Mini Driver/3Deep: an answer to driver woes?

[GolfSpy MPR]

I am awful at hitting driver.

 

There are several factors here. As I've posted about before, I don't have a range locally. And my garage practice area is perfect for hitting irons, but just too short to swing driver without clipping the ceiling.

 

What this results in, for me, is a horrendous strike pattern with my driver. I have an awful tendency of hitting it off the topline (I won't borrow drivers for fear of idiot-marking them). This results in a number of driver shots that resemble 7-irons off the tee.

 

My left-right misses are pretty balanced. My shortest drives tend to be snap hooks. My longer drives actually trend toward the right side.

 

In my last 15 rounds, Game Golf tells me that my typical drive went (hangs head in shame) 195 yards. My longest was 259. 50% of fairways hit, 30% miss left, 20% miss right.

 

Here's a comparison with other clubs I use off the tee:

 

Callaway 4 wood:

• 192 yards typical | 240 long
• 36% fairways | 39% left | 24% right

G700 4 iron:

• 178 yards typical | 246 long
• 60% fairways | 11% left | 29% right

As you can see, my driver is a problem. I don't hit (on average) any further than my 4 wood.

 

One answer, which I hope to pursue at some point, is to be fitted for a driver. That is the correct answer, when the opportunity arises. Maybe I'll apply for driver reviews in the upcoming years

 

In the meantime, I want to ask: has anyone else with similar driver woes switched to one of the mini drivers from Callaway or TaylorMade, or the Callaway 3Deep woods? I cannot explain why I'm more consistent hitting a functional shot with a smaller face, but that seems to be my current situation. I'm tempting to get one of these from eBay, something around 12° or 14°, and see if I can't push my driving distance up above 200 for a change.

[DPattGolf]

I don't know if a 3Deep or Mini Driver is necessarily the correct club. Your clearly doing a decent job with the driver by keeping it in the fairway more than your 4 wood and its almost catching your 4 iron. Have you tried lowering your tee height to try and help with your skyball tendency?? 

[GB13]

First off mini drivers are great. I would stay away from deep face drivers if you struggle finding the center of a normal driver. I would get the Callaway mini driver in your situation.

 

Secondly, try teeing the ball lower, if all of your misses are high on the face. Even if you end up hitting with a descending blow, it will still be better than topline misses.

[GolfSpy MPR]

I don't know if a 3Deep or Mini Driver is necessarily the correct club. Your clearly doing a decent job with the driver by keeping it in the fairway more than your 4 wood and its almost catching your 4 iron. Have you tried lowering your tee height to try and help with your skyball tendency?? 

 

Good question. A couple of thoughts.

 

I do wonder if the fairway misses with the 4 wood are in part due to the fact that I tend to use it more on tighter tee shots. This is hard to tease out of the Game Golf stats, as it isn't giving the distance from center on misses, but the distance off the edge.

 

As for lowering tee height: I have definitely played with that, and will likely continue. Two concerns here. One is that a lower tee height can encourage a downward strike with the driver, which is less efficient. The second is that, contrary to all physics, I seem to be able to fit a driver under a ball that's teed an inch off the ground. Don't ask me how I do it, because I think it's just a gift I have

[GB13]

Good question. A couple of thoughts.

 

I do wonder if the fairway misses with the 4 wood are in part due to the fact that I tend to use it more on tighter tee shots. This is hard to tease out of the Game Golf stats, as it isn't giving the distance from center on misses, but the distance off the edge.

 

As for lowering tee height: I have definitely played with that, and will likely continue. Two concerns here. One is that a lower tee height can encourage a downward strike with the driver, which is less efficient. The second is that, contrary to all physics, I seem to be able to fit a driver under a ball that's teed an inch off the ground. Don't ask me how I do it, because I think it's just a gift I have

A descending blow with a driver while not maximizing efficiency will still go farther than a mini driver.

Tee the ball at the height of the sweet spot, this will make sure you don't go under it.😉

[DPattGolf]

A descending blow with a driver while not maximizing efficiency will still go farther than a mini driver.

Tee the ball at the height of the sweet spot, this will make sure you don't go under it.

Agree with GB. 

[Kenny B]

Seems like your practice area might be producing at least some of your driving woes.  You may be unintentionally changing your swing because you are worried about the ceiling with your longer clubs.

 

If you have a steep angle of attack, lowering the tee height might work to hit fairways, but it isn't going to help shallow out your swing for maximum distance.  The tee should be high.  Put some shipping tape on the top edge of your driver if you are worried about sky marks.  Practice hitting off a slight uphill lie to help flatten your swing if you can.  

 

As for the mini drivers. I don't see them maximizing your potential in the long run.  IMHO.

