour Edge has taken it a step further and also offers pink hybrids for girls in its three age ranges as well, but unfortunately the pink Tour Edge junior hybrids are only available in right hand.
Our Selection of Tour Edge Bazooka Max-J Hybrids
Best New Junior Hybrids for 2024: Tour X
Merchants of golf is not the most common name in golf, but they make a great line of golf clubs for kids through their brand Tour X. All of their clubs have been redesigned for 2024, and the kids are loving them. New for 2024 is a striking black PVD matte finish on the club head with a laser-engraved “X” on the face which facilitates effortless target impact. Tour X junior hybrids are available in four junior size ranges. Tour X offers both a 3 Hybrid and 4 Hybrid in three of its size ranges (Ages 5-7 Yellow, Ages 8-11 Red and Ages 12-14 Orange). The 3 Hybrid has an 18 degree loft for all three age ranges (right hand only) and the 4 Hybrid has a 24 degree loft and is available in both right and left hand.
Tour X also offers the smallest hybrid on the market, for children as small as 30 inches tall. This 4 hybrid for toddlers is only 22.5 inches long and available in both right and left hand.
Our Selection of Tour X Hybrids
We Recommend Hybrids for Beginners and More Advanced Players
Hybrids are easier to hit than fairway woods, and due to the higher loft and smaller head size, they lead to more accurate shots too. Because of these features, it’s a great club for a beginner junior golfer. As your child advances in his golf journey, adding a second hybrid with a lower loft to his bag is recommended.