TaylorMade Mini Driver

[Steviestuboy]

Just went to the range to get the curiosity over and done with.  Well I walked out with it bought the distance was probably around 5-10 yards less but the range balls were all grouped together all nice and neat unlike anything I've hit.  So easy to control.  You have to try one of these wonder wands I was blown away with how straight it is.  You shouldn't overlook this as a gimmick as for someone like myself whose game is decided by the driver this is a game changer. 

 

[jsgolfer]

I have the Callaway Mini Driver, very versatile club.  I love mine, hit it better than a 3W even off the turf.  

[Steviestuboy]

Yea these are so worth a look if like myself you struggle with the big stick 

[pganapathy]

Considering how versatile the club is, would you be willing to drop the driver and the 3 wood from the bag and only keep the mini driver @Steviestuboy and @jsgolfer.  I personally am hitting my driver reasonably well so not keen on removing that from the bag

[Kalnoky]

+1 for TM Mini Driver, I also started using one a couple of weeks ago, and it is really straight! Beautiful ball flight too. A lot of fun to hit.

Just out of curiosity, where in your stance do you guys tee yours up? I am about 4-5 inches back from the front heel, up about 3/4" high using a broken tee. That seems to get good results but I am open to suggestion. I am occasionally drawing my tee shot (just a hair) so maybe there is room to play it forward in my stance.. Anyway, very little info out there on how to set up for these.

One caveat, I can't hit it off the deck except at the range. Maybe if I had a nice fluffy lie, but certainly not from tight lies. I have an old Titleist 909F 18.5* with a shallow face that is magic from the fairway. I quit carrying a three wood last year - too unreliable.

 

 

 

[colin007]

This is intriguing...I've seen where people say that drivers are easier to hit than 3 woods, having a larger sweet spot and all, but I do struggle with my driver so I'm willing to try anything. It just seems like mechanically there's something drastically different between my 3 wood swing and my driver.

[jsgolfer]

1 hour ago, pganapathy said:

Considering how versatile the club is, would you be willing to drop the driver and the 3 wood from the bag and only keep the mini driver @Steviestuboy and @jsgolfer.  I personally am hitting my driver reasonably well so not keen on removing that from the bag

No I wouldn't take my driver out, I still hit it further then the mini-driver.  Plus i don't carry a 3-wood anyways.  I hit the mini-driver off the deck like a 3-wood

[Steviestuboy]

I've dropped the driver and three wood for this Saturdays match.  My course isn't long and is tight with punishing rough.  Just tee it low and watch it go!  Always struggled with driver but this just keeps me in play so I can score better. Tee it up maybe 2 inches inside the heel.  If you can hit fairways with the driver then I couldn't recommended this club but if not go hit one. For info I play off 1.8 and have a 108 mph avg swing speed with a driver. 

[Shooting29]

I have struggled with driving the ball in play for many years. The last driver I had that I consistently put in play was a Titleist 975D. I realize it's in my head, but I seriously hate looking at gigantic driver heads. 

This year I changed to the Mini and while I lost a few yards on a crushed drive I am putting it in play most every time and carrying it about 260. Plenty of distance for the courses I play. 

I carry it as my driver and a Razr fit 5w set at 17*.

[hilmar2k]

I lost the ability to hit my driver a while back and began using a 3 wood off the tee exclusively. I decided to take a chance on a driver again, but struggled once more. I ditched it and picked up the TM mini driver and hit it fairly well. It's actually helped me correct my swing, and when I hit a driver for fun, I hit it well. I am actually getting fitted for a driver soon and will relegate the mini driver to the backup bag....assuming I hit the driver well.

One thing I cannot do with it though is hit it off the deck.

[kpaulhus]

I dont want to rain on anyone's parade, but, wouldn't the solution be to fix your swing so you can hit driver into the fairways? 

Why buy a club as a crutch that will put you further back from the green. If you read LSW, if you hit driver in the light rough and are 100 yards out leads to more birdies than fairway from 150 yards out. 

I do occasionally have issues with keeping the driver in the fairway, and I work on it until its corrected, but I couldnt see taking a club out of my bag that gets me out 280-300 yards vs a mini driver much less. I hit my 3 wood 250, and its not hard to hit. I just dont see the reasoning behind a mini driver. 

