OK, who’s played the TaylorMade 300 Mini Driver?

[bjh1]

15 hours ago, Russjmills said:

What shafts are people using in this?. I'm not too impressed with the Diamara stock option that came with mine

I got the Evenflow Riptide 70g in stiff.  A bit heavier and stiffer than the stock shaft.  And I am loving it.

[Seattlegolfnut]

20 hours ago, Russjmills said:

What shafts are people using in this?. I'm not too impressed with the Diamara stock option that came with mine

I’m always curious about shafts too, but I’d think people should answer this with qualifier if they are playing it as small driver or big fairway wood (tee shots, or off deck). The head is weighted as a 3W so my inclination is to play shaft weights in same class as one would play in 3W. And then use a shaft profile that gives launch characteristics you want.

 

I tried a 13.5 300 and went back to a 13.5 OO, and use a high launch mid spin Diamana ‘ilima 70 that gives me a launch very similar to what I was getting with a low/low 15* 3W at same length. This is exclusively a 1B tee shot club that’s a lot bigger and more forgiving than a typical 3W head size. Never hit it off the deck.

[Mike_Honcho]

ck orange 60 stiff. contemplating a riptide CB 70g stiff 

[sg91]

22 hours ago, Russjmills said:

What shafts are people using in this?. I'm not too impressed with the Diamara stock option that came with mine

I'm using a Evenflow Riptide 70 6.0 at a playing length of 44". Playing it as my driver. Basically hit a lowish fade with it that starts 5-10 yards left of the target and falls back to the right.

Edited October 7, 2021 by sg91

[RobotDoctor]

On 10/6/2021 at 12:26 AM, Russjmills said:

What shafts are people using in this?. I'm not too impressed with the Diamara stock option that came with mine

I tried a few shafts during my fitting, including driver length shafts.  Surprisingly I hit the driver length shafts very well.  I ended up going with the Ventus Blue 5S (non-Velocore) at 44.5". I later bought a Ventus Blue 5S Velocore at 45.75" and am currently gaming this.  Yes, the additional shaft length raises the swing weight up a bit but the 300 Mini isn't difficult to swing or control.  The distances I'm getting out of my 300 Mini 11.5 degree (set to 10.2 degrees) is as long as my M3 440cc 9.0 driver (9.9 degree actual). There is no distance loss and the 300 Mini is a fair bit easier to hit. 

[RCGA]

Chiming in with my experiences with the Original One

 

I'm a good golfer but struggled with options off the tee. Driver was too risky on anything but wide open holes. 3 wood was as unpredictable as the driver (so what's the point). A 18* driving iron is a great option for short holes, but is 40y sorter than my driver. 

 

The OO has been game changing for me. It's the length and loft of a strong 3-wood, but the face is big enough that I can tee it up high and swing at it just like a driver (and I can stop trying to learn a 3-wood swing). The added loft and shorter overall length make is about 20% more "playable". Driver is about 40-50% fairways hit, 3 wood maybe 50-60% and OO is about 60-70%

 

One thing I did do is set up "long" driver to be more of a distance club (8*, 45.5") and my mini driver to be more of a high launch down wind club. It makes my choices easy. 

 

Down/cross wind or short par 4 - mini driver

Wide open - long driver 

Tight or into the wind - low driving iron 

 

 

[JTK37]

I've got approx 6 rounds in with the 300 Mini, my game relies on keeping my tee ball in play to score.  Quite frankly my whole game has been "yippy" for the past 3 seasons.  It hasn't mattered what I hit off the tee, iron, hybrid or driver/wood I'll have streaks where its perfect and other rounds where I literally don't know where its going.  

 

I see the Mini as a tee only club, I'm playing the 13.5* w/Ventus Black 7X, even at 13.5* I want to see a perfect lie, ball sitting up before I would even consider hitting this thing off the deck, so I haven't even tried that.  Off the tee its really been great.  Took a little experimenting on the range to decide how I wanted to play it, whether I would tee it up like a driver, or down a bit more like a 3-wood.  In the end I'm more comfortable and consistent with it teed down a bit and a little farther back in my stance than I would set up to a driver.  

