Today, Ian is in the bay to do a little test of the benefits of a shorter driver shaft vs. TaylorMade’s BRNR Mini Driver.
Today drivers come in at around 45 to 45.5 inches in length. So, is cutting down a regular driver more beneficial than a Mini Driver? And which setup proves to be the ultimate fairway finder? 304CC Mini Driver vs 460CC Driver cut to a 44 Inch Mini Driver shaft length?
0:00 INTRO
1:05 THE TEST BREAKDOWN
4:33 BRNR
MINI 304CC DRIVER
9:52 TITLEIST TSR2 SHORT SHAFTED 460CC DRIVER
12:11 BRNR
MINI 304CC DRIVER
ROUND 2
13:09 TITLEIST TSR2 SHORT SHAFTED 460CC DRIVER ROUND 2
14:27 TITLEIST GT3
45″ LENGTH SHAFT
14:53 RESULTS
BOOK A FITTING
CANADA: https://bit.ly/41mBbmg
USA: https://bit.ly/3TtgSli
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL
https://bit.ly/3TrDLVX
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM
Club Champion: https://bit.ly/48iAyMH
Ian Fraser: https://bit.ly/48jglq1
Mike Martysiewicz: https://bit.ly/48hejGR
https://bit.ly/41mBbmg
Filmed at: Club Champion Toronto
Custom Golf Club Fitting Studio – Toronto, Canada
43 Comments
I’ve been playing a second driver ping g425 max 12 degree (@ 10.5) at 42.5” with a ventus tr black 8x tipped 1.5”. It’s great. 260 carry.
Tried mini drivers and found the driver head was more forgiving.
I play the AI smoke mini with 70x black TR at 43” and a TSR3 with 70x black at 44.25”. I shorten all my woods.
I attempted to make my own mini driver using a 15 Degree aerojet max w/ a 43.5" shaft but the problem I ran into was with the short shaft it was easy to pull the shots left even with added weights and the distance would vary too much (sometimes the number I wanted and other times 30 yards short). I had another shaft that was about an inch longer and I reduced the weight which turned it into a 230-260 yard fairway finder (or in the first cut at worst).
I think this conversation really works best for people in double digit handicaps.
I think what you missed here was the section of people not using mini driver just as a tee club, but also as a replacement 3 wood. I use it off the tee where I need a bit more accuracy, but also instead of 3 wood. It’s just as easy to hit off the deck and it’s 20 yards longer which is helpful at my SS of around 100-103 driver
I told you guys this 5 years ago, and you didn't believe me. I'm pretty upset about this.
I've had my 3D Ai Smoke cut down an inch from standard, had a lighter but 'stiffer' shaft, and my SG off the tee has improved by 3 shots. Custom fitting matters.
When shortening the shafts for this test, are you using driver shafts? Butt trimming or Tipping to reach the desired length?
i have both. I use the mini brnr for tight fairways. Its my fav club to hit. and i cant hit driver off the deck, which the mini fills that slot as well. so for me the mini is just a bigger 3wood
Picked up a demo TSR4 10 degree at Superstore. Put a Vanquish 5X shaft at 44.5" long. With a +8 gram in the back and +4 gram in front. Hit 11/12 fairways averaged 265 yards with 99-103 Swing speed.
When is the Accra shogun review happening?
What loft was the mini? And what is the mini club head speed vs short driver? It should be faster
Got the Srixon Strong 3 fairway, 13.5 degrees, with stock Hazardous R Flex., very nice distance 225-230 yds+ , with a good solid feel, D3 swingweight on the 43" shaft feels great. My swing speed is 90-ish… this club is very reliable with great feel . Worth a try for a lot less $$ than the TM.
totally agree, if its off the tee only a shorter driver has more advantages than the mini driver in my opinion. I carry a 12.5 degree Callaway Paradym teed down ( but with standard length shaft though). as a fairway finder and a 11.5 degree Cobra dark speed for extra carry, median distances from shot pattern app is almost identical but the flights are very different
Nice seeing this. I brought my driver in yesterday to swap to a new shorter and lighter shaft. A lot cheaper than any mini! Looking forward to hitting some balls with it tomorrow.
