Mini Driver Players - Check in!!

[PJE]

I haven’t hit a mini driver but from what I’ve seen, they look like drivers from the late 1990s- around 200 cc?

What is the advantage? 
It seems like you could just draw a conventional driver so why is a mini driver necessary? Better control versus driver? 
Do you get a better smash factor because the shafts are shorter so potentially better sweet spot contact? 
Or is it because it could be a dual purpose club (tee and off the deck) and then you could have another spot in the bag? 
I’ve heard a lot about mini drivers and thought about getting one but I’m not sure how it could help me.
What makes a mini driver a good choice for a particular golfer ? 
Hopefully, this post is not too off topic. If so, just ignore it. 

[me05501]

17 minutes ago, PJE said:

I haven’t hit a mini driver but from what I’ve seen, they look like drivers from the late 1990s- around 200 cc?

What is the advantage? 
It seems like you could just draw a conventional driver so why is a mini driver necessary? Better control versus driver? 
Do you get a better smash factor because the shafts are shorter so potentially better sweet spot contact? 
Or is it because it could be a dual purpose club (tee and off the deck) and then you could have another spot in the bag? 
I’ve heard a lot about mini drivers and thought about getting one but I’m not sure how it could help me.
What makes a mini driver a good choice for a particular golfer ? 
Hopefully, this post is not too off topic. If so, just ignore it. 

 

The specs are very similar to the drivers many of us grew up playing with (Titleist 975D, TM 300/320/360 family, Ping TiSi, etc) so these feel immediately comfortable to players of a certain age. 

 

Of course back then we were swinging those drivers for maximum distance and probably missing the sweet spot more often than not.

 

After a couple decades of playing 45-46" 460cc drivers these 1990's spec drivers look somewhat like an overgrown fairway wood. I think a lot of us probably swing them more like a fairway wood as well. This may explain why we get good results that seem easy and repeatable.

 

Because these include the same face tech and perimeter weighting as modern drivers they prove to be pretty hot and can get the ball out there almost as far as our usual drivers. 

 

I think these fit a lot of players because they don't swing them for maximum distance. We put a nice controlled and balanced swing on them and the ball likes that. We save our stupid muscled up swings for our real driver and wonder why it seems hard to control compared to the Mini. 🙂

 

 

[JamesFisher1990]

4 hours ago, PJE said:

I haven’t hit a mini driver but from what I’ve seen, they look like drivers from the late 1990s- around 200 cc?

What is the advantage? 
It seems like you could just draw a conventional driver so why is a mini driver necessary? Better control versus driver? 
Do you get a better smash factor because the shafts are shorter so potentially better sweet spot contact? 
Or is it because it could be a dual purpose club (tee and off the deck) and then you could have another spot in the bag? 
I’ve heard a lot about mini drivers and thought about getting one but I’m not sure how it could help me.
What makes a mini driver a good choice for a particular golfer ? 
Hopefully, this post is not too off topic. If so, just ignore it. 

Here's my take.

 

First... they are closer to 300cc, not 200. A Taylormade Qi10 fairway is close to 200cc. As far as "why"... For me, it's because I set up my driver in a very specific way, and I swing it in a very specific way, for a very specific outcome. I set up the driver to be as anti hook as possible and play a "power fade" where I still hit up and hit from the inside just a tiny bit, but have the face a bit open. I pretty much cannot draw this club unless I hit an intentional hook. The mini is supposed to  be the draw club that only does one thing... Draw off the tee, for the holes where I can't hit a fade because the hole curves too severely the opposite way.

 

Also, it's made by the OEM to play a certain length. In the past, I've messed around with taking an old 460cc driver, and cut it down to 43". Horrible... It played dynamically too flat, and I needed to add tons and tons of weight into the head, which then made the shaft play differently, so then I need a heavier shaft, but then Im swinging it way slower, and it wasn't even *that* much more accurate than my 45" club.

[PJE]

6 hours ago, me05501 said:

 

The specs are very similar to the drivers many of us grew up playing with (Titleist 975D, TM 300/320/360 family, Ping TiSi, etc) so these feel immediately comfortable to players of a certain age. 

 

Of course back then we were swinging those drivers for maximum distance and probably missing the sweet spot more often than not.