 

I've played with the loft from 13.5* to 11.5* in either setting the club is workable up and down, it just sits very closed to my eye at 13.5*(and I fear going left) so I've settled on 2 ticks towards "lower".  Distances are solid, it keeps up with all but my best drives and even then is only about 10yds behind it.  I don't know that its more or less "forgiving" than my driver, but the combination is just perfect for me.  Extremely consistent, not just in play but fairways all day.

 

Prior to my mental(golf) collapse I was always a very strong 3-wood player off the tee, long and straight, rarely pulled driver unless it was a monster par 5 with room to miss.  The Mini has given me back that confidence off the tee.  Its too long for a lot of the shorter par 4s, but its been soo accurate I'm hitting it in places I never would typically have grabbed a long iron and played for position

[rkillian]

I've ended up deciding to move on from the Mini. I still contend that when miss-hit, it was less off-line than a driver. Or perhaps I should say it seemed to be more in play. It sounds great and looks good at address.

 

I'm under no illusions that my driving with stay where it is, it can always go to crap but I seem have found a combo that works. The mini did show me a few things. The stock shaft is certainly on the softer side so moving into something softer in a driver than what I had typically tried has helped. I also always seemed to think I needed lower lofted drivers. Apparently, this is not the case for me, so going to a 10.5 head has also helped too. 

[RoyalMustang]

This is the first I have heard about this club, but it is intriguing!  

 

I can hit my 4W pretty well and I can smoke my 3H. Last night, I could dictate height, draw, straight, and fade on the 3H while carrying 230-240 at the range.  On the course, if I am 230 out, I have a very good chance of being on the green with that club. Yet, it never translates to my driver.  With the driver, I am carrying 265-275 max, and spraying it all over the place. I tend to swing "too hard" and pull out of the swing (resulting in a hook) or get too quick and stuck (slide).  I would give anything for even 1/2 of my hybrid accuracy to convert to my driver.  

 

Would this be a good candidate for me?  My loft is around 9.5 on the driver, so would it be 11.5 or 13.5 on this club?  

[bladehunter]

9 hours ago, JTK37 said:

I've got approx 6 rounds in with the 300 Mini, my game relies on keeping my tee ball in play to score.  Quite frankly my whole game has been "yippy" for the past 3 seasons.  It hasn't mattered what I hit off the tee, iron, hybrid or driver/wood I'll have streaks where its perfect and other rounds where I literally don't know where its going.  

 

I see the Mini as a tee only club, I'm playing the 13.5* w/Ventus Black 7X, even at 13.5* I want to see a perfect lie, ball sitting up before I would even consider hitting this thing off the deck, so I haven't even tried that.  Off the tee its really been great.  Took a little experimenting on the range to decide how I wanted to play it, whether I would tee it up like a driver, or down a bit more like a 3-wood.  In the end I'm more comfortable and consistent with it teed down a bit and a little farther back in my stance than I would set up to a driver.  

 

I've played with the loft from 13.5* to 11.5* in either setting the club is workable up and down, it just sits very closed to my eye at 13.5*(and I fear going left) so I've settled on 2 ticks towards "lower".  Distances are solid, it keeps up with all but my best drives and even then is only about 10yds behind it.  I don't know that its more or less "forgiving" than my driver, but the combination is just perfect for me.  Extremely consistent, not just in play but fairways all day.

 

Prior to my mental(golf) collapse I was always a very strong 3-wood player off the tee, long and straight, rarely pulled driver unless it was a monster par 5 with room to miss.  The Mini has given me back that confidence off the tee.  Its too long for a lot of the shorter par 4s, but its been soo accurate I'm hitting it in places I never would typically have grabbed a long iron and played for position

You should try it out off the deck.  In my opinion it’s easier to hit. Not harder.  

[Jifmoli]

4 hours ago, RoyalMustang said:

This is the first I have heard about this club, but it is intriguing!  