[NiftyNiblick]

I love the idea of a strong fairway wood type of club from the tee for one simple reason.

 

Hitting a ball that's teed up high requires moving it forward in your stance and hitting it on the upswing.

 

That's not a normal golf shot.

 

We have to learn special shots from in close.

Why, at the one place where we'll always have a perfect lie, do we have to learn a different swing and shot for the tee box?

 

I've been hitting "mini-drivers" since they were called "2-woods."

[srooch2]

How does anyone figure a driver will go further than a mini driver? If they are lofted the same they will go the same distance. They have the same c.o.r restrictions. I hit my 11.5* 3 wood further than I hit my old driver because I can get more swing speed due to less drag for my swing. I had my old driver set to every loft and just felt like I was swinging a sledgehammer. I don't play a 460 driver anymore. Anyone has any scientific data to back up that a 460 will hit further than a mini/fairway wood if lofted the same and same shaft I'm all ears. Im not arguing forgiveness either just distance.

 

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[Kenny B]

 

Why, at the one place where we'll always have a perfect lie, do we have to learn a different swing and shot for the tee box?

The swing isn't different, just the position of the ball.  The best results for most of us with the driver and putter occur with a level to upward strike, not a descending one.

[Berg Ryman]

Hey MPatrick, have you thought about maybe the length of the shaft being the problem? Perhaps you'd feel better about finding the center of the face with a shaft more in line with your 4 wood or a touch longer than it.

[DPattGolf]

Hey MPatrick, have you thought about maybe the length of the shaft being the problem? Perhaps you'd feel better about finding the center of the face with a shaft more in line with your 4 wood or a touch longer than it.

Not a bad idea either!

[RickyBobby_PR]

A descending blow with a driver while not maximizing efficiency will still go farther than a mini driver.

Tee the ball at the height of the sweet spot, this will make sure you don't go under it.😉

His woes definitely seem like a negative aoa and I'm betting it's coming from hitting irons all the time for practice.

 

Also willing to bet if he added some spine tilt to form the reverse k and focused on hitting up vs down with driver things would improve. A negative aoa would work with his 4w swing

[Shankster]

Where is your ball position? I suck with my driver this year too. I have a 14° 3 wood that I move up in my stance slightly and catch it on the up. It goes far and runs out nicely.

 

Try to do the same with the driver and I have been mumbling a few choice words to myself.

 

I'm in the 2 wood camp too. If you get real lucky you can find a Cally 2 deep, I believe they were 12°. Been on the lookout for a SLDR Mini or Callaway Mini.

 

For me it is just looking down at a giant balloon that throws me off. My last driver the R1 I had dialed in before I broke it. But before that I had an Adams Air Assault 9° , it was tiny, loved the small shape.

 

I really think there is a piece of the market missing with a 43” shafted 200-250cc “whatever you want to call it”.

 

The problem is I think it would fit a lot of people and the OEM's don't want the big dollar drivers losing any sales. Just my opinion on that part.

[srooch2]

I had the same problem and switched to a very strong lofted 3 wood and have never looked back. You should definitely do it! I increased fairways hit by 40% and my distance increased. Another advantage was teeing up the same with any fairway wood and making a consistent swing. I could not hit a big driver for so long and could not figure out why. I cannot speak to the mini driver but we have a similar story with the big dog and I think you should go for it.

 

Sent from my VS988 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[GolfSpy MPR]

Hey MPatrick, have you thought about maybe the length of the shaft being the problem? Perhaps you'd feel better about finding the center of the face with a shaft more in line with your 4 wood or a touch longer than it.

 

This is something I've done in the past, with a measure of success. Likely going to try this again.

 

In addition, I do have an Adams XTD 13.5 fairway wood in the basement. It's time to try that one again as a driver replacement option.

[Berg Ryman]

This is something I've done in the past, with a measure of success. Likely going to try this again.

 

In addition, I do have an Adams XTD 13.5 fairway wood in the basement. It's time to try that one again as a driver replacement option.

 

Hope it works out for you! I toyed with the mini driver when I worked at Dick's, makes sense to me. You want another suggestion, and maybe even cheaper although it's a smaller head, try to nail down a Tour Edge EX9 Long. Comes in 13*, with ability to bring it anywhere to 12* to 14*. 185 cc, and at 43.5 it's not that much longer than your x2Hot Pro.

[palvord]

I have had driver issues galore this year (and all of the years of golf if I'm honest with myself) and so I have left it in the bag for the last 2 months.  I strictly use my 3 wood and am producing shots that I get the same or better distance, and way more accuracy.

 

I know that I need a full driver fitting, as well as thorough lessons.  Since that isn't in the cards right now, it's the 3 wood.