Several years ago I cut my Ping G410 driver to 44.25 inches (grip end). Ordered a few heavier weights to compensate and it wasn't hard to get the swing weight where I wanted it. Lost a little clubhead speed but seem to strike the ball better. In the end, the club is noticeably straighter and just as long with the exception of those rare perfect hits with the full length club. Totally DIY.
Rather than short driver would choking down on normal driver not give you the same effect?
I feel like I just got off the boat in a foreign country. What is a mini-driver? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Second, why cut the shaft down, why not just choke further down on the grip?
If I took one inch off the shaft length how much weight should be added to the club head?
As you stated, the short shaft driver likely cannot be hit off the ground as reliably as the mini driver. I struggle with the "big balloon face" drivers, and I feel this mini driver allows me to lock in. Hitting it 250 off the ground on a long par 5 is also pretty cool. I hit the mini with confidence…thats what matters most. I also never tee the ball up, not even on par 3s. To hit it 280 off flat tee box ground, is pretty fantastic for someone that struggles with driver. Yes, while I hit the mini 280, and like you I can get a regular driver close to 300….far greater likelihood of me hitting a fairway 280 with a mini than a Big Boy 300. Also, I disagree with "confidence inspired by a mishit that works out alright." The most important thing in this game to me is, how does it feel. I don't like very forgiivng irons that will correct my mistakes…I don't feel like games progress that way. You have to strike the ball consistently well, not be saved by a Big Balloon….imho.
All they are doing is bringing back earlier drivers, with more tech. Drivers of today should be that size, built to 3 wood liveliness.
You didn’t hit the mini driver at 9 degree loft. I’ll bet you get a lower spin and more distance. Not a good comparison.
I've just traded in my driver, 3 wood and 5-wood for this very mini-driver. I've had a succession of drivers and I've even tried having a shorter shaft fitted and none of them work. I hit about 50% half decent drives and the remainder are either slices or I go the other way and hold onto it and a low horrible duck hook appears. the big slice and the duck hook kill your game. You're either in the trees, in a penalty area or thick rough or oob. Double bogey at best and often a triple or quadruple. Even off 18 handicap that kills your score.
Mini loses about 10 yards of distance but keeps the ball in play. I started playing back in the 80s before the big headed drivers. I think the larger heads give too much confidence and encourage people to try and smack it, whereas the smaller head and shorter shaft encourage a proper measured back swing and trying to find the middle of the club face. If you can hit a 3 hybrid off the tee or a 7-wood then you can definitely hit a mini driver with pretty much the same swing.
Unless you are a cat-1 golfer and feel the need to hit par-5s in 2 and are playing courses approaching 7000 yards in length you can easily get away without the driver.
At the beginning of this year I put my old 3 wood shaft (43 inch Fujikura Pro 72) on my driver head (Callaway Rogue at 9.5). I'm 57 and am hitting drives that I haven't hit in 20 years. Ball is landing at around 260 and straight as an arrow unless I severely toe or heel it which doesn't happen very often since there is such great control. The shorter/heavier shaft makes my driver feel like it is just an extension of my arms and hands, not something I have to try and tame and control. Highly recommend giving it a try.
All the stats (Arccos p, every shot counts blah blah blah etc) might tell you to get down there as far as you can from the tee. What they don’t and can’t inform you of is “golfing I.Q.” If there’s a series of fairway bunkers like on the hole you played in the video say from 260-290 yards, or whatever from the hole. And your average driving distance with the driver is 270 yards. Then it would be pretty fool hardy to play the driver – you’re just asking for trouble. Unless you could clear (with flight) the last bunker(290 yards) then the driver should stay in your bag. The club you should be hitting is one you know won’t go further than 255 yards – just saying.
