Equipment

Forum Thread of the Day: “Mini driver vs. Big driver”

Published

5 years ago

Jun 27, 2019

Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from bjh1 who has been having success with the 2014 SLDR mini driver (14 degrees). However, bjh1 “wants to hit a ‘real’ driver”, and after explaining how his results haven’t been as good with ‘big’ drivers, our members give their advice on steps bjh1 could take.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

DaveGoodrich: “If you actually hit the “mini” better (i.e. more consistent center face contact), then the general recommendation has been to try a normal driver with a shorter shaft and/or more loft.”
MillHill88: “Keep Swing Weight in mind. Every inch you cut off a club, you will reduce the swing weight by a few points. Example: your D2 swing weight could become C9. If you cut the shaft down, put a heavier grip on to help eliminate too much SW loss.”
Valtiel: “For many people, it is a length thing, modern drivers are just too dang long most of the time. For others, it’s a head size thing. Remember, it’s just a piece of metal on a stick; everything else is in your head. Figure out what makes your head work and you’re golden. Try shortening your driver first and don’t be afraid to take a lot off. Maybe try with a cheap shaft first just to experiment.”
MBBG: “Just go with what works. It’s that simple. The Original One has been a life saver for me as I’ve struggled through some major driver issues this spring. Been playing driver roulette all season and think I now have something that is going to work, but I’m keeping it in the bag.”

Entire Thread: “Mini driver vs Big driver”

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Forum Thread of the Day: “Most overrated/underrated equipment in golf”

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WRX Spotted: PXG TS6 Proto

Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

5 Comments

Dan

Jun 30, 2019 at 3:40 am

Ok, here is the real answer people. First MillHill88 has it the closest, but he’s wrong about the heavier grip helping, it actually does the opposite, it lightens swing weight more. Every inch cut is 5 swing weight points. The reason mini drivers work is the shorter length and heavier head weight. The shorter the club the heavier the head gets to balance the same. Driver is the lightest, wedges the heaviest. Solution- most drivers are too long for most to control, so get a 12 deg driver( use a bigger head with a bigger sweet spot and moi) cut it down to 44” ( old 1980’s std length) add weight to the head with lead tape to match the swing weight from before the cut. Pack of lead tape $6, new grip $5-10. Mabye no new club, just adjust current driver to max loft, take a lesson or two, and go have fun. You’re welcome.

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Rich

Jun 28, 2019 at 10:09 pm

I use the Mini Driver as a replacement for my fairway wood. I played the original SLDR club, and I’ve since put the new one in the bag. I love it! When I need to get it into the fairway with some distance, it’s the best choice for me. I lose about 30 yards in distance, but the accuracy is amazing.

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Tim

Jun 28, 2019 at 9:23 am

I think if someone has an issue with driver, but not the shorter clubs, its most often due to rhythm and sequence. So many golfers have poor rhythm. Everyone chops at the ball with their upper body, hoping desperately to catch it just right. That may work for short irons, but the driver requires a true golf-swing:

Turn your right pocket back and then the left pocket back. Let the club head follow freely, dragging lagging like a fish tail. Do this around a steady rotating sternum. Without a ball, swing back and forth slowly at first then let it pick up speed, making a louder and louder swish. Feel your weight pressure your right heel then your left toe.

Now put a ball in the way. Keep that sternum behind the ball and swish it past you through the ball.

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JP

Jun 27, 2019 at 10:57 pm

If you can’t hit a real driver, GO GET LESSONS. It’s only the most important shot on the course.

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- Jay
  
  Jun 28, 2019 at 8:59 pm
  
  Most important shot? You might pull a driver out 14 times but that number comes down with some course management skills. A great putter might use the putter 30 times and a shitty am will hit 45-50 putts cut down on those shoot better scores. Vast majority of people would be better off hitting less club, its probably the least important shot of each hole.
  
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Equipment

Michael Block spotted with full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons at Valhalla

Published

3 hours ago

May 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.

On Monday at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Block had a full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons in the bag.

Block is the first player of many on the PGA TOUR to bag a set of the mysterious “Proto” irons. Rory McIlroy first switched into a “Proto” 4-iron at the Valero Texas Open, and Collin Morikawa followed suit at the 2024 RBC Heritage. Block isn’t using just the 4-iron, though, he’s using a full set to go along with a TaylorMade Stealth UDI driving iron.

Speaking with GolfWRX.com on Monday at the PGA Championship, Block revealed the full backstory.

“I hit a couple super “Proto” irons when I was at the Kingdom (TaylorMade’s fitting facility in Southern California) a couple months ago, and it was a 9-iron that didn’t have any badges or anything on it,” Block said. “I had no idea what it was … It was very similar to what I was using back then, you know, my old MCs, and very similar from the top. I hit it and absolutely loved it. For me to even think about switching irons from the last 11-12 years is crazy.

“I got this set about two weeks ago, and I’m working my way into them. I hit them more solid; it comes off the face more solid. Much higher. I think they’re still slightly too upright for me, so they’re being bent a degree flatter, because they’re going a little too high for me and drawing a little too much. When that starts to happen, I start to drop the club under and compensate too much, so I’m getting them flattened slightly, and I’m going to test them on the range again, and hopefully have them in play on Thursday…

“They go further, and they go higher … that combination is kind of a no-brainer. If I can take a 5-iron from 204 rather than a 4-iron, it’s good on me. It’s going to help me out for sure, especially at a major with the pin locations. Having that height coming in, that descent angle is going to be huge.”

With such new irons in the bag, after using the same irons for over a decade, surely you’d think there will be a bit of a learning curve. Block, however, is finding immediate comfort with the new “Proto” irons.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2014 PGA Championship

Published

5 hours ago

May 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Rory McIlroy outlasted Phil Mickelson at the 2014 PGA Championship. It’s even harder to believe McIlroy hasn’t hoisted a major trophy since his 2014 victory at Valhalla.

After a slow start to his final round, McIlroy tallied an eagle and two birdies on the back nine and his fourth major championship. Take a look at the clubs he played a decade ago in Kentucky.

Driver: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (8.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage XTS 70X

3-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

5-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (19 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s clubs from 2014 here.

Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (4-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0

Wedges: Nike VR Forged (46, 52, 56, 60 degrees) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5

Putter: Nike Method 006 Buy here.

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: Nike RZN Black

Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s clubs from 2014 here.

WITB Time Machine is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

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