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Smaller head driver suggestions???


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I currently drive with an older Taylor 3 wood. I still hit around 275 off the tee, but I'm looking for a driver with a smaller head like a 3 wood. I can hit a driver well, but I really don't like swinging a 460cc (brick on a stick ) driver. I like a less resistant faster swing that I cannot get with a 460cc driver. Does anyone still make 360'ish drivers in the 9 - 10 degree range? Have always like Taylor drivers, ever since the original Burner Bubble's came out. Seems like all the shops only have extremely large headed drivers nowadays.

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I currently drive with an older Taylor 3 wood. I still hit around 275 off the tee, but I'm looking for a driver with a smaller head like a 3 wood. I can hit a driver well, but I really don't like swinging a 460cc (brick on a stick ) driver. I like a less resistant faster swing that I cannot get with a 460cc driver. Does anyone still make 360'ish drivers in the 9 - 10 degree range? Have always like Taylor drivers, ever since the original Burner Bubble's came out. Seems like all the shops only have extremely large headed drivers nowadays.

Have you considered a vintage (like 2005-2008) head and an upgraded shaft? If you can hit a 3-wood 275, then even an older head with the right shaft should be in the 290-295 range easily.

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.

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I'll take a look at some of the older models. I guess it's just me because there's pretty much zero new drivers that I can find under 450cc. Does anyone know if the 360XD was the last Taylomade 360cc driver?
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I have the same problem. I can hit my 3 wood great, but I can't hit my driver to save my life. A friend let me borrow his Callaway Big Bertha War Bird driver (190 cc) and I hit that pretty good. They are also not that expensive. If you take your time and look, you can find them for around $10-15 used. You could find Callaways, Taylormade, Titleist, etc in the smaller heads and they are made of steel.
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The reason why you might hit it better may not be to do with the head size.  After all a three wood is shorter more forgiving and has more loft making it much easier to hit.  If you can hit a 3 wood that far you should have no trouble hitting a driver further because you have to be hitting your 3 wood well to do that.  The chances are more like you are using a wrongly fitted driver.  So id recommend getting fitted.  There will be little difference in an older smaller headed driver than a 460cc because although they are bigger they are somewhat lighter as well. Why not try going for a last generation driver with a 400 cc head or try a 3 wood with a much stronger loft.

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If you hit the center of the clubface, i doubt it matters what the size of clubface is, if it can be designed with a COR near 0.830 at the center.

I have a 975D Titleist driver thats 9.5 degrees of loft. I doubt i could get it reshafted, but it has an EI-70 shaft in it, and awesome club.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
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320cc and 360cc, available from 6° to 16°:

http://www.banggolf.com/prodgroup.asp?id=W320

http://www.banggolf.com/prodgroup.asp?id=W360

Bang is an OED, not a clone company.

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Originally Posted by broombroom

The reason why you might hit it better may not be to do with the head size.  After all a three wood is shorter more forgiving and has more loft making it much easier to hit.  If you can hit a 3 wood that far you should have no trouble hitting a driver further because you have to be hitting your 3 wood well to do that.


I've used/demoed new Cleveland launchers, the Nike square thing, a ping, a new Callaway, and a few others. I can hit them, but the feel of swinging a huge blob of metal just doesn't work. I may try custom fitting, as this could definitely help me rule out fitment issues. I may just be picky here since this is more of feel issue than anything else, but I like a club that feels good to swing.

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Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

320cc and 360cc, available from 6° to 16°:

http://www.banggolf.com/prodgroup.asp?id=W320

http://www.banggolf.com/prodgroup.asp?id=W360

Bang is an OED, not a clone company.

I'll check them out. I did find several 320 and 360 Taylormade drivers on ebay for about $20, so I may just get one of those and run up to golfsmith for a new shaft and grip. I can get it correctly fitted at the same time which seems the most reasonable path.

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Originally Posted by jestep

Quote:

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

320cc and 360cc, available from 6° to 16°:

http://www.banggolf.com/prodgroup.asp?id=W320

http://www.banggolf.com/prodgroup.asp?id=W360

Bang is an OED, not a clone company.

I'll check them out. I did find several 320 and 360 Taylormade drivers on ebay for about $20, so I may just get one of those and run up to golfsmith for a new shaft and grip. I can get it correctly fitted at the same time which seems the most reasonable path.



BTW not every 460 driver looks the same at address. I'm biased, but better players drivers tend to look smaller at adress than game improvement drivers. My MP600 looks tiny at address compared to a G15 for example but they're both 460cc I think.

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.

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Shaft length is an issue for me; I used to think my driver was oversized and unwieldy, but it was actually 420cc and just had a soft 45" shaft. Cutting it down to 44 or 44.5" and getting a stable shaft can make it feel controlled. Most of the drivers on the market range from 45.5 to 46.5 inches. Next time you swing a driver, choke up 2 inches.

In My Bag:

Adams Super LS 9.5˚ driver, Aldila Phenom NL 65TX
Adams Super LS 15˚ fairway, Kusala black 72x
Adams Super LS 18˚ fairway, Aldila Rip'd NV 75TX
Adams Idea pro VST hybrid, 21˚, RIP Alpha 105x
Adams DHY 24˚, RIP Alpha 89x
5-PW Maltby TE irons, KBS C taper X, soft stepped once 130g
Mizuno T4, 54.9 KBS Wedge X
Mizuno R12 60.5, black nickel, KBS Wedge X
Odyssey Metal X #1 putter 
Bridgestone E5, Adidas samba bag, True Linkswear Stealth
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Take your pick of any Callaway  pre 2004. BB 04 version, BB II, Steelhead, Hawkeye and all the 1990's originals are fantastic AND CHEAP as all get out. You can buy 90's versions for less than 10 dollars at my local used sporting goods store. You just need a steadier head position through impact to get a good impact being that they are smaller.

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  • 2 years later...
sldr mini driver. It is 260 cc, and performs great. Tried it on the range once, its awesome. Only downside is that you cant hit it off the deck

+1

I bought a SLDR Mini Driver and it's my best purchase in years. Practically the same distance as my driver, much more control and very easy to hit because of it's larger face and 43.5 inch shaft.

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  • 7 months later...
I'm with you. I have tried every 460cc driver out there and still come back to my $1.50 Titleist 975J I bought at Goodwill. Easier to control and goes just as far. I think Tiger needs to go back to his old smaller head driver.
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Depends on how much smaller you want.  TM has a 430cc SLDR and Titleist 915D3 is 440cc.   If you want something the size of the TM SLDR Mini take a look at the Callaway X2Hot Deep or the yet to be released XR Deep

Joe Paradiso

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Go on ebay and scoop up a Titleist 983E or Great Big Bertha II and thank me later. There are a lot of different shaft and loft options still floating around and almost all in the $20-$40 range

:callaway: Big Bertha Alpha 815 DBD  :bridgestone: TD-03 Putter   
:tmade: 300 Tour 3W                 :true_linkswear: Motion Shoes
:titleist: 585H Hybrid                       
:tmade: TP MC irons                 
:ping: Glide 54             
:ping: Glide 58
:cleveland: 588 RTX 62

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Note: This thread is 3321 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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