 

I can hit my 4W pretty well and I can smoke my 3H. Last night, I could dictate height, draw, straight, and fade on the 3H while carrying 230-240 at the range.  On the course, if I am 230 out, I have a very good chance of being on the green with that club. Yet, it never translates to my driver.  With the driver, I am carrying 265-275 max, and spraying it all over the place. I tend to swing "too hard" and pull out of the swing (resulting in a hook) or get too quick and stuck (slide).  I would give anything for even 1/2 of my hybrid accuracy to convert to my driver.  

 

Would this be a good candidate for me?  My loft is around 9.5 on the driver, so would it be 11.5 or 13.5 on this club?  

I would say worth a try, I am interested in one myself should I ever want to go back to a club just for off the tee. I am similar to you that I can hit my 3h well. I don't have a 4w but hit a 3w of a tee very well too (not so good off the deck though). Driver though...like you, 9.5o and all over the shop. I am done with drivers, got the last one in my bag now and secretely wishing it to break, lol.

 

I would go for the 13.5o as it is closer to the lofts of the clubs you hit well. Mind you, I don't have a mini driver myself, I am going down the 2 hybrid route for off the tee and long fairway shots. Ordered a Srixon ZX.

[RoyalMustang]

14 hours ago, RCGA said:

Chiming in with my experiences with the Original One

 

I'm a good golfer but struggled with options off the tee. Driver was too risky on anything but wide open holes. 3 wood was as unpredictable as the driver (so what's the point). A 18* driving iron is a great option for short holes, but is 40y sorter than my driver. 

 

The OO has been game changing for me. It's the length and loft of a strong 3-wood, but the face is big enough that I can tee it up high and swing at it just like a driver (and I can stop trying to learn a 3-wood swing). The added loft and shorter overall length make is about 20% more "playable". Driver is about 40-50% fairways hit, 3 wood maybe 50-60% and OO is about 60-70%

 

One thing I did do is set up "long" driver to be more of a distance club (8*, 45.5") and my mini driver to be more of a high launch down wind club. It makes my choices easy. 

 

Down/cross wind or short par 4 - mini driver

Wide open - long driver 

Tight or into the wind - low driving iron 

 

 

 

That is why I am considering the Mini (but with a different shaft).  There are far too many holes where I play where I either can't hit driver due to the distance (300 is out of play) or the fact that I need to be in the fairway.  I regularly hit 40% GIR, if I am doing well.  My driver is a total S*** show for the most part: there is something about the length and face of it that is SO different from any other club that I simply can't hit it.  I have a better chance of hitting a 6-iron onto the green from 185 than I do a driver into the fairway on a fairly tight course. 

 

Even on long par 4's, I am hitting 9 iron into the green if I hit my driver well. If I could gain 3 FIR/round and hit 8-iron on those holes, life would be so much easier.  I could avoid the hazard ball or the ball behind the trees and have a 160 approach instead of 145. Sign me up!  

 

I do much better with my 4W off the tee vs the driver, but it isn't the most forgiving club and sure can run a long way.  A bit more loft wouldn't hurt. 

[Rich Douglas]

I've played the SLDR, then the OO, for years. I don't know if switching to the 300 will make a material difference. 

 

I use it primarily as an alternate to the driver when I want to keep it in play or shorter than the driver. I can hit it off the deck--I have it set on a high loft--but I seldom do. On par-5s I either get there with an iron or lay up. 

 

In one comparison I saw, the 300 was longer than the OO, which in turn was longer than the SLDR. But, again, that might be a distinction without a real difference.

[khalespace]

There are tight holes or holes that have sand traps at around 230 to 245. If you hit the Driver 245 and the Mini 225 then the Mini could be a better club for that hole. My problem with the 3W (220 yards for me) is that the head is just a little too small for comfort off the tees. I haven't pulled the trigger on the Mini yet because I want to buy it used from Roger Dunn and the 8 used clubs they have are all 13.5* and I want a 11.5*. The good thing about Roger Dunn is that you can return for store credit no question asked for 3 months.

[RCGA]

16 hours ago, RoyalMustang said:

Would this be a good candidate for me?  My loft is around 9.5 on the driver, so would it be 11.5 or 13.5 on this club?  

