My TM BRNR mini fast became my favourite club. Being in the fairway more often is a huge boon in a game where confidence is contagious. It's also surprisingly easy to hit off the deck.
Love the mid handicap perspective. I’ll bet it’s more relatable for most of your viewers and certainly for me. I’ve had the BRNR in 13.5 for about a month now. I give up 10-12 yards but am always in play. Great video. Keep up the good work!
You know Robbo, sometimes it's hard to believe it's been 6 years since you were a skinny kid at Huddersfield who almost seemed afraid of the camera in that first handful of videos. What a journey it's been so far, and I hope it carries on for a long time to come mate. 🍻
I have both of these at 11.5 and I too like the Taylor Made better , the Callaway seems to be a one trick pony ,good off the tee but the Taylor I like better off the tee , deck ,cross and into the wind , great club and I rarely use my driver , I have the Qi 10 with a Auto Flex so I use it for the down wind bombs if I decide to put it in the bag.
I'm 71 years old, an 18 handicap, and absolutely love the ai smoke mini driver. Even my mishits only lose maybe 10 yards compared to my cobra f9. And, the distance on good strikes is as long if not longer than the f9. I've watched a lot of utube videos from all you pga pros. so i don't put a lot of stock into how forgiving clubs are rated. Your mishits are not even close to my mishit. But, this club is unreal for me. keeping my drives around 200 yard, and mishits around 190. being a lefty i was able to get this on line from TGW. Would recomend this to anyone struggling with their driver. Enjoy your video's Ron from MIchigan,USA
Had the TM version about a month now and love it- playing golf from the fairway is a whole new experience 😂. Also surprisingly easy to hit off good fairway lies too 👍
Everyone talks about the shorter length, but I've also found that teeing it lower eliminates high/low face misses that people get when they can't control the driver head but still try to hit bombs. Less low face spinny ones or sky balls. A big headed driver needs to be tee'd up higher to find the middle of the club and creates potential misses on two axis. I'd suggest this is also why mid handicap golfers get good results with these clubs as they eliminate a miss
I could never get good results with original one. The burner mini either. I have gotten great results with Callaway smoke mini. 10-25 yards further than my driver. I have had driver trouble for 30 plus years. I would never play off fairway with it. 7 wood and 9 wood take care of that. Good video
Though those first three balls at the beginning were somewhat right, it is easily fixed picking a target line more left. The shots were well struck well, great distance, just aim slightly more left at set up. Mini-drivers, just my opinion, do make a lot of sense. The driver IS the hardest club to hit for the average golfer. There is tremendous upside to balls in the short grass, not in the water, the woods, the sand etc.
I have the OG SLDR 12 deg mini driver. Its on close to 100% fairways found. I use a yellow castle tee, which works for me. Probably get as much forward distance, just without the additional sideways yardage. Im going to book in some lessons for driver and putting in the close season.
Agreed and then said I'd rate the shots a 6 when they were all identical (except for the one he dipped into) and of good length, all the guys I know that are 12+ handicappers would say those were very good shots. lol
I actually just replace my driver with this club in 11.5 degree, turned down to 10.5... so it's actually a driver with a shorter shaft and smaller head. I did lose about 5-10 yards off my driver, but my dispersion is WAY better
Hey James, great and interesting video. I've just seen that a company called pinhawk do a 'one length driver' they say it is a driver head but with a 5 wood length shaft. It could be interesting to see it up against the mini drivers, also the price of them on their website is quite cheap. Keep up the great content.
Recently got the Callaway lofted down to 10.5 and heavy weight up front. It's a rocket launcher. I'd love to hit it with a 70 gram low launch low spin shaft at 44.5" long.
Playing the callaway 13.5. It is quite the fairway finder and 10-15 yards less than my driver. Finding it easy to hit out the fairway. My biggest issue was trying to crush it off the grass then I started to let the club do its magic and bingo. I did not get along with the brnr
The Taylormade is more of a low lofted oversized 3 wood where the Callaway is a shrunken driver. This makes the Taylormade much more versatile and a true fairway finder. I don't see a reason for the Callaway. You'd be better served to just put a 3 wood shaft in your full sized AI Smoke.
