As you may recall from the fairway section of the golf guide, I said that fairway woods were generally uninteresting clubs.  A good bit of the reason for that is the emergence of hybrid clubs.  Hybrids have found their way into an increasing number of golfer’s bags as replacements, not only for hard to hit long irons (as they were originally intended), but in some cases, they’re replacing fairway woods as well.

More recent designs have reflected this trend.  In the past few years we’ve seen hybrid clubheads grow to such an extent that, in many cases, the end product more closely resembles a short-shafted fairway wood than the original compact hybrid clubs that emerged earlier this decade.

For some, the larger heads inspire confidence.  To guys like me, they just look bulky.  Others still, the better golfers among us, favor designs more in step with the original hybrids because, old-school  hybrids (6 years ago) while more forgiving then long irons, still offer a level of workability that’s largely absent from the current generation of big-headed hybrids.

What’s great about 2009 is that not only are we seeing some great new hybrids hit the market, but some of the manufacturers (TaylorMade for example) are returning to their roots, and are once again, producing hybrids with compact heads.

Let’s look at the clubs…

TaylorMade 2009 Rescue Mid

It feels good for a self-confessed TaylorMade guy like myself to finally be excited about a TaylorMade hybrid again.  I’ve owned two hybrids in my life.  The first of them was the original Rescue Mid.  Unfortunately, subsequent offerings from TaylorMade have left me uninspired to say the least.  For me, it’s welcome news that TaylorMade is returning to its (hybrid) roots, and releasing a new and improved Rescue Mid with, and this is the import part, a compact head.

The 2009 Rescue Mid builds on the solid foundation of the original from 2003.  The bigger, bulkier, Burner style head has been replaced with a more compact design, which moves the emphasis of the club back towards playability.  That’s certainly not to imply that the new Rescue Mid is unforgiving.  The newest incarnation features an ultra-thin wall crown which has allowed the engineers at TaylorMade to lower the center of gravity.

The sole of the 2009 Rescue Mid features substantial heel and toe relief, which reduces the amount of the clubhead that comes into contact with the turf.  We’ve seen this approach several times already this year, so we know it’s all about decreasing resistance and improving playability from a variety of lies.

As is almost always the case with TaylorMade, there are both standard and Tour Preferred options available.  The most substantial difference between the two models is that the TP version includes TaylorMade’s adjustable shaft Flight Control Technology, which again, we’ve covered a couple of times already in this guide.

The standard version comes stock with the Aldila RE*AX shaft in lofts designed to replace your 2, 3, 4, or 5 iron.  Retail price is $199.

The Tour version comes stock with the Aldila Voodoo VS8 shaft.  Other shaft options include the Fujikura® Motore 85 graphite hybrid shaft and the Matrix Ozik Altus Hybrid graphite shaft.  The TP model is available in lofts designed to replace a 2, 3, or 4 iron.  Retail price when it hits store shelves early this spring is $249.  More information is available at www.taylormadegolf.com.

Titleist 909 Hybrid

I mentioned that I’ve owned two hybrids in my life.  The first an original TaylorMade Rescue Mid, the other a Titleist 505H; a club I’ll try and find any excuse to hit.  Quite frankly I had hoped Titleist would never release another hybrid because I didn’t want to deal with the temptation to purchase yet another golf club I probably don’t need.  God knows I couldn’t be happier with the 505.  Fortunately for you, and unfortunately for me, however; the Titleists 909 lineup also includes the new 909 H hybrid.  I probably should just go order one now.

Perhaps what’s most intriguing about the 909H is that it’s what Titleist calls a “progressive line of hybrids”.  What this means is that as you move through the various lofts, the size, shape, offset, and even the center of gravity progress.  Titleist claims this provides proper ball flight, workability, and trajectory control.  Given their reputation, I have no reason to doubt that they know what they’re doing.

