Is anyone playing a TM Original One Mini Driver?

[NRJyzr]

On 7/26/2021 at 2:23 PM, NRJyzr said:

Adding a small update...

 

I've mentioned a nauseating number of times that I prefer heavier shafts; my main shaft in the OO is an RIP Alpha 80, which checks in with a raw weight of 88g or 89g.  

 

Well....

 

I have a Motore Speeder 6.3 that came with the SLDR White I picked up a few years ago.  I've decided to cut it down so it's playing 43.5" in the OO, and I'll be taking it on the course this Thursday in the 9 hole golf league that I sub in.

 

I guess we'll see.  <shrug>   🤔

 

 

Took me longer than intended to test this.  Decided to take my Fly-Z+ with 7m3 on the course first.  Was hitting it moderately well, used it for two or three rounds.  Finally decided it was time to take out the OO with 6.3TS.

 

And glad I did.  Hit it pretty well, was surprised at the distance, and how easy the distance came.  This is, of course relative; I'm in my late 50s and not bringing it at 110-115 any longer.  Hit a handful of tee shots that reached my old average distance, something I only reach a couple times a month these days.  And done with accuracy, aside from a couple swings (see below).

 

I guess the sub-70g shafts are no longer the great satan they once were, for me.  😉

 

Had a couple instances where I muscled the shaft and over-released the club for screaming hooks.  Backed off the muscling and all was right with the universe.

 

Interestingly, hit the OO with better distance than the Fly-Z+.  Shaft differences are perhaps negligible, club lengths are the same (43.5"), lofts were actually the same, as well; the Cobra was set one click high (10.75*), the OO was one click low (11*).

 

OO with Motore Speeder sticking around for a while.  🙂

 

[uglande]

This 300 is already my favorite club and it is quickly becoming an all-timer for me. Just unbelievable feel and performance (with the right shaft -- for me, Ventus Blue 7x, untipped, stock length).

 

Had it on the course and hit fairway every time with it, missed all but one fairways with driver. Distances were similar. I have been playing the 300 at 12.0 degrees, which slightly opens the face.

 

Last two driving range sessions, absolutely pummeling the 300, club head speeds maxing at 108-111 (which is typical for my driver, although I can go a bit higher) and ball speeds consistently in the high 150s, maxing at 160, which is again right in line with driver for me. But the consistency! Driver was all over the place -- not miles off, but not hitting center of the face consistently and slight two-way miss going on, with no predictability of distance or direction. But the 300 mini was just striped every time and I felt like I could swing as smooth or as aggressive as I wanted and it would just work out. 

 

I might try the mini in the 11.5, cranked down a bit, maybe going to 44.00 inches, to see if I can truly match the max performance of driver. I had bought this strictly as a strong 3-wood and tee-shot alternative, but it's actually a serious contender as a driver replacement. 

 

Something about the big heads and longer shafts of drivers ... I just can't hit them consistently. I think as a taller golfer (6'5") I have a shorter point of diminishing returns with shaft length on the big stick. The mini just feels effortless.

[Seattlegolfnut]

So have played a few more rounds and really struggling to figure out how to swing this club and not hit pretty hard draws that borderline on hooks.
 

I have a 13.5 turned to 15 with prime objective to be a more forgiving “less than driver” tee club (no intention I’d hit it off deck). My current 3W is a TS3 15* in the B1 flat setting.

 

I used a bit of lead tape centered on the sole of the OO to match my 15* TS3 headweight + sleeve to within one gram, and have both set with the same AV Raw White shaft length, flex, weight, grip. So for all intents, the clubs total weight, SW, shaft and loft all match up. Only things different, I think, are the face and lie angles.

 

Yesterday I got on Trackman with both clubs and found swing path and direction are pretty well matched, but with the OO I’m getting serious negative face-to-path (like -4!!), and a consistent display of hooks. With the 3W my face-to-path is usually between -1 and +1.

 

I tried teeing it more forward and higher like a driver and opening stance a bit. That didn’t work as it produced really low knuckle balls.

 

So then I’m thinking it’s got to be the adjustment from 13.5 to 15 causing this face to path issue. I backed it down to the std 13.5 and results were better; still getting negative numbers and shots heading left. Bigger problem was distance; now hitting much further than I’m hoping to keep it held back for my course where several holes have limited driving distance.

 

Anyway, just rambling here but I’m struggling with how to make this work. I want to like it for courses where I don’t need to hit 3W off the deck so could use a bigger more forgiving head in its place.

