TaylorMade Mini Driver SLDR

[@JLNHB]

Time for a massive thank you! I watched all your discussions around mini driver in general and finally gave it a try. I bought sldr s mini driver, 3 wood and hybrid in 12, 15 and 19 degree and wow, what a game improvement. Lots more fairways of the tee and even off the deck the mini driver travels further than the 3 wood. perfect distance progression in my bag now. Keep up the good work, love it!! cheers

[@ryanmcgarry2058]

Got this as a 3 wood because I don't have the longest drive, usually around 230. Straight out of the box I hit it the same distance as my driver, but more consistently hit fairways. Took the driver out of the bag and my 3 and driver became the same club. I got the 12 degree. It's probably the best thing I've done for my long game.

[@fredhacker2561]

Thanks Rick. Have been out of golf for a few years and previously could not hit the new big drivers so I took your advice and bought one and WOW . This club is just what I was looking for. Thanks so much and have been enjoying your videos greatly.

[@larryj1978]

You should bring this back out again Rick!

[@51Dss]

In the days of persimmon head woods I owned a set of McGregor Tourneys 1 ,2 3, 4 woods. Found I could not hit the 1 wood consistently; put it away and used the 2 wood for my driving hole T shots. The interesting thing was that using the 2 wood off the T I consistently hit more fairways and hit it further than almost everyone I knew who was using a true Driver (1wood). I grew very fond of my 2 wood and I was probably the last guy in my town to transition to metal woods. Now it looks as though Taylor Made has come up with a late technology configuration that will do for me what my old Persimmon 2 wood did 35 years ago. I'll be buying one of those mini drivers soon...thinking I'll likely go with the 14 deg...

[@FilmMavericks]

Here I am 9 years later thinking, “who is this beardless man?”

[@2Pi100]

Picked one of these up in the 12* the other day and I may have figured out why these never caught on. First and foremost it doesn't look like a big 3 wood, looks like a small driver. That's a big mental hump to get over because no matter how low or high you tee it, you're trying to bring it up on the ball like it's a driver. Main swing thought, level shoulders & bottom it out. Second, range balls do not fly at all with these clubs. Fly 160-180ish and just die. But with a normal ball, the club plays very close to a driver. Very intriguing club, I wish they had caught on more.

[@blazingdan]

I noticed that I hit my 15* i25 further and just as straight as the 14* mini. Not sure why...just one of those things for me. That said, for me at least, the 13* Ping Rapture, in addition to being crazy expensive, is also crazy long and quite accurate. I much prefer the Rapture to the mini as both a driver replacement and a solid strong 3-wood. I have no problem hitting it off the fairway and good rough lies, and it is long and straight off the tee--noticeably longer than my i25 15*, which it should be. Anyways, keep up the great videos!

[@TKLee-re5kk]

pickep one up recently; easier to control off tee than drive w about 15 yards less carry; deep face a bit tough off deck - like it very much

[@SasquatchTour]

The mini driver is an easy 3 wood but I couldn't get anymore ballspeed or distance than the SLDR fairway and the mini driver had higher spin. I love the concept because I play a lot of short very tight driving course on an am tour but I have found the Tour Edge Exotics, Xhot 3deep, and Ping Rapture to be longer and more versatile and just as easy to hit off the tee. Can't wait to see how taylormade refines the mini driver.

[@aspacepigtaipei]

You've come a long way.

[@jackchildree1491]

Holy crap you were so thin

[@nsxperformance]

We had these in work (Direct Golf). Sold like hot cakes. The feedback was very favourable.

[@LarryFiish]

Really? I also had these in at work (Dick's Sporting Goods) and we didn't sell a single one!

[@nsxperformance]

Haha I live in area where there are some serious TaylorMade fans.. if Tmade bought out a string with a clubhead on it they would buy it!

[@JAG1651]

It will be interesting to see how this stacks up against the SLDR S Driver. So when you get the SLDR S in stock to review.....

[@russelllodge6728]

after reading mixed reviews I decided I would get the minidriver as I am missing a good 230 fairway club from my game, I have a great dude driver and a solid 200 yard fairway in my bag, my worry after the reviews is that I wouldn't be able to hit it off a fairway consistently, I am a 15 handicapp and I use a regular 57g standard shaft on my driver, so I bought the exact same shaft for my mini. I hit the range and teed up fearing the worst to be honest thinking I have spent a lot on something that's not going to be what I need but I was soon smiling as I was hitting 230 to 240 straight, OK I thought now for the real test so I moved from tee to mat and once I set the head behind the ball I was surprised how confident I was that I would be able to hit it, first ball flew long with a great punchy shot seemed to carry a good while before getting to the 240 mark, I used my driver swing stood slightly more in front of the ball approx 6" and out of 30 shots I pulled one the the left due to a poor inside swing, if you are fairly consistent with your driver I have no doubt you would love this off a fairway especially those par 5's, I paid 99quid. bargain

[@johnpeacock3684]

I'm trying to learn to play golf and I am quite confused by this. I have a great fear of getting a set of clubs and going out to hit a bucket of balls and tearing up a club or worse a driver. Here's my question, is it OK to tee up the ball to hit it until I can get a proper swing? And on this video if you have a hard time hitting the driver, wouldn't it be harder to hit a mini driver being shallower than an actual driver? Thank you for any help on my questions.

[@scotty195823]

The 12 degree makes sense as a viable driver replacement, especially with the 43.5 inch shaft. Personally as a 13 handicapper I would find the shallower face of a traditional 3 wood better off the fairway.

[@SgtPepper69]

Don't know what happened 2 your 3 wood testing but this would of been knocked out in the 1st round,in your test u hit the x2 hot 3deep over 250 yards twice & averaged 243 yards so why not put this in the bag?