Stock shaft offerings for the 909 H include the Titleist Aldila VooDoo Hybrid or the Titleist Mitsubishi Diamana Blue.  The 909H is available in lofts of 15°, 17°, 19°, 21°, 24°.  Retail price is $189.99

Cleveland Launcher Hybrid

With the original Halo phased out, Cleveland fans have seen two incarnations of the HiBore hybrd.  Finally, for 2009 Cleveland has created a new Launcher hybrid.  Apart from being (at least in my opinion) the best looking clubs Cleveland has produced over the last few years, the resurgence of the Launcher line has given those Cleveland fans, who aren’t necessarily fans of the sloped-back HiBore design, something to get excited about.

Just because it isn’t a HiBore doesn’t mean the Launcher isn’t all about forgiveness.  It’s face is 12% bigger than any hybrid Cleveland has ever produced, making it among the largest on the market today.  The Launcher hybrid features “Extended Horseshoe Perimeter Weighting”, which moves the clubhead’s mass low and deep.  The result is an MOI of 3000; Cleveland’s most forgiving hybrid ever.

As with all Cleveland woods, the stock shaft options are the Fujikura Fit-On Gold and Red.  Available lofts include 15.5° (1 iron), 18° (2 iron) 20.5° (3 iron, 23° (4 iron), and 26° (5 iron).  Retail price for the Cleveland Launcher Hybrid is a relatively inexpensive $149.99

Nickent 5DX Iron-Wood

Nickent, the self-proclaimed King of Hybrids™ has really made a name for itself in the brief history of the hybrid club.  While overall the Nickent name is not as well-known as some of the other manufacturers you’ll find in this year’s Guide, their clubs are in play on the PGA, Nationwide, and Champions Tour.  They’ve also built up quite a following among everyday golfers who’ve fallen in love the performance of Nickent products.

Nickent is billing their new 5DX as the longest, straightest hybrid they’ve ever created.  The highlight of the 5DX is the “wings” on the back of the club.  As with all perimeter weighting systems, the wings are their to optimize the center of gravity and increase MOI.  They’re strategically placed not only for performance, but also to not cause any distraction to the golfer’s sight lines.

In addition to the “wings”, the 5DX incorporates XW (extreme weighting) inserts into the rear of the clubhead.  These tungsten-polymer plugs combined with the wings, result in what Nickent calls a “super-high” MOI; an astounding 3130.  Like other clubs we’ve looked at so far, the 5DX features a contoured sole to reduce contact with the turf.  The variable thickness technology helps to create more consistent ball speeds across the entirety of the face.

The 5DX comes stock with the Fujikura Level 5ive shaft.  It’s available in lofts designed to replace a 1-iron through a 6-iron with strong lofts in between.  Retail price for the 5DX iron-wood is $199.99.

TourEdge Exotics XCG-V

I’m including the TourEdge Exotics XCG-V here, not jut because I promised I’d have a lot to say about TourEdge, but mostly because there’s something unique about their newest hybrid.  All of the other hybrids we’ve looked at so far are constructed primarily (if not entirely) from one form of steel or another, the XCG-V, however; a large part of the clubhead it made from titanium.

Before we get to the titanium thing…The XCG-V is 25% larger than previous Exotics hybrids.  It also has the largest hot zone (sweet spot) of any Exotics hybrid to date.  So you may be thinking “ok, titanium, so what?”  While I’m not a scientist, I can tell you that titanium weighs considerably less than steel (which is why they make drivers out of it).  By using a titanium cup face and crown, TourEdge was able to relocate an astounding 30 grams of of weight from the face and crown to the high density steel sole plate.  This results in that 80% of the total mass of the clubhead is right where you want it; low and deep.  The XCG-V has the deepest CG of any Exotics hybrid.

The TourEdge Exotics XCG-V hybrid comes stock with a GraphiteDesigns Exotics Tour shaft.  It’s available in lofts of  16° (2 iron), 18° (3 iron), 21° (4 iron), and 24° (5 iron).  Retail price is $249.99.

Mizuno MX-700

I haven’t had too much to say thus far about Mizuno woods.  Mostly that has to do with the fact that the press releases detailing the new MX-700 lineup weren’t released until after I had already completed the Driver and Fairway Woods section of the Golf Guide.  Fortunately we were able to sneak the MX-700 hybrid in just under the wire.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Mizuno is calling the MX-700 series the longest, most-forgiving woods the company has ever produced.  They hybrid is no exception.  The new club features an ultra-light ES230 steel face plasma welded to a 431 stainless steel body.  The combination comes together to create what Mizuno calls “Hot Metal” technology; an extremely responsive head, with increased COR for higher ball speeds across the face.  All of this translates to more distance.