 

I went 11.5* + 1*

 

I felt it was more valuable to move it between 9.5 to 13.5 vs 11.5 to 15.5 since I'm still viewing this as a driver. 

[AndersonGT]

Just curious if anyone has any experience between 300s and the Cobra Big Tour 3w? Ideally something off the tee but the ability to use off the deck. Also considering Srixon ZX 3+ and perhaps Ping G425 turned down. 

[RobotDoctor]

My setting currently is 11.5° minus 2 (effective 10.2°) with a Ventus Blue Velocore 5S shaft (45.75").  I hit one of the longest drives in quite some time yesterday on the closing par 4 of my home course (430 yd par 4, water down the left side of the fairway landing area from 175 yards in and pine trees on the right side of the fairway.  Fairway width is about 30 yards wide.  There are some "moguls" on the right center side of the fairway around 110 yards to 85 yards from the green (really a poor thought for a "hazard".)  I hit a terrific drive yesterday to be 119 yards from the pic (center of the green yesterday).  The line was just towards the Blue Spruce Pine trees about 50 yards short right of the green with a 5-10 yard draw.  Unfortunately I over hooked the GW approach and hit it in the front left bunker.  Made par anyway, and love golf at 5,000 feet elevation!  The picture shows #18 at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins.  The white box towards the right of the picture identifies the tees I played (Blue) and the yellow circle is where my drive ended up.  For me the setup of the 300 Mini produces drives equal or longer than my M3 and is easier to hit.  Still working on moving the ball with consistency but that is more of a swing issue than the club itself.

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by RobotDoctor

[Seattlegolfnut]

16 hours ago, Rich Douglas said:

I've played the SLDR, then the OO, for years. I don't know if switching to the 300 will make a material difference. 

 

I use it primarily as an alternate to the driver when I want to keep it in play or shorter than the driver. I can hit it off the deck--I have it set on a high loft--but I seldom do. On par-5s I either get there with an iron or lay up. 

 

In one comparison I saw, the 300 was longer than the OO, which in turn was longer than the SLDR. But, again, that might be a distinction without a real difference.

Ya, I tried the Mini for a bit, back in my OO. Used same shaft for both, plus tried a couple others. Didn't see any material difference in distance or dispersion to make it worth keeping the 300. Also, I didn't like the bigger head honestly, as it started to creep too much into looking like a driver than a marginally bigger 3W as my 1B tee club.

[Russjmills]

Thanks for the replies.  I've played 2 rounds with this club and it is changing my game dramatically. I'm not particularly tall (5'8") and this thing just suits me perfectly.

 

I play a links course here in England designed by Mackenzie who designed Augusta! If you aren't in play off the fairway then your card is wrecked. Lots of pretty heather flanking the fairways. If you ball goes in there it's either lost or a wrist breaker shot.

 

I can't stop hitting this thing out of the middle and am more than happy to give up 10 yards to be on the short stuff.

[JDorfler]

Saw one at Edwin Watts in the used club rack yesterday.  Guess it didn't work for some.  Also saw a ton of Callaway Epic drivers.

[jeffrey r]

48 minutes ago, JDorfler said:

Saw one at Edwin Watts in the used club rack yesterday.  Guess it didn't work for some.  Also saw a ton of Callaway Epic drivers.

 

End of the day, it’s like any other club we all buy to make our game better.  It isn’t point and shoot by any means.  If anything, I’ve found it pretty tough to figure out entirely in terms of tee height, shaft length, hosel settings, shaft, etc.  I think I have landed in a decent place with the 300 Mini for the time being with a Tensei CK Blue TM driver shaft I had around, but I will do more testing in the off-season when I have the course to myself.

 

That said, I think it is a terrific golf club.  It looks good, feels good, sounds good, etc.  IMHO, TM did a heck of a job with the 300 Mini overall.  It just comes down to trying to dial it in and tame it, and that is where it will work for some, and not for others.  YMMV.

