Mini drivers are certainly garnering more momentum and with more options on the market now than ever, they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon
The golf world is a hub for constant innovation and trends. Well one trend I don’t think is going to be a flash in the pan are the mini drivers. I’ve always been intrigued by the mini driver. However, up until this year I hadn’t been able to get my hands on one, but as soon as I did it was certainly worth the wait.
The famous saying goes; never meet your heroes. There’s an acceptance they will always let you down. I feared I was going to experience something similar with the mini drivers, albeit barring much of the heroism. I built them up so much in head before I even got the chance to use one that they could only disappoint. But happily this wasn’t the case when I took the Callaway Elyte mini driver to my home course. Instead, it was love at first sight.
If you are somehow not yet aware of the concept of a mini driver, they are exactly how they sound. Designed to be as accurate as a three-wood and as long as a driver, mini drivers are built to strike that perfect balance between control and distance. In other words, they’re the bees knees.
I’m someone who is a completely run off the mill golfer, a mid handicapper who at times has a tendency to struggle with the odd slice off the tee. Thus, during bad rounds I often have a lack of confidence in my driving. It is not a pretty sight when it’s one of those days.
Of course, there are technical changes I can and am looking to make in my swing. But I also think the lightness of the mini driver is something that can really appeal to the average club gofer. It certainly did for me. The smaller profile of the club head helps this from my experience. It doesn’t look as harsh and unforgiving as what a driver can be.
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Unlike the towering head of a modern driver that can feel harsh and unforgiving, the mini driver inspires a sense of ease and approachability. This visual comfort can and did, for me, result in smoother swings and more solid strikes.
Then there’s the versatility. The mini driver can be used off the tee or the deck, much like a strong 3-wood. Yet it offers a distance advantage over the latter without the volatility of a full-sized driver. That sweet spot is where the mini driver shines.
For many, it provides all the distance they realistically need, without the associate risks with a more powerful golf club. It’s the ideal club off the tee.
I think in a sport where confidence is not just key but crucial, mini drivers hold considerable weight. Things maybe slightly different if your driving is one of the strongest parts of your game, but from where I’m sitting they’re a great option.
Until recently, the mini driver felt almost like a fictional golf club to the most golfers. Whilst us equipment guys have banged the drum for a while, we also got the occasionally glimpse of one in the bags of tour pros, but they have been rarely spotted in the hands of club golfers. That tide is turning and, I have to say, it’s easy to see why.
More and more pros out on the professional tours are adopting them into there bags which is only going to influence amateur golfers. With the likes of Titleist and PXG coming out with a model of their own this year I don’t see the mini driver train slowing down any time soon. And I for one am glad.
