TaylorMade Golf Introduces SLDR Mini Driver

[chrstianrockboy]

Has anyone hit one of the 16 degree versions off the deck yet. I'm looking to fill a gap and, and this club should fill that gap?

[isukgolf]

Has anyone hit this club yet?

[jamo]

Has anyone hit this club yet?

I forget what the loft was, but I hit it a few days at at a Golfsmith. Didn't like it. Smaller than I would have liked off the tee, too big to hit off the deck.

[Shorty]

Has anyone hit one of the 16 degree versions off the deck yet. I'm looking to fill a gap and, and this club should fill that gap?

It won't fit that gap. It's not a 3 wood.

[Jim Rieger]

Tool!!!!

[Lihu]

Lots of people do get more distance from a 3 wood because their driver swing is that of an erratic girls swing, my friend hits his 3 wood much better than his driver! Yet still insists on using his driver even though where the ball will end up is anyone's guess? He's quite manly though, like me!

A lot of bad driving is purely down to inappropriate shaft flex and very poor loft choice, a medium speed swing has no place on the end of a 9* loft driver, stiff, at 45" just as a really wild erratic swing has no place on the end of any club! It wasn't until I became aware of this that I learnt to drive the ball well, I got a driver to suit me, 12* firm to stiff, at 44.5", the improvement was instant! INSTANT! If the majority of people trimmed their drivers, lofted up a touch, and got the right flex, they would drive much further than a 3 wood! So my advice would be, don't be a girl and reach for a 3 wood, man up and sort ya driver out!

That's not right, but I get what you mean. A stiff driver with a 9 degree head will go much more consistently (and shorter) where you hit it than a 10.5 degree regular shafted club. The higher loft and softer shaft you got was presumably for more distance and not more control?

Has anyone hit this club yet?

Yes, I tested it about a couple weeks ago when I started this thread: http://thesandtrap.com/t/74466/driving-irons-mini-drivers-and-such#post_988294

My stats looked pretty good. I admit that my direction was better, and lost about 20 yards from my normal driver (I brought it in for evaluation, and it has steel X100 shafts). So, for those who claim that "I would be willing to give up distance for more accuracy", this might be the right club.

It hit fine, but I couldn't really tell the difference between this club and my RBZ 3W. The RBZ 3W has a head the size of a melon and it does not inspire much confidence on the ground. I tend to prefer to use the 3H or even a 3i before I pick this club for anything off the deck. So, I would think it would be the same with the mini-driver.

I really still wonder what's better? A driving iron or the Mini-Driver?

[cjward]

I bought one in 14 degree, my ball flight with Taylormade RBZ Stage 2, 17 degree was too low for my liking. This club really flies and can be easily hit off the deck, even the

mishits are manageable. Finally found a 3 wood worth the money spent!

[MS256]

I bought one in 14 degree, my ball flight with Taylormade RBZ Stage 2, 17 degree was too low for my liking. This club really flies and can be easily hit off the deck, even the

mishits are manageable. Finally found a 3 wood worth the money spent!

I've been thinking about getting one but was also wondering how it was off the deck. I'm not really interested if it's not good off the deck.

Looks like so far it's a split opinion in this thread so I may just have to pony up and find out for myself.

[iHack]

This Is the problem, Its just too confusing, I have no idea what you just said? But I guarantee you this... this club will be predominantly used by the LPGA! ...as well as lots of guys with no shame in carrying a wide selection of woods in the bag who can't hit any of them!

[quote name="Hardballs" url="/t/73731/taylormade-golf-introduces-sldr-mini-driver/18#post_973181"] Not true at all! I've played a girl who is scratch golfer at my friends club, she was awesome! And hits a proper driver, further than me I might add! I actually drew with her though with my 18 hc and turns out I done her on the back 9 count off, there is no disrespect to anyone in my posts, especially girls! I have nothing but respect for girls, I have a mother and daughter, I just think that this particular club, or the way it's been marketed, is for the ladies or men that can't hit drivers because they got there specs messed up! [/quote] I guess Phil doesn't have the specs on his driver right or is just a huge girl winning the British open with no driver in the bag, relying on 3 woods & long irons while competing against those big balled manly men with properly fitted drivers. ! What a friggin girl! They should put an asterisk near his name on the claret jug! I didn't want to fall into your trolling, but you sound just oh so ignorant! Good players choose their club based on hole layout, and course design. why would anyone hit a driver on a 325 yrd tight par 4 when you could stripe your 3 wood down the middle 20 less yards. Furthermore I love playing against people of your nature and asking you to man up when my 3 wood is sitting in the fairway further then your manly drive.

