Video summary
The video explores the concept of mini drivers, which are designed with shorter shafts and smaller 300cc heads to offer golfers greater control and confidence compared to traditional long-shafted clubs. While these compact designs help players hit the ball more consistently from the middle of the face, they inherently sacrifice forgiveness due to their reduced head size. The host decides to test whether this trade-off is necessary by modifying a high-quality mini driver; specifically, he replaces its small 300cc head with a standard 460cc driver head while keeping the shorter shaft length intact. This experiment aims to determine if one can achieve both the control benefits of a short shaft and the maximum forgiveness associated with large club heads without losing significant distance or launch height.
Upon testing the modified setup, the results are immediately striking as the golfer experiences a surge in confidence that feels distinct from using either a standard driver or an unmodified mini driver. The larger 460cc head provides a significantly bigger target for off-center hits, effectively eliminating the fear of missing the sweet spot that often plagues players with smaller heads. Data collected during these shots shows substantial improvements in carry distance and ball speed compared to the original mini driver configuration, proving that the primary compromise of using small heads was indeed unnecessary. The combination of a short shaft for stability and a large head volume creates an instrument that feels like it cannot be mishit, offering a level of assurance that transforms how the player approaches their swing.
Further experimentation involves adjusting the loft on this new hybrid club to find the perfect balance between launch conditions and distance potential. Initially using 12 degrees of loft, which produced excellent height but perhaps slightly too much for some preferences, the host also tests an 10.5-degree head to see if it offers a better alternative without sacrificing performance metrics significantly. The findings reveal that even with less aggressive lofts, the club maintains impressive numbers while providing superior forgiveness over traditional mini drivers. Ultimately, the video concludes that manufacturers may have gone too far in shrinking driver heads for these clubs and suggests that the ideal solution is simply pairing shorter shafts with full-size 460cc heads to give average golfers more fairways found without compromising on distance or ease of use.
Read the full video transcript
You see most golfers don't need more
distance. They actually need more
confidence. And that's why they created
mini drivers. They're shorter and in
principle they're easier to hit and they
give golfers more control. But there's
one element I just can't get my head
around. You see if it's the shorter
shaft that gives us that greater
control, why on earth we making the head
smaller? Well, today we're going to find
out.
I absolutely love the concept of a mini
driver.
Shorter shaft, more control, don't lose
a great deal of distance and it sits
somewhere between a three-wood and a
driver and it clearly solves a problem.
But with every solution there generally
comes a compromise and a mini driver
generally uses a 300 cc head and a
driver uses a 460 cc head. So while
you're gaining control, you're giving up
on one of the biggest advantages that a
driver head has. And that's forgiveness.
So today's question is a simple one. If
we keep the shorter shaft but add a 460
cc head, are we going to build the
ultimate driver?
So we're going to remove what is a 13°
head that is currently the secret weapon
from PXG. And like I said, love
everything about this club, but we're
going to change that up. We're going to
keep the exact same shaft and we're
going to put a 460 cc head in. And this
head will have 12° of loft and I'm
really interested to see can we get
distances, can we get launch, can we get
control and can we maintain that
forgiveness? Let's kick things off.
We're getting a number on this mini
driver.
The secret weapon.
Love the control. Like I said, length of
a three-wood shaft. Slightly bigger head
than that, but I still feel like I've
got to get this one out of the middle.
That's a decent strike. Fairly low ball
flight I would say.
Right, more than happy with that. We've
got 219 carry with mini driver. That's
exactly where I'd expect to be.
We're launching at 13.3,
which is it's on the flatter side and
that's what I generally see. It's not a
super high launching club this for me.
And we've got a ball speed of 135 mph.
That's a really good number with mini
driver and every reason why I would be
using it. But what happens when we take
this off and move into that 460 cc head?
With exactly the same shaft, 1° less in
terms of loft. Let's see what happens.
And they'll go anywhere because what was
a two option solution may end up being a
third. First thing I feel is like so
much more confidence in having
the shorter shaft coupled with the
driver head is something that plays a
little bit of tricks on your mind
because it doesn't it doesn't look
right. But it feels fantastic in the
sense that I don't feel like I can miss
with this thing. I've got a short shaft
and I've got a 460 cc head.
What can go wrong?
That's a golf shot.
Great ball flight. It's going to bounce
for miles.