 

After a couple decades of playing 45-46" 460cc drivers these 1990's spec drivers look somewhat like an overgrown fairway wood. I think a lot of us probably swing them more like a fairway wood as well. This may explain why we get good results that seem easy and repeatable.

 

Because these include the same face tech and perimeter weighting as modern drivers they prove to be pretty hot and can get the ball out there almost as far as our usual drivers. 

 

I think these fit a lot of players because they don't swing them for maximum distance. We put a nice controlled and balanced swing on them and the ball likes that. We save our stupid muscled up swings for our real driver and wonder why it seems hard to control compared to the Mini. 🙂

 

 

Thanks for the insight. I may get one. It seems like the best way to see if it fits one’s game is to play it versus the hitting bay. But clubs are so expensive I’m trying for some diligence before I splurge. Thanks for your help. Much appreciated. 

[PJE]

2 hours ago, JamesFisher1990 said:

Here's my take.

 

First... they are closer to 300cc, not 200. A Taylormade Qi10 fairway is close to 200cc. As far as "why"... For me, it's because I set up my driver in a very specific way, and I swing it in a very specific way, for a very specific outcome. I set up the driver to be as anti hook as possible and play a "power fade" where I still hit up and hit from the inside just a tiny bit, but have the face a bit open. I pretty much cannot draw this club unless I hit an intentional hook. The mini is supposed to  be the draw club that only does one thing... Draw off the tee, for the holes where I can't hit a fade because the hole curves too severely the opposite way.

 

Also, it's made by the OEM to play a certain length. In the past, I've messed around with taking an old 460cc driver, and cut it down to 43". Horrible... It played dynamically too flat, and I needed to add tons and tons of weight into the head, which then made the shaft play differently, so then I need a heavier shaft, but then Im swinging it way slower, and it wasn't even *that* much more accurate than my 45" club.

Thanks for the insights. Much appreciated. 
I have some extra shafts and I was thinking of the experiment you performed. You convinced me not to do it! Thanks again. 

[Asiangolfer1995]

So I play a 46 inch Driver to make it draw easier and hit further, so I actually play a mini driver as a fade club to control and hit fairways.

 

Driver: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond LS (9 degrees set to 8 degrees) Aldila NV 55X Tipped 1 inch (46 inches)

Mini Driver: Taylormade Burner Mini (11.5, weight back) Aldila 2KNV 75X Tipped 1 inch (44 inches)

 

The mini driver flies just under 20 yards shorter than the regular driver with way better dispersion, so I'll rotate it out between a regular 3 wood and this club, I LOVE it, the hard part is trying to find out where it fits in a starting lineup, but it's literally an in-between distance between my driver and 3 wood, so on certain courses its definitely getting hit. 

Edited April 16 by Asiangolfer1995

[me05501]

29 minutes ago, PJE said:

Thanks for the insight. I may get one. It seems like the best way to see if it fits one’s game is to play it versus the hitting bay. But clubs are so expensive I’m trying for some diligence before I splurge. Thanks for your help. Much appreciated. 

These aren’t made in huge numbers so they hold their value quite well. 
 

I ordered a new 11.5 Mini through DD’s and paid about the same as I would for a used BRNR from last year. If it doesn’t fit me I can easily sell it for more or less the same price. 

[jacobEDGE]

Total driver replacement for me.

 

I'm short (like physically, my height), and I have NEVER been able to hit 460cc heads to save my life. I always play the slightly smaller sized version of things. I'm using a TS3 as of now. Before that I had a SLDR 430 TP. Before that I had an R7. Before that...I never used a driver. Played all throughout high school hitting a Callaway Hawkeye VFT 4-wood off every tee. Was captain my senior year as well. 

 

Even with hitting modern day 430cc heads...I'm all over the place. I play shafts a full inch shorter than standard. The one or two drives I really connect center of the face with a good swing path...300+. The times I mishit it or come across the top of it? 240 yards with about 50 yards of left to right movement. 