Have used a shorter 44" driver for years now. Better consistancy (without too much loss in distance due to a better strike most of the time compared to a 45.75" club).
Currently using an older Ping G30 SF head with a Ping Alta shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip. The head is fitted with a heavier aftermarket weight plug to bring the SW back up to D2.
Good feel and a consistant fairway finder with enough distance to keep me happy at 66 years old. I've always been of the belief that distance without accuracy is just a recipe for higher scores, frustration and lost chances to play better golf. I think most "average" golfers would be better off with a shorter length driver in their bag tbh.
Played a Great Big Bertha Deuce off the tee in the 90's and it was 10 yards shorter for me,but much easier to hit in the fairway consistently
I put my 3 wood shaft on my driver, and it’s worked out very well for me. I might have lost a little distance, but I’m dead center of the fairway.
@clubchampionmedia Can you test AI smoke mini 11.5 dialled down to lowest loft…9.5. If really comparing mini to a driver…
were both clubs the same swing weight?
I’ve been playing for like 4 months. For some reason I can absolutely nuke my son’s junior driver. It’s 16 degrees with Al-dente spaghetti for a shaft. But the shortness just gives me such a sense of control. Makes me want to just choke down my driver. This short driver stuff makes complete sense to me
Mini drivers are good for people that hit it too far. And yes that's a real thing. Maybe not an issue in pro play courses but there are plenty of Muni courses that Driver is taken out of play because the courses aren't designed for a 320+ shot. You have to lay up for the dogleg or hit significantly less with a 3 wood. Take Micah for instance, his game is better with the mIni for sure.
I have both the BRNR and Ti 340 mini's because I just couldn't get a normal driver strike to get out of the heel. I did a PXG fitting 2.5 weeks ago, and they ultimately fit me into their BO driver at 44.5". I'm a fan of the shorter shaft if it means more centered contact, which will translate into more yards in the end.
I sold my fitted AI Smoke triple diamond within the first two weeks. Gosh it was terrible.
44" used to be a standard driver
Great content gents… 4 handicap here… I toyed with the idea of a mini driver but settled on a second shorter driver. The confidence behind the ball being a full size head is undeniable, and I swing smoother bc of it… So I took the 3 wood out of my bag completely (which has always been hot or super cold, and only ever hit it outside the tee box MAYBE 2-3 times every 40 rounds or so), and I replaced it with a PXG 43" 12 deg driver head turned up to 13.5 deg and added an additional 10 gms to the rear port. It is my 260+ fairway finder and I can shape it however I want with confidence… Paired with my PXG 10.5 @ 45", my tee shot arsenal has greatly improved… I wish I would have done this YEARS AGO!!
Why not swap for a lightweight grip to balance a short driver ?
I have an old R9 Taylormade driver and I'm tempted to take some length off it and just see if its more consistent.
Mini driver is my get right club off the tee. That's what i saw in this video. short driver was squirrelly the first time through, then you hit mini and you saw the results the 2nd time through with the short driver immediately after.
Gentlemen,
Great timing:
In February, I'm coming in for a fitting for exactly this club in my bag.
Something to think about.
I have found that with the TM mini i am able to turn it over and end up getting my driver distances often.
Top of the bag is driver, 5w, 4h, 6h 7i-pw gives me plenty options. But if driver is off 5w is my next option, which is ok on all the par4 holes. I think a mini driver is definitely in the cnversation for A: back up driver option B: 2nd option off th deck to compliment the 5w if i need a bit more carry. Currently leaning towards 13 mini which is available on pre order but id really like a few shots first. TaylorMade looks the goods premium comes with a price however.
I struggle with consistency with my driver even at 44.75". Got fitted for the PGX Mini Driver (Secret Weapon) and it has made a world of difference at least indoors. Can't wait for the weather to change enough to get out on the course. Definitely a fairway finder