When we put a hybrid in our bag the hope is it's going to be easier to hit, higher launching, softer landing, and even a bit longer than the iron it's replacing. But far too often you see and hear people saying they just can't hit hybrids.
Well the problem might not be your hybrid itself, but rather the shaft in your hybrid. And for many players the new Graphite Design Tour AD-HY hybrid shaft is going to finally unlock the potential of your hybrid, maybe even making it the favorite club in your bag.
If you read my reviews and follow me on twitter and Instagram you know how fond I am of the Graphite Design Tour AD-DI shafts. It seems whenever I'm fit for drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids the Tour AD-DI invariably winds up as the best or one of the best performers for me.
So for this Tour AD-HY hybrid shaft review, I'm also going to compare how it performs compared to the Tour AD-DI I usually play in my hybrids. And hopefully this comparison gives you another perspective on what to expect from the AD-HY.
Let's knock the Tour AD-HY shaft properties and specs out of the way quickly by referring you to the Graphite Design website here. You can see how the AD-HY compares to the AD-DI and AD-IZ in bend profiles, along with weights, kick points, tip, mid, butt stiffness, and swing speed recommendations. All the fun golf nerd techy stuff. My job here is to tell you how AD-HY actually plays out on the course (and how it compares in performance to AD-DI).
So the first thing I noticed swinging the Tour AD-HY shaft was how it felt noticeably softer than Tour AD-DI. It's still a shaft (like AD-DI) that plays firmer than the stated flex, but compared to AD-DI you might even say it's a more active feeling shaft. Particularly at impact you just feel more energy into and through the ball, and the ball seems to take off (or at least it feels like it takes off) hotter off the face.
With that said, even as a softer feeling shaft Tour AD-HY is every bit as stable as Tour AD-DI. AD-HY doesn't feel like a noodle you can't control. I could go after it with my hybrid and AD-HY every bit as hard as I wanted and sometimes do with AD-DI. And with both shafts you get all the feel in the world. If you've hit any Tour AD shaft you already know what I'm talking about. It's a uniquely smooth and highly satisfying feel.
In terms of feel throughout the swing both Tour AD-DI and AD-HY give me the sensation of knowing where the clubhead is from takeaway to finish. Again that stability through the swing and into impact. AD-HY has a more pronounced kick at impact than AD-DI (you can actually feel the greater kick in the tip), but in their own ways both are very responsive.
And speaking of the tip, that's where Tour AD-HY differs most from Tour AD-DI in my opinion. I can't give you exact launch numbers just eyeball testing these shafts on the course. But I can say if AD-DI has something like a 5-iron flight, then by comparison AD-HY would have something like a 7-iron flight. AD-HY is clearly higher launching with a higher peak height yet no ballooning. And generally speaking if you struggle launching the ball or need more height to maximize hybrid carry, AD-HY is going to be exactly what you want.
I've heard some say Tour AD-HY is a shaft for slower swing speeds. And while that's true in the sense that higher launch and spin is needed to maximize distance for slower swing speeds, AD-HY is not just a shaft for slow swing speeds. Higher swing speeds can and will benefit from this shaft as well.
Say for example you're a high swing speed player with an early release. Without delving into swing dynamics, the softer tip on the Tour AD-HY is going to help you launch the ball higher than you'd otherwise get with a different shaft (stiffer tip) profile and deliver more energy at impact. The more active tip of AD-HY can also help square your face more at impact and even make impact feel more solid. And if you're worried about a softer tip not being able to keep up with your high swing speed (which can keep the clubface open at impact) Graphite Design has designed AD-HY to accommodate all swing speeds and tempos with flexes ranging from regular to X-Stiff.
For me Tour AD-HY is a tad less anti-left than Tour AD-DI, but it played every bit as stable and responsive as AD-DI. AD-HY has an active tip but it's also a very stable one. Both shafts are extremely precise in direction and have equally tight dispersion patterns. Ultimately I prefer the lower flight I get with AD-DI, but if I carried lower lofted hybrids (like say a No. 2 or No. 3), AD-HY might be a better option for me helping with that initial launch. AD-HY also seems to have less rollout than AD-DI.
Graphite Design Tour AD has earned such a stellar reputation in the industry that many players don't even look at other shafts. And I've already told you for me how Tour AD-DI is just a different animal from the rest. I know and trust the performance I get with AD-DI, and I can now also put AD-HY in that same category.
Tour AD-HY is an excellent option for anyone who wants to regain lost distance or even add distance to their hybrid game with higher launch and spin. And if you struggle launching your hybrid AD-HY is an absolute no-brainer. AD-DI is a slightly softer feeling shaft than other hybrid shafts in the Graphite Design AD line-up, but every bit as stable and controllable. I strongly recommend you check these out the next time you're looking at hybrids or if you're trying to get the most out of the hybrid you're currently playing.
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