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

[PixlPutterman]

1 hour ago, ScGolfer08 said:

 

Yea im hoping so too! I won't know until I'm released to play with my tibia fracture but with my AoA it should setup nicely just like my stenson frankenwood I have.  Trying it at 44 inches the shaft might be to light but just trial and error.. super excited 

Please keep it me posted as to your results Do you plan on turning it all the way down to 9.5°?

[Mookie91]

Does anyone know if they are still making the mini?  There is no customization on their website 

[ScGolfer08]

On 12/5/2021 at 2:21 PM, PixlPutterman said:

Please keep it me posted as to your results Do you plan on turning it all the way down to 9.5°?

 

No not 9.5.. 2 degrees open just like my sim. So it will be around 10.2 is what I was reading

[Bkgeneral]

i put the 13.5 in the bag as a 3 wood replacement.  I am not a good 3 wood player, and generally avoid it off the turf.  But some holes are not setup for driver, and need something.  Did a quick trip to florida last week and got to hit it a few times.  For me it was really good for what I wanted, a 3 wood length shot I am not terrible at.  Did try it off the ground a couple times, and that was tough.  Lies in FL are much tighter than I am used to in Ohio, so any 3 wood shot was going to be a challenge for me.  I don't think it's impossible off the turf, but going to take some work.  But off the turf the bar is so low, that it won't take much for me to be no worse off.  

[rcolwell7]

Mini 300 11.5°, set down to 9.5° has officially knocked my Ping G425 LST out of the bag.

I played the tail end of Summer with both the Ping and Mini in my bag, displacing my 3W.  I never really jived with the 425 LST aside from the first day I hit it, and much prefer the G400 LST.

 

Shafted the 300 Mini with an Accra TZ6 M5 tipped 1" @ 44.75".  I give up between 5-10 yards, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorite drivers I've owned.  I sprayed the Ping, but my misses with this are usually just off the fairway.

[PixlPutterman]

1 hour ago, rcolwell7 said:

Mini 300 11.5°, set down to 9.5° has officially knocked my Ping G425 LST out of the bag.

I played the tail end of Summer with both the Ping and Mini in my bag, displacing my 3W.  I never really jived with the 425 LST aside from the first day I hit it, and much prefer the G400 LST.

 

Shafted the 300 Mini with an Accra TZ6 M5 tipped 1" @ 44.75".  I give up between 5-10 yards, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorite drivers I've owned.  I sprayed the Ping, but my misses with this are usually just off the fairway.

Oh I need to hear more!!

 

We are around the same handicap too........and I have a Ping g410 LST in the bag

[rcolwell7]

4 hours ago, PixlPutterman said:

Oh I need to hear more!!

 

We are around the same handicap too........and I have a Ping g410 LST in the bag

 What would you like to know?

 

I got into this weird death spiral with the G425 LST and my swing.  I don't really think it was the shaft, because I played that same exact shaft (UST Elements Platinum Proto 6F5, Tipped 1") in the G400 LST for the better part of two years and played that same shaft in a Rogue SZ before that. I had G400 LST 10° during what was probably the best driving period of my life, but like a true club ho, newer is better, right? 
 

I much prefer to buy a higher lofted driver and loft down open the face angle a bit.  I play something between a 5 yd draw and a dead straight ball a majority of the time.  If I can hit a slight cut, I'm usually playing really good golf.  

I never got to the point where I was comfortable hitting a cut with the 425.  Everything was for the most part a dead straight piss missile.  Couldn't vary trajectory, which was my main issue with the Ping.  Setup for a draw, hit a big push.  Setup for a cut, hit a pull.  Set up to hit straight, and it would go straight.  At my home course, rarely is the straight ball a good play, usually ending up through the fairway, or with a crap angle for your second shot.  I got to the point with the 425 that I was in yip territory with the driver, which is when the 300 came in.  It went straight into the bag after my first range session.  It stayed in my bag the rest of the season, besides one round when it was accidentally left at home.
 

Changing back to a smaller head did wonders for me.

Edited December 14, 2021 by rcolwell7

[PixlPutterman]

7 minutes ago, rcolwell7 said:

 What would you like to know?

 

I got into this weird death spiral with the G425 LST and my swing.  I don't really think it was the shaft, because I played that same exact shaft (UST Elements Platinum Proto 6F5, Tipped 1") in the G400 LST for the better part of two years and played that same shaft in a Rogue SZ before that. I had G400 LST 10° during what was probably the best driving period of my life, but like a true club ho, newer is better, right? 
 

