Introduction
Why choose between control and distance when you could have both? That’s the question the Callaway Quantum Mini Driver is trying to answer. Sitting somewhere between a traditional driver and a fairway wood, it’s designed for golfers who want accuracy off the tee without sacrificing too much power. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at how the Callaway Quantum Mini Driver performs, who it’s best suited for, and whether it deserves a spot in your bag.
Keywords
mini driver, control, Callaway, 340cc, tri-force face
NCG Summary & rating
NCG SUMMARY
Mini drivers sit right between a driver and a 3 wood in your bag, designed to offer control off the tee without sacrificing distance. Callaway’s Quantum mini driver has a larger head size than we tend to see sitting at 340cc – it gives a more compact driver head shape behind the ball.
It felt easy to hit off the tee but I did struggle with it offer the floor due to the larger head shaping. I enjoyed the height that I saw off the tee and how consistent the shots were.
PROS
- Cheaper than a driver
- Compact driver head shaping
- Looks great
CONS
- Hard to hit off the ground
Key Facts
| Loft | 11.5 and 13.5 |
| Available in left hand | yes |
| Flex | stiff and xstiff |
| Shaft | Graphite – stock and custom |
| Length | Standard / Short / Long |
| Grip | Callaway / Golf Pride / Lamkin / Super Stroke / True Temper / Winn / IOMIC |
Key benefits and downsides
| Key benefits | Downsides |
|---|---|
| Compact driver head shape– This mini driver has a larger head profile than most, great for players wanting a driver replacement option. | Not great off the deck – The larger head profile makes it harder to hit off the floor so less versatile. |
| Loft options – Comes in either 11.5° or 13.5° | |
| Tri-Force Face– unreal speed and distance, even on off-centre hits. |
First Impressions
I am a mini driver novice. From a personal golfing standpoint I’m a player who hits driver a lot off of the tee and doesn’t tend to struggle with it. Therefore, I haven’t felt a need to try out a mini driver but I am aware of a lot of golfers who this sort of club will massively benefit.
Out of the headcover, it’s a decent size head that could almost pass as being a driver. Having done my research on sizes the Callaway Quantum Mini driver seems to be one of the largest mini drivers on the market at 340cc. If you compare it to others the Cobra King TEC Mini Driver is 303cc, TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Golf Driver 305cc and the Titleist GT280 Mini Golf Driver is only 280cc. So it really is much larger than others on the market and for further reference the Callaway Quantum Max Driver is 460cc.
In terms of looks it’s very similar to the rest of the Quantum metal woods range with the grey colourway and textured crown.
How I undertook the review
I tested the Callaway Mini driver at an indoor studio using a GC Quad to gather data as well as during a round at Southport & Ainsdale golf club during a practice round for the Rose Ladies Series.
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My baseline driver and 3 wood data
In order to put into context the data obtained from the Callaway Quantum Mini driver my current driver and 3 wood data is below.
| Club | Average Carry distance (yards) |
| Driver | 215 |
| 3 wood | 190 |
What I found
The Callaway Quantum Mini driver comes in two different loft options 11.5˚which I tested or 13.5˚. Behind the ball it really is as Callaway describes – a compact driver head. The shaping sits nice behind the ball offering what feels like a good amount of loft.
Callaway has used their Tri-Force Face that uses ultra-thin, high-strength titanium, poly mesh, and carbon fiber into a fully integrated speed system. It’s designed to give high speed and distance even on off centre strikes. Underneath is a step sole design that is being used for the first time in the mini driver. This aims to reduce turf interaction whilst keeping a shaping that sits well behind the ball.
In terms of data, I didn’t massively know what to expect. As outlined in the table above, my driver carry is averaging 215 yards currently and 3 wood around 190 yards so I was looking for a midpoint between the two. Using a GC Quad and a ProV1x I gathered data as shown below.
The data table above shows the results with an average carry off 206 yards. I found that there wasn’t a huge variation in spin and that the RPM was slightly higher than I tend to see with my driver as you would expect. All of the variables had very closely knit results which considering some were hit better than others is great.
I found the Quantum mini driver really easy to hit and launch. I played around with tee height a little over the course of testing and settled on a height of a yellow castle tee to give me the best performance.
All in all, the mini driver did sit in the mid point between my current driver and 3 wood distances – as outlined below.
| Club | Average Carry distance (yards) |
| Driver | 215 |
| Callaway Quantum Mini Driver | 206 |
| 3 wood | 190 |
The data gathered was from a tee peg. I found the Callaway Quantum a little too large for me to hit off the ground regularly and swayed more to it being a second tee club.
NCG Final Say
Overall, if you’re looking for a second tee club or wanting a driver option that offers a little more forgiveness this is a great option. It’s very much a compact driver option and on a tee is very easy to hit. The shorter shaft and higher loft gives you more control over the ball without sacrificing lots of distance.
How it compares to other mini drivers
The Callaway Quantum Mini driver has a much larger head size than others on the market. Sitting at 340cc compared to Cobra King TEC Mini Driver at 303cc, TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Golf Driver 305cc and the new Titleist GT280 Mini Golf Driver is only 280cc – it’s very much a small driver head.
Price information
RRP: £489.00 / $549.99
More info: Callaway UK / Callaway US
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