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

[Fairway14]

4 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

 

 

I'm convinced that if you are using a non-driver to tee off on the majority of holes, you are giving up an advantage in the long term... Hit what you need to hit to get in play, but figure out how to make the driver work for you if you want to shoot lower scores...

 

 

I suggest you leave driver at home for a couple of rounds and you might find you shoot lower 18 hole scores. The only way to know for certain is to try it.

[uglande]

43 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

Unless those 3 drives are running through the fairway, their money would be better spent on lessons... Strokes Gained (and the PGA money list) shows that hitting the ball farther is advantageous over time... 

 

I'm convinced that if you are using a non-driver to tee off on the majority of holes, you are giving up an advantage in the long term... Hit what you need to hit to get in play, but figure out how to make the driver work for you if you want to shoot lower scores...

 

You're assuming significant yardage disparities between driver and mini. I'm not finding that, after a lot of testing. I have probably hit 200 balls with the mini on the range over several sessions and the same number of drives. I have a mini set at 12 degrees, 43.75 inches, Ventus Blue 7x. I have been consistently just a couple mph slower with mini and same with ball speed.

 

Today I was swinging the mini at 111-114 mph with 160+ ball speeds and zero of them were substantially offline. With my 45 inch Mizuno STZ driver (Ventus Blue 6x), ball speeds were low-mid 160s but only half of them would have been in the fairway, another fourth would have been first or second cut but the final fourth would have been in major trouble.

 

So how much farther do I need to hit my driver to make up for the strokes I lose on those 1-3 wayward drives each round?

 

All of us have a point of diminishing returns with driver shaft length. For me, it's well below stock length, and even below 45 in. It's probably something like 44.00-44.50. That, for me, is the point where the added length doesn't increase distance but does increase the odds of mishits. 

 

For those of us whose point of diminishing return is shorter (maybe it's because I'm 6'5" with a wide arc), the mini is an especially effective club -- significantly straighter than driver but only slightly shorter.

 

I'm still carrying driver, for now, but on my home course I could easily play without it and would probably score better. And for those who do see a wider distance gap between driver and mini, then the mini works great as a fairway-finding second option. 

Most of the people on these threads who are dissing the mini have never played one, or they assume the something that wouldn't work for them could not possibly work for someone else. 

Edited August 5, 2021 by uglande

[NRJyzr]

25 minutes ago, uglande said:

You're assuming significant yardage disparities between driver and mini. I'm not finding that, after a lot of testing. I have probably hit 200 balls with the mini on the range over several sessions and the same number of drives. I have a mini set at 12 degrees, 43.75 inches, Ventus Blue 7x. I have been consistently just a couple mph slower with mini and same with ball speed.

 

Today I was swinging the mini at 111-114 mph with 160+ ball speeds and zero of them were substantially offline. With my 45 inch Mizuno STZ driver (Ventus Blue 6x), ball speeds were low-mid 160s but only half of them would have been in the fairway, another fourth would have been first or second cut but the final fourth would have been in major trouble.

 

So how much farther do I need to hit my driver to make up for the strokes I lose on those 1-3 wayward drives each round?

 

All of us have a point of diminishing returns with driver shaft length. For me, it's well below stock length, and even below 45 in. It's probably something like 44.00-44.50. That, for me, is the point where the added length doesn't increase distance but does increase the odds of mishits. 

 

For those of us whose point of diminishing return is shorter (maybe it's because I'm 6'5" with a wide arc), the mini is an especially effective club -- significantly straighter than driver but only slightly shorter.

 

I'm still carrying driver, for now, but on my home course I could easily play without it and would probably score better. And for those who do see a wider distance gap between driver and mini, then the mini works great as a fairway-finding second option. 

Most of the people on these threads who are dissing the mini have never played one, or they assume the something that wouldn't work for them could not possibly work for someone else. 

 

I've found my Original One is actually longer than the larger drivers I've played this year (King LTD, Fly-Z+, etc).  They're all played at the same club length, because of that point of diminishing returns you mentioned; mine is 43.5" or less.

 

Amusingly, I'm only 5'11" tall, with shortish arms.  Wide arc isn't in play here.  LOL

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by NRJyzr

[thezinfan]

Between this thread and the below thread, there are all sorts of posts by people who hit their 3W almost as long as driver, but way more accurately, with data. Yet, there are other people who insist that 3W/Mini driver doesn't/shouldn't work. Lol.