The MX-700 also features a “drop-down” crown which helps to lower the CG, making it extremely easy to get the ball in the air.  The drop-down crown is also part of a new design that allows the lie and loft of the MX-700 to be adjusted; a rarity in a hybrid club.  Early reports are that the alignment aid on the crown can be a bit distracting, but that any apprehension dissipates once you’ve hit your first ball with the new hybrid.

The Mizuno MX-700 hybrid is available in lofts fo 17°, 20°, 23°, and 26°.  Retail price is $200.

Look for more information at mizunousa.com/golf

Cobra Baffler TWS & 2009 Baffler Pro

Cobra’s 2009 lineup is as impressive as any in golf, but it certainly wouldn’t be complete without an update to their crazy-popular Baffler hybrids.  This year, Cobra has introduced the TWS (Triple Weighting System), which, as the name suggests, involves 3 strategically placed internal weight pads.  Those pads, along with the Fastback crown (think HiBore-esque), are designed to create the perfect balance of high MOI and low CG.  As is almost always the case with new clubs, the TWS is the best Baffler Cobra has produced to date.

The redesigned Baffler’s head features a larger face area that incorporates a Maraging steel face for higher ball speed.  The new contoured sole improves playability from a variety of lies, while the stock Aldila DVS HL 65 gram shaft provides optimum launch conditions.

Available in lofts of 16°, 18°, 20°, 23°, 26°, and 29° the Baffler TWS is designed for all golfers looking for more versatility from their hybrid clubs.

For 2009 Cobra has also introduced the new Baffler Pro.  It features a more compact head for improved shotmaking.  It also offers what Cobra is calling a “Tour Preferred Setup”, which you can bet means a neutral face alignment,  and a lower trajectory (higher CG) ball flight.  Like some of the clubs from its sister company, Titleist, the Baffler Pro will include a factory installed swing weight adjustment screw, the actual weight of which will vary based on the particular shaft you choose.

The other big feature of the Baffler Pro is a longer hosel which, like hybrid clubs from Mizuno and Bobby Jones, will allow the lie and loft of the club to be adjusted.

The Baffler Pro comes stock with either the Fujikura Speeder graphite or DynamicGold S300 shaft.  Upgrade charges range from $35 to $75.      Available in lofts of 16°, 18°, 20°, and 23°, the Baffler Pro is better suited for the low handicap golfer.

More information about both clubs is available at www.cobragolf.com.

Bobby Jones Workshop Hybrid

Although it won’t hit store shelves until around April, I fully expect there will be a ton of interest in the new Workshop Edition hybrid from Jesse Ortiz and Bobby Jones Golf.  Information on the new club is still a bit spotty, but I wanted to share with you what little I have.  The new club is anything but a radical departure from the Player’s Series hybrids that came out a few years ago.  The shape of the club will be very similar.

The head is assembled from a Maraging Steel face and crown.  There’s only a hint of offset, which better players should find appealing.  It’s possible that the new model could prove to be less forgiving than the original because of the addition of a new, longer hosel which has raised the center of gravity a bit.  Like we’ve seen from others on this list, the longer hosel allows for the lie and loft of the club to be adjusted.  Like the original, the Workshop Edition will offer a contoured sole for playability from a variety of lies.  The Bobby Jones sole design emerged with the Player’s Series hybrid, and has spawned very similar designs from other companies.

No word on pricing yet, but I’d expect retail price to be in the $200 range.  I don’t have shaft information either, but you can bet the JS-7 will be in the mix.  More information will eventually be available at www.bobbyjonesgolf.com.  For now, I suggest you check out this interview with Jesse Ortiz on Tony Korologos’ HookedOnGolfBlog.

The conventional wisdom has been that the Titleist brand is designed for pros and other low handicap golfers – guys better than you, while the Cobra brand is more for the average golfer. To some extent that has certainly been true but, take a look at Cobra’s PGA roster (which includes Camilo Villegas, Ian Poulter, and now fan favorite, Jason Gore), and it’s clear; Cobra is making serious sticks for serious golfers.

