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

[Puttersaurus Rex]

1 hour ago, Mookie91 said:

Asked a bit ago and crickets

It was launched as a Limited Release.  Correct, it is no longer available from TM.

[PixlPutterman]

Man........a Carbonwood Mini 340cc............sounds like something they should make.......

[toddyc]

6 hours ago, Mookie91 said:

Asked a bit ago and crickets

Safe to assume it’s defunct now

[sg91]

4 hours ago, PixlPutterman said:

Man........a Carbonwood Mini 340cc............sounds like something they should make.......

I would be interested in this...

[braeburnhacker]

Took my 13.5’ stock stiff shaft out today, turned down 1 notch.  I have a 95-97 mph driver swing speed.  Range session with the PRGR showed high 130s to low 140s ball speed, total distance in the low 240s.  I typically hit my Sim Ti 15 degree 3-wood about 230 and Sim 9’ driver 245-255, so the 300 fit right in-between driver and 3 wood.  But unlike my driver, every shot I hit was totally playable.  I reached a 490 yard par-5 hitting it twice.  Surprised how well it works off the turf.  My lie was a fairly typical fairway lie, not sitting up especially.  No wind, but the ball went over 230 yards total distance.  I just made my normal 3-wood swing.  

 

I could swing up like a driver for a max carry, lower spin shot.  I could also tee it low and hit it like a 3-wood for a lower flight, high spin fairway finder.  For my swing, I find I’m more likely to release the club squeezing it teed low.  

 

Loving this club.  Also wondering if I should build a bomber driver to go with it on open holes, lol.  

[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°?

 

So change of plans while rehabbing! My club builder was running numbers to moi match my mini, I religiously play the graphite design tour ad di in my driver, so we were going to put a ad di 8x in the 300, but the weight of the di would make where it would be only able to be played at 43.5 inches and I want something at 44 inches, just like the old drivers when I was in college. We decided on the new graphite design tour ad ub 8x that just came out and is being built this weekend! Pumped!!

[PixlPutterman]

1 minute ago, ScGolfer08 said:

 

So change of plans while rehabbing! My club builder was running numbers to moi match my mini, I religiously play the graphite design tour ad di in my driver, so we were going to put a ad di 8x in the 300, but the weight of the di would make where it would be only able to be played at 43.5 inches and I want something at 44 inches, just like the old drivers when I was in college. We decided on the new graphite design tour ad ub 8x that just came out and is being built this weekend! Pumped!!

I'll send you my address for that junker old Accra 🤣🤣

 

I actually found an OG RIP Alpha in my stash, 60x, epoxy is curing as we speak and I'll play it around 43.5

[ScGolfer08]

24 minutes ago, PixlPutterman said:

I'll send you my address for that junker old Accra 🤣🤣

 

I actually found an OG RIP Alpha in my stash, 60x, epoxy is curing as we speak and I'll play it around 43.5

 

Well the Accra is actually being played by rocky "he's the goat" just turned 60 and was on tour back in the day, but I guess it fits him perfectly and has be striping it!

[Rapidcat]

I have so much enjoyed reading this thread - thanks to all for your contributions

[bladehunter]

On 1/11/2022 at 3:22 PM, PixlPutterman said:

Man........a Carbonwood Mini 340cc............sounds like something they should make.......

I’d stand in line to buy one.  Make the face depth the addition of cc.   But keep Vcog low.  

[RCGA]

For people playing this at 43.5" what's the length of your next club?

 

I'm thinking of going:

 

Mini (10*) 43.5"

5 wood (17*) at 42.25" (stock length at 42") 

2 iron (18*) at 39.75" 

 

The reason for both the 5 wood and 2 iron is that I can hit low bullets with the 2i, as well as shape it well. The 5 wood is my down wind & safe club. 

 

I'm going to drop the full-length driver entirely. I'm more likely to hit a poor to horrible shot with it than a pure one.

[PixlPutterman]

4 hours ago, RCGA said:

For people playing this at 43.5" what's the length of your next club?

 

I'm thinking of going:

 

Mini (10*) 43.5"

5 wood (17*) at 42.25" (stock length at 42") 

2 iron (18*) at 39.75" 

 

The reason for both the 5 wood and 2 iron is that I can hit low bullets with the 2i, as well as shape it well. The 5 wood is my down wind & safe club. 

 

I'm going to drop the full-length driver entirely. I'm more likely to hit a poor to horrible shot with it than a pure one.

