Struggling with irons should I go all hybrid?

I'm a 54 yr old female, in my second season of having a handicap, first started playing 4 years ago having only played seaside pitch and putt. I started with a 34 handicap and have through lots of play and practice dropped to 19 this year, (struggle at times to play to it) but I really can't use my irons, I have a 4 and 6 hybrid that I can land on the green, but anything 90 yards in I do a chip and hope for the best! I'm wondering whether to bite the bullet and go all hybrid, but wonder if this will stop me improving further and getting my handicap down next season. I can hit a straight true iron shot off a tee but as soon as I'm on the fairway I can't take a divot, maybe wary of hitting the turf and it hurting! Think it's a mental thing. Any thoughts?

Here's a practice drill that fixed that problem for me.

On the mat at the range (or at home on a thick carpet) lay a tee down on it's side where the ball would normally be, pointy end towards you. Then lay another tee about a fist-width further toward the target, lying parallel to the first.

Take a swing and sweep both tees off the mat. When you can do that 10 times in a row, getting both tees, try hitting a ball.

It's hard to believe you've made such a reduction already without taking a divot Chris. What's to fear? Do you have weak wrists?. To get your handicap down further it is exactly the 90 yd -100yd distance from the green that you need to be on top of (as well as around the green of course) and I'm afraid this achieved only through total control of your high irons. First things first; get rid of your fear of divots. Winter time is a good time as the ground is soft so start off just hitting balls, concentrating on the strike and seeing what divots you do make. I would have thought the deeper the divot, the further back in the stance the ball is. Try pitches, half shots with different clubs until you find one particular shot you like, are consistent with and above all are comfortable and confident with and go with that. Remember that you've come a long way down already and you've identified yourself where the improvement can be made.

Cheers for the replies, yes decided to work on using irons over winter, I've managed so far with a combination of half hybrid hits and chipping. I take a divot after the ball, just a shallow one, with my hybrids so I should be able to with my irons. Obviously a mental block! I aim to get my handicap down further so it's a must do.

Good decision Chris. I would think the control and feel from irons v hybrids is a no brainer.

HI Chris, ive never taken a divot for years and always thought it was because im cack handed or again the fear of hitting too hard. in the recent years ive not woried about it and it seems to be naturally happening now esp in wet conditions. Prob was for me using irons off a driving range matt was difficult at first for practise, but using the local practise green n chipping areas is better for those shots, or find a driving range with the new gel filled matts which gives a more forgiving feel and can get under the ball better. Hybrids will only mask the short fall in your game for a while n sooner or later with you getting better you will have to go back to irons