[Kalnoky]

33 minutes ago, kpaulhus said:

I dont want to rain on anyone's parade, but, wouldn't the solution be to fix your swing so you can hit driver into the fairways? 

 

Probably true, and logical as well. Sometimes you just want to play though. And this lets you do that without landing in the opposite fairway. Although my home course is Par 72, it's not very long. I can still score (at my level) with mini-driver. Of course I can't speak for anyone else.

I do have a regular 10.5* driver I hit reasonably well. I'm not very tall so it takes a bit of effort to wind that thing up properly & stay on plane. If I'm feeling lazy I will definitely push it to the right, at minimum.   

 

 

Edited August 11, 2016 by Kalnoky

[DaveP043]

2 hours ago, Steviestuboy said:

 For info I play off 1.8 and have a 108 mph avg swing speed with a driver. 

This is pretty remarkable, 3 weeks ago you were a 7 handicap with 90 mph swing speed.  A great recovery!

[Shooting29]

1 hour ago, kpaulhus said:

I dont want to rain on anyone's parade, but, wouldn't the solution be to fix your swing so you can hit driver into the fairways? 

Why buy a club as a crutch that will put you further back from the green. If you read LSW, if you hit driver in the light rough and are 100 yards out leads to more birdies than fairway from 150 yards out. 

I do occasionally have issues with keeping the driver in the fairway, and I work on it until its corrected, but I couldnt see taking a club out of my bag that gets me out 280-300 yards vs a mini driver much less. I hit my 3 wood 250, and its not hard to hit. I just dont see the reasoning behind a mini driver. 

I  would understand the thinking had I lost 50 yards. I didn't. Im still hitting the same clubs into holes I did when i hit my driver. The mini is my driver now. I didn't lose distance,  but i gained accuracy. the only noticeable distance difference was about 15 yards between the two on an all out crushed drive. About  1-50 shot  for me. So I traded a bunch of OB drives and one 280+ drive for hitting it down the middle about 260 and can roll it out to 275 if the ground is firm.

[Gunther]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

This is pretty remarkable, 3 weeks ago you were a 7 handicap with 90 mph swing speed.  A great recovery!

Lol, why do people do this?  And where did the 1.8 come from?  Why not 2 or 1?  108?  Come on, let's make it an even 110, right?   Funny shit.

[kpaulhus]

1 hour ago, Shooting29 said:

I  would understand the thinking had I lost 50 yards. I didn't. Im still hitting the same clubs into holes I did when i hit my driver. The mini is my driver now. I didn't lose distance,  but i gained accuracy. the only noticeable distance difference was about 15 yards between the two on an all out crushed drive. About  1-50 shot  for me. So I traded a bunch of OB drives and one 280+ drive for hitting it down the middle about 260 and can roll it out to 275 if the ground is firm.

Were you fitted for your original driver? That doesn't make sense that the mini driver is about same distance but more accurate than your normal driver. If that was the case, why are the guys on tour not using it, you know?

[RGoosen]

1 hour ago, kpaulhus said:

Were you fitted for your original driver? That doesn't make sense that the mini driver is about same distance but more accurate than your normal driver. If that was the case, why are the guys on tour not using it, you know?

Stenson can't hit his driver and plays a strong 3 wood off the tee almost exclusively.

I just bought a mini driver this week and have full intentions of making the switch.  I also hit my 3 wood on all but one or two holes a round.  My 3 wood goes 240-250 yds.  My driver 265 "if" is in play.  I have been told by several golf instructors that I do not make the same swing with the driver.  Maybe I have the driving yips.

My hope is I'll get another 10-15 yds with the new 12 degree mini driver compared to the rocketbalz 14.5 degree 3 wood I am hitting off the tee.

[Shooting29]

5 hours ago, kpaulhus said:

Were you fitted for your original driver? That doesn't make sense that the mini driver is about same distance but more accurate than your normal driver. If that was the case, why are the guys on tour not using it, you know?

not the driver I just swapped the mini for but I have been  fitted for a driver in the past. I was fitted for a RAZR  Fit that I didn't hit any further than I currently hit the mini. 

To answer your question, I don't know. I do know Mickelson won his Open Championship with a club similar to the mini.