 

I had the 300 Mini a few years ago. Honestly did not lose any yardage off the tee compared to my normal driver. 100mph swing speed with both clubs. Pretty much same carry, same spin, same total. Except MUCH tighter dispersion. The mishits went further with the Mini than the mishits with my TS3. My ceiling isn't as high with a Mini. Instead of 300-310, it's more like 285-290. So, in theory, I lose out on some distance IF I were hitting 100% perfect 100% of the time. But I'm an amateur golfer so that isn't the case at all. ON AVERAGE, I don't lose any distance with the mini. And it just gives me so much more confidence standing over it.

Just got the new BRNR Mini Copper. Went with the Tensei Black 65S shaft, -0.25" in length. If that doesn't work, I do have a Tour AD shaft with a TaylorMade tip on it I can swap out. 

My bag is extremely top heavy. 

- BRNR Mini 11.5º

- M2 Tour 3 Wood 15º

- Epic Flash (Japan) 5 Wood 18º

- Rogue ST Pro 3 Hybrid 20º

- Iron set up to a 4-iron

[bobfoster]

I've tried a couple, but not for me. Probably too old school. I so remember the first time I hit a 460cc. Was a wonderful revelation (I grew up with small Persimmons). 

 

A mini driver off the tee would seem like going back to my old drivers. I mean, why? My 15* 3W is what I use to go long off the fairway, and also use it off the tee on short par 4s. 

 

So, not getting why I'd want a 2W. Wouldn't use it to replace my 460 off the tee, nor my 3W off the deck. 

 

I just don't get where it would fit in my bag. But that's just me. Can see how it might fit with others. 

 

We all gotta play the games we play. 

Edited April 16 by bobfoster

[NRJyzr]

I use the mini-driver as a driver replacement.  I normally play driver at 44" max, preferring 43.25" to 43.5".  It's partially for control, and partially because there's no point in me going longer; my swingspeed doesn't increase once I get past 43.5" or so, and in fact decreases a bit.  

 

Plus, tend to prefer the smaller clubheads.  It's something prevalent in my iron game, seems to extend to the driver.

 

Prefer heavier shafts.  Currently have NV75 in mine, but have used RIP Alpha 80 and have NV85 shafts waiting for a trial run.  Also have a couple 90-100g shafts lying around that I could toss in play.  Even at age 60, I don't get along too well with sub-70g shafts.

 

 

 

On 4/15/2024 at 2:27 PM, PJE said:

I haven’t hit a mini driver but from what I’ve seen, they look like drivers from the late 1990s- around 200 cc?

What is the advantage? 
It seems like you could just draw a conventional driver so why is a mini driver necessary? Better control versus driver? 
Do you get a better smash factor because the shafts are shorter so potentially better sweet spot contact? 
Or is it because it could be a dual purpose club (tee and off the deck) and then you could have another spot in the bag? 
I’ve heard a lot about mini drivers and thought about getting one but I’m not sure how it could help me.
What makes a mini driver a good choice for a particular golfer ? 
Hopefully, this post is not too off topic. If so, just ignore it. 

 

Couple thoughts....

 

Not everyone likes the modern larger clubheads.  In some cases it's a visual, in others it's performance based.  

 

The modern mini drivers, starting with the Original One, benefit from what's been learned in driver tech along the way.  We've found that a lower CG decreases spin, contrary to how many older clubheads for higher speed players were designed.  Twist Face in the TMs is a nice addition, but it's not something I'd call revolutionary, it's really just a correction to bulge and roll that should have been applied years ago.

 

With the mini drivers coming in under 44" club length, the clubheads are heavier than the average 430cc+ clubhead, making it easier for me to hit my desired length and swingweight without using absurd amounts of lead tape.

 

[PJE]

1 hour ago, NRJyzr said:

I use the mini-driver as a driver replacement.  I normally play driver at 44" max, preferring 43.25" to 43.5".  It's partially for control, and partially because there's no point in me going longer; my swingspeed doesn't increase once I get past 43.5" or so, and in fact decreases a bit.  

 

Plus, tend to prefer the smaller clubheads.  It's something prevalent in my iron game, seems to extend to the driver.

 

Prefer heavier shafts.  Currently have NV75 in mine, but have used RIP Alpha 80 and have NV85 shafts waiting for a trial run.  Also have a couple 90-100g shafts lying around that I could toss in play.  Even at age 60, I don't get along too well with sub-70g shafts.

 

 

 

 

Couple thoughts....

