On this week’s Fully Equipped podcast, I chatted with Johnny Wunder and Ian Fraser about the mini driver. Who’s it for? Why’s it useful? When is it a bad idea? And maybe most importantly, Can it replace my driver? Let’s answer that with the first entry into our new ‘Bag Builders’ series, where we break down the decisions you need to make to build the most efficient set of tools for your game.
I’m a firm believer that you should not replace your driver with a mini driver if you’re trying to build an efficient golf bag of 14 tools.
I understand the concept. A lot of golfers find the smaller form and shorter length of a mini driver to be easier to control, which means they hit more fairways. But this usually comes at a sacrifice in ball speed, which means a sacrifice in distance. The argument has been (angrily) made to me on social media that giving up a couple of yards to hit more fairways is worth the tradeoff. My standard response is that if their mini-driver can out perform their driver, they shouldn’t look to take the driver out of the bag. They should replace the driver with a better one.
Tommy Fleetwood’s win at the 2025 TOUR Championship, and with it the FedEx Cup, is a great example. Fleetwood is professional golf’s most prolific mini driver user. He’s essentially the face of the mini driver franchise. But even he was able to make a change to his driver setup that allowed him to get more comfortable with it in high-stress situations to gain the advantage of being closer on his approach. On Sunday at the Tour Championship, Fleetwood hit three tee shots with his driver that he had hit with a mini driver in 2024. You could tell that he had complete faith in the driver, and that he was using that comfort and power to his advantage to finally claim his first PGA Tour Victory.
But it’s fun.
The reason lots of players hit the mini driver segment so well is because the clubs create an optimal launch profile. Usually this is at a higher launch and lower spin compared to the driver because of the increase in loft. Which brings me back to a point we made on the podcast with Lucas Bro: most players hit the ball too low. The difference between a mini driver and a fairway wood is that the mini driver has a lower spin profile, and you’re swinging the club differently. Since you’re teeing the ball up higher with the mini you’re going to hit up on the ball a bit more, increasing launch and spin over the fairway wood.
If you were to take a player who prefers to hit the mini driver and fit them into a driver that provided them the same launch conditions but with 3-4mph club head speed faster, those players would give you all the money in their wallet. And that’s my point. That is possible. There is zero reason that a player can’t achieve this. It may not be simple, and it definitely requires going to a qualified fitter, but if a player can feel pressured to swap out their driver for a mini driver that they bought on a whim, the investment of a good fitting for a proper driver should be a no brainer.
TaylorMade R7 Quad Custom Mini Driver
PERFORMANCE FOR THE MODERN PLAYER
Inspired by one of the most iconic models in TaylorMade history, the R7 Quad Mini Driver pays homage to what’s come before, while creating its own modern identity in the same breath. It’s that very modern design that incorporates proven TaylorMade technologies to give golfers versatility and playability.
R7 QUAD WEIGHTING SYSTEM
The new quad weighting system features four movable weights (13g x2, 4g x2) that provide the ultimate in spin management and shot shape control. Forward CG creates a penetrating flight best suited for maximizing distance whereas rear CG helps prioritize control and ease of use from the deck. Shot shape can also be fine-tuned helping create the most optimal flight. Additional weights can be purchased for a wider range of adjustability.
INFINITY CARBON CROWN
A new satin Infinity Carbon Crown has been added to the R7 Quad Mini Driver chassis creating a stunning look while saving weight for better mass optimization. The cosmetic package is clean, elegant, and confidence-inspiring.
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Slower Speed Problems
This is especially important for players who don’t have a ton of speed. At lower speeds, the gap between the mini driver and the driver is greater. The ball speed gains and forgiveness of a full-sized driver should shine more. This is where it becomes imperative that these players don’t give up on finding the right driver combination. Giving up the speed and forgiveness of a larger package in the full-size driver would be silly. I understand the trauma brought on by an ill-performing driver. We’ve all been there. But the downgrade in distance isn’t worth the sacrifice.
