Anyone still keep Big Bertha Mini 1.5 in the bag?

Do you use it as a driver replacement or as an additional fairway wood? The 12 or 14 version? Would you say its fade bias or draw bias?

I have 2. Both 12*. 1 is on the stock Silver Kuro Kage it comes on and the other is head only. I have a 43" or 44" Black Kuro Kage at home but I can't control it as well as the Silver. It is currently on my GBB 3w shaft that I am trialing on the weekend.

I have it as a driver replacement. I am wary using it off the deck as I don't tend to find the club well with it unless it is sitting in fluffy grass (Ie tee height). I find the longer shaft for me doesnt work off the deck.

Fade or Draw I haven't noticed as my swing tends to override it. Good swing and it goes straight where I aimed. Bad and it can go anywhere. Distance found it to be as long or just short of my old driver distance.

I am trialing the 3w shaft as both Driver and 3w Replacement. If it doesn't work out no big loss. If it does I will look to cut the spare black down potentially.

Either way it is staying in the bag and wont be coming out unless Callaway replace it with something more updated. I have more confidence over the smaller head and find the sweet spot more with it. I am back to hitting fairways and distance isn't an issue.

I have 2. Both 12*. 1 is on the stock Silver Kuro Kage it comes on and the other is head only. I have a 43" or 44" Black Kuro Kage at home but I can't control it as well as the Silver. It is currently on my GBB 3w shaft that I am trialing on the weekend.

 

I have it as a driver replacement. I am wary using it off the deck as I don't tend to find the club well with it unless it is sitting in fluffy grass (Ie tee height). I find the longer shaft for me doesnt work off the deck.

 

Fade or Draw I haven't noticed as my swing tends to override it. Good swing and it goes straight where I aimed. Bad and it can go anywhere. Distance found it to be as long or just short of my old driver distance.

 

I am trialing the 3w shaft as both Driver and 3w Replacement. If it doesn't work out no big loss. If it does I will look to cut the spare black down potentially.

 

Either way it is staying in the bag and wont be coming out unless Callaway replace it with something more updated. I have more confidence over the smaller head and find the sweet spot more with it. I am back to hitting fairways and distance isn't an issue.

Great answer, thanks!

The problem for me has been accuracy with driver, I am pretty steady with my other clubs (most days) but my driver has been a big problem, and the problem has just gotten bigger when the heads feel bigger and the shafts longer so Im curious to try this one. I went to an indoor center and tried one, 14 loft, and I liked the feeling and got good numbers, steady numbers, on trackman. So I am thinking of buying one they had in that shop. BUT I felt that maybe 44 inch was a little bit too much.

You say you use a 43 and 44 inch shaft? Does the 43 feel too light or there isn't much in it?

Great answer, thanks!

The problem for me has been accuracy with driver, I am pretty steady with my other clubs (most days) but my driver has been a big problem, and the problem has just gotten bigger when the heads feel bigger and the shafts longer so Im curious to try this one. I went to an indoor center and tried one, 14 loft, and I liked the feeling and got good numbers, steady numbers, on trackman. So I am thinking of buying one they had in that shop. BUT I felt that maybe 44 inch was a little bit too much.

 

You say you use a 43 and 44 inch shaft? Does the 43 feel too light or there isn't much in it?

Accuracy for me went up around 25 to 30% at least and at worst when I changed to this. That alone sold me on it. I think in my 3rd or 4th round with it I went 12/14 FWY's and have 14/14 twice with it. (pity about the GIR :()

I play X Forged 13's in 6.0's and tend to sit at the high end of stiffness to better explain me too.

Ok so I may have to recheck lengths when I get home but and hope this better explains it:

The KK Silver with the head is 44" and is the perfect setup for me off the tee weight, swing and feel wise. The length of the shaft issue with the shots off the deck I am not happy but with practice (Which I don't have time for) I could resolve this.

The KK Black must be 45" with the head on it. This is way to long and being a 50g shaft is way too light for this head. It will either need a trim or need a tip weight in it if I want to use it. But I have no need too. Although not a quick swinger (maybe 97mphish) I am strong (so I have been told from my fitter) so my transition is too strong for this and I lose it.

The KK Black coming out of the 3w is 43" in the 3w so am going to guess it will be 43.5" once in BB Mini. I haven't tried this yet so can report after weekend what it was like. I am only doing this to see if I can drop the 3w altogether and use this as a combined club with the shorter shaft. Or go back the KK Silver and 3w as well. At a guess being shorter length shaft it wont be light, for me though with be its stoutness in the swing.

