What You Need To Know
- The TeeLess HyLaunch Hybrid is available in both 19° and 22° and comes in three different shaft flex options
- Features a “spring steel” clubface, extra deep center of gravity, precisely crafted sole and proprietary shaft optimization
- Retails for $273.00 each; available for $219.00. Comes in right-handed Regular, Senior and Stiff shafts
The war on long irons was fought and won about 20 years ago with the advent of Callaway’s Baffler and TaylorMade’s Rescue club, and since then there’s been a fair amount of “resting on their laurels” among the major club manufacturers since those days in the early aughts.
In the age of club fitting, a certain club’s reputation alone is not enough to make it a must-play, and the TeeLess HyLaunch Hybrid took that ethos to heart in both their 19° and 22° offerings.
First Impressions
As someone who has resisted the allure of hybrids mostly out of ego, unsheathing the HyLaunch Hybrids revealed a larger-than-expected clubhead on both the 19° and 22° models. The proprietary shaft and mid-sized grips were good-looking from the get-go.
It only took a few practice swings to reveal what I found to be the club’s superpower – it’s chunk-proof sole. On a mat and through the grass, the club seemingly glides even on intentionally steep swings.
At address, the club sets comfortably behind the ball, which engenders a nice boost of confidence as there isn’t any jostling with the lie angle or a thin sole. At 19° and 22°, the HyLaunch Hybrids would be direct competitors to my 2-iron and 3/4 irons, and that comfort at address is something that requires some reps with the long irons.
Test Results
Like I previously mentioned, I put the HyLaunch Hybrids up against my 2-iron and 4-irons for the respective lofts. And as you can see in the test results, a few tangibles were clear to see aside from the intangibles that a larger clubhead and more forgiving sole provided.
The most obvious takeaway was that the HyLaunch Hyrbids lived up to their name: they launch high. Compared to my 2-iron’s average 11° launch, the 19° HyLaunch took off at 15° and apexed 36 feet higher on average resulting in slightly longer carry and a softer response on the ground as you’d expect. Both clubs traveled right around 230 yards for me (140 ball speed on a ~100 mph swing speed).
Getting into the 22° vs. 4-iron, again the HyLaunch launched 2.5° higher on average, and most significantly, flew 20 yards farther. This told me a few things: first, it again confirmed that I have a gapping issue in my longer irons; and second, I could really benefit from a 22° hybrid that could replace both my 3-iron and my 4-iron.
In the end, I’ll keep my 2-iron in my bag for my go-to placement shot off the tee, but the HyLaunch more than proved themselves capable to knock a couple of irons out of my set.
The Takeaway
The TeeLess HyLaunch Hybrids deliver on their promise to elevate the hybrid game to the next level. With consistent performance across the face and reliable contact being a non-issue, the consideration becomes finding where these clubs fit into your bag, not if they do.
Priced competitively, but still $80 less than the going rate for the run-of-the-mill OEM hybrids, the HyLaunch will appeal to the golfer looking for the most bang for their buck.
The TeeLess HyLaunch Hybrids retail for $273.00, but are now available for $219.00 each or as a pair at $369.00. The clubs come in a right-handed dexterity and in Regular, Senior and Stiff shafts. Visit TeeLessGolf.com for more information
