Mini-Drivers

[NRJyzr]

Adding on to this thread with a Mini driver update, instead of resurrecting one of the older threads.  Also known as, I'm being too lazy to dig up one of those older threads...

 

I'd started the season with my 300 Mini.  I use this as a driver replacement, not especially excited about the bigger clubheads.  Decided to do a little experimenting with a King LTD, a LTDx LS, SpeedZone, etc...  with not so wonderful results.  Went the opposite direction, and spent a weekend playing a Mizuno TZoid Forged Ti driver (from 2001 or 2002).  In spite of the shaft being a bit soft for me, my tee game showed signs of life that I hadn't been seeing with the above newer sticks.  43" club length, the old BiMatrix RXi shaft.

 

Took this as a sign it was time to give up the larger club head experimenting and put the 300 Mini back in the bag.  With my assorted experiments, it was quite obvious I wasn't going to do as well with a lighter shaft, so I plugged in the RIP Alpha 80 I've used with this club in the past.  Also playing 43", and if anyone is interested, swingweight is on the above average side at D7.

 

The 300 was a revelation, in relative terms for my normally less than stellar tee game.  A number of shots hit exactly where I intended, what have been big hooks with the above-mentioned bigger drivers were just mildly overcooked draws.  And most interestingly, I regained distance I thought I'd lost this season in addition to what I've lost the last three years.  The most obvious example was my getting uncomfortably close to a small hazard guarding the right side of the fairway on the par 4 10th; I've only threatened it once this year, which happened with a tailwind.

 

TLDR version...  300 Mini back in bag, with 80+ gram shaft, helps produce quality tee game.  Back in the bag to stay. 

 

Would have had my best score of the season had I not three putted the final hole (ugh).

 

Mini specs:  11.5* clubhead, tuned down to lowest loft with a ±1.5* adapter, playing at 43".

 

[Coppertop1880]

Ugh. Took the Ping Rapture 14 degree 3 wood to the driving range this morning. Could not get the ball flight higher than a few feet. Haven't swung a large head 3 wood in a while and suspect that was some of the problems.

 

Teed the ball a little lower than what I would a driver and flight was low. Teed it low and flight was a bit normal, but it got to where I was topping the ball. Probably need to move the ball back a bit in my stance. Just got too frustrated to make that adjustment and went to my wedges to restore hope that my game hasn't completely abandoned me.

 

On the plus side, the direction of travel was more consistent than what I see with the driver. Distance (on the good shots) was in the neighborhood of 215-230 yards. Driver is in the 250 range. 

 

Can't say I'm disappointed but it's clear I need to get used to things before brining it to the course. I'd like to get a TM 300 mini-driver but I think I need to get used to the $50 Ping before investing in a more expensive club. 

 

I tell you... if I ever figure out golf, my life is going to be boring.

[Jimbo709]

I've been interested in the Mini Driver for a few years, saw a used Original One on the local classifieds last week in the loft/flex I wanted (11.5deg stiff), and had to jump on it (amazing condition and good deal).  If I'm gonna try it, best way is used as I'd be able to sell it for what I paid if it doesn't work out.

 

Played first round with it yesterday, and so far I'm pleased.  Miss hits didn't go off line much, and those went as far as my 3 wood (15deg).  Hit a couple really nice drives, and probably had my longest drive ever on hole 17.  A few horrible swings that were all on me, and any club I had in my hands with those were going in the trees anyway.  The club does what the marketing says for someone like me - for someone that has trouble hitting a long, large head driver this is a fairway finder.  It flies straighter, goes nearly the same distance I OUGHT to get out of a driver, and non-center strikes go the distance of my 3 wood.  I'm pleased, and this has replaced the driver in my bag.  I need to get it regripped, and then I'm going to go through the hosel settings (no range here, so need to tinker round by round).  My miss is a fade/slice (like most people) - but a full size driver was always a massive slice that robbed any distance gains over the 3 wood.  I was considering a shortened driver, but this club found me first 😊.  It was only one round so far, but once I get dialed in with it I expect this is going to suit me well.