Hope this adds and helps?

On the trial, I picked mine up for $2XX delivered from US which is very cheap so was worth the trial for me and paid off. Being in Sweden I am not sure how it would go but maybe look at GlobalGolf or Cally Preowned and see if you can get a 2nd hand one cheap delivered if the one in store is new and too high to buy as a trial?

Great answer, thanks!

The problem for me has been accuracy with driver, I am pretty steady with my other clubs (most days) but my driver has been a big problem, and the problem has just gotten bigger when the heads feel bigger and the shafts longer so Im curious to try this one. I went to an indoor center and tried one, 14 loft, and I liked the feeling and got good numbers, steady numbers, on trackman. So I am thinking of buying one they had in that shop. BUT I felt that maybe 44 inch was a little bit too much.

 

You say you use a 43 and 44 inch shaft? Does the 43 feel too light or there isn't much in it?

 

Accuracy for me went up around 25 to 30% at least and at worst when I changed to this. That alone sold me on it. I think in my 3rd or 4th round with it I went 12/14 FWY's and have 14/14 twice with it. (pity about the GIR :()

 

I play X Forged 13's in 6.0's and tend to sit at the high end of stiffness to better explain me too.

 

Ok so I may have to recheck lengths when I get home but and hope this better explains it:

 

The KK Silver with the head is 44" and is the perfect setup for me off the tee weight, swing and feel wise. The length of the shaft issue with the shots off the deck I am not happy but with practice (Which I don't have time for) I could resolve this.

 

The KK Black must be 45" with the head on it. This is way to long and being a 50g shaft is way too light for this head. It will either need a trim or need a tip weight in it if I want to use it. But I have no need too. Although not a quick swinger (maybe 97mphish) I am strong (so I have been told from my fitter) so my transition is too strong for this and I lose it.

 

The KK Black coming out of the 3w is 43" in the 3w so am going to guess it will be 43.5" once in BB Mini. I haven't tried this yet so can report after weekend what it was like. I am only doing this to see if I can drop the 3w altogether and use this as a combined club with the shorter shaft. Or go back the KK Silver and 3w as well. At a guess being shorter length shaft it wont be light, for me though with be its stoutness in the swing.

 

Hope this adds and helps?

Yes, it absolutely helps, I am the same as you, not that fast, but strong, have heard that from a fitter too. I think I would be the same as you regarding swing speed. So lot of good stuff from you thank you! Would be interesting to hear your experience with the 43 inch shaft!!!

No, they have one in the store, and I asked them to put it away for me for a couple of days, its half price, since its a demo, but looking at it I can't see that it even been tested. :-)

No, they have one in the store, and I asked them to put it away for me for a couple of days, its half price, since its a demo, but looking at it I can't see that it even been tested. :-)

So fresh off the weekend with it where I probably played 2 of my better if not best rounds. In part to what I was talking about with the shorter shaft from the GBB 3w.

I turned the Mini up to 13* on the 50g KK Black and also carried my min driver @ 12* on the KK Silver.

As expected the KK Black is solid, stout and dispersion is tight on it. My misses were nowhere near as bad as the silver. Length was as you would expect. Silver longer due to longer shaft and really long if I chased it properly. TBH off the tee, other than length, the difference was negligible in that if I had to use either for the rest I would be happy. Distance may hurt but the dispersion well and truly made up for this!

It was more off the ground where the Mini really came into its own on the 3w shaft. So easy to hit and controllable and long. The silver just feels to long and almost like trying to hit a driver off the deck. On the 3w shaft it felt more like a 3w and was easy to find the middle.

After this weekend I will now be carrying both permanently and have dropped 2 of my 3 wedges (Can not hit them and really struggling to justify keeping them in. Keeping 56* for flop and bunkers). One for tight narrow tee shots where control is way more important than distance and for off the ground. The other when it is open and wide and not too punishable being off line.

This time of year in Southern Arizona, I walk and carry a minimalist bag: eight clubs. With fewer clubs, all the clubs have to do double duty. I have the 14* Mini, set to std. loft/draw. It's money off the tee, always in play, and about as long as my regular driver (Taylormade SLDR 460). In addition, it's good off the turf for a long second shot on a par 5--as long as you don't expect much air under it. It doesn't get up easily off the turf, but it is easy to hit straight and long. 14* sounds like a lot of loft off the tee, but if you test these in the shop off a tee, you'll find the numbers are right, at least for a 90-95 mph swing speed like mine. And you can always take a degree off with the adjustable hosel. A bonus for those of us who learned in the 190cc-is-huge days and just can't get used to the grapefruit-on-a-stick appearance of the newer drivers, the smaller head makes the golf ball look huge and fosters confidence at address. It's like hitting a three-wood with driver power.