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by thezinfan

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, Fairway14 said:

 

I suggest you leave driver at home for a couple of rounds and you might find you shoot lower 18 hole scores. The only way to know for certain is to try it.

Ha. I can’t hit my 3 wood at all right now and it’s the next club I’ll replace! I only hit it when driver can go too far and I run out of fairway. 
 

ive tried a number of different strategies on my home golf course… my best scores come when I’m hitting driver well (this isn’t really a surprise… driving the ball well is important). 
 

I don’t struggle to control a longer shaft, though… so the jump from 43.5 to 46 doesn’t have a huge impact on my dispersion…

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, uglande said:

You're assuming significant yardage disparities between driver and mini. I'm not finding that, after a lot of testing. I have probably hit 200 balls with the mini on the range over several sessions and the same number of drives. I have a mini set at 12 degrees, 43.75 inches, Ventus Blue 7x. I have been consistently just a couple mph slower with mini and same with ball speed.

Yes. My central premise is most people hit driver farther than a mini driver… if that’s not the case (or its a marginal distance difference) than it 100% makes sense to chase dispersion. 
 

I think the mini driver can be a great resource and belongs in some peoples bag… but if you are giving up significant distance to chase accuracy, you are leaving strokes on the course…

[RobotDoctor]

I don't disrespect a club unless I've actually tried it.  I really don't care about all the YouTube sites that review clubs because none of those golfers have my swing.  I tend to try something myself before offering my personal opinion.  Even at that my opinion is based on me and how a club performed for me.  I will gladly take at heart a critique from someone who has tried a club, in this case the 300 Mini, because they have a perspective I can relate to.  Those who poo-poo a club based on baseless opinion is merely a waste of time.  Those with an agenda to dislike something just because they're opinionated (Rick Shiels) have lost my respect and I certainly won't listen in the future.  Those criticizing the 300 Mini stating that the club is not as forgiving as a 460cc driver therefore the 300 Mini is a useless club I say to them are you serious?  Any golfer needing that much forgiveness might stand a better chance of playing better golf with a more fundamentally good and repeating swing.  If the difference of playing good golf and poor golf is the little bit more forgiveness a 460cc driver offers then that golfer has more serious issues than whether the 300 Mini is not forgiving enough.  A golfer with a sound fundamental and repeating swing will not need the forgiveness of a 460cc driver, let alone a 307cc driver.  I know there are times forgiveness is a benefit to me but I'm generally near the center of the face with my clubs, driver through putter.  Isn't that the goal in the first place?  Hone a great swing?
 

At the end of the day a club like the 300 Mini works for a lot of people.  It would probably work for many of those who have been negative towards it.  

[Fairway14]

41 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

. 
 

ive tried a number of different strategies on my home golf course

 

At your home course how many rounds have you played without a driver in the bag ?

[Myherobobhope]

1 hour ago, Fairway14 said:

 

At your home course how many rounds have you played without a driver in the bag ?

At least 1… my driver came apart on a practice swing on the third hole (and the first place I was going to hit it)… my course plays 6700 yards from the tees I play. It was not an enjoyable round. 
 

But I also don’t get along with my 3 wood… I didn’t hit it poorly, but I was significantly back from where I usually am… I hit 3 wood maybe 260 and driver 285 on average… it made a noticeable difference. 
 

if I end up with the mini driver it might change things, but I don’t think there should be a fundamental difference in your misses with driver vs your 3 wood. I’m equally capable of making a bad swing with either.

 

https://practical-golf.com/driver-vs-3-wood-off-tee/

 

[Fairway14]

1 minute ago, Myherobobhope said:

I don’t think there should be a fundamental difference in your misses with driver vs your 3 wood. I’m equally capable of making a bad swing with either.

 

 

 

 

Just as the difference between missing a 9-iron versus a 6-iron shot is significant, so too is the difference between a 3-wood and a driver.

For example, every player will hit a 9-iron consistently straighter than they do a 6-iron, and so too will a 3-wood go consistently straighter than a driver.

You wrote that your 3-wood shots go 260 yards. This is enough tee box distance to shoot 59 on a 6700 yard golf course. My guess is that if you leave your usual driver at home and play a few rounds with a mini or a 3-wood you will produce lower 18 hole scores. Remember that taking the 45"  460CC driver out of the bag usually means no more "hit it hard-hit it far" mentality, which inevitably helps swing tempo-rhythm for all the clubs within the bag.