I have the TM brnr 11.5 turned up to 12.5. I got to hit the callaway from a friend who was able to get it early and for me the callaway is super hard to hit off the fairway but the TM Brnr is super easy so im glad i have the brnr. I use it as a strong 3 wood.
I'm guessing these new mini drivers are more forgivable than, say, and old TM Burner or Big Bertha lofted at 11 degrees...if you were to reshaft an old club at 3-wood length and weight, would they be similar?
No you would still lose in forgiveness when comparing an old driver and I think with the bigger heavier head it would be somewhat akward to get a shaft that would make it work properly
James, as he did w low tee, fats are easier w no/low tees, Ive been teeing up my 3 wood and hitting upward like a driver with great success, am I odd (lucky so far) or is that a good strategy? Im shallow f inside so that may help your answer...
I'd like to have seen him hit his driver and then hit the mini driver to see if it helps keep it in play on such tight holes , and its no good asking him to shot shape anything he is a twelve handicapper he is only interested in keeping it in play .
let's just call it a driver circa 2000's, first the 300ti, now the Brnr & the Big... Cough, Cough Bertha, I mean Ai Smoke... Great Video as always, but I just don't see the benefit of this niche product fitting in a Mid-handicappers game at all... but great review...
Set this club on the ground at the golf shop the other day, immediately put it back on the rack. Don’t see the point of this over a driver with a shorter shaft. Compared it to the TM and that club suited my eyes much better.
My TM BRNR mini fast became my favourite club. Being in the fairway more often is a huge boon in a game where confidence is contagious. It's also surprisingly easy to hit off the deck.
Love the mid handicap perspective. I’ll bet it’s more relatable for most of your viewers and certainly for me. I’ve had the BRNR in 13.5 for about a month now. I give up 10-12 yards but am always in play. Great video. Keep up the good work!
Loved the comment when he hit the ground. The first fareway you hit so far 😂😂😂
You know Robbo, sometimes it's hard to believe it's been 6 years since you were a skinny kid at Huddersfield who almost seemed afraid of the camera in that first handful of videos. What a journey it's been so far, and I hope it carries on for a long time to come mate. 🍻
I have both of these at 11.5 and I too like the Taylor Made better , the Callaway seems to be a one trick pony ,good off the tee but the Taylor I like better off the tee , deck ,cross and into the wind , great club and I rarely use my driver , I have the Qi 10 with a Auto Flex so I use it for the down wind bombs if I decide to put it in the bag.
I'm 71 years old, an 18 handicap, and absolutely love the ai smoke mini driver. Even my mishits only lose maybe 10 yards compared to my cobra f9. And, the distance on good strikes is as long if not longer than the f9. I've watched a lot of utube videos from all you pga pros. so i don't put a lot of stock into how forgiving clubs are rated. Your mishits are not even close to my mishit. But, this club is unreal for me. keeping my drives around 200 yard, and mishits around 190. being a lefty i was able to get this on line from TGW. Would recomend this to anyone struggling with their driver.
Enjoy your video's
Ron from MIchigan,USA
Had the TM version about a month now and love it- playing golf from the fairway is a whole new experience 😂. Also surprisingly easy to hit off good fairway lies too 👍
Everyone talks about the shorter length, but I've also found that teeing it lower eliminates high/low face misses that people get when they can't control the driver head but still try to hit bombs. Less low face spinny ones or sky balls. A big headed driver needs to be tee'd up higher to find the middle of the club and creates potential misses on two axis. I'd suggest this is also why mid handicap golfers get good results with these clubs as they eliminate a miss
I could never get good results with original one. The burner mini either. I have gotten great results with Callaway smoke mini. 10-25 yards further than my driver. I have had driver trouble for 30 plus years.
I would never play off fairway with it. 7 wood and 9 wood take care of that. Good video
Think this will be my next club going off all your content. Great unbiased view. Cheers lads
Not dared try mine off the fairway yet but off the tee I’m hitting it same distance as my driver.
Good unbiased analysis. Thanks!
Great to see Brett hitting the mini drivers and fair play to Brett he hit them well apart from one which we won’t talk about 😂😂
Though those first three balls at the beginning were somewhat right, it is easily fixed picking a target line more left. The shots were well struck well, great distance, just aim slightly more left at set up. Mini-drivers, just my opinion, do make a lot of sense. The driver IS the hardest club to hit for the average golfer. There is tremendous upside to balls in the short grass, not in the water, the woods, the sand etc.