[RobotDoctor]

2 hours ago, jeffrey r said:

 

End of the day, it’s like any other club we all buy to make our game better.  It isn’t point and shoot by any means.  If anything, I’ve found it pretty tough to figure out entirely in terms of tee height, shaft length, hosel settings, shaft, etc.  I think I have landed in a decent place with the 300 Mini for the time being with a Tensei CK Blue TM driver shaft I had around, but I will do more testing in the off-season when I have the course to myself.

 

That said, I think it is a terrific golf club.  It looks good, feels good, sounds good, etc.  IMHO, TM did a heck of a job with the 300 Mini overall.  It just comes down to trying to dial it in and tame it, and that is where it will work for some, and not for others.  YMMV.

Totally agree with this comment.  I definitely think playing the 300 Mini like a standard driver will lead to inconsistent results as the 300 Mini isn't designed to be played like that.  I have found that tee height about 1/2 the ball above the crown works best and the ball off my left heel.  This was much in the way I used to tee up a persimmon driver in the past.  The ball placement means contact will be at the bottom of my swing, maybe a bit on the upswing, if at all.  I put in a driver length shaft in it and the distance now is up to or surpasses my current driver.  

 

As @Russjmillsstated, "I can't stop hitting this thing out of the middle and am more than happy to give up 10 yards to be on the short stuff."  
 

Point being it is better to be a little shorter with the 300 Mini (or any club) and in the short grass than longer in rough or trouble.  Distance isn't worth it if the result isn't the most desirable. 

Edited October 10, 2021 by RobotDoctor

[bladehunter]

Can’t beat the thing.  Sorry. I even tried.  Just works for me as 3 wood.   It’s just that much easier to hit off the tee or the deck.  

[sevenfourate]

I’m one of those that barely use a 3 wood off the deck. But could do with a tee club that goes slightly less distance than stock driver - with (Potentially 🤣) more control.

 

**How easy is the 13.5 degree to elevate off the deck ? Perfect lies only: or………

 

 

[boggyman]

35 minutes ago, sevenfourate said:

I’m one of those that barely use a 3 wood off the deck. But could do with a tee club that goes slightly less distance than stock driver - with (Potentially 🤣) more control.

 

**How easy is the 13.5 degree to elevate off the deck ? Perfect lies only: or………

 

 

I didn’t find mine hard at all to elevate off the deck. It was a 13.5 also. 

[sevenfourate]

6 minutes ago, boggyman said:

I didn’t find mine hard at all to elevate off the deck. It was a 13.5 also. 

Thankyou.

 

’Didn’t’ ? Is it no longer with you ? 😎

[boggyman]

1 hour ago, sevenfourate said:

Thankyou.

 

’Didn’t’ ? Is it no longer with you ? 😎

Nope, no longer with me! I’m a Ho 🤣🤣 it’s a great club though! Back to my BB Mini. 

[Clubhoe]

I've noticed Phil Mickelson has ditched the 300. Looks like a Callaway mini in the bag. 

[Nic1972]

I think he went back to the OO he used previously.

[RoyalMustang]

I just wish this came with a X shaft option-not sure why it doesn't. I ordered a used one from GG to try and will just throw my Ventus 7X in there and choke down I suppose.  Should be close enough, right? 

 

I think the reason I struggle with my driver is the swing does feel somewhat materially different.  Wider stance, higher ball placement, hit up on the ball.....I took my 4W out the other day to the range and I was striping it, both off the tee and off the deck.  245 carry, 285 rollout., and repeatable.   As soon as I try that with my driver, I get a big left hook occasionally and am completely wild. The drives I do get are maybe 20 yards longer (with 30 more carry if flushed). 

 

My complaint since I started playing last year was always "why can't they make a driver version of my 4W"?  Hopefully this is it!  And if not, I will go back to struggling.  I really have to get my left hip cleared and synced with my weight transfer on the driver to keep the shot online; it always feels as if there is a lot less room for error than on the 4W in that timing.  

 

I will report back with an updated after a Ventus 7X install! 

Edited October 11, 2021 by RoyalMustang