[b.mattay]

35 minutes ago, Fairway14 said:

 

Just as the difference between missing a 9-iron versus a 6-iron shot is significant, so too is the difference between a 3-wood and a driver.

For example, every player will hit a 9-iron consistently straighter than they do a 6-iron, and so too will a 3-wood go consistently straighter than a driver.

Many studies have been done on this. In the majority of them, 3 wood gains you (on average) about a 5% increase in FIR, or approximately a 1/3rd of a fairway per round. Likely not worth giving up 30 yards. 
 

Some players, like me, are less accurate with 3 wood then driver. If I leave driver at home, I shoot 2-4 strokes higher. Exactly why I am contemplating a mini driver for more forgiveness out of that spot in the bag. 

[Fairway14]

3 minutes ago, b.mattay said:

If I leave driver at home, I shoot 2-4 strokes higher. 

How many rounds have you played with driver at home ?

[b.mattay]

12 minutes ago, Fairway14 said:

How many rounds have you played with driver at home ?

10ish, have shot under par once doing it. With driver I'd shoot under par approximately 6/10 times. The combination of fewer fairways and 30 yards shorter is a lot to overcome. 

[Myherobobhope]

44 minutes ago, b.mattay said:

Many studies have been done on this. In the majority of them, 3 wood gains you (on average) about a 5% increase in FIR, or approximately a 1/3rd of a fairway per round. Likely not worth giving up 30 yards. 
 

Some players, like me, are less accurate with 3 wood then driver. If I leave driver at home, I shoot 2-4 strokes higher. Exactly why I am contemplating a mini driver for more forgiveness out of that spot in the bag. 

We’ve gotten way off topic here, but obviously driver is what works for pros (otherwise someone would make a lot of money hitting 3 wood)… so the question becomes: what changes for amateurs from 3 wood to driver? 
 

and I’m willing to concede if you hit more fairways without giving up a ton of distance it makes sense to hit 3 wood! But It also makes sense to figure out how to get your driver into play (while hitting it 20+ yards past your driver)… 

 

regardless, I think the mini driver is an interesting tool and has a place in my bag… mostly for the 3 tee shots where driver goes far enough to get me into trouble… though ironically I want something I can “swing hard” at… it’s my biggest issue with my three wood. I’m not comfortable committing to the swing.

[RobotDoctor]

My own testing and the round that I had the other day with my 300 Mini shows me it is as long as my 45” Taylormade M3 440 9.9 degree driver.  Of course that is with the made for Taylormade Fujikura Ventus Blue 5S at 45”.  I was hitting into the same positions on several holes with the 300 Mini as I did with my M3.  I’m not losing much, if any, distance.  Then again I’m not considering the 300 Mini as a 3 wood club either.  Strictly a driver for me. 

[Fairway14]

36 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

 so the question becomes: what changes for amateurs from 3 wood to driver? 
 

 

 

MY observation is that most amateurs are very rarely willing to swing 3-wood from a tee box. Consequently, when they do stand on a tee box with a 3-wood it feels awkward/uncomfortable. I believe the only way to overcome this is to leave driver at home for a round or two of golf and from that one become comfortable/confident swinging 3-wood from the tee boxes.

 

[Seattlegolfnut]

42 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

We’ve gotten way off topic here, but obviously driver is what works for pros (otherwise someone would make a lot of money hitting 3 wood)… so the question becomes: what changes for amateurs from 3 wood to driver? 
 

 

13 minutes ago, Fairway14 said:

 

MY observation is that most amateurs are very rarely willing to swing 3-wood from a tee box. Consequently, when they do stand on a tee box with a 3-wood it feels awkward/uncomfortable. I believe the only way to overcome this is to leave driver at home for a round or two of golf and from that one become comfortable/confident swinging 3-wood from the tee boxes.

 

Maybe this is taking it further off topic, but one external thing that changes between pros and amateurs is course length; that seems often overlooked in these threads.
 

Pros are playing 7000+ yrd courses all the time. My home course is unfortunately 5900 yards from the tips. 3 holes are 90* doglegs (one is a double dog leg S). Miss the fairways by 5 yards and it’s a punch out with the 100’ cedar trees having branches all the way to the ground.