He’s actually aiming that way based on his feet haha….I saw 3 straight shots.
I have the OG SLDR 12 deg mini driver. Its on close to 100% fairways found. I use a yellow castle tee, which works for me. Probably get as much forward distance, just without the additional sideways yardage. Im going to book in some lessons for driver and putting in the close season.
Golf is such a personal sport. Anything Taylormade behind the ball just looks off to me. Titleist on the other hand, amazing, confidence inspiring.
He aimed down the right all 4 shots
Agreed and then said I'd rate the shots a 6 when they were all identical (except for the one he dipped into) and of good length, all the guys I know that are 12+ handicappers would say those were very good shots. lol
Yup. I saw 3 straight drives lol.
He has a great swing.
I actually just replace my driver with this club in 11.5 degree, turned down to 10.5... so it's actually a driver with a shorter shaft and smaller head. I did lose about 5-10 yards off my driver, but my dispersion is WAY better
Probably worth trying a driver with a shorter shaft, see how that does you? Just a thought.
Hey James, great and interesting video. I've just seen that a company called pinhawk do a 'one length driver' they say it is a driver head but with a 5 wood length shaft. It could be interesting to see it up against the mini drivers, also the price of them on their website is quite cheap.
Keep up the great content.
He seemed to be aiming right on every shot he played 🤔 He said he prefers a Fade, then why doesn't he aim down the left?
I use the 300 mini as my fairway. I love the look of the new brnr but hit my 300 so well I can’t justify a change.
Recently got the Callaway lofted down to 10.5 and heavy weight up front. It's a rocket launcher. I'd love to hit it with a 70 gram low launch low spin shaft at 44.5" long.
Playing the callaway 13.5. It is quite the fairway finder and 10-15 yards less than my driver. Finding it easy to hit out the fairway. My biggest issue was trying to crush it off the grass then I started to let the club do its magic and bingo. I did not get along with the brnr
The Taylormade is more of a low lofted oversized 3 wood where the Callaway is a shrunken driver. This makes the Taylormade much more versatile and a true fairway finder. I don't see a reason for the Callaway. You'd be better served to just put a 3 wood shaft in your full sized AI Smoke.
I have the TM brnr 11.5 turned up to 12.5. I got to hit the callaway from a friend who was able to get it early and for me the callaway is super hard to hit off the fairway but the TM Brnr is super easy so im glad i have the brnr. I use it as a strong 3 wood.
I'm guessing these new mini drivers are more forgivable than, say, and old TM Burner or Big Bertha lofted at 11 degrees...if you were to reshaft an old club at 3-wood length and weight, would they be similar?
No you would still lose in forgiveness when comparing an old driver and I think with the bigger heavier head it would be somewhat akward to get a shaft that would make it work properly
James, pretty sure that the name Denail is from the mountain range in Alaska.
And it’s still bigger than my old burner bubble. 🤭
Is it just me or on the first tee was the guys feet aiming to the right? That's exactly where his ball ended up.
I am a 12 handicap as well
Would you class an R7 quad as a mini driver compared to more modern drivers.
James, as he did w low tee, fats are easier w no/low tees, Ive been teeing up my 3 wood and hitting upward like a driver with great success, am I odd (lucky so far) or is that a good strategy? Im shallow f inside so that may help your answer...
I'd like to have seen him hit his driver and then hit the mini driver to see if it helps keep it in play on such tight holes , and its no good asking him to shot shape anything he is a twelve handicapper he is only interested in keeping it in play .
Shoulders left legs right not a good mix to be consistent.
let's just call it a driver circa 2000's, first the 300ti, now the Brnr & the Big... Cough, Cough Bertha, I mean Ai Smoke... Great Video as always, but I just don't see the benefit of this niche product fitting in a Mid-handicappers game at all... but great review...
These mini drivers are in limited supply! Aren’t manufacturers missing a trick by not making them in greater numbers?
Is this the last of the mini driver videos
Set this club on the ground at the golf shop the other day, immediately put it back on the rack. Don’t see the point of this over a driver with a shorter shaft. Compared it to the TM and that club suited my eyes much better.
Just wait until the Titleist GT comes out , ridiculous numbers !!!!!!