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Seattlegolfnut

[NRJyzr]

On 8/3/2021 at 10:23 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

Took me longer than intended to test this.  Decided to take my Fly-Z+ with 7m3 on the course first.  Was hitting it moderately well, used it for two or three rounds.  Finally decided it was time to take out the OO with 6.3TS.

 

And glad I did.  Hit it pretty well, was surprised at the distance, and how easy the distance came.  This is, of course relative; I'm in my late 50s and not bringing it at 110-115 any longer.  Hit a handful of tee shots that reached my old average distance, something I only reach a couple times a month these days.  And done with accuracy, aside from a couple swings (see below).

 

I guess the sub-70g shafts are no longer the great satan they once were, for me.  😉

 

Had a couple instances where I muscled the shaft and over-released the club for screaming hooks.  Backed off the muscling and all was right with the universe.

 

Interestingly, hit the OO with better distance than the Fly-Z+.  Shaft differences are perhaps negligible, club lengths are the same (43.5"), lofts were actually the same, as well; the Cobra was set one click high (10.75*), the OO was one click low (11*).

 

OO with Motore Speeder sticking around for a while.  🙂

 

 

I spoke too soon on the lighter shafts.  Spent a couple outings fighting some screaming lefts from over releasing the lighter clubs.  Wound up going back to my RIP Alpha 80 in yesterday's round, hit the ball better.

 

Not entirely giving up on lighter shafts, but 89g to 67g might be too big a drop for me.  😉

 

[uglande]

18 hours ago, Seattlegolfnut said:

So have played a few more rounds and really struggling to figure out how to swing this club and not hit pretty hard draws that borderline on hooks.
 

I have a 13.5 turned to 15 with prime objective to be a more forgiving “less than driver” tee club (no intention I’d hit it off deck). My current 3W is a TS3 15* in the B1 flat setting.

 

I used a bit of lead tape centered on the sole of the OO to match my 15* TS3 headweight + sleeve to within one gram, and have both set with the same AV Raw White shaft length, flex, weight, grip. So for all intents, the clubs total weight, SW, shaft and loft all match up. Only things different, I think, are the face and lie angles.

 

Yesterday I got on Trackman with both clubs and found swing path and direction are pretty well matched, but with the OO I’m getting serious negative face-to-path (like -4!!), and a consistent display of hooks. With the 3W my face-to-path is usually between -1 and +1.

 

I tried teeing it more forward and higher like a driver and opening stance a bit. That didn’t work as it produced really low knuckle balls.

 

So then I’m thinking it’s got to be the adjustment from 13.5 to 15 causing this face to path issue. I backed it down to the std 13.5 and results were better; still getting negative numbers and shots heading left. Bigger problem was distance; now hitting much further than I’m hoping to keep it held back for my course where several holes have limited driving distance.

 

Anyway, just rambling here but I’m struggling with how to make this work. I want to like it for courses where I don’t need to hit 3W off the deck so could use a bigger more forgiving head in its place.

 

I had that issue initially as well. I think this club is weighted in a way where it wants to go left. I find that to be the case, even with the face open a bit (I play mine at 12.0). But I just adapted my approach, taking more of a power fade swing and really driving my right shoulder through impact. If I want to hit it straight-to-draw, I just back off that move a little, and if I want to fade, that's easy. But stock swing with that approach just rips it straight ahead. 

[Seattlegolfnut]

17 hours ago, uglande said:

I had that issue initially as well. I think this club is weighted in a way where it wants to go left. I find that to be the case, even with the face open a bit (I play mine at 12.0). But I just adapted my approach, taking more of a power fade swing and really driving my right shoulder through impact. If I want to hit it straight-to-draw, I just back off that move a little, and if I want to fade, that's easy. But stock swing with that approach just rips it straight ahead. 

Thanks, gonna give that a shot. Definitely intending to stick with a 3W-type (low tee, level AoA) swing and set up for a cut.

[Highlander 24]

Found one in clearance bin at Golftown and decided to take a chance. Ball coming off the face feels like 

a brick and absolutely no distance. Very disappointed just didn't work for me but im sure it works for others 

[Seattlegolfnut]

Anyone have the original f65 shaft and can give me a graphics to tip measurement (end of sleeve is fine). Trying to figure out how much TM tips this shaft stock. I figure it's the standard TM 1", but would like to confirm. I have a raw 44” one.