[Bjans1]

I feel like this will be a huge hit for certain PGA tour stops but will bomb in the retail sales department.

In the last 15 years a big reason why driver sizes have grown is the forgiveness offered by the larger heads on mishits, no? So now people who "can't hit a driver" are somehow going to be more accurate hitting an even smaller driver? What am I missing?

[Shorty]

I've been thinking about getting one but was also wondering how it was off the deck. I'm not really interested if it's not good off the deck.

Looks like so far it's a split opinion in this thread so I may just have to pony up and find out for myself.

"It"may be perfect off the deck for the right player. The player hits the ball, not the club.

It is certainly not for soemone who can't confidently hit an oversized strong 13 degree three wood off the deck.

[johnclayton1982]

Love to hear if anyone has had any success with these clubs (3-deep, mini-driver, etc...)

I played an entire round at my local this past Sunday and the 3 wood didn't come out of the bag.  Three of the Par 5s I don't need it to reach in two and one is too long no matter what I do.  Seems like getting another tee club is better.  I don't hit my 3 wood off the deck much, if at all.

Love to hear what people think of these types of clubs.  Thinking about hitting one at Edwin Watts this afternoon.

[cjward]

As mentioned earlier, I bought one when they first came out and like it so much that it is going with me to Ireland next week. Nice little controllable cut, heck count me

as one of those guys who has no shame in carrying an assortment of woods/hybrids and would LOVE nothing more than to hit it half as well as an LPGA player, even on

my best days!

[Dave2512]

I tried it and decided to build a thriver instead because I already have a 3w I like. At the long end I have 10.5* driver at 44", 14* 450cc thriver at 43" with a mid launch shaft,  15* 3w at 42" and 21* 7w at 41". The 7w replaced 4h and 4i and opened the spot for the thriver. I use the thriver when I absolutely have to get the ball in the fairway or close enough to not hurt, can also hit it very high when needed. It's a good compliment to my 3w because it has a low-mid launch shaft.

[Jakester23]

Has anyone else hit this club? The 16 degree model intrigues me.

[marvin]

Haven't read all the post here. But, is this basically a 3-wood off the tee? How does it perform off the fairway (compared to regular 3-wood)?

[dbuck]

TM's marketing hype aside (not hating I own and play several TM products), some knowledgeable folks have been saying for years that most of us would score better with a tee club that is close to the specs available with this club. It is not an innovation so much as a step back to reality. One might lose a few yards but be in the fairway; some will actually gain yardage because of a better launch. For most of us, this club should REPLACE the 460cc/45 inch whacker, and if we are also able to hit it off the deck, then that is gravy. In "Golf in the Kingdom". Shivas referred to the driver as the "play club"-the club you used to put the ball in play. If we thought of our tee club like this, most of us would find we put it in play more often, and likely often as not, futher down the fairway. I haven't bought a brand new club in about 12-15 years, but this one might break that string.

[arturo28mx]

I purchased one with regular shaft 14 degrees loft. It's 43.5 inches length and has a bigger face. Bigger than any of my 3 woods. Gives me a lot of confidence.

I often play at a course with very narrow fairways, ravines on one side and out of bounds on the other side. If you use a driver and miss by a little bit you pay a big penalty.

So I bought this mini driver to use at this particular course and leave the driver at home. I only use it off the tee. (on other courses I use my usual driver)

All I can say is I'm very happy with it. I can hit the middle of every fairway with a lot more CONTROL and practically achieve the same distance as with my  Titleist 10.5 degree driver. Similar ball flights.

For me it was the best purchase in years.