The Titleist GTS300 mini driver is a step up from the previous model in more ways than just one. At 25cc bigger than last generation, does the increase in size mean a significant difference in performance?
How long does a trend have to go on for before it stops becoming a trend? It’s hard to say exactly, but when we start to see second and third generations of that trend, like with the new Titleist GTS300 mini driver, it feels like it’s no longer just a temporarily fashionable technology.
Offering higher forgiveness than the ‘traditional’ 3-wood, without a sacrifice to ball speed, mini drivers have become more than just a popular accessory now.
So much so, that some professional players have chosen to play them over even the best drivers in the game.
But should we follow the decisions and preferences of the most elite level of golfers with the equipment the rest of us use or does the Titleist GTS300 mini exist to only be played by a select few?
Quick Verdict
While I had some initial concerns about the head size, after coming from my much-loved GT280 profile, the worries were very quickly put to bed.
The Titleist GTS300 mini driver combines all the classic, minimalist design elements that players expect from the company while adding to the already solid performance base of the last generation where it genuinely needed it: forgiveness.
Increased size, increased forgiveness
Price: $549.99 / £499.99
Pros & Cons Ratings Specs Features
Pros Minimalist Titleist looks are still gorgeous at addressAdding 25cc has made an undeniable difference in forgivenessDual weights and Surefit sleeve make adjustment simple Cons Bigger size makes the GTS300 slightly harder to strike from tight fairways, even with the extra protection of L-Cup Face tech
Looks/Feel
Technology
Performance
Overall
RRP £499.00 / $549.99 Loft 13.0º (RH/LH) Weights 3g forward / 11g Aft (+6g to -6g custom weights available) Head size 305cc Lie 56º Standard shaft length 43.5″ Stock shaft options Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White RIP / Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue RIP / Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Red RIP / Project X TITAN Black Stock grip Titleist Universal Grip Bigger 305cc head size optimizes forgiveness and Center of GravityForged L-Cup Face reinforces and protects against low-face missesAccelerated Aerodynamics reduces head drag for faster swing speedsDual Weighting System provides dynamic ball flight adjustability
Looks/Feel: 5/5
As someone who’s argued that all drivers should be shrunk down to this smaller head size, there is both an element of joy at addressing the GTS300 while also a sense of dread from the essentially baby version of my own GTS4.
It’s an odd moment, to pause over the ball like this, as I have no issue with the even smaller GTS3 fairway woods, but it does feel like a little bit more concentration is demanded of you to use the mini effectively (the very reason I think drivers should be ‘miniaturized’).
At the same time, I love the sleek, minimalist look of the GTS across the board, and it’s no different here.
Everything about GTS300 resembles the Titleist I’ve grown up seeing; technological strides hidden inside striking looks that put a focus on the golfer rather than the golf club.
The dark, gloss topline frames the ball so well, with some of the increased size being dedicated to raising the height of the face as much as stretching the head in length and width. Part of that change gets offset by the white-highlight grooves, and it creates a balance for comfort on both tee shots and ‘off the deck’ lies.
The feel from the face also isn’t quite as pitched as the GT280 was, due to a slightly expanded carbon crown, but that’s no bad thing. It’s not dead by any stretch, just more muted; again, taking away the question of what you struck the ball, and more on how well you struck it.
Ultimately the GTS300 mini driver looks and feels like a premium piece of equipment for the dedicated golfer, regardless of what your skill level is.
Technology: 4/5
The tech story here is largely the same as what you’ll see in the rest of the GTS family, baring the exception of full carbon body, but that actually works to the 300 mini’s favor.
First, though, the elephant in the room.
The GT280 was so named for its 280cc frame. The new Titleist GTS300 is, of course then, 305cc…
Okay, calling it GTS305 wouldn’t exactly be the most fluid off the tongue, but the thinly-veiled pedant hidden within me is nonetheless urked by it.
Naming arguments aside, the increased size is a key factor in both literal and perceived forgiveness. One of the most common comments that Titleist received was that the previous generation felt more like a big fairway wood than a true mini driver, in proportions and in how much help was on offer.
The newer, larger head, combined with the seamless carbon crown and steel body allows for deeper Center of Gravity (CG) to increase the GTS300’s Moment of Inertia (MOI). In golfing language, the club’s resistance to twisting on poor strikes is higher, meaning you keep the golf ball traveling more consistently straighter and longer than before.
Adjusted further for better aerodynamics that produce naturally faster swings, the shaping itself consequently also allows for the Dual Weight System to be stretched further back, making an even larger difference in ball flight control through the front and rear swappable positions.
Performance: 4.5/5
The final addition of technology is a carryover from Titleist’s fairway woods: the Forged L-Cup Face. It’s an important point to begin talking about with performance because its going to be a factor for all of us that are adding the GTS300.
L-Cup extends the face into the sole of the club and allows for more flex at the bottom of face, providing a little boost to ball speeds from low misses and, believe me, you are going to have a low miss here, even if some of us find it more or less than others.
Inherently with the design, taking this mini driver, any mini driver even, from the fairway always runs the risk of a thin shot due to the depth of the face compared to a hybrid or fairway wood, therefore a mini with better protection in that area is going to excel in versatility of use.
This is exactly where the strength of the Titleist GTS300 lies.
At no point during my in-play testing with the model did I feel like it was a one-dimensional choice, only useful from the tee.
The GTS300 has shown itself to be more than capable of playing shots off the deck in nearly every lie. The one surface to note where I’ve had some difficulty was with tight, burned out, fairways where compacted soil wouldn’t let the blunter leading edge enter.
Outside of that, this is a fully capable golf club that offers a fantastic, penetrating ball flight while also allowing for a higher flight if you have the shot in your game.
From the tee box, workability is outstanding, with the smaller head lending itself to an easier time squaring the club face (CG is closer to the rotational axis – the shaft – allowing for increased closure rate, if you want the science!) giving you options that you might have never seen in a modern, full-size driver.
I have always verged on whether or not to add a mini for myself, but the GTS300 has finally sold me with the final hole I played before writing this review.
An 18th hole, a par-5 some 500 yards long, was played entirely using the mini driver; 250 off the tee, 250 into the green, and, for the fun of it, a two-putt from 20ft for the one-club birdie.
Not too bad for a ‘fashion trend.’
Overall: 4.5/5
While it’s not going to replace my putter, there’s every chance the Titleist GTS300 will become a permanent fixture in my bag – the only question is what I lose to make room.
Titleist have done an amazing job with listening to feedback to produce an genuine upgrade over their previous work, a sign of a very healthy engineering department.
Their latest mini driver takes what worked so well and only adds to it, and the GTS300 sits amongst the best models available in the game for power, flight control, and, of course, forgiveness.
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Pros & Cons Ratings Specs Features
Pros Best looking Mini Driver down at addressPremium AdjustabilityTwo lofts available Cons Turf interaction could be improved for off the deck shots. Lofts 11.5º, 13.5º Head Size 305cc RH/LH Yes Shafts Fuijkura MD Speeder Grip Golf Pride Z-Grip Black/Red 52g Length 43.75” Classic Inspiration from R7Quad WeightingInfinity Carbon Crown Patented TaylorMade Technologies
The best value mini driver in golf
Pros & Cons
Pros Fantastic valuePremium shaftTop quality grip Cons Niche appealLess ‘cool’ than other mini drivers