Edited August 12, 2021 by Seattlegolfnut

[PixlPutterman]

On 8/8/2021 at 2:41 PM, Highlander 24 said:

Found one in clearance bin at Golftown and decided to take a chance. Ball coming off the face feels like 

a brick and absolutely no distance. Very disappointed just didn't work for me but im sure it works for others 

 

did you check to make sure it didnt have a crack or something?

 

These are very hot off the face, if its dead maybe TM will replace it

[NRJyzr]

On 8/7/2021 at 9:22 AM, NRJyzr said:

 

I spoke too soon on the lighter shafts.  Spent a couple outings fighting some screaming lefts from over releasing the lighter clubs.  Wound up going back to my RIP Alpha 80 in yesterday's round, hit the ball better.

 

Not entirely giving up on lighter shafts, but 89g to 67g might be too big a drop for me.  😉

 

 

Further update....   NV75 assembled for the OO.  Early returns are promising, found myself reaching a fairway bunker into a stiff breeze that I sometimes have trouble reaching normally.

 

Club championship this weekend.  Could be interesting.

 

[Seattlegolfnut]

Tamed the hooks with lots of tinkering this week. Tried a bunch of shafts (new and old), lengths, weights, and head loft/lie adjustments.

 

Here’s what I settled on:

 

13.5 STD loft for square face & flattest lie

Diamana ‘ilima (old school!) 70 tipped 1”

D0.5 & 2800 MOI

43”

3W swing (level to slightly down AoA)

3W ball position

Tee height 5/8” above mat

Comparing to my 15* 3W with the Tensei AV White 75:

Shot height, launch, spin, and total distance all very similar

~10 yards more carry with OO
~5* stepper landing angle and less roll out with OO

OO wins the dispersion battle

 

So for building a more forgiving 3W for my home course primary tee club? Objective achieved. Level up!

 

Side note: the red/orange & silver ‘ilima shaft with a silver TM tip looks killer with the OO head. It may look even better in a 300 mini with the non-blacked out face!

 

side note 2: I’m now wondering if I ditch the 15* 3W altogether and game the OO as my go-to 1B driver for all courses…I am carrying only 13 clubs at the moment since I ditched the 60* wedge a while back. Oh the options…. 🤔

[peepee]

Just picked up an OO  11.5. Pretty impressive ball speed and spin numbers, nice sound and feel also.

Getting high 150s, matching lower end of my driver ball speeds. 

[NRJyzr]

I'd picked up a SpeedZone a few weeks ago, been trying it at various lengths, with various shafts I have set up for Cobra use.  Regardless of what I do, I'm not hitting the SpeedZone straighter, or farther, than I was hitting the Original One.

 

For my next round, tomorrow, I'll be putting the OO back in the bag.  It just suits me, and I'm getting better results.

 

Looks as though I should have bought a 300 Mini instead of a SpeedZone.  🤔

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by NRJyzr

[Bill Hendry]

I started using a TM Mini-Driver 13.5 deg with stock stiff shaft - on average I hit it 250-260 in the fairway - can hit my G30 Ping 9 degree around 270-280 but not nearly as consistent in finding the fairway. I carry both clubs but rely on the mini since I play in Northern Michigan with a lot of fairways that are cut out of the forest and you are either on the fairway or dead.  I absolutely love it and this year the goal is to use it from the fairway and retire my 913 Fd Titleist 3 wood for a bit.

[Seattlegolfnut]

Has anyone successfully swapped out the little red weights on the sole? I have the right security torx wrench for them, but they are tighter than heck...like with some serious locktite or glue on them.

 

...and would appreciate a tip on where to find other sizes. Briefly searching online, I haven't found any luck for OO-specific weights and not sure if any other TM model weights are compatible. Would like to go lighter so lead tape isn't an option.

 

Thanks!

Edited March 9, 2022 by Seattlegolfnut

[Jimi Thing]

On the OO, I’m dying one as a 1b tee club. 13.5 and I would like to get a tee ball that will drop slightly right of the target line moving it left to right. 

 

thinking of teeing it fairly low, opening the stance bit steeper swing. Is this what oo users are seeing of the tee? 

[CinqueValvole]

I use my 11.5 for when I play tighter courses or when my driver is not behaving.
I see normal ball flight for my swing. I tee the ball the same way as my 3 wood and same ball position. I have no issues working the ball for a draw or fade.