[chemclub]

Surprised rev hasn't weighed in on this, so I will do it for him. You give up a ton in forgiveness by moving away from a 400cc head.

 

Brewmaster has it right, all things being equal, a center strike on a mini driver versus a driver will be the same, but given your shot stats, you aren't hitting the center.

 

IMHO... One of the reasons that some folks feel straighter with a fairway wood is that an off-center hit with the fairway doesn't go as far so doesn't go as far off line. With the driver, the distance is still there on a poor shot so it has the legs to get into trouble.

 

Shortening your shaft could be a big help and it is an easy/cheap change that could shake you out of the negative thoughts you have with the driver. How long is your current gamer?

[chemclub]

Also, have you heard of this thing called True Golf Fit 

Could help you find a better driver for you.

 

Of course, it might not be very helpful since it can't fit you for a shaft       (went there, and jk in case anyone was triggered)

[russtopherb]

I'll chime in with my 2 cents and say that the shorter shaft may be an option. I like to keep midsized grips on my drivers so I can choke down and not have it feel off or weird. Shortening the shaft by choking up almost always gives me better consistency, and usually without a loss of yardage since I'm hitting the center of the face more consistently.

[NiftyNiblick]

The swing isn't different, just the position of the ball.  The best results for most of us with the driver and putter occur with a level to upward strike, not a descending one.

Perhaps it's just me, Ken.

 

I can't be consistent with it, and we're talking about a sample size that goes back several decades.

I never considered it a handicap, though, because among the peers with whom I played, forgoing the driver rarely cost me anything. 

 

I did hit putter on the slight upswing, but that's a whole different thing, of course.  Hitting down with the  putter would be catastrophic.

[GolfSpy MPR]

I have a league match today. Planning to arrive early to play a few holes. Bringing two clubs to test: my current driver with a shorter shaft, and a strong lofted (13.5°) fairway wood. Stay tuned.

[DPattGolf]

I have a league match today. Planning to arrive early to play a few holes. Bringing two clubs to test: my current driver with a shorter shaft, and a strong lofted (13.5°) fairway wood. Stay tuned.

Hope all goes well!

[Shankster]

May the FW be with you.

[russtopherb]

I have a league match today. Planning to arrive early to play a few holes. Bringing two clubs to test: my current driver with a shorter shaft, and a strong lofted (13.5°) fairway wood. Stay tuned.

 

How'd things go?

[Shankster]

Welllll.... we're waiting..

[GolfSpy MPR]

How'd things go?

 

Welllll.... we're waiting..

 

It's...complicated

 

I ended up playing 18 yesterday, playing the front nine twice. The first time I played with my son Kirke; the second was the league match. The first go-round, I hit both shortened driver and the XTD 13.5° fairway wood off each tee that allowed it.

 

The result was a convincing victory for the fairway wood. Except for one fatted tee shot, the XTD ended up longer and straighter on every hole.

 

Now, the caveats. I built an Aldila NVS 75 (orange) shaft for use as a shorter driver shaft. Unfortunately, when I first built it (a couple of months ago), I made a measurement error and cut it about 1.5" shorter than I intended. To get ready for yesterday's round, I installed an extension. And (ugh), after a couple of swings, I could feel that the extension had come loose in the grip. Not sure what effect that would have on actual performance, but it certainly has a mental effect.

 

Second, I didn't use Game Golf for the warm up round, so I don't have stats for that.

 

And third, after stashing the driver in my car for my league match, the XTD had an OK performance in the league match, but not up to what it did in the first nine. Even so, GG tells me that my strokes lost off the tee improved by about full stroke compared to my recent performance. That's not nothing.

 

As for hard numbers: I hit the XTD on six holes. My typical distance was 206 yards, hitting 50% fairways. (Those following this thread can remember that that would represent a 10 yard increase over my typical driver shot). My long driver was 234 on an uphill hole. The three misses were all to the right (two just barely off the fairway and one wild slice).

 

For right now, the XTD has earned another couple of rounds of experimenting. The short driver shaft goes back to the basement for surgery.

[Berg Ryman]

Another thought about your current driver MPatrick. The DBD isn't exactly the most forgiving driver Callaway ever made, perhaps something a bit more forgiving on off center strikes may help. Seems like the FW is working well though, so you've got that going for you at least. 

[Stumpnav]

I went back and read through this thread again. You said even if you tee the ball lower, you still hit it with the topline. Like you said, physics will not allow this if your swing is relatively flat. I am wondering if you have a lot of shaft lean when you have the ball teed low. If you do, that could explain why you are able to hit the ball with the topline of the club without digging into the ground first...the club is being presented with enough lean the topline gets to the ball before the face does...just a thought.