Mini Driver vs “Old” Driver

[Yieeman]

Thinking of joining the mini driver wagon but a recent post about someone still loving their 983E, got me thinking. What are the pros and cons of using an older small driver with a shorter shaft vs using one of the newer mini drivers?

[Tupperwolf]

I assume a mini driver made in 2021 is going to be more forgiving on imperfect strikes than a driver made 20+ years ago.  Materials and construction techniques have come a long way.

[turles20]

Most older drivers were designed to be played around 45", so they will have head weights around 200 g. The newer mini drivers are designed to be played shorter, and will have head weights closer to a 3 wood head and possibly removable weights to add more/less weight if needed.

 

So if you wanted to play an old driver at significantly shorter lengths and maintain normal swingweight, you would need to add a lot of weight to the head. Most likely with a tip weight and/or lots of lead tape. 

[uglande]

1) Proper weighting to match the length (my TM 300 mini is 208g). 

2) Adjustable hosel. 

3) Extreme sole weighting to allow for shots off the deck.

4) Great sound and feel (and things like Twist Face, if that matters to you).

[Abh159]

The main difference? Technology advancements

 

A 2005 Honda Civic might be the same size as a 2021 Honda Civic, but they are far from the same car on the inside.

[TwistedSister]

5 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

The main difference? Technology advancements

 

A 2005 Honda Civic might be the same size as a 2021 Honda Civic, but they are far from the same car on the inside.

From my experience of the only Civic I ever owned ...Both would be TRASH!

[bladehunter]

Todays mini is worlds better in spin , launch per degree of loft and size of usable face , also known as forgiveness.  Plus adjustable hosel let’s you dial it in.  

[Hammer_Hands]

This is an apt question for me.  I have increasingly found difficulty squaring up a 460 driver head.  I have two old heads that I recently acquired.  A deep faced small footprint Cleveland 400.  Also have a TM 360TI.  Currently building them up to experiment as gamers.

[Valtiel]

Like @bladehunter and @uglande said, the main differences are going to be related to CG placement (lower), face tech (higher ball speeds on average), and adjustability. While superficially similar, the newer mini drivers are going to outperform any "old" smaller headed models assuming an even remotely decent fit, which is also much easier to achieve with modern adjustability options. This also makes the newer drivers a complete no brainer if you have any designs on hitting them off the deck since lower CG will help A LOT there. 

Edited December 15, 2021 by Valtiel

[Ben Berube]

All awesome information.  I moved to a SLDR Mini for my 3w about 6 years ago and haven't looked back.  I have tried many many times to replace it.  Tried 5w, 4w and hybrids but always go back to the Mini.

Its not as long as a standard driver.  But its a fairway finder and if you are ok with playing 20y shorter at times but in the fairway go for it. 

The cool thing about having it as a 3w like Phil did this past PGA is the bigger head.  Its really a 2w for all purposes but again its about what you like and how you score. 

I am a low ball hitter that has improved tremendously to raise my launch over recent years.  My SLDR Mini is tour issue, open like 3* and at 16*.  So off the tee I can hit it high, low, draw and cut it with ease.  

Off the deck is another story.  I can hit it but need to choke up and swing easy otherwise my long standing issues of "smothering" come into play.  But that's a mental thing I have with anything I try to croke.  

Hope this helps.  Always great help on here and great WRX'ers to bounce ideas off of.  My recommendation is you must try a MINI even if it's just as a 3w replacement.  I can usually hit my driver, just not always fairway.  So I pull this quite often off the tee.  Then have a 5w if needing to get something high off the deck.  Or have the Mini when needed which does happen. 

Good luck!

[Yieeman]

Well, in typically WRXer fashion I bought a used 300 Mini 11.5° from a box store last night. Was getting 280 carry on the launch monitor (it might have been set to Denver altitude) with the stock regular shaft and seemingly keeping it on the planet. So excited to take it to the course tomorrow and see if it helps my golf ball population remain more stable. Thanks for all the advice! If it works out I might even call it my Honda Civic. 

[PixlPutterman]

I just hope the Mini's keep getting a tad bigger, so I can get one the size of my 983k one day 🙂

[hammersia]

On 12/15/2021 at 4:35 PM, Yieeman said:

Thinking of joining the mini driver wagon but a recent post about someone still loving their 983E, got me thinking. What are the pros and cons of using an older small driver with a shorter shaft vs using one of the newer mini drivers?

I really wanted to make my 983E work, or even my old Big Bertha Warbird 190cc, but there's something about them I just can't get on with, maybe the old shafts are too different, I don't know, I just can't get the zip into them.

 

After previous threads, I went with a Ping Rapture 3 wood 14 degrees, and really enjoy it, way more forgiving and I have a lot of confidence in Ping in particular matching the shaft to the head.

[Rich Douglas]

I ditched the 3-wood when TM came out with the SLDR mini several years ago. I'm now up to the latest generation. Now, I don't have old drivers from two decades ago to compare, but I can make some declarative statements.

