Mini Driver Vs Standard Driver

PJ87 said:
Isn't that just bringing back 2 woods as someone said? I mean the HL 3 woods are just 4 woods
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As far as I can gather each manufacturer has a slightly different version of a 'Mini-driver' Some resemble a traditional 3 wood some a 2 wood, they all seem a little different and not very suitable for most handicap golfers to hit off the deck.
 
Backache said:
As far as I can gather each manufacturer has a slightly different version of a 'Mini-driver' Some resemble a traditional 3 wood some a 2 wood, they all seem a little different and not very suitable for most handicap golfers to hit off the deck.
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I think it depends why you want it.
Off the tee it can replace a wayward driver but most don’t hit driver off the deck so that’s not a consideration imo.

13 deg loft is easier to hit.
5 wood would be next down imo at 17.5/18 deg.

You gain accuracy but loose a few yds there is a trade off.
 
Jensen said:
I hit my 3 wood better both off the tee and from the fairway in comparison to my Driver.
Technique aside, I wonder whether I would be better trying a Mini Driver solely for off the tee.
Apart from the obvious try one, has anyone else tried this route or know of any experiences
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Technique yes and maybe some lessons to fix it maybe cheaper than buying a mini as it will be a bit of a sticking plaster. I’m assuming of course that you’ve been fitted for your driver and it’s relatively new. My Titleist TSR and my previous TM M2 were both fitted but drivers had become much more forgiving during that period.
 
Jensen said:
I hit my 3 wood better both off the tee and from the fairway in comparison to my Driver.
Technique aside, I wonder whether I would be better trying a Mini Driver solely for off the tee.
Apart from the obvious try one, has anyone else tried this route or know of any experiences
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I’m similar and it’s because I have a minus angle of attack.

If you hit down on the ball you’re always going to hit lofted woods better than driver.
Hitting down delofts the driver and gives a very low launch angle and more spin.
A mini driver might be just what you need, because for most of us changing your swing is not easy.
Belive me I have tried several times.😳
Just have a go in a fitting if possible to check AOA and if it suits you.
 
evemccc said:
What’s the difference in terms of ease of hitting off the tee, in your Mini vs a 3W?

Thanks @Beezerk
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This is what i need to work out. My 3w is generally 20 yards behind my driver, but yesterday I would say the mini was as long as my driver so still longer than my 3w. I definitely won’t be hitting it of the desk though.
 
I'm curious, what tee height do people use with mini drivers? Same as regular driver, or lower? Ball position the same or a little closer to 3 wood ball position?

Because I feel like, I could adjust my driver from 9 to 12°, and grip down it an inch or two, and I'd maybe hit more fairways but it would launch so high I'd be 20 yards further away. So a mini driver at 13 or 14 would be launching even higher - unless you hit off yellow castles maybe and play it more like a 3 wood. But then I can just hit my actual 3 wood. 🤔
 
Orikoru said:
I'm curious, what tee height do people use with mini drivers? Same as regular driver, or lower? Ball position the same or a little closer to 3 wood ball position?

Because I feel like, I could adjust my driver from 9 to 12°, and grip down it an inch or two, and I'd maybe hit more fairways but it would launch so high I'd be 20 yards further away. So a mini driver at 13 or 14 would be launching even higher - unless you hit off yellow castles maybe and play it more like a 3 wood. But then I can just hit my actual 3 wood. 🤔
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White plastic tees for me, they seem to work well. I’ve just put my mini back to standard loft (13.5 degrees) and to be honest I haven’t noticed any significant launch angle increase or distance loss.
 
My mini-driver....on the occasion it got put into play, was a 13 degree Ping Rapture from around 2014....this has a much shallower face than pretty much any other mini-driver that has been released in the last 11 years...its also got a lot more compact a head (219cc) than recent offerings....much more of an oversized 3 wood than a slightly shrunken driver....as a result I would tee it up typically 3/4" off the ground....1" at the most. My 3-wood, which has a really shallow face gets teed up just so it sits proud of the ground...so 1/4" to 1/2".

I do not know what these heights are in terms of "castle colours". :D

The Rapture used to be a beast off the deck as long as it wasn't sitting too tight.
 
The Rapture Mini was a 2014 release....had one myself for a while....

I'm not convinced by the MD revolution that's going on.
Not the same I know but if I miss hit my 4 wood it goes nowhere, if I miss hit my driver I still get a reasonable distance..
More forgiveness in the MD than the 4w but is there anywhere near the amount of a driver?
Miss the middle by an inch and a half on a driver and you'll still get it out there..an inch and a half on a MD and you're almost missing completely....
 
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