Is this Mini a straight driver replacement?

[Shrek74]

Just now, Josh Parker said:

Use tape!  Measure twice. Cut once. 

Or is it measure once, cut twice.....  

I think you mean, eyeball it and pray.

[Erin B]

11 minutes ago, Shrek74 said:

What shafts were you fit into and playing before you found Steadfast? I've been playing HZRDUS for as long as I can remember in my woods/hybrids. So I'm curious to try and find some comparisons, if that's possible.

I was in Tensi and have also played Aldila and Mitsubishi Kai'li. I liked the Aldila the most and played the green shaft. Tensi I liked the orange or blue, hated the white, like the new black 1K. The Kai'li blue was the one I liked the best from Mitsubishi. The closest shaft to the Steadfast to me is the Tensi Black.

[Erin B]

17 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Use tape!  Measure twice. Cut once. 

Or is it measure once, cut twice.....  

Um not sure 

[Shrek74]

8 minutes ago, Erin B said:

I was in Tensi and have also played Aldila and Mitsubishi Kai'li. I liked the Aldila the most and played the green shaft. Tensi I liked the orange or blue, hated the white, like the new black 1K. The Kai'li blue was the one I liked the best from Mitsubishi. The closest shaft to the Steadfast to me is the Tensi Black.

Interesting. I fit into the 1k Black when I did a Titleist wood fitting last fall. He liked me in the HZRDUS, but said the 1k Black was a close shaft for me. I may give the Steadfast a go since it's a good price and comes with the adapter on it.

Are you using the driver shaft untipped for the Ti340 or are you using a fairway shaft?

[zstokes]

2 hours ago, Erin B said:

I have made a decision. The grinder is coming out and I am trimming the Tensi Black 1K TX shaft an inch. 

Damn that MGS dude who ordered this +1 

[Josh Parker]

5 minutes ago, zstokes said:

Damn that MGS dude who ordered this +1 

Who does that kind of thing........ hahaha

[GolferXY]

On 6/23/2024 at 9:41 AM, Josh Parker said:

I won't use it off the deck much would be my guess.  I will use it off the tee and then keep the 4w in the bag along with my 3 hybrid.  

My buddy uses the TM Burner from tee and fairway and can crush it. Very spinny in his hands, though. What spin  numbers are you getting?

[GolferXY]

On 7/8/2024 at 2:23 AM, TBGumby12 said:

I use the Taylormade Mini 11.5 degree as my primary driver and also replaced my 3 wood with it. I still carry a Ping 425 driver and 2 hybrid as well.  With this setup I have no gaps in distance.  I use the driver on certain holes but normally the mini is enough.

That Ping is pretty forgiving. What caused you to replace it on most driver holes?

[GolferXY]

On 7/9/2024 at 7:39 PM, IanCC said:

I’ll be interested to see how many players trial a mini driver at the Scottish Open this week ahead of who bags one at The Open the week after

Did you have any luck collecting this info?

[Josh Parker]

4 minutes ago, GolferXY said:

My buddy uses the TM Burner from tee and fairway and can crush it. Very spinny in his hands, though. What spin  numbers are you getting?

I currently have the Callaway Mini and waiting to try the TM Burner but am getting between 2500-3200 spin with average carry of 250ish.  I'm launching a little higher than optimal, but it's been a huge improvement over the current driver situation.

[GolferXY]

4 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

I currently have the Callaway Mini and waiting to try the TM Burner but am getting between 2500-3200 spin with average carry of 250ish.  I'm launching a little higher than optimal, but it's been a huge improvement over the current driver situation.

I would expect a bit more spin considering launch conditions. 250 is damn good carry for that much spin. When you look down at the mini on the fairway, do you feel more or less confident than a 3w?

[Josh Parker]

1 minute ago, GolferXY said:

I would expect a bit more spin considering launch conditions. 250 is damn good carry for that much spin. When you look down at the mini on the fairway, do you feel more or less confident than a 3w?

I have only hit it out of the fairway a couple times and didn't mind it.  I have more confidence with my 4w out of the fairway.  

[TJ Hall]

2 hours ago, Josh Parker said:

Use tape!  Measure twice. Cut once. 

Or is it measure once, cut twice.....  

I thought it was cut twice!

[GolferXY]

5 minutes ago, TJ Hall said:

I thought it was cut twice!

It's ALWAYS cut twice when I am cutting wood!

