Paula Creamer might not be the longest driver on the LPGA Tour, but she really knows how to hit greens in regulation (she ranks 3rd with her 74.2% average). One of her strength is her long fairway game, thanks to her hybrids. Paula carries up to 3 hybrids and never an iron longer than a 5.
According to Paula hybrids are easier to hit in the center of the face, they fly higher and land softer than long irons, which is crucial on lengthy approach shots. They're also more workable than people think, and very versatile--from rough, bad lies, even for chipping.
The key to hitting a hybrid well is to swing it like an iron, not a fairway wood. If you hit down on the ball with a hybrid and take a little divot (photo), it can be just as easy to maneuver as a middle iron.