My swing is fade biased, but mine doesn't fight it. 14 degree, turned down to 13 and it's been a monster for me as a driver replacement, but I've found my driver swing again so I"m going to keep it as a 3 wood for off the tee. Fortunately, my club doesn't require any 3 wood shots off the deck.

Our assistant pro hit mine today and I think he's going hunting for one now - it really is one of the best clubs I've owned.

My swing is fade biased, but mine doesn't fight it. 14 degree, turned down to 13 and it's been a monster for me as a driver replacement, but I've found my driver swing again so I"m going to keep it as a 3 wood for off the tee. Fortunately, my club doesn't require any 3 wood shots off the deck.

 

Our assistant pro hit mine today and I think he's going hunting for one now - it really is one of the best clubs I've owned.

I would say the same, I tend to push/fade not slice, but this club solves that problem perfectly! My fairway hit percentage has increased dramatically. And its super long, its like hitting a persimmon driver again!! :-D

I use a Bertha Mini 12, set to 11* as my driver.

I find it so much easier to hit than a big driver, and dependable. Since I have it, I hit more fairways and havent lost a ball off the tee yet.

It is long too. I recently tried against a G30 Lst with two different shafts, 915 D3 and d2 with three shafts, against my buddy's g30 with regular shaft, and against an Epic. The 915 with Diamana Blue X was 1 yard longer than the mini. All the others were a little bit shorter.

When I went to Scotland, I used it from the fairway or rough a handful of times to keep the ball under the wind, but only on uphill lies where i was sure I would hit the bottom half of the ball.

I just put the Bertha Mini back in the bag as my "tee only" 3W setup. Have the 12 degree set at +1. I've never used it as a driver replacement but I could see that easily.

I took out the 44.5" stock shaft and put a 43" 3W shaft in it. I've decided (for now) that I'll use a Heavenwood as my longest club from the deck 99% of the time and the Bertha Mini 1.5 gives me an additional 10 yards or so from the tee that I need.

12* BB mini, set to 13*. No fade or draw bias - set to N.

I use it off the tee on most holes at my "home" course. It carries great in the wind, I hit a ball 280 yds downwind today.

I can carry this club 230 off the grass. With roll, I can occasionally hit it 260.

Why wouldn't I play one? It is my favorite club (at the moment)!!

I struggled initially with my 12 degree set on straight. Turned it up 2 degrees, set on draw and it's working great. I hit it 230-240 yards. Going to keep using it on narrower holes and on days when driver is acting up.

Mini driver face is pretty deep so it would be difficult to hit it off the deck, for me at least.

I just ordered one. I don't struggle with the driver, I struggle with shallow face 3 woods. I NEVER hit a 3 wood off the deck, but I need it very often off of the tee, and hopefully this will fit the bill.

I got last year on bay brand new for $120. 14* speeder stiff. I use as 3wood replacement off tee only for short par 4's. This thing is a monster. Not really much shorter distance than driver. Getting Epic next so I might have a bigger gap!!!

Anyone who struggle with driver should consider looking at shorter length driver.

DTG is releasing 42" driver. Info at http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1454940-dtg-in1zone-42-driver/

I bring my 12 deg Mini in and out of the bag, either as a driver replacement or a second driving option. While it isn't as forgiving as a driver, it is useful when I need to keep my spin rates down (I am a very high ball hitter). Ironically, despite its high loft, I am able to hit it lower than my driver, and I'm starting to feel that I can more reliably add a little extra pop with it when I need a longer drive -- when I do this with a regular driver there's a decent chance that the extra club head speed will add too much extra spin for me to get any distance gains. I'm also able to turn the ball over more easily with the Mini than a regular driver.

At this precise moment, it is in my bag because I added it for a charity scramble tournament. We had a ton of wind at the tourney, and I got a great drive out of the Mini that stayed lower than any I would have been able to hit with my regular driver. I also liked the option of being able to hit it off the deck if we needed a long shot to reach a par 5, but the situation didn't come up.

Sometimes I carry it as a 2nd driver depending on the course I'm playing . I have the Mini in X flex KK whereas my 460cc has an S flex, making the Mini the accurate one vs go for broke

If you wanna play consistent golf you gotta find the fairway and thats what BB Mini is all about. Should be called "the fairwayfinder"! I love it! Ive been struggling a lot finding the fairway before I bought this thing. I can understand why no pros use this, but I actually think for example my fellow countryman Henrik Stenson should benefit from this club. He never hits his driver much anyway!

