I must confess it’s only recently that I’ve started to get on better with my hybrid clubs off the fairway. I always struggled with the idea: they’re not a wood, but they’re not an iron… and yet you’re supposed to play them like an iron. It boggled my golf brain. But what’s undeniable is how popular hybrids are, precisely because of that mix. They offer maximum value from a single club.
And that got me thinking. I was playing at a very low key course where I can just play in gym gear, when it came to me, golf culture itself needs to find its hybrid club.
Too often, the conversation about the future of golf feels like brinkmanship: either/or debates, winners and losers, fights for the “soul” of the game. What if instead, the future could offer a bit more flexibility and nuance? A way to embrace heritage and the changing demographics of who plays today.
Take dress codes. Historically, golf was full of rules about what could and couldn’t be worn. Some people want to rip all of that up and go fully casual and sporty. But what’s the hybrid option? Maybe full dress codes for boarded competitions and Saturday or Sunday mornings, with a more relaxed approach for afternoon or weekday rounds.
Personally, I quite like a smart dress code, it gives golf its genteel feel. But after work, if I’m squeezing in 9 holes, I don’t want to be worrying about whether my top counts as “proper attire.” That day when I was on the course and thought of this I had just run out of a meeting to chase the sunlight for 18 with my partner, it was grab and go.
Genelle Aldred would sometimes like to see a more relaxed dress code approach
(Image credit: Genelle Aldred)
Plus, we’ve all seen pros playing in hoodies and women in leggings at tournaments. The professional game has already moved far beyond what some clubs are comfortable with. A middle ground would surely keep heritage alive and make golf more welcoming.
Then there’s the women’s section. Honestly, I could wax lyrical all day about the absurdity of lumping all women into one slot. It causes division because not all women have the same schedules. Some can play on the traditional Tuesday morning; others can only play weekends or evenings in summer.
Meanwhile, the men have multiple sections: Tigers, Foxes, multiple weekly roll-ups with their own personalities and formats. Why can’t women have that too? And before anyone says “there aren’t enough,” I’d argue there would be more if there was flexibility.
One woman I met said they should just scrap Tuesday sections altogether and only do weekends. Personally, I don’t agree, but I do think there should be more than one option. A couple of women’s sections would make the game more accessible and grow participation. And of course, we can still come together for spring and autumn meetings (probably a weekend to be fair).
Men take over the course with medals that eat up entire winter Sundays on a very regular basis, women should have access to slots that work for everyone, and clubs shouldn’t de-prioritise women playing comps on the weekend. Because we all know slow play is not a gendered issue!
And that leads me to mixed play. I still find it boggling how separate men and women’s golf can be. Yes, some men prefer to play with men and some women prefer women-only groups. That’s fine. But I’ve always enjoyed mixed play. Playing with bigger hitters stretched my game and helped me see the course differently.
(Image credit: Golf Monthly – Kevin Murray)
Yet in many clubs, it isn’t normalised. Outside of competitions or couples’ golf, men and women rarely mix. I don’t think we need to abolish gendered play, I love a good chat with my girlfriends around the course. But why not also encourage mixed roll-ups, or friendly match-play where pairings can be any combination? It doesn’t have to be either/or.
I truly believe we can move the culture forward without throwing away everything old. Some traditions are worth keeping; they aren’t all bad. And we don’t need to tell the people who kept golf going through unfashionable times, including when women were only allowed to play on Tuesdays and stuck it out when the men didn’t want them there, that it’s suddenly the new way or the highway.
The best hybrids don’t replace irons or woods, they give you another option, a third way. Something easier to manage. Golf culture could learn from that. We don’t need to throw out tradition or embrace unchecked change. The future lies in hybrid thinking: practical, adaptable, and welcoming.
And just like the club itself, a hybrid mindset could remind us that inclusion means everyone and everything, including keeping the good traditions and making space for what’s new.