[TJ Hall]

9 minutes ago, GolferXY said:

It's ALWAYS cut twice when I am cutting wood!

Same here, and then add tons of caulk to clean it up!

[Erin B]

3 hours ago, Shrek74 said:

Interesting. I fit into the 1k Black when I did a Titleist wood fitting last fall. He liked me in the HZRDUS, but said the 1k Black was a close shaft for me. I may give the Steadfast a go since it's a good price and comes with the adapter on it.

Are you using the driver shaft untipped for the Ti340 or are you using a fairway shaft?

Driver shaft.

[Erin B]

So I played the mini almost exclusively and I hit it a long and I mean long way. 

I hit one out of bounds 300+. It was crazy! I’m using the Newton 5 Dot in it. The nail the Steadfast shaft is done I’m sticking with the 5 Dot. Not one fade, and it’s driver length. I’m still gonna shorten what ever shaft I choose an inch. Too many shots off the toe.

[CFreddie]

SUPER impressive @Erin B! I'm assuming you are teeing it up like a FW, correct? 

[Josh Parker]

5 minutes ago, Erin B said:

So I played the mini almost exclusively and I hit it a long and I mean long way. 

I hit one out of bounds 300+. It was crazy! I’m using the Newton 5 Dot in it. The nail the Steadfast shaft is done I’m sticking with the 5 Dot. Not one fade, and it’s driver length. I’m still gonna shorten what ever shaft I choose an inch. Too many shots off the toe.

Nice!  I left my Newton at my driver length. 

[Erin B]

2 minutes ago, CFreddie said:

SUPER impressive @Erin B! I'm assuming you are teeing it up like a FW, correct? 

Yes, in the forward middle of my stance, right off the left thigh, inside the heel.

[Erin B]

Played the mini in a shorter shaft. The mini played very well. I didn’t. I like the shorter shaft.

[Erin B]

After extensive testing I’ve decided on the Steadfast and Newton as the two shafts I will stick with. Tensi is out. Steadfast is first choice, but not by much. Really it depends on wind. Steadfast had a more penetrating ball flight. Newton had a higher flight. Total length of club is 43 1/2”. 

[Josh Parker]

Update with the Callaway mini.....

I have the driver out of the bag and this has remained the lone wolf for off the tee.  I am still waiting on the TM mini demo but for right now, I am loving my choice. I am constantly getting 250+ carry with some roll out and the flight window has been awesome. 

[CFreddie]

After last two days of subpar driver perform, I’m STRONGLY considering a mini-Driver (had to switch to my 3W off the tee halfway through todays round).  Decisions decisions…

[Josh Parker]

Just now, CFreddie said:

After last two days of subpar driver perform, I’m STRONGLY considering a mini-Driver (had to switch to my 3W off the tee halfway through todays round).  Decisions decisions…

I will say, I am prob one of the odd ones because I have my driver shaft in it and have never felt more comfortable, but, I really think I have to concentrate more with it and make clean contact every time. 

Could also be the loft with a steeper swing and it helps get the ball flighted. 

[Erin B]

Well boys, I’m taking the driver out. Set the mini with a green dot adapter to 9.5 and hit it as far as my driver. May change later but today!!! Anyway that’s that for now. 

[bigzb4412]

A little bit of background about me. I'm currently playing a Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond Max Tour issue with a 2024 Ventus Black 7X tipped an inch. I am 6'9" with long levers so I generate a lot of speed. Anywhere from 127-131 club. I am also admittedly not a great ball striker so ball speeds could be higher but usually end up in the 182-187 range. For me that was the best I could find as far as driver goes when it comes to forgiving but still maintaining low enough spin to not balloon. I had played a few rounds and hit a few more good drives than I normally would have so I was excited about it. I got the Callaway TI 340 mini driver as a replacement for 3 wood since I normally only hit 3 wood off the tee. I figured the mini driver may be easier to hit than three wood and could be used on tighter tee shots.

 

Last Saturday I went out with that set up at the top of the bag and this is what transpired.

1: Mini driver, Fairway, Bogey (flubbed approach shot)

2: Mini driver, Fairway, Birdie

3. Driver, Rough, Bogey

4: par 3

5: Mini driver, just off fairway, par

6: Mini driver, just off fairway, par

7: Mini driver, fairway, par

8: par 3

9: Driver, rough, par

10: Driver, native, bogey

11: Driver, water, bogey

12: par 3

13: Mini driver, just off fairway, par

14: Mini driver, drove the green, birdie

15: Mini driver, fairway, par (toughest driving hole on the course)

16: Driver, native, triple

17: par 3

18: Driver, rough, bogey

I looked back at my round, realized I was +7 when I teed off with driver, E when I teed off with mini driver, and +1 on par 3s because I can't putt (don't worry we are working on this).

