Rediscovering the TM 300 Ti Mini Driver

[funkyjudge]

I have owned a 13.5 degree TaylorMade 300 Ti Mini Driver for a couple of years and even reshafted it with a Ventus Blue TR “Folds of Honor Edition” 6-S shaft last year. However, it has been sitting in a golf bag in my garage since late last summer.

Because of very erratic driving lately (great drives of 285+ yards when I catch it slightly high in the middle of the face with a moderately upward AOA, but also abysmal when I hit it less than perfectly), I decided to put that Mini Driver back in my game bag and use it in my Monday golf league yesterday. I hit it really great, only missing one fairway and driving the green on one slightly downwind 280-yard par 4 hole, plus hitting another drive in the front green side bunker on another short (300-yard) par 4.  I hit one tee shot low on the face, but still got 249 yards in the middle of the fairway with the drive that only reached about 40-50 feet in height.

 I have so much more confidence hitting this club from the tee on all par 4 and par 5 holes, and as long as it continues to perform well, the mini driver is staying in my bag!

SIDE NOTE: Even though I am 74 years old, I am definitely still a “stiff shaft guy”, and not necessarily wimpy stiff shafts. Besides the Ventus TR 6-S in the mini driver, I have HZRDUS Black 70 and 80 series fairway and hybrid shafts, and the HZRDUS Silver 4th Gen stiff iron shafts in the Paradym irons … and my wedge shafts are actually 115 gram Tour-S flex graphite wedge-specific shafts by XCaliber.  My matchplay opponent yesterday, whom I have played several times over the past few years, asked me after one tee shot, “Have you been working out?”

[BH18]

I'm with you.  I played the 300 mini for about a year and a half and I had some of my best consistent driving.  Unfortunately, early this spring the face cracked.  And this was before the BRNR mini came out.  I refused to pay the high price that used 300 minis were going for, so I tried to make a go of it this season with a full-sized driver.  I've had some good streaks with it, but also some runs of inconsistent driving.

I recently found a reasonably priced used 300 mini on eBay and pulled the trigger.  Just got it last week.  So happy to be reunited!   

 

[JKV]

I struggle using driver off the tee, particularly slicing the ball. Historically, I have my my 3-wood more consistently off the tee. Will a mini driver help me address this?

[IndyBonzo]

Curious - How is the 300 mini off the deck?

[BH18]

2 minutes ago, IndyBonzo said:

Curious - How is the 300 mini off the deck?

Easier than it looks at first, but you need a perfect lie. I’ve only ever attempted it a couple times. 

[BH18]

27 minutes ago, JKV said:

I struggle using driver off the tee, particularly slicing the ball. Historically, I have my my 3-wood more consistently off the tee. Will a mini driver help me address this?

I’d say you are the exact target audience for this club. I always hit my 3 wood better than driver too, and am not good at hitting up on the ball.  But with this club, I tee it on the low side, normal ball position, and I’ve never driven it better. Distance is about the same as full sized driver for me. 

[funkyjudge]

1 hour ago, IndyBonzo said:

Curious - How is the 300 mini off the deck?

I find the 300 Mini to be pretty darned demanding off the deck.  I have tried it more than a few times, but as was already posted, you need to have a perfect lie to get any kind of decent result.

[mrusso4]

I feel like I may need to look into getting a mini driver. I tend to be only getting a few more yards out of my driver than when I hit my three wood. Would a mini give me more yards than the three wood or would they be about the same?

[Hoodman22]

I have the Aeroburner 14 mini driver. I can understand why people gravitate to this type of club.

It is a great club for finding fairways - the shaft and loft combination seem to work well, and my drives are straighter: Will gladly sacrifice 10-15 yds to stay in the fairway.

 

[BH18]

On 7/27/2023 at 2:34 PM, mrusso4 said:

I feel like I may need to look into getting a mini driver. I tend to be only getting a few more yards out of my driver than when I hit my three wood. Would a mini give me more yards than the three wood or would they be about the same?

Everyone is different, but for me it’s about a 1.5 wood. Just a few yards shorter than driver and 15-20 longer than 3 wood. 
the thing I like the best about it is I don’t feel like I need a different setup or swing with it, like I do with a big headed driver. 
Have been reunited with my 300 mini for a few weeks now and am driving it better than ever.