Okay, so I finally got my hands on both the Jailbird Mini and the original, bigger Jailbird putter. Been seeing them around, especially the big one, and wanted to see what the fuss was about and how the little guy stacked up.
First Look and Feel
First thing I did was just grab them both. The standard Jailbird, well, it’s noticeable. It’s got that larger head, feels pretty substantial in the hands. You pick it up, and you know it’s meant to be stable.
Then I picked up the Jailbird Mini. It definitely felt smaller, more compact, obviously. Still has that Jailbird look, the stripes and all, but shrunk down. Felt a bit lighter, maybe a tad more like a traditional mallet putter in size, just with that unique Jailbird shape.
Hitting the Practice Green
I took them both out to the practice green. Didn’t do anything fancy, just dropped a few balls down. Started with some short ones, maybe 5-6 feet, then moved back to mid-range, like 15 feet, and finished with some longer lag putts, around 30 feet or so. Wanted to get a feel for each from different spots.
Putting with the Jailbird Mini
I started with the Mini. Lining it up was pretty easy, those stripes do help get you pointed right. When I hit the ball, the feel was decent. Not super soft, not harsh either. Pretty solid feedback. On the shorter putts, it felt pretty good, easy to control the face.
Where I noticed things more was on the longer putts and mishits. If I didn’t hit it dead center, you could feel it a bit more. It wasn’t terrible, still went mostly straight, but the feel wasn’t quite as solid as a perfect strike. Distance control felt okay, pretty standard for a mallet this size I guess.
Switching to the Standard Jailbird
Then I grabbed the bigger Jailbird. Wow, okay. First thing I noticed was the stability. When I took the putter back and through, it just felt like it wanted to stay on path. Less effort to keep it steady, especially on the backswing.
Lining it up felt similar with the stripes, maybe even a bit easier because the whole thing is bigger. The big difference was forgiveness. When I hit putts slightly off-center with the standard Jailbird, it felt much more solid than the Mini. The ball still rolled out nicely, seemed to hold its line better on those slight misses. It just felt like it corrected my small mistakes more.
On the longer putts, that stability really helped. Felt easier to make a smooth stroke and get the distance right. It just felt heavier and more planted throughout the stroke.
Head-to-Head Thoughts
So, putting them side-by-side, here’s what I found:
- Stability: The standard Jailbird wins here, hands down. It just feels more solid and resistant to twisting.
- Feel: The Mini felt a bit more responsive, maybe? You feel the strike a little more directly. The standard Jailbird felt more muted and solid, especially on mishits.
- Forgiveness: Standard Jailbird felt way more forgiving on putts not hit perfectly center.
- Looks/Size: This is personal. The Mini is definitely more compact if you don’t like a huge putter head. The standard Jailbird has a presence, which might give some people confidence.
- Alignment: Both were good with the stripes, maybe a slight edge to the bigger one just because it’s larger.
My Pick?
Honestly, after rolling putts with both for a while, I found myself leaning towards the standard, bigger Jailbird. For me, that extra stability was really noticeable and helpful. It just felt easier to make a consistent stroke, especially when the pressure is on or when I make a slightly nervy stroke. The forgiveness on mishits was a big plus too. I don’t always hit the sweet spot, so having that extra help is nice.
The Mini is a good putter, don’t get me wrong. If you prefer a smaller head or want a bit more traditional mallet feel but like the Jailbird look and alignment, it’s a solid choice. But for my game, the added stability and forgiveness of the original Jailbird just felt better and gave me a bit more confidence standing over the ball.
So yeah, that was my experience trying them out. Both interesting putters, but the bigger one suited me better on the green.
