By Scott Kramer, Contributing Equipment Editor
Going small suddenly translates to the long ball again. That’s because Callaway, TaylorMade and Titleist officially introduced new mini drivers this spring, reviving a category that seems to get populated with new models every couple of years.
Typically, mini drivers are smaller versions of a brand’s flagship driver that has a higher loft, shorter shaft and all of the technology. That way, golfers will find them easy to hit off the tee and still get most of the distance they’d receive from the larger sibling model. And they can also be hit directly off the grass, like a fairway wood. These latest models aim to be easier to hit than fairway woods thanks to the way they’re lofted, constructed and weighted.
Callaway’s 340cc Elyte Mini Driver ($449) is billed as versatility for the top of the bag, lending more forgiveness and easier launch than a fairway wood, and length off the tee. With neutral, fade and draw bias settings comes enhanced aerodynamic shaping that enhances swing speed. An aerospace-grade carbon crown also helps optimize launch and spin. And like the other Elyte drivers, this one has an Ai Smart Face that Callaway claims produces fast ball speed, tight dispersion and optimized launch all across the face. It comes in adjustable base lofts of 11.5 and 13.5 degrees, with a 43.75-inch shaft.
TaylorMade’s R7 Quad Mini Driver ($480) pays homage to the old R7 driver that became popular in 2004. This 305cc version incorporates movable quad weighting that lets golfers dial in spin, distance, trajectory and shot shape with precise CG placement. It includes two 13-gram and two 4-gram weights with two ports at the back of the clubhead, one on the toe and another at the heel. Additional weights can be purchased separately. A carbon crown lets engineers save weight and relocate it to other parts of the head for efficiency. The proprietary “Twist Face” tightens shot dispersion, especially on mis-hits. It’s available in 11.5 and 13.5 degrees of loft, with a 43.75-inch shaft.
Titleist’s GT280 ($499) features a 280cc clubhead, 13 degrees of loft and a 43.5-inch shaft – aiming to hit longer, more-forgiving shots than a fairway wood, yet be more controllable and workable than a driver.
“We heard from more and more players who were looking for a club that gapped between their driver and 3-wood,” says Josh Talge, Titleist’s Vice President of Golf Club Marketing, whose company touts it as a situational 15th club in the bag.
It has a seamless “Thermoform” crown that’s made from the same polymer that comprises the crowns of sibling drivers. That helps save weight and create the GT’s same impact sound and feel. The mini driver has forward/aft weighting adjustability with 11g and 3g weights; a forged L-Cup face to maximize performance on contact made low on the face; and a lower leader edge to improve playability from the turf.
According to PGA of America Merchandisers of the Year we spoke with, there’s some optimism about this category’s traction moving forward now that three top club manufacturers are offering new models.
“I’m marketing the Callaway Elyte Mini Driver to golfers looking for control over distance,” says Mike Rogers, PGA, Director of Golf at Stonewall Resort in Walkersville, West Virginia. “My facility is an Arnold Palmer Signature design with elevation changes and strategically placed landing areas. When you try pushing the ball past those areas, the course narrows up extremely quickly. So, the smart play is to the landing area that Mr. Palmer wanted you to hit it into. Thus, distance is often trumped by accuracy.
“The players most likely purchasing the mini driver here will be the low to mid-single digit handicapper or the golfer looking for control, and that is how we position it. This club is very versatile, allowing for control off the tee and as a fairway wood out of the fairway on a long par 5.
“I have personally owned a mini driver in the past, but I have never really had the clientele at my previous clubs to market them like this.”
Pinehurst (North Carolina) Resort also carries the new mini drivers – merchandising them next to the regular drivers.
“As this trend gets bigger and gains more traction, there will be an even greater market for it,” says Benji Boyter, PGA, Director of Retail at Pinehurst. “How long it lasts will be the question.
“People I see buying them are tinkerers and testers. The person who should buy this club is the one who struggles off the tee due to their swing type – longer-length drivers and out-to-in swings do not complement each other. Shorter-length drivers will help get them squared up, for better spin and distance. I could see a high-speed player who struggles keeping the ball in play also opting for mini drivers – sacrificing some distance for more fairways hit would be advantageous.
“The equipment industry as a whole is copycat based. I support anything we can do to keep people playing golf and having more fun.”
And while Chris Costantino, PGA, Head Golf Professional at Cattail Creek Country Club in Glenwood, Maryland, doesn’t carry any of the mini drivers in his golf shop just yet, he has brought some in as demo clubs.
“They’re a very niche item and we would only sell them if special ordered by our members. There are certainly better players who have replaced their 3-wood with a mini driver in the past, and then I also see 10-to-14 handicappers who use them in place of a driver for more accuracy.
“Overall, I like them and the traction has given me interest in trying mini drivers. In my opinion, we will never sell a lot of them purely based on the 14-club rule. People either love their driver or hate it. But most love their 3-wood.”
Kyle Benish, PGA, Head Golf Professional at Double Black Diamond Golf Course in Ellicottville, New York, has his eye on mini drivers. He says he and his staff “will monitor how popular they are and if we need to bring some in. If anyone’s looking to do a special order, we’ll be more than happy to pick one up for them.
“They’re geared to a lower handicap who can flight the ball in a multitude of options. It’s an extra club in the bag where a strong 3-wood can accomplish most of the same benefits. In past years, the (mini driver) fad didn’t quite catch on.”