TaylorMade SLDR Mini Driver reviewed by Mark Crossfield PGA professional AskGolfGuru. Mark hits the new and very different TaylorMade SLDR Mini driver and talks about if its a 3 wood or a driver or both. Should you hit this golf club from the tee or the ground. AskGolfGuru Mark Crossfield talks about speed slots and low forward CG's along with showing real ball data from GC2 and his Titleist ProV1X golf balls.
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I don’t like the larger driver heads, and have hit 3wd mostly because of
the smaller head and can usually keep up with the group when they hit
driver. Thinking about trying one of these minis to replace driver and 3wd
possibly. Thanks for another awesome review Mark.
I currently play a Cleveland Classic 9* driver and also bag a Callaway
Hawkeye 2 wood that is 12*. I hit the 2 wood off the fairway for those
long par 5’s. I also bag a 4 wood and a 7 wood. Much easier to hit than
long irons. Hit what you like a like what you hit.
I just put a Adila RIP beta 43″ shaft in the 12 degree version and it is
awsome as a go to club off the tee. When its too tight of a whole this
thing has been branded the “fairway-finder”.
I dont really see the point of this club.. the small headed 3 woods are
easier to hit from rough etc. I would say this small headed driver is
useless from the rough and difficult to hit off fairways so its only use is
off the tee.But why get it and sacrifice length as opposed to using a
standard 460cc driver..I dont get it
“free wood”
I agree with you Mark that TM want to help out the player with a newer
better improved club. What I and other TM fans/customers get pissed about
is that we loose money and value because of the new release of a identical
club. If they kept it to a year or more at least TM customers will not mind
as much.
Dropped my Driver and 3 wood and replaced them with the 14* mini driver and
a 17* Adams hybrid. It has improved my scores by rarely missing fairways.
I didn’t used to be a fan. But you can’t argue that taylormades marketing
strategy is genius. Love the club. And I believe I saw Garcia playing this
club at the players?? Might be incorrect
I have 2 of these in my bag now. 12* and 16*. I am a smaller dude. 5 ft 6
in. Tired of chopping down my 460cc drivers. The mini drivers fit me
perfect. Straight as hell with a slight draw with lots of roll out for me.
Love these minis.
what do you mean by its hard to hit off the ground, wouldn’t it be just
like hitting a three wood?
I currently use a Ping K15 driver at 12*. So I would love to try this club
out. Usually if I’m having a bad day of hooking the ball I pull out my 3
wood for the rest of the day.
She’s lost weight since Good Will Hunting…Oh sorry, Mini Driver, not
Minnie Driver!
I have the 14 deg in my bag now for about 1 month and it really is easier
to hit from the tee and from the fairway still manageable. Due to the
shorter shaft, bigger head and higher loft for me more forgiving and more
consistent. I just hit more fairways and compared to any driver i was using
about 20-30 feet shorter. In the end it gives me more fairways with
acceptable loss of length. I am happy. But i guess everyone has to find the
right club of the tee for his very personal game anyway.
Hi Mark, I am just starting out in golf and I am still yet to buy a 3 wood
but I was intrigued when I saw the SLDR mini driver. Do you think it would
be worth getting a regular 3 wood, or maybe an SLDR mini driver? Thanks.
I have an exotics XCG6 3 wood that has slightly bigger head and deeper
face. It’s a great club off the tee but is still a real fairway wood. I’m
sure the Mini would help a lot of people find the fairway. My only concern
is with the average swing speed most golfers will just be putting another
200 yrd club in their bag. When a 4 wood or hybrid could go the same
distance.
I replaced my RBZ stage 2 with this club. As in most weekend warriors I
don’t hit my driver all that well. I often find myself using my 3 wood off
the tee and I hit it just as far as my driver. I’ve played only one round
with this since I just got it Thursday.
At first I had a few issues with it putting some hook on the ball, which I
normally don’t do. But with some adjusting I was hitting it down the middle
of the fairway without any issues. I was getting much more distance over my
3 wood and RBZ. Very happy with it.
Can you say free wood some more! 🙂 love it!
Wasn’t the Phrankenwood basically a driver/fairway wood? How do they
compare I wonder?
So did you game this club? Did you find it useful? Have you gave a hit to
the ping rapture 3 wood? I struggle with the driver and think one of these
clubs may put me in the fairway more.
Compare with the Ping Rapture please! Would love to seehow they match up
against each other
It’s funny because this mini driver is close to the size of older drivers.
But, I see the point of it with people struggling off the tee with their
drivers and dropping to a 3W. Like you stated, it’s a strong 3W in a
sense. I hit this in store and hit it very well (so the simulator said).
It said was was carrying 240-250yds from the deck, but I never trust those
too much. However it did feel good. I’d like to test one on the course or
at least at a grass range to see the actual flight and distance. I agree,
Taylormade is pumping out so many new clubs it’s ridiculous. But, this is
the first one in about 3-4 years that actually makes a little bit of
sense. Keep up the good work on testing and posting your feedback with all
the clubs…
I have been looking for a driver with a smaller head and prior to this club
the only option was an old driver before large heads came out. I picked up
this club the day it showed up in my local Golfsmith store. I immediately
took it to the range and wow, love it! I use the shorter tee lengths and
hit this club in all driver situations. I get longer and straighter drives
than with my R11. I feel that I can generate more club head speed due to
the smaller head size. I got the 16 degree version because sometimes I
have issues getting the ball into the air but not with this mini driver.
This is the first time I have ever bought a brand new-release golf club
and paid full retail. I have always bought last years model once the
prices drop (to about 1/2 price). But when this club was announced I knew
there was no way I could wait…. I have picked up Taylormade’s catch
phrase and repeat “say hello to my little friend” every time I pull this
club from the bag!
What’s a Free Wood Mark!!!?
Tried the club its fantastic as i struggle with the driver but as Mark said
its not as easy as a normal 3 wood from the deck but its in my bag and the
drivers gone and now its time to relax on the tee box and just hit the
ball but have kept my Mizuno ez 3 wood in the bag still Hope this helps
anybody good luck
As soon as I heard of this club I feel in love, just need to give it a hit
now
I’m not sure about the length part? I was hitting one at a PGA superstore
and the mini driver was the same length as the driver. Hence it being
called the ‘mini’ driver; it’s just a smaller headed driver. It hit really
nice and I felt I could hit it straighter with less side spin.
This driver seems to make a lots of sense to me. 3 wood is so much easier
to hit off the tee than a driver (for me that is) and goes almost as far,
not to mention you can hit it off the ground.
If this thing can replace both, the driver and the 3 wood, then there is a
room for an extra club in the bag which can be handy.
I think I would add an extra wedge!