I much prefer to buy a higher lofted driver and loft down open the face angle a bit.  I play something between a 5 yd draw and a dead straight ball a majority of the time.  If I can hit a slight cut, I'm usually playing really good golf.  

I never got to the point where I was comfortable hitting a cut with the 425.  Everything was for the most part a dead straight piss missile.  Couldn't vary trajectory, which was my main issue with the Ping.  Setup for a draw, hit a big push.  Setup for a cut, hit a pull.  Set up to hit straight, and it would go straight.  At my home course, rarely is the straight ball a good play, usually ending up through the fairway, or with a crap angle for your second shot.  I got to the point with the 425 that I was in yip territory with the driver, which is when the 300 came in.  It went straight into the bag after my first range session.  It stayed in my bag the rest of the season, besides one round when it was accidentally left at home.
 

Changing back to a smaller head did wonders for me.

That works, I now need to try one!

[rcolwell7]

8 minutes ago, PixlPutterman said:

That works, I now need to try one!

Buy used!  I'm still not really happy that I spent $540 on the G425, and then two months later spent another $400 on the 300 mini, and have since purchased a ZX5 and Ventus Velocore that should be here tomorrow.  🤡🤡🤡

[PixlPutterman]

4 hours ago, rcolwell7 said:

Buy used!  I'm still not really happy that I spent $540 on the G425, and then two months later spent another $400 on the 300 mini, and have since purchased a ZX5 and Ventus Velocore that should be here tomorrow.  🤡🤡🤡

I'm keeping an eye out on eBay, they don't pop up in lefty that often

[bladehunter]

Finally snagged a 11.5 head.     Glue should be dry on the adapter by now. About to go see what she’s got.     Put a TB 70 TX in a 2 degree adapter for it.  Should be at 44.5.  Not sure if I’ll go shorter or not till I hit it.  

[bladehunter]

Yep @NRJyzr    Best sounding driver I’ve ever hit.  Goodness.  It swings itself.    Cruised through a bucket of real balls at home , low tee height , no real huge swings. Just on time.    and this is what it spits out on repeat.  Can’t tell you how easy it is to swing.  Just straight as can be.  No high right block miss in it.     

Edited December 19, 2021 by bladehunter

[NRJyzr]

So much awesome.  Maybe I should grab one for myself.

 

And, you managed to get a foot shot in there!   LOL

 

[PixlPutterman]

Mine is getting delivered today!!

 

Going to try my SIM shaft (Fuji Pro 53k) and this weekend put together an x100 at 44"

[bladehunter]

So.  My findings on course…

1.   44.5 inch length is extremely heavy swing weight, and I like heavy.  It’s like head lagging behind you heavy.  So shorter is a must.  
 

2.   I have a 13.5 at 43 inches turned up 1 degree that I absolutely just don’t hit it anywhere but straight.  It’s very easy to hit for me off the deck , or off a tee.  Whne I tee it up I only fluff it up.  Not teed  high on a peg.  my point to that is this. I hit the 43.5 head at 43 inches the same carry and ballspeed as the 44.5 inch 11.5 turned down to 9.5.   But the extra length and heft , makes it a little wilder.  Not wild.  Just kind of a push pull miss depending on shot.  
 

bottom line is that the 13.5 as a secondary tee club is great.  The. 11.5 as driver isn’t enough.  If I tee it up , it becomes really unforgiving.  
 

it’s not that the 11.5 isn’t good. It’s that the 13.5 combo is so good that it doesn’t work .   So the search continues.  

[ezra76]

I'm going to try one of these. 

 

Recently started playing again and finally got out onto a decent length course. My old clubs consist of a 9.5 SuperquadTP with a speeder 757S and a TEE CB1 13* with a Grafalloy compnt 85S tipped. These are a bit much for what I'm capable of now over 10yrs. off. 

 

I had some decent tee shots with each over the course of 2 days and 36 holes but had a lot of bad ones. 

 

The 2 clubs I have that are just absolute money are a CB4 5wood with the stock motore 85S shaft and a 22* rescue mid TP which I put a s300 2iron shaft in so it's essentially soft stepped. Both these I can feel a little mid-kick in my downswing as I hit the slot. Over 36 holes I was 3/4 gir on the 2 200yd. par 3's with the one miss being 2yds. on the front fringe with the rescue. 5w didn't see much action but hit a fairway with it and used it to punch out of trouble several times. 

 

So basically I'd love to have a smaller head like this mini driver with a shaft feel like I have in those clubs. My SS numbers with my old 3W were 96-98mph so I'd assume I'd have fairly similar with the mini driver. How is the stock shaft in it?