 

Not everyone likes the modern larger clubheads.  In some cases it's a visual, in others it's performance based.  

 

The modern mini drivers, starting with the Original One, benefit from what's been learned in driver tech along the way.  We've found that a lower CG decreases spin, contrary to how many older clubheads for higher speed players were designed.  Twist Face in the TMs is a nice addition, but it's not something I'd call revolutionary, it's really just a correction to bulge and roll that should have been applied years ago.

 

With the mini drivers coming in under 44" club length, the clubheads are heavier than the average 430cc+ clubhead, making it easier for me to hit my desired length and swingweight without using absurd amounts of lead tape.

 

Thanks for the insights. Much appreciated.

I grew up playing persimmon and blades so I appreciate the visual concerns. 

The weight dynamic is interesting. I did a fitting last year and heavier shafts turned out being better for me in both woods and irons.  I didn’t expect that. 

[dannykavs]

On 4/12/2024 at 2:43 PM, JamesFisher1990 said:

95% chance I'm buying a BRNR Mini here shortly, but I am torn on what shaft weight to use. My main use for this will (hopefully) be hitting high draws off the tee... I don't think I will ever use it off the deck.

 

My concern with going lighter in the 60g range is that SW will get too low with my mid size grips, but I also wonder if I'll be able to draw it as easily with a 75g shaft.

 

So, did you use a driver weight shaft, or a 3w weight shaft?

Playing my 13.5 1 click down. Have a ck pro white 70tx that plays just under 44'. Don't know the exact swing weight but I know its not on the light side because that's where I get into trouble with timing and face contact. 

 

I may trim it a 1/4 inch at most but I'm happy with playing it at stock length in a 3w shaft

[Georgie Z]

Is anyone playing a mini with a 42” shaft or shorter? Thinking of putting my 5 wood shaft into a mini driver and using it as my primary driver.

[golfheaven69]

The latest fad. Expect to see a lot on eBay a year from now. In the meantime have fun. 

[TM golf guy]

How did you folks decide what loft to go with? I’m going to drop my 3w, but I only hit it from the tee anyway. Just need a fairway finder for tighter holes where the 7w won’t go far enough. 

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, TM golf guy said:

How did you folks decide what loft to go with? I’m going to drop my 3w, but I only hit it from the tee anyway. Just need a fairway finder for tighter holes where the 7w won’t go far enough. 

 

Depends on what your primary use will be.  For me, driver replacement, I went with 11.5* and tune it down as much as I need.   Someone looking to use it as a 3w replacement may want to go 13.5* and tweak it from there.  

 

Though, even a 3w replacement could go with a lofted up 11.5*.  <shrug>

 

No single way to get it done  😁

 

[Shilgy]

1 hour ago, golfheaven69 said:

The latest fad. Expect to see a lot on eBay a year from now. In the meantime have fun. 

It’s not a fad but it is a niche club that will not fit into some players bag.  Same as a high lofted wedge it will benefit some players greatly.

[JamesFisher1990]

2 hours ago, golfheaven69 said:

The latest fad. Expect to see a lot on eBay a year from now. In the meantime have fun. 

This club in particular has been out longer than a year though, the new Copper mini is just a graphic refresh. They are actually kind of hard to get online and sell out in batches really fast.

 

Anyway, I actually think it kind of makes a lot more sense now than it did say 5+ years ago. Regular fairway woods are pretty much equally as efficient as drivers now and there are many models that don't spin much. Many players should and could be using a 4 or even 5w as their first fairway now. In parallel, standard length for drivers has increased making it harder to hit for the guys who tend to just buy off the shelf and forget the rest. Going up higher in loft and shorter in length while maintaining the ultra hot face that's a little larger than a regular "forgiving" 3w gives some players a better option off the tee.

 

There's also a big increase in players fading the ball exclusively off the tee at higher levels. While many of them will have no issues with a 3w as their next club - that many of them use to hit mostly draws - I am noticing a trend of names actually putting a club like this in the bag for serious tournament play on the PGA Tour. Even Rory is testing one and I thought was rumored to be putting it in play this week.

