The Miura MG HB3 Hybrid – What Price Can You Put on Consistency?

3666

When the folks at Miura asked me to review their new MG HB3 hybrid, I was honored. I had recently switched my irons over to Miura CB-501 irons and, since I had improved my game significantly with the irons, I figured this could only be a good thing.

The Miura MG HB3 hybrid has 20 degrees of loft. Also in the Miura hybrid lineup is the MG HB4 with 23 degrees of loft. The MSRP on this club is $299 with graphite shafts or $279 with steel shafts.

Both models feature a “circle cut” sole; a two-tiered design which provides an easy path through either the rough or close lies and improves contact with the ground. A second benefit of the circle cut is that the center of gravity is moved back and down, resulting in a higher ball flight without any ballooning.

A second important feature of the MG HB3 hybrid is the shape of the face. Although the face has a blade-like look – in particular due to the paint and color scheme – it also has a noticeable bulge. This bulge is what creates the “gear effect” of the club – an effect designed to bring a ball headed right back to the left and vice-versa. While I’m sure many better players will dislike the pronounced face bulge, I’m equally as sure that this objection will fade (no pun intended) after hitting the HB3 hybrid.

Another notable feature of the Miura HB3 hybrid is the height of the face, which coincidentally (or not) is the same height as a regulation golf ball. At address, this hybrid sets up more like that of an iron – something better players will be pleased with. In fact, the Miura HB3 looks like an iron with a little heft behind the face. I found it easy to shape this club from left to right and the gear effect face seems to make shaping the ball a little bit easier and predictable.

Like all Miura clubs, the HB3 has a classic look to it. The clubhead is beautiful, all black with a silver outline about the same size as a three iron. This promotes a more iron-like feel at address and can help build confidence for someone not comfortable with hybrids. The paint fill on the sole of the clubhead is a very subtle mixture of white and gold and provides a nice contrast against the black head. There are also two weights on the bottom which I assume can be adjusted by a certified clubfitter.

The available shafts for this club have all been well researched by Miura. Shafts from Graphite Design, KBS, Project X, Accra and others are available. Mine came with an Accra shaft and a Pure Grip. The Miura logos on the shaft are a nice touch.

For me, a hybrid is valuable to fill in yardage gaps between fairway woods and long irons. The HB3 hybrid is a club I consistently hit 210 yards, a perfect in-between distance. I found its distance very consistent with a soft landing and no ballooning on each shot struck. It was much more consistent and had a better feel than my 3-iron. The club feels solid at impact; the same buttery feel you would expect from any Miura-designed golf club.
Perhaps the biggest drawback to this hybrid – as is the case with Miura irons – is the price tag. At $299 it’s by no means the cheapest option out there but if you are looking for a quality club built by a company with a solid reputation in golf, than you owe it to yourself to at least take these Miura hybrids out for a test drive. For more information on the Miura MG HB3 and HB4 hybrids, you can visit the Miura website at www.miuragolf.com. Here you can also see the different shafts that are available as well as the location of a dealer and clubfitter near you.

David Theoret

David Theoret has been in the golf and golf travel industry for over 12 years, primarily selling online advertising. For the past seven years, he has also been a golf writer, reviewing golf courses, resorts, destinations, equipment, golf apparel, and training aids – the latter of which never seems to help. What started as a dream years ago, by God’s grace, became a reality in 2015 when The Golfin’ Guy editorial marketing company was founded. Working together with golf course designer Ron Garl; David’s articles and reviews have been posted on many golf travel, equipment, and apparel websites.

Previous articleMizuno JPX 825 Pro Irons – Accurate and Consistent
Next articleMiura Golf Clubs – Simply Put, the Best Irons Available

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here
Captcha verification failed!
CAPTCHA user score failed. Please contact us!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.