 

The TM Mini 300 is about 20 yards (carry) shorter than my driver. It is a fairway finder, accurate and forgiving. It is much easier to hit off the deck than a driver, but a bit more difficult than a modern 3-wood. But its performance off the tee makes that trade-off a good one.

 

As for comparing it to old drivers, it is much more accurate and forgiving. Those old drivers didn't have the perimeter weighting and adjustability you find with the TM Mini. I suspect those drivers were still a bit longer, though. (It's hard to say; I'm 20 years older now.) That's because they wielded longer shafts. I suspect that if you put today's Mini on a longer shaft--and then re-adjusted the swing weight back where you'd want it--it would out-perform the old 300cc drivers.

 

I'll tell you what, though, its accuracy makes me want to shorten my TSi3.

[NRJyzr]

On 12/15/2021 at 12:01 PM, uglande said:

1) Proper weighting to match the length (my TM 300 mini is 208g). 

2) Adjustable hosel. 

3) Extreme sole weighting to allow for shots off the deck.

4) Great sound and feel (and things like Twist Face, if that matters to you).

 

On 12/15/2021 at 12:15 PM, bladehunter said:

Todays mini is worlds better in spin , launch per degree of loft and size of usable face , also known as forgiveness.  Plus adjustable hosel let’s you dial it in.  

 

On 12/15/2021 at 1:13 PM, Valtiel said:

Like @bladehunter and @uglande said, the main differences are going to be related to CG placement (lower), face tech (higher ball speeds on average), and adjustability. While superficially similar, the newer mini drivers are going to outperform any "old" smaller headed models assuming an even remotely decent fit, which is also much easier to achieve with modern adjustability options. This also makes the newer drivers a complete no brainer if you have any designs on hitting them off the deck since lower CG will help A LOT there. 

 

 

Y'all covered it, agree with the above.  Not sure I need to stick my nose in, but I guess I am. LOL

 

The companies all now have a much better understanding of how to position the CG to create the results they seek.  Older drivers, the OEMs were still raising the CG for higher speed players, now seen as counterproductive; adding spin is not what higher speed players need.  😉

 

Helps explain the results I got with one of my old drivers.  🤔

 

I love that they're offering mini drivers, and unsurprised at seeing so many positive results.

 

[joostin]

On 12/16/2021 at 9:55 AM, PixlPutterman said:

I just hope the Mini's keep getting a tad bigger, so I can get one the size of my 983k one day 🙂

Hopefully there's enough demand for "midsize" drivers like that 350-400cc.  Probably not but we can hope.

 

I would also like to see them offer mini-midsize in lower lofts like like 9°, not just modern 2W-3W lofts like 11.5 and 13.5 despite adjustable sleeves. 

[PixlPutterman]

14 minutes ago, joostin said:

Hopefully there's enough demand for "midsize" drivers like that 350-400cc.  Probably not but we can hope.

 

I would also like to see them offer mini-midsize in lower lofts like like 9°, not just modern 2W-3W lofts like 11.5 and 13.5 despite adjustable sleeves. 

I agree, I play mine down at 9.5 but agree it would be nice not to have to open the face to get there.

 

Id be super happy with a mini at 360cc at 9-10 degrees

[kasting333]

I was considering putting a 9.5 975J VS in the bag as a second driver. It was the straightest driver I’ve ever played and would be a huge contrast to my 8* SIM. I would have the SIM being my fade biased bomber and the 975JVS as my straight to draw biased FW finder. I would think the 975 would keep a lower launch as well and I would tee it lower so my AoA would be close to zero. 
 

As a long hitter living  in Florida, water hazards pop up way more than I’m accustomed to playing in Oklahoma a majority of my life. Keeping the ball in front of you off the tee is key. 
 

Considering shortening the 975JVS to 44” but I’m not sure I want to mess with the swingweight. 

[StephenJeffrey]

On 12/24/2021 at 10:11 AM, kasting333 said:

I was considering putting a 9.5 975J VS in the bag as a second driver. It was the straightest driver I’ve ever played and would be a huge contrast to my 8* SIM. I would have the SIM being my fade biased bomber and the 975JVS as my straight to draw biased FW finder. I would think the 975 would keep a lower launch as well and I would tee it lower so my AoA would be close to zero. 
 

As a long hitter living  in Florida, water hazards pop up way more than I’m accustomed to playing in Oklahoma a majority of my life. Keeping the ball in front of you off the tee is key. 
 

Considering shortening the 975JVS to 44” but I’m not sure I want to mess with the swingweight. 

Got back into the game this year after 25+ years off. My eye just can’t get use to the 460cc driver head, so I picked up a 975J-VS 8.5* for $29 from Play It Again. I’d say it works just fine  

[willie991]

Own two Callaway Mini 1.5's.  Hardly ever bag a driver anymore.  I've tried all the different loft settings, but now just leave it on the stock 14 degrees.  Love the smaller head size.  I would have no problem trying to find something similar in an older, small driver.  Just no reason to do so with the long success I've had with a Mini 1.5 in the bag.