 

I think they have a legit utility for a few different groups of players

[JamesFisher1990]

I just got my BRNR in! Took one swing with it, felt really hot. In std 11.5* setting, I do not think this sits closed at all, looks pretty neutral to me. Going to take it on the range tomorrow and I'm actually going to put it straight in the bag after I tweak the loft as needed. I have 4 specific holes in mind tomorrow that I hope to use it on, to hit the big high draw with it.

[hoselrocker]

The minute I put a mini driver in the bag my game improved. In my case a pumpkin driver was often 3 from the tee or a sideways pitch back to the fairway. I originally dabbled with the SLDR, quickly moved into a Original One which I loved, and then into the 300 which I still game until....the new BRNR arrives. I wasn't a big fan of the first gen BRNR due to the glossy crown, so when I saw the matte black on the new BRNR framed by the copper, it was going into the bag! 

 

It's been 5ish years for me playing a mini driver and I will most likely stay with them. I'm not a long hitter by wrx standards but at 59 with a bad back and a crappy swing I can still get it out there with my 300, and down wind with a left dash I'm not far behind the guys I play with and occasionally I'm right with them. 

 

I'm going to hang onto the 300 which I don't have any issues hitting off the grass. I might put both in the bag and use the 11.5 BRNR strictly off the tee and just use my battle scarred 300 off the deck on long par 5's. 

 

It's not a fad - blah blah blah. It's just another way of getting the ball to the hole.

What did Arnie say? Play your game. If your game is better with a mini driver and an ugly over the top swing - so be it. My game is and so will a lot of others if they put ego aside.

But hey, 300 plus yards in the bush is cool too if that's your game.

 

[third-times-a-charm]

So right now CPO has a mavrik 440cc model for $180 or so shipped so I decided to do a mini driver aka smaller shorter driver experiment. Easy to take the plunge at that low price.

 

I just got it shafted up and will test this weekend vs my 45” Paradym setup. This 440 will be 43.75”.

 

the club overall remind me of a mini epic speed in face and shape. Pretty cool.

 

im not looking for a 3w replacement or tweener but a smaller driver replacement for no reason other than I hit my 3w off the tee so much better than driver.
 

Here’s some pics and comparisons vs the Paradym driver and 3w:

 

 

[me05501]

17 hours ago, TM golf guy said:

How did you folks decide what loft to go with? I’m going to drop my 3w, but I only hit it from the tee anyway. Just need a fairway finder for tighter holes where the 7w won’t go far enough. 

 

 

The 13.5* for me has knocked my three wood out of the bag as a secondary tee club as well as an off-the-deck second shot club whenever there's not much trouble between me and the landing area. 

 

Trackman says I swing the mini driver within 1-2 MPH of my 45.25" driver. It has more spin which helps it stay straighter. The total distance is about 10-12% less with the 13.5* mini compared to my 10.5* driver. 

 

I'm receiving a 11.5* mini today with a slightly longer shaft in it on the assumption that it could challenge my driver for distance with a tighter flight. I have no idea whether the good results I've had with the 13.5* will translate. That'll probably depend on whether or not I can convince my lizard brain to put the same smooth swing on it. 

 

The key to reliable driving for me is swinging it with the same tempo and balance I'd use for a stock short iron. But you know...I'll hit a good one on the third hole using that thought and by the turn I'm trying to swing twice as fast with predictably bad results. 

 

So long story short I'm buying the 11.5* mini because it's cheaper than hypnosis or a brain transplant. 

[RobotDoctor]

I game a TM 300 Mini 11.5 degree as my primary driver.  I have a driver length shaft on it.  Very solid, consistent and I find more fairways than my past several drivers.  My hunch is that there are a lot of people dismiss this club who would benefit putting a mini driver in their bag.  Not sure why except golf marketing makes people believe larger is better.  

[me05501]

32 minutes ago, RobotDoctor said:

I game a TM 300 Mini 11.5 degree as my primary driver.  I have a driver length shaft on it.  Very solid, consistent and I find more fairways than my past several drivers.  My hunch is that there are a lot of people dismiss this club who would benefit putting a mini driver in their bag.  Not sure why except golf marketing makes people believe larger is better.  

 

Agree. Once the USGA put a limit on head size there was a big push to go right up to the limit. The marketing angle seemed to be if the USGA thinks there's an unfair advantage for players at 461cc and up why wouldn't you want to get as close to that as possible? But it seems like there's a law of diminishing returns for a lot of players. 

