Equipment
Dustin Johnson using a mini-driver at the 2021 U.S. Open?, Mickelson spotted with new TaylorMade mini-driver
In our forums, our members have been commenting on a potentially significant change to Dustin Johnson’s equipment setup at the 2021 U.S. Open.
Per TaylorMade Rep Chris Trott’s Instagram, included in DJ’s build sheet for this week is a mini driver with an LA Golf shaft, as well as a 15.5 degree Sim Max HL driver.
Phil Mickelson’s TaylorMade Original One mini-driver has received plenty of attention recently, as the 50-year-old utilized the club so effectively on his way to winning the 2021 PGA Championship.
In a twist, however, Lefty was spotted on Monday at Torrey Pines using TaylorMade’s latest 300 Series Mini driver which hit the USGA conforming list last month.
Speaking to media on Monday about the utilization of a mini-driver this week, Mickelson said
“Just a 2-wood. I call it a 2-wood but it’s a mini driver. Just a 2-wood. I think at least half, if not a fraction more, of tee shots will be with that club just because the way the fairways are a little bit firmer than Farmers.
The ball runs out and it gets down there to a pretty good spot. There’s a lot of holes where it kind of turns or tightens, and I don’t really want to get to that spot. If you look at 4, you get it down too far and it starts to pinch in by the canyon. You look at the contour on 7, how much that fairway pitches. I really don’t want to get it down there.
That 2-wood, I’ll call it, seems to fit the right yardage on a lot of those holes for me.”
Our members have been speculating on the potential use of a mini-driver for DJ at Torrey and whether the move could be inspired by Phil, as the World Number One goes in search of his second U.S. Open title.
- CCUgolfer23: “Would be interesting to see this combo since his driving last week wasn’t great.”
- bladehunter: “Doesn’t look like a driver. Or it’s a secondary driver. Like Phil, 44 inches is a 3 wood these days.”
- Valtiel: “DJ quite notably uses a pretty short 3-wood though, especially for his height. 42.75″ I believe. Also almost always higher lofted, 16-17*. I wonder if this is maybe something for him to turn over and goes further than his 3w?”
Check out the full discussion here.
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Whats in the Bag
Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
- Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 X
3-wood: Titleist 915F (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist 816 H1 (17 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3, 4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (46-10F @55), Titleist Vokey SM10 (54-10S @53), Titleist Vokey SM4 (60 @59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 w/Sensicore
Putter: Odyssey White Hot No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Grip Rite
Check out more in-hand photos of Steve Stricker’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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Equipment
What’s the perfect mini-driver/shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
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.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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ND Hickman
Jun 16, 2021 at 7:44 am
Any news on a release date?
CrashTestDummy
Jun 15, 2021 at 10:20 am
Not a mini-driver, it is a 2-wood. Lol.
Dustins Wigglestick
Jun 15, 2021 at 11:00 pm
2 wood doesn’t have the same marketing luster as “Mini-Driver”. I was getting worried since its been 2 or 3 years since they kicked the dust off this old gimmick.
dave
Jun 15, 2021 at 6:58 am
Doesn’t that spec sheet say 11.5*? I think Phil’s was a 11.5* Original One set to 10.5*.