Taylormade Mini Driver Experiences

[giantbalco]

I just purchased a 16' seems like fairway finder. What are your experiences & gameplay with this club?

[Osmond]

I bought the 12 degree last year with the stock stiff shaft and had mixed feelings. I'd never had a club off the tee that was so straight - but it wasn't really longer than any 3-wood I had had. I then changed the shaft to an Aldila Tour Green hoping for more distance - I've only played a few rounds with it and it seems longer but nowhere near as accurate. I haven't hit the 14 or 16 deg versions, I'd love to though.

[gymflake]

I have hit the Mini quite a few times at the "shop" but have yet to pull the trigger.

I have played a 983E Driver, 350cc head with a deep face and shallower pear profile forever!  Next is a Cleveland Custom Classic.  I have in my bag a Cleveland M1 15.5 Mashie and us it as a three wood. I have great results with it both off the tee but especially off the fairway where I feel a 3 wood from the deck is the hardest club to hit for most of us. It goes dead straight and long. I sometimes think that it goes as far as my drivers. Hard to find one, but worth it.  I'm a 8 hcp. So I know just enough to know nothing.

[b101]

I bought one for my best man rather than the customary gift of cufflinks or whatever - seemed a nice idea. He plays off about 30 and has absolutely loved it so far, finding it brilliant off the tee. Hasn't yet had the courage to use it from the fairway though!

[dfreuter415]

Around 1993 TaylorMade had a Midsize Fairway Driver that was 12° or 13°. As I remember it it was endorsed by Gary McCord. I actually had both models, the bronze and grey colored heads.

As for my experiences with the club, I had it in my bag from 1994-2013 until I finally changed to the TM RocketBallz Tour three wood (14.5°). The club was very useful from either the tee or fairway. When I had a tight driving hole or if my driver was acting up, I would hit the Fairway Driver with a high degree of confidence.

[giantbalco]

Just got back from course LOVED it I hit 9 out of 14 fairways but other 5 was just on left of fairway could have easily been 100% no duck hooks just barely off fairway. Swing easy and watch it fly found if I tried to muscle it was a draw. Hope this helps. Oh hit one of heel still rolled out 210 yards down middle.

[saevel25]

I just purchased a 16' seems like fairway finder. What are your experiences & gameplay with this club?

Too hard to control. In the end I get more out of changing how hard I swing my driver than buying a driverish 3-wood. If you want to hit the fairway more often with your driver learn to swing 70-80%. In the end there is no significant accuracy gain over hitting the Mini-Driver versus a normal driver. If I can't gain a significant advantage in terms of distance compared to accuracy then I will not game that type of 3-wood with its limit function outside of just being a club you use from the tee box.