[@Lloydduffield]

Great little club but it be alot better with a good shaft in it. You gain alot more distance. I changed the standard shaft in my SLDR 3 wood to a rombax i gained around 24 yards further. The standard shafts in the SLDR range are ok but theres better

[@TheAndersonjc67]

Rick Shiels, I noticed that you hit the sldr s 3 wood further than the mini driver. What would be the cause for distance dispersion?

[@markdangerfield5448]

Great video rick, wish i could hit my shots "a bit left" from the floor .

[@SatsumaBomb]

At first I wasn't entirely sure about this club, I had a go the other day and I must say it's tempting - just the price tag that's off putting.

[@Lee_yourboylee]

Impressive stuff. When are you reviewing the Ping Rapture 3W, Rick? It's been on the Ping website for ages but there's hardly any videos of it.

[@speedinon]

I guess you'll test the new Taylormade SLDR irons next?

[@pickin4you]

I know this is 2 years old, but would love to find one of these in new condition.

[@AnomalyOFFICIALCHANNEL]

Just got one it hits amazing. check eBay or Amazon

[@gerryfinn8646]

I

[@gerryfinn8646]

I have one and my driver. Total fairway finder. Use it on first six holes then switch to the big dog. Creates great rhythm which carries through to bombing the driver.

[@JAG1651]

Nice vid Rick! Do you think that you might have been even better with the TP version with the slightly heavier Fuji 7.3ts shaft, that may get that spin rate down a touch, and in theory cut down on that right to left shot off the deck a little. It'd really dial it in. It sounds really great off the clubface though.

[@mazdaspeedmx512lbs]

I hit the SLDR driver & mini driver at a demo day & with a better shaft it hit the balls better with these clubs. Kind of like any driver with a better shaft, you end up hitting it better.

[@lakerjoe4]

Nice video Rick. I have tried this club, to me it is in between driver and 3 wood, especially off ground. It could be the new trend, and woudl be interesting to see how other companies respond to this 'new' club

[@TheRealMcFIy]

What are you doing when you set up your grip? I keep noticing you do something with your right hand to set up your left. Do you have a grip video by any chance?

[@The99Johny]

is easier hit this mini driver than hit the 3 wood?

[@RickShielsPGA]

I'd agree

[@The99Johny]

RickShielsPGAGolf ok. thank you

[@Mav...]

Rick, I have hit a Tour-Made J-Max Bazooka, 15 degree for years and found it so much easier to hit than less lofted clubs. But why? I can also draw it much better. Any comments. Having said that since watching your video on the xHot Callaway, I have that in the bag as well. xHot is so light, and colossal, effortless distance. Thanks!

[@bobpfaff2258]

It is all very clever marketing - sell drivers at a ridiculous length (up to 46") that most players can't deal with then also sell the solution of a short driver at 43.5". I cut the shaft on my 46" driver to 44.5" and have far less trouble controlling it. The average length of a tour players driver is 44.5" with some going down to 43.5". Most golf tragic' have a spare driver in the cupboard - get your local pro to cut it down and try it out.

[@TheFester999]

What do you carry in your wood/hybrids in your bag?? In your nike covert vrs 2.0 hybrid review, you were hitting it almost as far as this, therefore, I don't see why you would need it, and if so, would you still carry a 3 wood?

[@stephenjordan941]

The carry was shorter than the 3 woods you tested.

[@Scorpic13]

Hi RickShielsPGAGolf. Is this SLDR Mini Driver made out of steel or titanium? I have tried to find info about that but I have missed out every time :-/

[@termides]

What loft??

[@guillaumecharpentier3706]

Didn't carry more distance with the Xhot 2 deep face 3 wood

[@spiritz_2693]

I have this driver I just got it yesterday lol

[@killacamfoo]

I had the same issue off the deck. Not as consistent as my current 3 wood. Don't see the point of this club unless you really fear your driver.

[@tigerbalm666]

so this is the new Titleist 975J?

[@JCRocksteady]

Ha ha, could be, apart from it isn't a non-conforming driver like the 975J is now! Used to love using mine and got a good result from it. Shame I had to replace it!

[@gurdeeprayatt8341]

Liked this vid Trying to buy one second hand Often discription is CALLAWAY X2HOT PRO 14.5 DEGREE 3 DEEP FAIRWAY WOOD(ALDILA TOUR GREEN STIFF FLEX Is this the driver you tested? or 3 wod

[@Dave062YT]

I thought Mini Driver was an actress.

[@99johnmatrix]

How much did you get paid for this rick

[@BeaulieuTodd]

Yeah, there's no way someone would review a product without being paid. Good call sparky.

[@giovanicanzona]

how long is the shaft bro?

[@emac417]

have you hit the 12* model? any difference in distance? what about the 16* model have you hit it?

[@texasgold007]

Only taylor made would make a club like this

[@geoffhenderson53]

Gotta say i found the face a bit dead no longer than my Mizuno EZ 3 wood and the Mizuno is easy off the deck and tee

[@DavidTigue]

off the deck you have the toe up.. That's you for sure... You let the club sit different.

[@SingingBarber21]

THE BABY FACE

[@marybetheby5184]

Straight knuckle baller all day long!!

[@vincentkingsdale8334]

Seems like a mini driver would be harder to hit

[@gooding18123]

Have you been sponsored by Taylormade now?

[@christophersipple5498]

Omg look at those pants 👖😳

[@philjones3923]

Why do these guys insist on testing a Mini Driver off the deck? Doesn't it's name suggest it is intended to be used as a driver for the great majority of weekend golfers who struggle with the driver off the tee?

[@termides]

All talk and not action

[@rhamfernandez1131]

llk,h k