The History

The rescue or hybrid golf club is used to replace longer irons (such as a 2,3,4 or 5 iron). This is because they provide much more forgiveness on off centred hits due to the larger club head (than an iron). The club head is smaller than a fairway wood but larger than a long iron. Therefore, proving the perfect comprise and filling gaps in players bags between irons and fairway woods. As a result of this club head a golfer can find it easier to get the ball airborne and hit the ball decent distances out of bad lies. However, these club tend to be for higher handicap golfers as it is hard to control the ball flight and spin with a rescue club. This has led to lower handicap golfers using longer irons and they provide more spin and control when trying to reach a green in 2 on a Par 5 or long Par 4. To further add to making the hybrids easier to play, they have shorter shafts than fairway woods and lofts similar to long to mid irons.

The first official rescue/hybrid was invented in 1998 by Tom Crow (who founded Cobra golf). he named it the Baffler. However, the initial design came from a the 1970s when designers wanted to make fairway woods easier to hit off the turf. This sparked Tom Crow to attach a heavy metal sole plate shaped like a “U” to the bottom of the club. This created two metal runners going along the bottom of the club. As a result, this meant the club could slide easily over the ground, therefore reducing the amount of fat shots and increasing forgiveness. This technology is so good it is still used today in Cobra hybrids and fairway woods, with many other brands trying to copy the technology.

TaylorMade Development

TaylorMade jumped onto the scene in 2004 with their “Rescue” clubs, with the first being the Rescue Mid, Rescue Fairway and Women’s Rescue Mid. These clubs featured low centre of gravity and high Moment of Inertia (MOI) which increased forgiveness and created high spin rates and provided long distance through a moderate offset and a steel clubface.

Next along came the Rescue Dual and Rescue Dual TP. The Rescue Dual TP allowed for different weight distribution which could promote a fade or draw depending on your swing. It also had 22 to 24% higher MOI, resulting in more forgiveness. Whereas the Rescue Dual didn’t have this weight distribution feature, causing it have a draw bias to help those who hit a fade. This was combined with a low centre of gravity and an increased 20% MOI caused the club to be extremely forgiving. This differs slightly to the Dual TP which had a higher centre of gravity which makes it less forgiving but easier to control for skilled player, making the Dual TP more well suited to lower handicap players.

In 2006 TaylorMade released there r7 Draw Rescue. This club have the centre of gravity moved closer to the heel of the club, resulting in the ball having a right to left movement in the air (called a draw), to help counteract many people slice or fade. This was combined with a 12% larger clubhead and a low centre of gravity to increase forgiveness.

Then with the release of the burner driver and woods came the release of the Burner Rescue. This club had yet another increase in the size of its club head, which increased forgiveness yet again. This forgiveness was coupled with longer distance given by the Pull face construction and light weight design. This was also combined with a draw bias to help increase distance and correct people fade/slice.

The next design change didn’t come until 2009 with the Rescue and Rescue TP. The rescue TP featured a more pronounced sole of the club with the toe and heel being recessed. This promoted less friction with the turf increasing playability. It also had 8 different setting that could adjust the ball flight and shape of the shot. However, the Rescue didn’t have the ability to adjust the club settings. Instead, it had a lower centre of gravity and the other design features of the Rescue TP.

After two years the next rescues came out. This was the Rescue 11 and Burner Super-Fast . The Rescue 11 and a neutral ball flight and had different adjustment setting, apart from that there is very little difference to previous clubs. Whereas the Burner Super-Fast had a draw bias and technology that decreased weight, ultimately increasing club head speed and distance.

#Over the next two years TaylorMade released the RocketBallz and the RBZ Stage 2 Rescue clubs. Both clubs featured a low and forward centre of gravity which promoted a higher launch angle and a speed slot behind the clubface for improved ball speed. However, the Stage 2 had a much thinner club face and a shallower and smaller clubhead which caused a higher launch angle and making it easier to play out of difficult lies.

In 2014 and 2015 came the release of the Jetspeed, R15 and Aeroburner Rescues. With the both the Jetspeed and R15 having slightly reconfigured speed slots so they are more curved, whereas the Aeroburner had a more traditional speed slot parallel to the club face. The Jetspeed was very much like its predecessor, but the R15 had a smaller club head and more central centre of gravity. However, the main change was in the Aeroburner which had its hosel and the top of the club head designed to be more aerodynamic and increase clubhead speed.

In 2017 came a new design of Rescue clubs from TaylorMade, the M1 and M2. With the M1 having an adjustable weight to promote a fade or draw and a much smaller speed pocket. The M2 however, tried to save energy through changing the design of the hosel. The M2 also had a two-tier sole and a traditional speed slot.

Next year came the release of the M3 and M4 Rescues. With the M3 being the more complex design due to the moveable 30-gram weight and extremely small speed slot and a change in the top of the clubface to help with alignment. Whereas the M4 has a simpler sole design, due to the split mass pads to increase ball speed and a longer speed slot.

The M5 and the M6 came with some a new added feature. It was the first time on a hybrid that twist face had been added. This caused off centred hits to still go straighter than other brands clubs. The M6 was simpler then the M5 which had a weight in the middle of the sole of the club to lower the centre of gravity and shift the weight and balance of the club for the desired effect.

This then leads onto the SIM MAX rescue released in 2020, which had very similar technology to the M6, as it had a speed slot that was less noticeable and twist face technology, as well as a new face that provided more power and ball speed. As well as a v shaped sole to help reduce friction and forgiveness out of tough lies.

This then leads onto the final rescue TaylorMade rescue, it is part of the Stealth branch of clubs brought out in 2022. There are two versions, the Stealth and the Stealth Plus. The Stealth has a 15% increase from the SIM MAX in MOI causing more spin and forgiveness. Apart from this change the technology is very much the same. Whereas the Stealth Plus has a bigger change, with a different sole shape, causing a change in the centre of gravity to increase forgiveness and launch angle.