What is a Minidriver and why are they becoming increasingly popular?
One of the hottest trends right now is the mini driver - a category that since the TaylorMade Burner has been joined by models from several top brands. But what are the applications, does it suit your game, and does it deserve a spot in your bag? We have a chat with Ola Buhre from Dormy Helsingborg about the mini driver.
What is a minidriver?
– Just as it sounds, it's a smaller model of a driver, somewhere between a driver and a 3-wood.
What is the purpose of the minidriver?
– Above all, to find a club that is a bit easier to play than the driver, goes a bit further than the 3-wood, and what I think many will appreciate is that it has a slightly larger face than what you have in your 3-wood, making it more forgiving and easier to play for many golfers.
Is this a tee club, or can you use the minidriver as a fairway wood?
– I would say that for the average golfer who struggles with the driver and currently plays a 3-wood off the tee because it feels a bit easier, the minidriver is a perfect tee club. But also for the better golfer who finds that the 3-wood spins a bit too much, the larger hitting surface makes it more forgiving.
In terms of distance, how does the minidriver compare to a regular driver?
– I think that for the better golfer, we might lose 15-20 yards compared to a regular driver. For the average golfer, especially those who struggle from the tee, I would say they could very well achieve the same distance with a minidriver as they do with a regular driver.
What's the difference compared to 90s metalwoods and titanium woods?
– The appearance from above is very similar, but inside we find much better technology, much more forgiving characteristics.
Will you play with a mini driver this summer?
– I think it's an exciting club, however, I feel I need to test it out and find my use cases for it. So we'll have to see. But a good example is when Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood each put a mini driver in their bag just for a single hole at the Ryder Cup. So you can be creative with it too!
Ola Buhre, Dormy Helsingborg
Take a look at these mini drivers!
A few years ago, TaylorMade launched the Burner Mini Driver in a new, modern version, which may not have been solely responsible for kickstarting the minidriver trend. Since then, most top brands have launched their own model. Here are some of our favourites!