 

If I were to hit driver, I just know the golf gods will pull my ball right into the trees as penalty for not respecting how the course was designed to be played 100 years ago! A smooth 3W in the grass followed by a wedge is good enough, and even then is sometimes getting greedy. I’m gaming an OO and demoing a 300 to try to get a little more forgiveness for my 15* tee club.

[Myherobobhope]

13 minutes ago, Seattlegolfnut said:

 

Maybe this is taking it further off topic, but one external thing that changes between pros and amateurs is course length; that seems often overlooked in these threads.
 

Pros are playing 7000+ yrd courses all the time. My home course is unfortunately 5900 yards from the tips. 3 holes are 90* doglegs (one is a double dog leg S). Miss the fairways by 5 yards and it’s a punch out with the 100’ cedar trees having branches all the way to the ground.

 

If I were to hit driver, I just know the golf gods will pull my ball right into the trees as penalty for not respecting how the course was designed to be played 100 years ago! A smooth 3W in the grass followed by a wedge is good enough, and even then is sometimes getting greedy. I’m gaming an OO and demoing a 300 to try to get a little more forgiveness for my 15* tee club.

And I think that makes sense… if driver length brings more hazards into play, or doesn’t make sense from a risk / reward standpoint, hitting 3 wood makes sense.

 

im an advocate of DECADE and Scott breaks down his logic very well… and one of his things is if 3 wood gets you to wedge range, it’s perfectly fine as an option.

 

my course has multiple wide open fairways where you have 50 yards of fairway, but you will still have a decently long second shot… if I can’t get it into play with my Driver, the answer is for me to figure out my driver (which I just took a lesson on!)

 

but! I’m in the market for a mini driver because there are holes where I want to be in play, driver brings trouble into play and a solid 3 wood doesn’t… it makes sense for me on at least 3 holes to hit less than driver… on bad driving days, that probably goes up to 6-7… but there are 2 holes where not hitting driver makes 0 sense… they are both 420+ with big fairways…

 

the mini driver, to me, is a smaller hammer… it’s going to do less damage if I miss with it, but I’m never planning on missing the nail… I’ll just use it when I can’t hit a nail as hard.

[Seattlegolfnut]

32 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

And I think that makes sense… if driver length brings more hazards into play, or doesn’t make sense from a risk / reward standpoint, hitting 3 wood makes sense.

 

im an advocate of DECADE and Scott breaks down his logic very well… and one of his things is if 3 wood gets you to wedge range, it’s perfectly fine as an option.

 

my course has multiple wide open fairways where you have 50 yards of fairway, but you will still have a decently long second shot… if I can’t get it into play with my Driver, the answer is for me to figure out my driver (which I just took a lesson on!)

 

but! I’m in the market for a mini driver because there are holes where I want to be in play, driver brings trouble into play and a solid 3 wood doesn’t… it makes sense for me on at least 3 holes to hit less than driver… on bad driving days, that probably goes up to 6-7… but there are 2 holes where not hitting driver makes 0 sense… they are both 420+ with big fairways…

 

the mini driver, to me, is a smaller hammer… it’s going to do less damage if I miss with it, but I’m never planning on missing the nail… I’ll just use it when I can’t hit a nail as hard.

Right on, that’s a great way to think of it!

Edited August 6, 2021 by Seattlegolfnut

[Fairway14]

38 minutes ago, Seattlegolfnut said:

 

 

Pros are playing 7000+ yrd courses all the time. My home course is unfortunately 5900 yards from the tips. 3 holes are 90* doglegs (one is a double dog leg S). Miss the fairways by 5 yards and it’s a punch out with the 100’ cedar trees having branches all the way to the ground.

 

 

 

Scorecard yardages can be misleading. For example, a 6,300 flat terrain course at sea level golf course may actually play longer than a 7,300 yard mountain course. Also, an architect/designer typically has a course's longest playing holes to be the one's with the widest fairways and largest, relatively unprotected greens.

Your course at 5,900 yards, if filled with severe dogleg holes calling for no more than a 220 yard tee shot, may "play longer" than a 6,400 yard course filled with straight away holes. In other words, the dogleg course layout often means longer approach shot yardages than a straight hole course. Also, a 6,100 yard course that has lots of uphill holes may play longer than a 7.100 yard course filled with down hill holes. So, scorecard yardage is often misleading.

[Seattlegolfnut]

38 minutes ago, Fairway14 said:

 

Scorecard yardages can be misleading. For example, a 6,300 flat terrain course at sea level golf course may actually play longer than a 7,300 yard mountain course. Also, an architect/designer typically has a course's longest playing holes to be the one's with the widest fairways and largest, relatively unprotected greens.