 

My advise to anyone wanting to try the Mini - If you are looking to replace your driver with it, get the 11.5deg.  If you are looking to replace the 3 wood with it for 2nd tee option and possible off the deck option, get the 13.5deg.  IMO, the 11.5deg is a "Mini Driver" and the 13.5deg is more of a "2 wood"

[wantacigar]

My driver is the most inconsistent club in my bag.  I have days that I can get the 225-230 yd. carry with a 5 yard butter fade and other days it's the Push Slice into the tree line or rough with 200-210 yd. carries.  I can't figure it out.  I have more bad days than good with the driver.  Had the Sim2 Max with Hzrd Black 65 gm S.  Current driver is 2021 M4 with Atmos 55 gm S flex.  I feel like I'm either cutting across the ball or coming through with an open face and no matter what I do I can't correct it.  

Question:  Would the mini driver help this?  I have a 16* 4W that I feel is just not long enough on some of the courses I play. (6400-6600 yds from white tees).  

 

[Jimbo709]

22 minutes ago, wantacigar said:

My driver is the most inconsistent club in my bag.  I have days that I can get the 225-230 yd. carry with a 5 yard butter fade and other days it's the Push Slice into the tree line or rough with 200-210 yd. carries.  I can't figure it out.  I have more bad days than good with the driver.  Had the Sim2 Max with Hzrd Black 65 gm S.  Current driver is 2021 M4 with Atmos 55 gm S flex.  I feel like I'm either cutting across the ball or coming through with an open face and no matter what I do I can't correct it.  

Question:  Would the mini driver help this?  I have a 16* 4W that I feel is just not long enough on some of the courses I play. (6400-6600 yds from white tees).  

 

wantacigar,

 

It may.  Sounds like you have similar issues I've had with Driver, and your handicap is close to mine as well.  Please read my post above.  Mini driver may help, but you'll never know until you try.  If you just want to experiment with it, buy used like I did (as long as you can find one at a reasonable price in your specs).  If it doesn't work you can always sell it and get your money back.  No club is going to fix a poor swing/mechanics, but so far the Mini Driver is performing for me.  The marketing from TM lists our issues as one of the types of players this club can benefit, and I think they are spot on about the club.

 

I can hit everything from 3W on down straight or fade, but Driver is often going almost sideways by the end of its flight.  The distance loss with the Driver's slice makes my Driver and 3W go about the same distance.  The Mini for me is straighter, just a few yards less than I OUGHT to get out of my driver (but usually don't), and longer than my 3W.  Off center with the Mini is about the same as well struck 3W, and well struck with Mini is only a few years short of well struck with full size driver (very, very rare for me).  

 

It's a niche club, not for everyone.  People rag on Minis, that there is nowhere in the bag for it, but it doesn't suit their game/abilities.  If I could hit Driver well, I'd probably not consider it either.  There are players that can swing most clubs reasonably well, but the Driver is simply too long and unwieldly - This is me.  The length and head size is what helps you get better contact with this club.  A lot of pros use driver with shorter shafts to be able to find more fairways, with only a few yards less distance.  If pros won't use a 45.5-46in length shaft due to accuracy, why should we?  Tiger's driver has a 43.5in shaft, same length as the Mini (although he has a normal driver head)

[wantacigar]

@Jimbo709  The few times I've hit the driver pure I got a 240 yard carry.  If I can find more fairways at 225-230 with a 92-95 mph swing speed I would gladly give up a few yards.  Right now a decent drive for me is 25-230 with the fade/slice bleeding distance and run.  Really appreciate the input.  I'm looking for an Aeroburner as we speak!  LOL

 

[wantacigar]

@Jimbo709 If your swing speed is similar to mine, did you use stiff or regular flex?  I've used both in my fairway woods and I've used a driver with a R flex and really don't see much of a difference.  Just wondering what you used to see the improvement

[alittleoverpar]

I've never been a fan of 460cc driver heads, particularly the squashed ones.  They just look giant to my eye.  I've always been interested in mini drivers, but never tried a club marked as such.  I do have a Callaway 2 Deep that is 12.5*.  It is a monster when you hit it in the center.  Alas, the shaft that is in it now is a bit too stiff for me.  At this point I've found a smaller headed driver that I really like so I'm not GASsing for a mini driver.  I do think they can work well for some golfers.

