Sonartec Hybrid Golf Clubs

2008 Update- As of January 2008 no new changes to the Sonartec hybrid golf clubs product line have been announced, and the article below is up to date.

Sonartec hybrid golf clubs have been fairly popular with some PGA tour players. Their new product line is called the HB-001 hybrid series. These clubs boast a number of benefits. The most distinctive of these is what the company refers to as rail technology. On the

sole of the clubs are pieces of metal that essentially look somewhat like rails running perpendicular to the club face, and these are designed to obtain better playability from difficult lies, especially rough and fairway sand traps.

Like any hybrid golf club design, the HB-001 clubs have weight distribution in the club head that puts the center of gravity (CG) well back behind the club face, making it easier to hit shots up into the air compared to hitting a corresponding long iron. This weight distribution also helps create a higher MOI, or moment of inertia, which means the club will have less twist on off-center hits and is therefore more forgiving for those shots. The club face is neutral and does not have any hook or slice bias and thus presents a square look at address.

The HB-001 line consists of 4 cubs with lofts of 17, 19, 21, and 23 degrees, and these replace 1-4 irons respectively. The standard graphite shafts are ONIN2 hybrid shafts. Other graphite shafts are available, but they come with additional cost, and this ranges from $45 all the way up to $225, depending on the shaft that is chosen. The normal retail price for these clubs is $189 each, and they can be ordered off the company web site. A Sonartec hybrid head cover comes standard with each club as well, and these normally retail for $15 each. Neither steel shafts nor left-handed versions are available.