I hate to say it, because I love my Bertha Mini, but I played 9 holes today and only hit ONE fairway. Had to punch out of the trees twice and hit one into a water hazard. It did give me plenty of opportunities to use my new f6 baffler, which saved my round.

I hate to say it, because I love my Bertha Mini, but I played 9 holes today and only hit ONE fairway. Had to punch out of the trees twice and hit one into a water hazard. It did give me plenty of opportunities to use my new f6 baffler, which saved my round.

But maybe you can't blame the club!? ;-)

I hate to say it, because I love my Bertha Mini, but I played 9 holes today and only hit ONE fairway. Had to punch out of the trees twice and hit one into a water hazard. It did give me plenty of opportunities to use my new f6 baffler, which saved my round.

But maybe you can't blame the club!? ;-)

Hitting into the trees isn't a club issue

Love mine! 14* turned down to 13*, nuetral setting. Monster off the tee, which is why I got it in the 1st place. I do have mine playing at 42" also. Almost a one dimensional club but it diffently serves its purpose for me.

Just finished spending a whole week on vacation and I got a chance to use this club on many holes instead of my driver. Many of the holes had narrow landing areas so I found it to be extremely useful. On some hits it could be close to driver distance but mostly 10-20 yards less. It has an explosive feel with a lower trajectory and is more forgiving than I thought it would be. It was not as good off the deck. Mini driver it is for me, not a 3 wood replacement.

I hate to say it, because I love my Bertha Mini, but I played 9 holes today and only hit ONE fairway. Had to punch out of the trees twice and hit one into a water hazard. It did give me plenty of opportunities to use my new f6 baffler, which saved my round.

But maybe you can't blame the club!? ;-)

 

Hitting into the trees isn't a club issue

Of course it was my fault, not the Mini's. No club will correct a 20* open or closed face.

BTW I made these horrible shots with a different setting than usual (-1 Neutral instead of my usual -1 Draw). After returning to the draw position, I did hit the next shots pretty straight. Maybe the Neutral setting looked a little off to me, and I subconsciously changed my swing to accomodate the perceived difference.

I have struggled with 3 wood ever since I broke my trusty Nickent 4DX. Of course I tried the same shaft and other 4DX heads but no go. My struggles and purchasing of 3 woods is a well documented issue, not Duffner's Waggle bad, but bad enough. I have tried Title, Ping, Exotics, BStone, Cally, TM, Adams, just about everything out there and nothing was what I wanted. I NEVER have a honeymoon phase with 3 woods, just hey this is a little better than that, or this is horrible, but no 3 wood since the Nickent has been...WOW. Also I should state that I have also decided that I will NEVER HAVE TO hit a 3 wood off the deck. Sure I may WANT to, but NEED? Nope. I can think of two times in the past 6 years that it could have been hugely beneficial to have a 3 wood to hit off of the deck. I can also think about 5 holes a round I NEED to hit a 3 wood off of the tee. Maybe there is a dogleg, or the fairway is super tight.

If you need to hit 3 wood for a second shot on a par 4 you either.....

A. Hit the one of the most horrible drives of your life and trying to hit a 3 wood off the deck is not a good idea (One of the harder shots in golf to pull off)

B. You are playing from the wrong tees

So back to this weekend. In my second round with the 1.5 I used it 6 times, my yardage was very good, maybe down 20 or so from my driver. I hit it on a piercing trajectory, which will be great for wind holes. I have hit it 11 times in my past two rounds and only missed one fairway(of course I missed most of the planet with that swing, so no club will fix that)

I hate to say it, because I love my Bertha Mini, but I played 9 holes today and only hit ONE fairway. Had to punch out of the trees twice and hit one into a water hazard. It did give me plenty of opportunities to use my new f6 baffler, which saved my round.

But maybe you can't blame the club!? ;-)

 

Hitting into the trees isn't a club issue

 

Of course it was my fault, not the Mini's. No club will correct a 20* open or closed face.

BTW I made these horrible shots with a different setting than usual (-1 Neutral instead of my usual -1 Draw). After returning to the draw position, I did hit the next shots pretty straight. Maybe the Neutral setting looked a little off to me, and I subconsciously changed my swing to accomodate the perceived difference.

Didn't mean to offend. Should have put a smiley or something in there.