[Jimbo709]

1 minute ago, wantacigar said:

@Jimbo709 If your swing speed is similar to mine, did you use stiff or regular flex?  I've used both in my fairway woods and I've used a driver with a R flex and really don't see much of a difference.  Just wondering what you used to see the improvement

@wantacigar I have stiff flex.  Your driver carry is about the same as mine (I don't know my swing speed as I've never been on launch monitors).  I've never been fitted though.  I have a quick tempo and transition at the top of my back swing, and have been told by many people I need stiff for those reasons (not fitters or club pros).  FYI, I have stiff in my graphite shafts (D, 3W, 3H), and regular steel in my irons (generally smoother swing with those).  Fitting charts I've seen put my distances right between reg and stiff.

 

There have been 5 Mini Drivers by TM (I've though about getting one for some time).  The Aeroburner and SLDR were out about 9-10 years ago, and then the Original One, 300, and now BRNR came out in the last few years.  The 2 older ones will be cheaper, but the 3 newer ones will probably be better with newer technology (carbon crown, twist face, sole weighting, adjustable loft sleeve).  

[wantacigar]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo709 said:

Fitting charts I've seen put my distances right between reg and stiff.

 

Yup!  me too!  My driver is a pretty smooth swing tempo.  I've worked on tempo to be smoother for all my clubs.  THat's why I can use either stiff or regular.  

[Jimbo709]

1 minute ago, wantacigar said:

Yup!  me too!  My driver is a pretty smooth swing tempo.  I've worked on tempo to be smoother for all my clubs.  THat's why I can use either stiff or regular.  

@wantacigar I know I need lessons, and need to work on my swing, but life gets in the way 🙂.  Between work and family (I have 2 young kids), I'm lucky to get rounds in at all.  Doesn't help there is no range at my home course either.  What little time I have for golf is going to be on the course playing.  First swing and ball struck with my Mini was the first tee (and our course the 1st is the #1 handicap hole too).  I usually shoot in the 90's, aiming for the 80's.  And I'm OK with that.  If I had the time and facilities to practice and play more, I could get into the 80's, aiming for 70's.  Add in lessons, who knows.  But hey, I enjoy the game regardless. 

 

My high scores usually always come down to the drive.  Either penalty strokes (tree lined holes here), or I'm leaving myself with a longer approach shot which correlates to missed GIR's and a higher score.  Been searching for something reliable, that can get me closer to the hole, not in the trees, with a more reasonable approach distance to make the green (I guess that goes for everyone, lol).  Playing with my friends, they drive and can have a 7 or 8 iron in, where as I'm back with a 5 iron (maybe 4iron or hybrid) in my hands.  With the Mini Driver, I should be 10-15 years behind them (on 17 yesterday I was only 5 yards back!)

 

 

[wantacigar]

@Jimbo709 Yup that sounds like me.  When My drives are in the fairway at 220-235 I can score in mid to upper 80's.  When I struggle with my driver it's in the low 90's.  anything above a 92 or 93 I consider not such a great day.  My four kids are now grown and I started playing more regularly again about 6-7 years ago with this year culminating into about an estimated 40-50 rounds by November.  I'm 56 with bad knees.  In the 90's I was able to carry 250 with an OG Callaway Big Bertha and a Top Flite 😆.  Now 250 is with a tailwind and downhill roll.  If you were in NY Long Island Area I would say lets play a round.

[Jimbo709]

6 minutes ago, wantacigar said:

@Jimbo709 Yup that sounds like me.  When My drives are in the fairway at 220-235 I can score in mid to upper 80's.  When I struggle with my driver it's in the low 90's.  anything above a 92 or 93 I consider not such a great day.  My four kids are now grown and I started playing more regularly again about 6-7 years ago with this year culminating into about an estimated 40-50 rounds by November.  I'm 56 with bad knees.  In the 90's I was able to carry 250 with an OG Callaway Big Bertha and a Top Flite 😆.  Now 250 is with a tailwind and downhill roll.  If you were in NY Long Island Area I would say lets play a round.