 

My guess is that in a few years we'll see a huge marketing push behind "right-sized" drivers of 400-440cc's. Then, as now, it'll mostly be a way to keep us buying the newest stuff. 

[JamesFisher1990]

So I got the BRNR on course today. 11.5* set to 13*, weight in the back.

 

Shaft isn't for me, but I'm going to work on procuring my usual Ventus and I think that will help strike pattern. Gotta say, it does exactly what I need - pretty much a draw only club, which is what I want. It does seem to spin quite a bit with the loft turned to 13* and the weight in the back, so I am going to mess around with the weight up front and the loft sleeve. I could see this being a 12.5* with weight upfront type of situation. At 11.5* and weight back, it was flying a little too low for my taste on the range.

[PARETO]

On 4/15/2024 at 10:29 PM, jacobEDGE said:

Total driver replacement for me.

 

I'm short (like physically, my height), and I have NEVER been able to hit 460cc heads to save my life. I always play the slightly smaller sized version of things. I'm using a TS3 as of now. Before that I had a SLDR 430 TP. Before that I had an R7. Before that...I never used a driver. Played all throughout high school hitting a Callaway Hawkeye VFT 4-wood off every tee. Was captain my senior year as well. 

 

Even with hitting modern day 430cc heads...I'm all over the place. I play shafts a full inch shorter than standard. The one or two drives I really connect center of the face with a good swing path...300+. The times I mishit it or come across the top of it? 240 yards with about 50 yards of left to right movement. 

 

I had the 300 Mini a few years ago. Honestly did not lose any yardage off the tee compared to my normal driver. 100mph swing speed with both clubs. Pretty much same carry, same spin, same total. Except MUCH tighter dispersion. The mishits went further with the Mini than the mishits with my TS3. My ceiling isn't as high with a Mini. Instead of 300-310, it's more like 285-290. So, in theory, I lose out on some distance IF I were hitting 100% perfect 100% of the time. But I'm an amateur golfer so that isn't the case at all. ON AVERAGE, I don't lose any distance with the mini. And it just gives me so much more confidence standing over it.

Just got the new BRNR Mini Copper. Went with the Tensei Black 65S shaft, -0.25" in length. If that doesn't work, I do have a Tour AD shaft with a TaylorMade tip on it I can swap out. 

My bag is extremely top heavy. 

- BRNR Mini 11.5º

- M2 Tour 3 Wood 15º

- Epic Flash (Japan) 5 Wood 18º

- Rogue ST Pro 3 Hybrid 20º

- Iron set up to a 4-iron

I’m in the same boat. My BRNR copper is a driver replacement for me. And I’m short. And I’ve put a 3wood Tour AD shaft in it. And I loose nothing distance wise 90% of the time. And I gain better dispersion. And I’m happier. 

[JungleJimbo]

 

Some beautiful tracers on show here... with Rory regularly gazing at the club post-hit, with a "Wow!" look. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20 by JungleJimbo

[RobotDoctor]

On 4/18/2024 at 6:12 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

Depends on what your primary use will be.  For me, driver replacement, I went with 11.5* and tune it down as much as I need.   Someone looking to use it as a 3w replacement may want to go 13.5* and tweak it from there.  

 

Though, even a 3w replacement could go with a lofted up 11.5*.  <shrug>

 

No single way to get it done  😁

 

My thought process was exactly the same as @NRJyzr

[JamesFisher1990]

So, I had went with the HZRDUS Black gen4 70 in it because I never liked Proforce shafts. Not a fan of the HRZDUS Black feel at all, I generally always need a little mid kick for timing purposes.

 

I'm a bit torn on what shaft to get - I would normally slap a Ventus TR Blue in, but prices are skyrocketing now that most fair weather locations are open for play. My TR was about $180 last months, now you can't sniff a used one for <$220.

 

Anyway, I'm torn between these:

- Evo III 661x for $146

- HZRDUS Blue 60x (used shaft) for $73 or a new one for $115

- Evo IV 661 for $113

- Diamana ZF60x for $135

[Maine Golfer]

Me putting tape on the back bottom of my RBZ Tour Spoon should help add spin right?