 

I decided to look back at my last 10 rounds and see what the biggest issue was from a statistical standpoint. Regardless of how many times I have heard it and no matter how many times I have realized it, I just kept hitting driver bad and ruining what could be far better rounds if I just hit a few more fairways. Driver is the problem. I don't want to abandon it yet and may cut it down to a shorter playing length to try and hit more fairways. I do think at this point that maybe it's time to move on and just play mini driver at the top of the bag and deal with a small loss of yardage. I hit mini driver far enough to keep up with or surpass my playing partners still so I don't feel like I'm losing out on anything. The plan is to hit mini driver more and see if I am scoring better and maybe just make the mini my longest club.

 

Those of you have have switched to mini driver as your only driver, what have you seen?

[Josh Parker]

11 minutes ago, bigzb4412 said:

A little bit of background about me. I'm currently playing a Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond Max Tour issue with a 2024 Ventus Black 7X tipped an inch. I am 6'9" with long levers so I generate a lot of speed. Anywhere from 127-131 club. I am also admittedly not a great ball striker so ball speeds could be higher but usually end up in the 182-187 range. For me that was the best I could find as far as driver goes when it comes to forgiving but still maintaining low enough spin to not balloon. I had played a few rounds and hit a few more good drives than I normally would have so I was excited about it. I got the Callaway TI 340 mini driver as a replacement for 3 wood since I normally only hit 3 wood off the tee. I figured the mini driver may be easier to hit than three wood and could be used on tighter tee shots.

 

Last Saturday I went out with that set up at the top of the bag and this is what transpired.

1: Mini driver, Fairway, Bogey (flubbed approach shot)

2: Mini driver, Fairway, Birdie

3. Driver, Rough, Bogey

4: par 3

5: Mini driver, just off fairway, par

6: Mini driver, just off fairway, par

7: Mini driver, fairway, par

8: par 3

9: Driver, rough, par

10: Driver, native, bogey

11: Driver, water, bogey

12: par 3

13: Mini driver, just off fairway, par

14: Mini driver, drove the green, birdie

15: Mini driver, fairway, par (toughest driving hole on the course)

16: Driver, native, triple

17: par 3

18: Driver, rough, bogey

I looked back at my round, realized I was +7 when I teed off with driver, E when I teed off with mini driver, and +1 on par 3s because I can't putt (don't worry we are working on this).

 

I decided to look back at my last 10 rounds and see what the biggest issue was from a statistical standpoint. Regardless of how many times I have heard it and no matter how many times I have realized it, I just kept hitting driver bad and ruining what could be far better rounds if I just hit a few more fairways. Driver is the problem. I don't want to abandon it yet and may cut it down to a shorter playing length to try and hit more fairways. I do think at this point that maybe it's time to move on and just play mini driver at the top of the bag and deal with a small loss of yardage. I hit mini driver far enough to keep up with or surpass my playing partners still so I don't feel like I'm losing out on anything. The plan is to hit mini driver more and see if I am scoring better and maybe just make the mini my longest club.

 

Those of you have have switched to mini driver as your only driver, what have you seen?

What length driver are you playing?  

Having the mini at 11.5 is almost like a driver anyways and if turned down 1 or 2 degrees would be exactly like a driver.  I am trying to get my hands on the TM mini in 11.5 for lefty to try it out.

[bigzb4412]

1 minute ago, Josh Parker said:

What length driver are you playing?  

Having the mini at 11.5 is almost like a driver anyways and if turned down 1 or 2 degrees would be exactly like a driver.  I am trying to get my hands on the TM mini in 11.5 for lefty to try it out.

I have driver playing at 45.5" right now. Thinking about taking an inch off to see if I can find the middle of the face more but worried about weighting and all that.

[Josh Parker]

2 minutes ago, bigzb4412 said:

I have driver playing at 45.5" right now. Thinking about taking an inch off to see if I can find the middle of the face more but worried about weighting and all that.

I play at 44.75in and as far as weighting, you can get weights off Amazon pretty cheap to make up the difference and fix swing weight.