Feels like a different club in your hand
than having driver.
That's a 236 carry.
Right down the center stripe. Launching
at 15.6.
The club head speed is just 94.9
mph.
I think we've got ourselves a club that
needs some serious consideration. Let me
explain my logic in this.
We've basically all all mini drivers
have got like I said around a 300 cc
head. You can see from those two that
the face is considerably smaller on the
mini driver than it is on our regular
driver. Now, forgiveness for me is all
about off-center hits. And if we've got
a much bigger area for those off-center
hits, then potentially there is a lot
more forgiveness in this than there is
in this. And then there's one other
thing to consider.
The mass of a club head and the position
of CG is hugely important in terms of
your ability or assistance in launch.
Now once again, you can clearly see
we've got a huge difference in head
profile, meaning the driver traditional
driver head, we can shift the weight all
the way back coupled with 12° of loft
and that shorter shaft, are we going to
get the launch and are we going to get
the ball speeds, are we going to get the
forgiveness, and is this going to be
the logical move from this head to this
but in the shorter shaft?
But that experiment doesn't stop there
because we've got that larger head
profile at 460 cc.
We're launching a ball significantly
higher, maybe even a tad too high on
that 12° head. So what happens if we
take it down to a 10 and 1/2° head with
that shorter shaft? Is that then going
to become something that we get
forgiveness, but the ultimate in terms
of ball speed and distance? So some
really interesting numbers being
achieved with the Thriver in today's
video and the same could be said of
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Certainly
fired off the club face again.
And right down the middle. The one thing
to note straight away, I'm not even
going to look at the number just yet,
is on each of those drives with the
larger head, with the shorter shaft,
I've nailed the ball down the middle,
and it's not so much even I don't know
where it's come out of. Looks to be
pretty central in terms of the club
face.
But it's just the aggressiveness of the
swing or the positivity of the swing, if
you want to call it that. Having that
shorter shaft, having the extra
confidence, means I'm really going at
the ball and not holding off in a
tentative manner that I might do with a
club that has a couple of inches longer
in terms of that shaft, it makes a huge
difference. But, the question is, what
was that number? So, with a 12° head, we
had 236 carry launching at 15 6 and a
ball speed of 138.
And we've just
got a 233 carry, so slightly shorter or
234
launching at 14 7.
So, not a significant difference to be
quite honest with you. And I think for
me, I would still prefer that extra help
with the launch off the tee.
So, that 12° head with the shorter shaft
definitely would come out on top if we
were doing a head-to-head here this
morning, which we have done, of these
three types of driver head, then really,
I think we have built the ultimate
driver. So, before we go any further, I
always like to ask a question, and that
is, would you consider using the 12°
head with a shorter shaft in this 460 cc
head? Would you prefer to stay to that
mini driver and the smaller head, or
have you got any other kind of option
that you think is more consistent, more
forgiving, and longer off the tee? Get
in that comment section below and help
your fellow golfer make some decisions,
and then it's not just my opinion in
these videos that counts. In summary,
what have we managed to prove or not in
today's video? Well, I think we've
proved there's definitely a place for
mini drivers. They definitely give you
more control,
but there is a little bit of a
compromise, and I do think that head
profile is something where maybe
manufacturers have gone
a step too far, and the real
concentration should be on giving more
average golfers drivers with shorter
shafts on and more loft. It's as simple
as that.
Because those two things combined allow
to produce a number on here today that
is as good as I drive ever. 236 is, you
know, I'm at my limits with my club head
speed.
But, I did it down the middle and with
the control.
So, that's one element. I think there is
one compromise that you would make with
this club over a mini driver, and that
is there is a suggestion that you can
play a mini driver from the fairway.
Now,
there's a suggestion because I would say
that for 99% of golfers, that isn't an
option either. But, if you do fall into
that category of a slightly better
player, then obviously there will always
be compromises to be made, and there is
always an exception to the rule. I'm not
suggesting everybody goes and puts a 12°
driver head with a shorter shaft in the
bag, but I am asking you to consider it
because I do think you'll find more
fairways, and you won't be giving up a
great deal of distance, and you'll also
get a damn sight more forgiveness.
Right, as ever, thanks for watching.
Portal is looking fantastic right now. I
enjoyed that one. We're about to move on
to video number two, so I'll see you all
soon.