Your at where I'll be in 15 years or so.  I'm in Newfoundland, Canada so very unlikely we be able to get out for a round 

[wantacigar]

7 minutes ago, Jimbo709 said:

Your at where I'll be in 15 years or so.  I'm in Newfoundland, Canada so very unlikely we be able to get out for a round 

Truth in every part of that statement 😆

[subrew]

I follow Tour Spec Golf on IG, and they post all the crazy/cool JDM offerings.  This one popped up a few days ago.  A brand new 360cc DEEP faced driver.  And typically JDM, offered a billion lofts.  11.5*, 12*, 12.5* on up to 14.5*.  Seven lofts.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by subrew

[wantacigar]

At $620 I'll take a pass.  I'm sure it's a quality club but I'm looking at spending around $100 more or less to experiment with a mini driver.

[Tbone107]

On 7/31/2023 at 9:59 AM, NRJyzr said:

 

The Mini Driver isn't about the length of the club, it's about the size of the clubhead.  

 

Some have proposed taking older, smaller, drivers of yore and weighting them for 43.5-ish length.  One issue with this, most older drivers were designed with the then-prevailing ideas of CG location.  Until the last 10 years (maybe 15?) or so, drivers designed for higher speed players to reduce spin had the CG  placed higher, which we now know to be the opposite of what reduces spin.

 

Also, the modern mini's are such that they can be used off the deck (by some), due to the lower CG.  Not the easiest thing with most 20+ year old driver clubheads.

 

Ultimately, some golfers do better with smaller driver clubheads.  I seem to fall in that camp myself; my tee game is more accurate with my Original One / 300 Mini, or even my TZoid Forged or Cobra Deep Face that I have.  Go figure.  <shrug>

 

Is there any database to see cg height location on woods? I'm trying to find a "mini" driver/2 wood fairway finder with a very high cg to launch low and spin high which counters seemingly all the latest design. 

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, Tbone107 said:

Is there any database to see cg height location on woods? I'm trying to find a "mini" driver/2 wood fairway finder with a very high cg to launch low and spin high which counters seemingly all the latest design. 

 

If you do a search for "driver CG report," you'll get hits for the Site Which Shall Not Be Named, and their CG data, for years up thru 2019.  They appear to have stopped doing that.  I haven't seen anything from anyone else that has that...

 

[Tbone107]

33 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

If you do a search for "driver CG report," you'll get hits for the Site Which Shall Not Be Named, and their CG data, for years up thru 2019.  They appear to have stopped doing that.  I haven't seen anything from anyone else that has that...

 

Awesome thank you. Now the challenge to find a smaller 300cc head withthe higher cg!!

[NRJyzr]

7 minutes ago, Tbone107 said:

Awesome thank you. Now the challenge to find a smaller 300cc head withthe higher cg!!

 

I'm sorry, I missed the mini driver aspect of your search earlier.  The driver data goes back only a few years.  Not sure they'll have much in the 300cc arena.

 

[Tbone107]

3 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

I'm sorry, I missed the mini driver aspect of your search earlier.  The driver data goes back only a few years.  Not sure they'll have much in the 300cc arena.

 

Ahhh thank you still.. I'm going to hunt for anything under 400.. I just want something smaller so the head doesn't look so large to my eye on a shorter shaft..

 

 

[unclefreizo]

I use a Callaway Mini Bertha. 235cc I believe.

 

I use it off the tee and deck, which means I get a lot of practice and value out of it.

 

More importantly I find myself using it for the right reason, which is give myself a good chance for GIR.

 

With a 460cc it's such an "occasion" to bring the big expensive hammer out it's easy to find an excuse to use it when it's probably not a great idea, tactics wise.

[Louis_Posture]

On 4/21/2024 at 4:28 PM, Tbone107 said:

Ahhh thank you still.. I'm going to hunt for anything under 400.. I just want something smaller so the head doesn't look so large to my eye on a shorter shaft..

 

 

At 43" finished length I consider 350CC or smaller head size to look good, balanced. I would like to see a major brand or two offer a 43" finished length  driver of a 320 CC head size packed with modern technology.

Edited April 26 by Louis_Posture

[unclefreizo]

I use a Callaway Mini Bertha. Cool club. Doesn't change my life but might be a helpful one for people here to try. 

 

It has a far smaller head than other minis.