[ezra76]

I'm going to try one of these. 

 

Recently started playing again and finally got out onto a decent length course. My old clubs consist of a 9.5 SuperquadTP with a speeder 757S and a TEE CB1 13* with a Grafalloy compnt 85S tipped. These are a bit much for what I'm capable of now over 10yrs. off. 

 

I had some decent tee shots with each over the course of 2 days and 36 holes but had a lot of bad ones. 

 

The 2 clubs I have that are just absolute money are a CB4 5wood with the stock motore 85S shaft and a 22* rescue mid TP which I put a s300 2iron shaft in so it's essentially soft stepped. Both these I can feel a little mid-kick in my downswing as I hit the slot. Over 36 holes I was 3/4 gir on the 2 200yd. par 3's with the one miss being 2yds. on the front fringe with the rescue. 5w didn't see much action but hit a fairway with it and used it to punch out of trouble several times. 

 

So basically I'd love to have a smaller head like this mini driver with a shaft feel like I have in those clubs. My SS numbers with my old 3W were 96-98mph so I'd assume I'd have fairly similar with the mini driver. How is the stock shaft in it?

[PixlPutterman]

19 hours ago, bladehunter said:

So.  My findings on course…

1.   44.5 inch length is extremely heavy swing weight, and I like heavy.  It’s like head lagging behind you heavy.  So shorter is a must.  
 

2.   I have a 13.5 at 43 inches turned up 1 degree that I absolutely just don’t hit it anywhere but straight.  It’s very easy to hit for me off the deck , or off a tee.  Whne I tee it up I only fluff it up.  Not teed  high on a peg.  my point to that is this. I hit the 43.5 head at 43 inches the same carry and ballspeed as the 44.5 inch 11.5 turned down to 9.5.   But the extra length and heft , makes it a little wilder.  Not wild.  Just kind of a push pull miss depending on shot.  
 

bottom line is that the 13.5 as a secondary tee club is great.  The. 11.5 as driver isn’t enough.  If I tee it up , it becomes really unforgiving.  
 

it’s not that the 11.5 isn’t good. It’s that the 13.5 combo is so good that it doesn’t work .   So the search continues.  

 

 

Wonder if a CB shaft would help?

 

I just got to hit my 11.5 (turned down to 9.5) with a Fuji Prok 53k at 44.5 and it was promising. Didnt feel as automatic as when I had the OO last year with x100 at 43", but promising still 🙂

 

Was thinking of maybe finding a 70g or 80g counter balance shaft to try around 44"..............or just tossing an x100 in 🙂

[bladehunter]

46 minutes ago, PixlPutterman said:

 

 

Wonder if a CB shaft would help?

 

I just got to hit my 11.5 (turned down to 9.5) with a Fuji Prok 53k at 44.5 and it was promising. Didnt feel as automatic as when I had the OO last year with x100 at 43", but promising still 🙂

 

Was thinking of maybe finding a 70g or 80g counter balance shaft to try around 44"..............or just tossing an x100 in 🙂

I had that thought. Maybe a tensei pro orange.    I’m not hating on it at all. I just don’t need two minis that end up at the same distance , and one less accurate. The 13.5 tensei  blue 80 combo I have is likely just that perfect for me. I’ve always hit that shaft well. But this head is more forgiving by a mile than most 3 woods , so it seems to just exploded off the face.
 

 

i have had this happen before. Find a strong 3 wood that is a perfect fit. And suddenly it’s hard to find a driver that isn’t redundant.  The last one I had this good was an m1 2017 with a addi. I couldn’t hit driver past that thing to save my life. 
 

then I fixed driver swing and was ok for a while. Then this 300 comes along.  It’s longer still.  Driver cracked ( epic speed ) And now I’m on the hunt.  Again. Lol.  

Edited December 20, 2021 by bladehunter

[PixlPutterman]

1 hour ago, bladehunter said:

I had that thought. Maybe a tensei pro orange.    I’m not hating on it at all. I just don’t need two minis that end up at the same distance , and one less accurate. The 13.5 tensei  blue 80 combo I have is likely just that perfect for me. I’ve always hit that shaft well. But this head is more forgiving by a mile than most 3 woods , so it seems to just exploded off the face.
 

 

i have had this happen before. Find a strong 3 wood that is a perfect fit. And suddenly it’s hard to find a driver that isn’t redundant.  The last one I had this good was an m1 2017 with a addi. I couldn’t hit driver past that thing to save my life. 
 

then I fixed driver swing and was ok for a while. Then this 300 comes along.  It’s longer still.  Driver cracked ( epic speed ) And now I’m on the hunt.  Again. Lol.  