I'll have to measure my 5 wood and 2i (I'm playing the mini at 9.5), but that's probably semi close to my set up, for the same reason to

[ScGolfer08]

On 1/15/2022 at 11:41 PM, ScGolfer08 said:

 

Well the Accra is actually being played by rocky "he's the goat" just turned 60 and was on tour back in the day, but I guess it fits him perfectly and has be striping it!

 

Update

[PixlPutterman]

Went old school in mine

[khalespace]

sorry, wrong thread

Edited January 24, 2022 by khalespace

[thezinfan]

On 1/11/2022 at 9:53 AM, Puttersaurus Rex said:

It was launched as a Limited Release.  Correct, it is no longer available from TM.

 

On 1/11/2022 at 3:00 PM, toddyc said:

Safe to assume it’s defunct now

RH 13.5 stiff Midr shaft available again on TM website. 

[Duffner's Waggle]

Hey boys what are yall using for head covers for these things? Just the stock TM 300 cloth cover? Thing is fugly! Would love to find a large fairway cover or something if possible. Anybody know if the Original One cover fits the 300 mini? I know there's a size difference between the 2 clubs. I don't really want two large driver covers in my bag if I can help it. 

 

As far as performance....I have an 11.5* head that I put on a HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 at 43.75" and was absolutely smoking it. Several drives up over 290, but the lynchpin to all of it was tee height for me. Low is good, but not so low that it's like a fairway wood. High was no good. A neutral AoA seemed to perform best for me. I only hit it off the deck a handful of times, but it was a 260 yd laser. I bought a brand new 13.5* that should be here today and am going to be trying that because I want it in the bag, but I do need a little more distance between this club and my driver. 

 

In a perfect world, my new setup would go 

 

Driver (7.5*) - 285+ - Either Ping G425 or Mizuno ST-Z

Mini (13.5*) - 260+

Tsi3 19* - 230-240

ZX Utility 20* - 215-220

ZX5 5,6 (195, 185)

ZX7 7,8,9,PW (170, 160, 150, 140)

Mizuno T20 50, 54, 58 (125, 110, 90)

Putter

 

My home course is pretty short - like 6300 - from the back with a bunch of oddly laid out holes that don't make sense for driver or bring trouble into play. The mini is perfect for those holes and I tend to have a negative AoA with driver on occasion, which I'm working on, but a negative AoA with the mini just produces missiles that love to fly straight. Hoping the 13.5 does the trick. May turn it up to 14.5 and see if I can get it to turnover. Should be significantly easier to hit off the deck too! If so, I'll likely unload the 11.5 head because I don't think I want to go two mini drivers in the bag. Definitely a fun club and the look at address is perfect! 

[bjh1]

On 1/23/2022 at 1:01 PM, RCGA said:

For people playing this at 43.5" what's the length of your next club?

I have the 13.5 degree with Evenflow Riptide shaft at the stock length (website says 43.75").

After doing a lot of experimenting with tee height and checking my spin and carry numbers, I now have it set down to 11.5.

 

Next club down is 5 wood at 42.5" then 7 wood at 42".  That gaps it pretty well for me.  

 

Only got this club in August, but the more I hit it, the more I like it.  I'd say I'm averaging 5-10 yards shorter than my previous driver, but the consistency is unreal.  My big left/right misses are way down, and I get very consistent distances with it.  Played on a sim the other day and I couldn't believe how almost every drive was 252, 254, 253, 254.

[Duffner's Waggle]

13 minutes ago, bjh1 said:

I have the 13.5 degree with Evenflow Riptide shaft at the stock length (website says 43.75").

After doing a lot of experimenting with tee height and checking my spin and carry numbers, I now have it set down to 11.5.

 

Next club down is 5 wood at 42.5" then 7 wood at 42".  That gaps it pretty well for me.  

 

Only got this club in August, but the more I hit it, the more I like it.  I'd say I'm averaging 5-10 yards shorter than my previous driver, but the consistency is unreal.  My big left/right misses are way down, and I get very consistent distances with it.  Played on a sim the other day and I couldn't believe how almost every drive was 252, 254, 253, 254.

 

So you're playing it strictly as driver replacement? Hard to beat consistency like that!

[bjh1]

2 hours ago, Duffner's Waggle said:

strictly as driver replacement

Yes, definitely driver replacement for me.  A little less distance, but way more accurate.  I'm just one of those guys that has never gotten comfortable looking down at a 460cc head.