In 2008, the big news from Cobra is the follow up to its HUGELY popular Baffler Hybrid. Check any golf forum, anywhere; you won’t find a more highly regarded, more frequently praised club. No doubt that demand for the the highly anticipated 2008 baffler will be high.

While no new fairway woods have been announced yet for 2008 (expect a matching set for the L4V driver series), Cobra’s 2008 lineup sill has a lot to get excited about.

Drivers

As they did last year with the Speed series, Cobra is once again releasing 3 versions of its L4V men’s driver. All 3 feature carbon composite construction on both the sole and crown. The now familiar bullet shape of last year’s model is also common to the L4V lineup. The appearance gives it the look of compromise between a conventionally shaped round driver, and the triangular shape of the Titleist 907D1. The crown of the L4V has a couple of indentions that look (to me anyway) like a large snake bite. My best guess is that Cobra removed material from the crown in order to reposition some of that discretionary weight lower in the clubhead.

For the faster swingers among us, the guys who generate enough ball speed to carry 265+, the L4V X is the club. Like all L4V drivers, it comes stock with a Mitsubishi Diamana RedBoard shaft. Even on the X model, the stock shaft weighs a relatively light 62 grams.

For most golfers, the L4V F will likely prove to be the right choice. With the F model, Cobra is targeting golfers with swings speeds from 87-108 MPH, or who carry the ball 220-275 yards. The L4V F also comes stock with the Diamana RedBoard shaft, however, at just under 58 grams it’s lighter than the X version. Cobra is claiming, as Nike did with the SUMO², that the L4V reaches the USGA limitations on MOI. This means the L4V F should be the most forgiving driver Cobra has ever produced.

For golfers with slower swing speeds (I won’t say how slow, we don’t want to embarrass anybody), Cobra offers the L4V M. What’s most significant about the M is that it’s the first Cobra driver with a draw bias built into the head. The other bit of noteworthiness about the M driver is it comes stock with what I’d call and ultra-ultra-lightweight RedBoard shaft.

The shaft on last year’s TaylorMade Burner was considered ultra-light at 55 grams. By way of comparison, the shaft on the new Cobra L4V M weighs in at an astoundingly light 52 grams. Even if your a huge hitter, the M might be worth a look, if for no other reason than to find out how much clubhead speed you can generate.

It’s a point I’ve made before; as club manufacturers reach the limits of COR and MOI they’re going to have to look elsewhere to find the added distance to differentiate their products from the pack. We’ve seen so far both Nike and Callaway are looking to the ball. I’m guessing that Cobra and other’s are attempting to find that same bit of oomf from the shaft.

I could go either way with a Cobra driver. My swing characteristics put me on the cusp between the X and the F models. I’m going to let foolish pride get in the way of forgiveness. Let’s bag the L4V X and move on.

Fairway Woods

As I’ve already said, there is nothing new yet. I’m expecting that in the very near future we’ll see a 3 pack to match the drivers.

Hybrids

While I’m a little more likely than the average golfer to get excited about things like interchangeable shafts, and new custom fitting systems, the new 2008 Baffler hybrid is enough to make just about any golfer excited, or at least twitch like he’s had too much caffeine.

The 2008 Baffler is available in men’s, women’s, senior, and Pro models. At the risk of offending some people, I’m not a senior, and I’m not a woman, so I won’t be covering either of those in detail. Granted, I’m also not a pro, but a man has to have his dreams, and I won’t let you take that from me. I won’t.

While you could almost argue that the previous Baffler was so good, and so popular that it didn’t really need an update, Cobra went ahead and updated it anyway. By the looks of things, they did one hell of a job.

The new Baffler features a new heal to toe weighting system which increases MOI and promotes forgiveness. Now I’m not about to get excited about MOI (don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good thing, but everyone is doing it, so it’s just not that exciting anymore), but what I will get excited about is the stock shaft on this bad boy. The 2008 comes stock, right from the factory, no custom ordering needed, with an Aldila VS Proto-HL 65 gram shaft. I’m seriously salivating right now. Would you look at that, I just drooled on my keyboard.