On the PGA Tour, the No. 1 player in proximity to the hole from 175-200 yards had an average proximity of 28 feet, 4 inches. From 125-150 yards, the No. 1 player had an average proximity of 19’ – 4”. That’s a 9-foot difference from roughly a two-club advantage. Now, let’s put that into a putting perspective. The No. 1 player in putts from greater than 25 feet had a make percentage of 9.72%. The No. 1 player in putts from 15-20 feet had a make percentage of 29.63%. That’s a 20% better chance to make your putt. Why would you take that away from yourself? I know, I know. Even as I type this, I can hear you saying, “But Jake, I can’t keep my driver on the planet”. And to that I plead with you again. Go get fit for a new driver.
Callaway Elyte Mini Driver
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Top of the Bag Versatility
More forgiving and easier to launch than a fairway wood, the Elyte Mini Driver is an excellent alternative when precision off the tee is paramount.
Features neutral, fade, and draw settings for customized ball flight control.
Elyte Speed from Enhanced Shaping
The all-new Elyte shape provides enhanced aerodynamics for Elyte speed throughout the entire golf swing.
The improved shape is designed to maximize swing speed with improved forgiveness and launch conditions.
Ai Advancements for Optimal Distance, Control, and Launch
Our most advanced Ai face to date, the new Ai10x Face delivers 10x more control points than the Ai Smart Face™.
Designed to produce exceptionally fast ball speeds, tight dispersion, and optimized launch across the face.
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A higher swings speeds, the lines can start to blur, and that’s where a player may opt to play a mini driver for a flight shape preference rather than a performance change. Lots of players have chosen a mini driver as their draw club when a cut is their shot of choice with the driver. This allows them to work the ball both ways, and the characteristics of the draw can usually make up for the distance loss they may see with the mini.
This is something that I tried for a few months, actually. I’m bad with fairway woods, and I never really needed them off the deck anyhow, so a mini driver was perfect for me. I was hitting a nice little draw with my driver and needed something that I could reliably shape left to right, sometimes very aggressively, without being worried of a huge spinny miss to the left. What I ended up building was an Elyte Mini 13.5-degree, which I lofted down and back-weighted. At a short 42.5 inches, that did the job perfectly. I could open up the club in my hands and swing left with a beautiful little cut. My home course is short and tight, and there are a couple holes where the mini driver is invaluable. Holes where I still only have a sand wedge into the green.
The Proper Replacement
The last swap we need to talk about is the swap that should happen. The fairway wood swap. I am the perfect example of this. Until recently (yesterday, in fact) I was the worst fairway wood player in the world. A 3-wood was absolutely useless in my bag so I had no hesitation about filling that slot with a mini driver. But I finally I got fed up with the feeling that I was missing out on a useful tool in my bag, so I added in a 4-wood and things clicked. It happened to be a club that performs a dual role: the Titleist GT280.
This 280cc “mini driver” is more of a “maxi wood” in my eyes. It’s much easier to hit off the deck than any of the other larger mini drivers on the market, and just as easy to hit off the tee. I wouldn’t say its as long as the TaylorMade, or as consistent as the Elyte, but it’s the best mixture of all worlds. I actually think that having the GT280 in my bag is what allowed me to get better at hitting fairway woods in general, which, ironically, wound up costing it a spot in my bag.
Titleist GT280 Custom Mini Driver
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But if you can afford the slot in your bag, and you can justify having a consistent secondary tee option with the ability to hit off the deck on the odd chance you need it, then I support this one the most. Titleist was very smart in this release. They gave the market another option, and a more justifiable one at that.
At the end of the day, your bag is made of 14 tools that all need to do a job. If your No. 2 tool is a mini driver, great. I love mini drivers. Big mini driver guy. Team mini driver all the way. But if it’s your No. 1 tool, we’ve got problems.
If you’re the part of the problem, book an appointment at a local True Spec near you.
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