 

Regarding your head cover question, I'm just using a standard size driver cover, and yeah, it's a little loose and I can see why you wouldn't want two driver headcovers in your bag.  I think a fairway wood cover would be too snug.  Maybe you could find a 'vintage' TaylorMade cover on ebay from a 1990's era driver.  That would probably be the right size and you might be able to find something retro-cool (Burner bubble anyone?)

[solarbear88]

On 1/12/2022 at 7:22 AM, PixlPutterman said:

Man........a Carbonwood Mini 340cc............sounds like something they should make.......

 

Pretty much a Calloway C4 which you can buy for a song.

[Stinger83]

a 400 cc version of this driver in 9* would be the best looking driver in years......and yet we get red face instead

[PixlPutterman]

3 hours ago, solarbear88 said:

 

Pretty much a Calloway C4 which you can buy for a song.

Might need one with an x100 🤣

[uglande]

My mini is back in the bag. It was my favorite club from last year. I played it all year with a Ventus Blue 7x, but I have RDX black now, in 6.0, and it's just so easy. My mini has a left bias, even with a neutral face, so I set my 13.5 to 12.0 and I can make it do whatever I want.

 

Not only does it give me more control than driver, it allows me to shape shots, hit stingers, and obviously work from the deck. Mine is a 3w replacement, but I often wonder why I bother with driver.

[chamgel2]

I added an 11.5 to the bag.  Haven’t messed with the adjustments yet as I just took it out for my first round of the season yesterday, but initial impressions were great.  Even with the stock shaft this thing ended up at a few places my driver was over the summer and the accuracy was much better.   
 

Now comes the search for a new shaft to get the dispersion tightened up a bit.  I’ve got an Aldila White 130msi 70 on the way, looking at maybe picking up an Evenflow black or blue to try, and would love to find an OG Diamana Kai’li 70 as I’ve liked the shaft in every club I’ve ever tried and it was a monster in the Callaway 2deep I used as a driver replacement for a while…. unless someone has a newer recommendation with similar profile.  

[PixlPutterman]

13 hours ago, chamgel2 said:

I added an 11.5 to the bag.  Haven’t messed with the adjustments yet as I just took it out for my first round of the season yesterday, but initial impressions were great.  Even with the stock shaft this thing ended up at a few places my driver was over the summer and the accuracy was much better.   
 

Now comes the search for a new shaft to get the dispersion tightened up a bit.  I’ve got an Aldila White 130msi 70 on the way, looking at maybe picking up an Evenflow black or blue to try, and would love to find an OG Diamana Kai’li 70 as I’ve liked the shaft in every club I’ve ever tried and it was a monster in the Callaway 2deep I used as a driver replacement for a while…. unless someone has a newer recommendation with similar profile.  

I think that Kai'li is a fantastic option.

 

I have a RIP Alpha 60 in mine and its great. Old school isnt dead yet 🙂

[jorellanes]

Anyone tried the Ventus TR 7x with the 13.5 Head?

[solarbear88]

Kinda feel if you went and got say an ancient 290 or 310 Cobra SS Hypersteel or whatever 300cc driver you prefer from early 2000's at 10.5* you might get a similar club at 1/10th the price.  I only use the Cobra as an example because my mate had one and you could hit it all over the face and as long as it was squarish it would go straight and pretty long too.

Edited May 26, 2022 by solarbear88

[NRJyzr]

43 minutes ago, solarbear88 said:

Kinda feel if you went and got say an ancient 290 or 310 Cobra SS Hypersteel or whatever 300cc driver you prefer from early 2000's at 10.5* you might get a similar club at 1/10th the price.  I only use the Cobra as an example because my mate had one and you could hit it all over the face and as long as it was squarish it would go straight and pretty long too.

 

The problem with older clubs is that they're designed with an imperfect understanding of how to lower spin.  20 years ago, companies thought a higher CG was the way to help the high spin player.  These days, we know that's the wrong way to go.

 

The Original One and 300 Mini have it right, having been designed with a lower CG.

 

And then there's the adjustability thing.  Not so much for tweaking the club, though that's great, but the ability to swap shafts in seconds.

 

[jorellanes]

I am really liking this Mini Driver. Really hard not to hit fairway with a half decent swing. Paired with AD DI 7x until I get the Ventus TR 7x. Curious to see if this can perform better with the Ventus.