When i first used one, I preferred full size. Then I tried the Aeroburner Mini Driver and LOVED it. Then I worked out my driver issues and went back to driver. If I play a hole conservatively, I'll tee off with a FW or hybrid.

I've never used one, but I played a round of golf with a guy who was gaming a mini-Callaway thriver and he was spot on with the thing.

IMHO the thriver concept is having a 3 wood lofted and weighed clubhead in a driver size head. A 220cc head is basically a 3 wood. The purpose of the larger thriver head is to provide a larger face that will be more forgiving than the smaller 3 wood. I think many who have tried the 460cc thriver heads had no luck because they did not construct them with a 3 wood shaft flex and made them too long.

I like the mini idea the best and used the wishon 919 f/d for much of the year.....great off the tee and i can smoke that thing.

Never really used a Thriver, although I gamed the higher-lofted options for years once PING came out with a 13* driver.

My current setup is a Callaway 10.5º set to plus 1 degree, otherwise neutral weight settings. It seems to work no different for me.

PS - I also have the Callaway Mini Driver in the bag, set to 16º for our longer par3's on windy days. That's obviously an option on the shorter par4's off the tee as well, providing the wind isn't a factor. It's actually a versatile club that can fit a myriad of needs, and can be used from a fluffy lie in the rough when the ball is sitting up for the longer approach shots. From tight fairway lies - it's all about your angle of approach and your ability to pick the ball without taking much of a divot. My swing plane is steeper than shallow, so I only use it when the situation allows.

I use a Taylormade SLDR Mini Driver at 16 loft. I can hit it nearly as long as any driver (well, maybe 10-15 yards shorter on good drives) but much more accurate. I like being in the fairway. The course I play regularly is shortish so long drives are not that important. Every once in awhile I catch one perfect and I can hit a 250 yard drive with my Mini. I'd take that all day long. I just bought the same club in 14 to see if I can eek out a few more yards. We'll see.

Stopped using any of them and just have a 17* utility wood as my tee club. I lose a lot less balls. My all time favorite though, and I wish I had kept it, was a Tour Edge Houdini Jmax driver. Most boring club I ever had because the ball always went straight.

I carry a SLDR Mini 14 deg and a SLDR 460 12 deg... I use the 14 off the tee on short 4's and as a 3W when I have a good lie, but it will pick it clean of the fairway too.

I haven't found great luck with the bigger heads, but I hit the living hell out of the 13* 3 deep I have, which I would say was the "start" of the idea. It was Mickelson's "Frankenclub" that got it all rolling. Its a freaking weapon as long as my swing is marginally close to on and I manage to keep down on the damn ball. I swing up, so its also easier to top something so small. My finding with the 460 heads is the weighting or perhaps something in the vertical gear effect sends the ball much higher and I lose a ton of distance, not so with the 3 deep, it goes mid launch and bores right through the wind, I can tee it up a half inch and get higher, but not high shots from it.

12-13* driver (cc don't matter) with a tall face , vs a head that is long front to back ( get too much height from low c of g heads) use a stiff tipped shaft or a shaft a 1/2 -full flex stiffer to control trajectory . built at 43.5/44 inches.....MONEY

Good info. The more I play and see what others struggle with the more I think the average joe doesn't necessarily need a driver in their bag. I've played with so many people who have issues with their drivers for multiple reasons
1) Club is off the rack and too long at 45" - 46" and they can't make consistent center of the face contact.
2) The driver is lofted too low for them as so many people believe a 10.5* or higher loft will balloon and they'll loose distance.
3) The misses as a result of 1 and/or 2 end up really messing with the golfer's psyche when they tee up with the driver in hand. I'm always hearing them mutter about "hopefully I don't slice this one".

I thought the Thriver was a good compromise to get the Driver out of the golfers hands that are seeing more harm than good from it.

    I've used nice variety of high loft drivers the last couple of years -- Powerbilt Air Force One N7 14, Alpha RX High Launch, SMT AF460 12, along with assorted minis like the SLDR 14, Acer XV Mini, PowerPlay Brassie, an old TM 320ti, and lower lofted 3 woods: Tour Edge XCG-5 11.5, Callaway 3 Deep, Ping Rapture -- gee maybe my wife is right and I have too much golf stuff. And I often carry at least two of these choices in the bag -- a higher loft driver plus a mini or 3W. My regular course only has six holes where extra yardage off the tee beyond 220-230 really helps me, so I use a hybrid on three shorter par 4s, and 3W or 4W on four other holes. But I'm finally allowing myself to bring driver down under 45" and it's working better. Now I'm on the lookout for a heavier head I can try at about 44". Gotta keep dreamin'

    ptjn1201, what do you think of the TM 320ti? Still a club worth gaming? I have an old one sitting around at my house but I haven't hit it in years.

      I don't think it's quite as long or forgiving as newer, larger heads, but not by much -- maybe 5-10 yards. I was surprised that I liked the stock R-80 shaft that was in mine -- felt good to me. And if I grip down on it an inch or so, I can manage to hit it off the mats at the driving range or from a good lie. It's a good winter driver -- you never know what height tees you'll find at the driving range this time of year. My brother-in-law was using a 360ti most of the year, and he has a lot of newer stuff. My feeling is that it's a bit larger than the mini drivers and just as forgiving. Give the old stick a try -- if it doesn't measure up, banish it back to garage!

        golfer_LD
        I have always played with a driver....the 460cc, since they came out with them. Now that I'm getting older (71), and losing swing speed, height and, as a result, distance, this year I decided to go with a "thriver-like" head, a Wishon 919 driver, but with 13* if loft. I built it to regular driver length though. It's performed well for me all season, but
        I like hitting the driver with the ball teed fairly high. If I liked hitting fairway woods off the tee (I don't....don't
        have much luck with them!), then I guess I'd consider the mini driver with a shorter shaft. I feel it's up to
        each golfer to decide for himself what suits his game best in a case like this.

          rsvman The 320 hit on the screws is every bit as long as anything, missed at all and it is far more punishing that today's equipment. On a good day, I'd game it.

            rsvman

            When they first came out, I gamed one and loved it. Let me know when you are looking to dump it, doc. 😊

              I went out today for 9 holes and played my Taylormade SLDR 14* Mini Driver. I hit every fairway and my drives were about 10-15 yards shorter than my regular 460cc driver but that's OK on my home course. I'm in the fairway and plenty long to have a 100 to 130 yard second shot on par 4's. On longer courses it might be a problem, but it's really nice to not worry about spraying a drive way right or a big hook way left. I can control the Mini Driver and will gladly sacrifice 10-15 yards for more accuracy.

              All of this thriver talk has me thinking about a steel shafted one a had a while back. I have to see what I ever did with the parts for that thing.

              ptjn1201
              Just picked one up to experiment. I used to use a Titleist 975D pretty effectively, so if this is more forgiving it will be fun. Thanks for the heads up.