Your course at 5,900 yards, if filled with severe dogleg holes calling for no more than a 220 yard tee shot, may "play longer" than a 6,400 yard course filled with straight away holes. In other words, the dogleg course layout often means longer approach shot yardages than a straight hole course. Also, a 6,100 yard course that has lots of uphill holes may play longer than a 7.100 yard course filled with down hill holes. So, scorecard yardage is often misleading.

For sure! Those are great points. I feel that way (that it plays longer). You described it precisely.

[Ivyguy]

I think Eddie Pepperel (I screwed up his name sorry) is using one as his driver this week. 

[Jut]

Dropping mine down to 12* and getting rid of the SIM Max.  Results on the course don’t lie.  It’s that good (for me). 

[RobotDoctor]

4 minutes ago, Jut said:

Dropping mine down to 12* and getting rid of the SIM Max.  Results on the course don’t lie.  It’s that good (for me). 

I agree!!!  I have mine set at 10.8° (one setting lower) and with a Ventus Blue Velocore 6S at 44.5" (to grip cap) and am beginning to get the driver dialed in.  This one is as long as my M3 440cc 9.9° and, with a good swing, easier to keep in play.  Center strikes have such a good feeling and I LOVE the sound of the ball.  Surprisingly the driver has a lower trajectory for drives than I thought it would.  Definitely penetrating.  My M3 440 is now relegated to my spare club bag in the garage.  

[sg91]

7 hours ago, Ivyguy said:

I think Eddie Pepperel (I screwed up his name sorry) is using one as his driver this week. 

He is.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSMZMtvtflo/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Also interesting to see him back with Mizuno after going to Ping not long ago.

[Ivyguy]

6 hours ago, sg91 said:

He is.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSMZMtvtflo/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Also interesting to see him back with Mizuno after going to Ping not long ago.

It will be interesting to see a pro game one. We keep saying this is a niche club. 
 

A guy with a butt load of talent playing one is interesting 

[me05501]

You can’t overestimate the importance of confidence at the top end of the bag. Whatever gives the player that confidence should be in the bag. 
 

The argument that mini drivers are “pointless” or “shouldn’t exist” would be obviously ridiculous if we applied it to any other part of the bag. Is it pointless to have a choice between a 58* wedge and a 60*? Nope. One works for a certain player and one works for the other. No one judges. 
 

The same should be true at the other end of the bag. 

[MaineMariner]

Let me just add my perspective on the distance question: I am without a shadow of a doubt hitting the Mini further than my regular size driver. It showed in my fitting, I've seen it on my PRGR launch monitor, and now I have two rounds on the course to confirm that I'm hitting it past my normal distances.

 

I'm sure it's because of how the driver and shaft fit my swing (I tend to hit down to level on the ball), so your own mileage will definitely very.

[RogerinNewZealand]

Fairways hit,Confidence...i look for 12 fairways hit...no one is saying how many they hit..had a steel shafted Vr Tour 420cc 2011..centre or centre...300 mini will be a good trend😊

[toddyc]

On 8/5/2021 at 8:40 PM, Myherobobhope said:

And I think that makes sense… if driver length brings more hazards into play, or doesn’t make sense from a risk / reward standpoint, hitting 3 wood makes sense.

 

im an advocate of DECADE and Scott breaks down his logic very well… and one of his things is if 3 wood gets you to wedge range, it’s perfectly fine as an option.

 

my course has multiple wide open fairways where you have 50 yards of fairway, but you will still have a decently long second shot… if I can’t get it into play with my Driver, the answer is for me to figure out my driver (which I just took a lesson on!)

 

but! I’m in the market for a mini driver because there are holes where I want to be in play, driver brings trouble into play and a solid 3 wood doesn’t… it makes sense for me on at least 3 holes to hit less than driver… on bad driving days, that probably goes up to 6-7… but there are 2 holes where not hitting driver makes 0 sense… they are both 420+ with big fairways…

 

the mini driver, to me, is a smaller hammer… it’s going to do less damage if I miss with it, but I’m never planning on missing the nail… I’ll just use it when I can’t hit a nail as hard.

It is interesting that you mention Scott because he’s talked how he’s going to use a mini driver. I think because he feels he can play a different shot shape with it that the driver.