I have a raw orange in my g410 but I feel like I would want a heavier weight for the 300.........have to play around with it 🙂

[NRJyzr]

13 minutes ago, PixlPutterman said:

I have a raw orange in my g410 but I feel like I would want a heavier weight for the 300.........have to play around with it 🙂

 

In the FWIW folder...

 

I spent a month playing a Motore Speeder 6.2TS in my OO this past season.  It showed signs of life, but eventually I had to go a bit heavier, back to something 10g heavier, if not more.

 

Disclaimer being, I've always preferred heavier shafts in my driver and fairway woods.

 

[PixlPutterman]

4 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

In the FWIW folder...

 

I spent a month playing a Motore Speeder 6.2TS in my OO this past season.  It showed signs of life, but eventually I had to go a bit heavier, back to something 10g heavier, if not more.

 

Disclaimer being, I've always preferred heavier shafts in my driver and fairway woods.

 

Makes sense and will probably be the case for me, I played steel in everything up until last year lol

[bladehunter]

Anybody else here test this on any monitor ?   I’m curious about smash factor.  What have you seen as tops ? 1.41 is all I can get out of it.   Which makes me feel like The sweetspot must be low on the face , I know I’m hitting it slightly above middle.  Just a touch.  

[PixlPutterman]

2 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Anybody else here test this on any monitor ?   I’m curious about smash factor.  What have you seen as tops ? 1.41 is all I can get out of it.   Which makes me feel like The sweetspot must be low on the face , I know I’m hitting it slightly above middle.  Just a touch.  

 

 

I have a PRGR, I dont know how "accurate" it is

 

I got a few closer to 1.45 but what I cared more about was how close it was to a normal driver, which it was.

[RoyalMustang]

The one I had on loan was 13.5 turned down 2 degrees, and it was great. I had the 11.5 and it didn't feel quite as good.  Odd.  I play 9.5 on my regular driver but this seemed to be much lower flight.  It could be something to do with the length though.  

 

I do like the idea of playing it at 43.75", but the shaft that comes with it is an absolute whip.  I would prefer something sturdier

[bladehunter]

2 hours ago, PixlPutterman said:

 

 

I have a PRGR, I dont know how "accurate" it is

 

I got a few closer to 1.45 but what I cared more about was how close it was to a normal driver, which it was.

Yea. Mine isn’t.  I can get 1.50 1.48 ish regularly on the garmin g80. Which I’ve tested against trackman for carry and ballspeed and it’s really close.  I also have my own range at home. So I laser balls back to the tee , and it’s also reliable in that test.  Not at all saying it’s a trackman or quad. But I’m testing head for head on same machine. So that bugs me that  1.41 is best I’ve got. And only once. Averaging 1.38.  I’m going to stick my 13.5 head on the longer shaft and try. I may have a dud 11.5 head. Hope not. But swapping heads should show it. 

Edited December 21, 2021 by bladehunter

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, RoyalMustang said:

The one I had on loan was 13.5 turned down 2 degrees, and it was great. I had the 11.5 and it didn't feel quite as good.  Odd.  I play 9.5 on my regular driver but this seemed to be much lower flight.  It could be something to do with the length though.  

 

I do like the idea of playing it at 43.75", but the shaft that comes with it is an absolute whip.  I would prefer something sturdier

Yep. Same here.  

[PixlPutterman]

1 hour ago, bladehunter said:

Yea. Mine isn’t.  I can get 1.50 1.48 ish regularly on the garmin g80. Which I’ve tested against trackman for carry and ballspeed and it’s really close.  I also have my own range at home. So I laser balls back to the tee , and it’s also reliable in that test.  Not at all saying it’s a trackman or quad. But I’m testing head for head on same machine. So that bugs me that  1.41 is best I’ve got. And only once. Averaging 1.38.  I’m going to stick my 13.5 head on the longer shaft and try. I may have a dud 11.5 head. Hope not. But swapping heads should show it. 

Im typically a lower on the face, pinch kinda guy with the driver, so few drivers in the 460cc range worked for me due to excessive spin. The SIM worked great but nothing I use ever gets up close to 1.5 smash due to my typical face contact

[toddyc]

So has the 300 mini been discontinued already? Its gone from Taylormade's website

[Mookie91]

52 minutes ago, toddyc said:

So has the 300 mini been discontinued already? Its gone from Taylormade's website

Asked a bit ago and crickets