In addition to the MOI-increasing weight system, the new Baffler features a larger head, that sets up slightly closed at address. While the sole of this club looks a lot like the original baffler, a view from the top has me flashing back (fondly I might add) to the last time I stood over my Titleist 585H. The no frills black meets brushed nickel crown is simple, yet incredibly effective at helping to focus your attention on the ball.

The men’s Baffler is available in lofts of 16°, 18°, 20°, 23°, 26°, and 29°. That’s enough to replace everything from a 1-iron right down to a 6-iron.

Designed for the lower handicap player, 2008 Baffler Pro is vastly different from the standard men’s model. It features a smaller, more compact head, a longer hosel, and a “Tour Preferred Setup”, which basically means the club sets up neutral rather than closed.

The Baffler Pro also has a single weight port. Unlike the TaylorMade system, which is designed primarily to modify ball flight, the weight port in the Baffler is used to modify swing weight based on the shaft/head combination.

Speaking of shafts (more sweet segway action), the Baffler pro comes stock with an 85 gram Fujikura Speeder shaft, although the Dynamic Gold S300 steel shaft is also an option. The view from above shows the Baffler Pro looks even more like the 585H, showing almost no brushed nickel on the crown.

Even though I’m not the more accomplished player the Baffler Pro is designed for, I prefer a hybrid with a neutral setup (and before this year they weren’t easy to find), so I’ll forgo the forgiveness of the men’s standard model, and take my chances with the Pro.

If you need me I’ll be in the woods looking for my ball…

The Baffler Pro is available in lofts of 16°, 18°, 20°, and 23°.

Irons

While you can expect to see new version of the Cobra Pro MB (Project X shafts) and CB irons in stores in the very near future, I’ll forgo the discussion on those and concentrate on Cobra’s latest iron for the masses.

The brand new “Ultimate Forgiveness” iron or UFi as Cobra calls it, is the company’s latest foray into the ultra-game-improvement market.

The UFi features a “Metal Matrix” face with a polymer topline. The metal matrix face is actually a proprietary alloy composed of 9 different metals. The result is a material 65% lighter than steel, and 35% lighter than titanium.

What I’m most intrigued by is the UFi’s polymer topline. As we’ve learned over the last couple of years, the key to increasing the MOI (forgiveness) of a golf club is to remove as much discretionary weight as possible from the parts of the clubhead that matter less (the top), and move it to where it matters most (low and to the edges).

Cobra is the first company that I’m aware of that has actually replaced some of the metal along the topline with something else (in this case a durable plastic polymer). This allows Cobra to allocate more of that discretionary mass than ever before to the heel to toe Tungsten weights. By doing so, Cobra has created their highest MOI, most forgiving iron to date. It also happens to be the first truly innovative iron I’ve seen this year.

A set of Cobra UFi irons (4-GW) will run you $899 for Nippon NS900 steel shafts, or $999 for GraphiteDesign YS+55 or YS+65 graphite shafts.

Wedges
Cobra currently doesn’t offer wedges, and with Bob Vokey as part of your extended family, why would you?

Putters

Last year Cobra released it’s Optica SL line of putters. While I’m not one to provide in depth commentary on a product I’ve never used, I will say that the Optica design flies in the face of the Nike idea of eliminating distracting features. Instead, the Optica design features a series of green dots, which look a lot like runway lights.

There is some logic to it, I guess, in terms of lining up your putts, but from the look of it, I’m not sure if I should be striking a golf ball with it, or landing a plane on it.

No word on the roll, or feel, but from an aesthetic stand-point, the Optica series doesn’t do it for me.

Bags

There really isn’t anything in the Cobra bag lineup that truly stands out. That said, I like the look, if not the function, of the King Cobra 10″ staff bag. It features 7 pockets (2 of the for beverages), and 10″ with full-length, fleece lined dividers.

It’s the first really nice looking staff bag I’ve seen this year, so I’ll take it. Now I just need someone to carry it for me.

Without Fairway woods or wedges, it’s tough to get a read on the total cost of a Cobra bag, but let’s call it $1800-$2100 and be on our way.