SHORT SHAFT DRIVER VS. MINI DRIVERS // Is the mini driver better than driver with a shaft

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

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Filmed at: Club Champion Toronto
Custom Golf Club Fitting Studio – Toronto, Canada

[shaunkelley]

Recently purchased the new TM Mini Driver it’s hands down the best club I’ve ever purchased

[RomeyStewart]

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!!

[hippocampulus]

Nice to see this! Just made myself a Ping G425 Max 12 degree "mini driver" at 44" with an 80 gram shaft. Game changer. Use it on all the holes I would normally tee off with 3W. Straighter, longer, and more confidence looking down at a 460 cc head. And my 5W gives me all the distance I need off the deck.

[auntielolo]

1 handicap female and I've been playing a Titleist 13.5 3+ wood for over 10 years. I could never hit a 15 degree 3 wood to save my life. But the 3+ has been a game changer for me. And I'm a good driver of the golf ball, but giving me that access to par 5's in 2 or another good option for those shorter par 4s has been the reason it's been in my bag so long.

[imCurveee]

I've found a lot of success playing a 3W shaft in my driver. Nice to be in the fairway again.

[Bevo_Baker]

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.

[christophersamson]

It is my understanding that the average on the tour is 44.5 inches. Which given most players are over 6feet tall this would suggest that most amateurs should have something less than 45 inches.

[nellyandbert]

Exactly what I wanted to see. Thanks guys!

[ricebowljl]

On holes where I absolutely need to find the fairway, I will choke way down on my driver grip where my hands almost touch the shaft. Creates a situation where it’s about hybrid length but with the forgiveness of the driver head. It’s about 15-20 yards shorter than full driver distance but a reliable fairway finder.

[starnerd]

I bought the Taylor made because I was having trouble finding the fairway off the tee and had issues with my 3 wood and found my mini driver was constantly farther and more consistent fairways I find it easier to hit the smaller head consistently rather then all over the face of the driver

[chriscruz]

I think that Cobra has been marketing/making a "Tour Length" (i.e. shorter) for their drivers that play at 44.50". From what I can remember, they have the shorter shafts in their fitting carts, along with the heavier weights for the standard heads to keep the swing weight at a reasonable level.

[joey-ic]

I think something to consider is the golfers height. I forget the book but there was a formula that measured your thumb distance (arms hanging) to the floor and then use that to determine your driver distance. I think for example the avg male heigh of 5'8 dictated a 43 inch driver shaft just as an example of how crazy long drivers have gotten. Tiger who is over 6 feet was playing a 44 inch shaft for a long time. I'd love to see a 460cc head tested on a 42, 43, 44 and 45 inch shafts. Maybe try to get a avg height golfer as well

[jbweezer]

Loved the video and this is the exact comparison the golfing public needs to see. I'm very keen to weigh in on this topic as a golf tinkerer. I was really struggling with my driver last year (ultimately more professional swing lessons fixed this for me this year and I am driving to scratch-golf distance averages and very tight dispersion this year). So I cut my PXG Gen5 driver to 43.75 inches just like the TM mini BRNR length and I re-weighted the head with the optional weight kit. I got the SS and ball flight characteristics that I was after (on Trackman). This club got me off the tee and kept me on the fairways, and to a degree, kept me in the game of golf, as I've only been golfing a few years and always struggled with a slicey driver, that was very frustrating. On average, I was now hitting better fairway-finding drives than my buddies by the end of last season. I got refitted for a premium driver shaft last December and ultimately decided to keep my playing length at 44.5 inches for this year. To me, anyway, that is the sweet-spot for swing speed (no material loss or maybe 1 mph at the most), control/strike, total yardage and dispersion being the most optimal, when looking at all those variables in concert. I also find I have a way easier time training myself to hit up on the ball. Now I can hit this club better than my old mini-driver, which I now sold to my buddy who is still dealing with the even worse driving struggles than I used to have. 10.5 head, lofted up to 12. BIG smile on his face as he is now getting off the tee and staying in play and hitting further because of how the club is setup and because he is hitting it straighter. Changed the game for him and his ego is still intact, imagine that. I am with Ian that if you are going to go down the mini driver route, might as well go the shorter driver route because you get all that extra forgiveness and face real-estate and confidence at address. Ok, last point: I had one more last-gen PXG 12* driver head and a spare shaft kicking around. I got that cut to 44 inch playing length and re-weighted the head. My OTHER buddy was out for only his 2nd round of the year and while he has a great swing, he is a very nervous golfer off the tee. Lofted it up to 13.5 degrees. I handed it to him and said to just hit it. First swing ever and he ripped it down the middle of fairway, about 245 yards, and, yup, a big smile on his face. "That was just too easy", he said. So now that shortened driver is now sitting in his bag for the season!! In conclusion: Shortened-and-re-weighted drivers change golfer's lives and my buddies keep trying to lift them off of me!!! And they are more forgiving on heel-and-toe strikes due to the extra mass in the head. If you can game a 45.5+ driver and bomb it down the middle all the time, all the power to you, but in my estimation, there is a HUGE cohort of golfers what would benefit from fitted shorter drivers between 44 and 44.5 inches (always re-weighted like Ian said). After experimenting with two shortened lengths, I would concur with Ian that for a shortened driver, best to go with 44 inches and not shorter than that, if you want the best blend of benefits. I'm now done with my shortened-driver odyssey for awhile, but I'm really glad I went down that rabbit hole.

[zip]

recently shorted my driver to 44", i've definitely been hitting more fairways but i didnt think about losing swing weight. Thanks for the tip gents

[Hagiazo]

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.

[randallpennington]

I use a shorter driver and a 3 wood but this is the video I have been waiting for!

[jimvoelz]

Currently a 16 handicap and really struggle with the Driver. Bought a TM Mini Driver a few months back and am very happy with it. I did a range session a few weeks back where I hit regular driver and mini driver and I had an average ball speed 1 mph more with the mini. The confidence i have with the mini on the tee is really valuable. Like Ian’s video, I have more solid/consistent contact with the Mini and that inspires confidence when I’m standing over the ball. Maybe I’ll try a shortened driver in the future but for now I’m hoping to work my swing so I have confidence with both options and use the Mini only on tight driving holes.

[tonyzidar]

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.

[Rckt]

What a diabolical fairway with those pot bunkers 😆

[shannonsanders]

I went through this same fitting last year due to a right shoulder surgery, ended up cutting my TSR 2 at 11 degrees down to 44.5 “ but left the swing weight the same. I found the burner to be heavy for me personally so this felt like a much better route. I have found more fairways this year than ever and I have progressively got more distance with a ball change and more confidence. I think I might mess with the weight a bit, thanks for the great content guys ! I love the short driver, I cut down my 3 wood and my 7 wood a smidge and now they are the same distance as before but I rarely hit a shot off the map anymore.