Mini Drivers

Best Mini Drivers of 2025

Phillip Bishop
Phillip Bishop
Director of Testing

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Best Mini Drivers of 2025

We are here. The best mini drivers of 2025. A moment we’ve all been anticipating. 

This is the most independent, data-driven and comprehensive mini driver review for 2025. It is backed by more than a decade of testing experience and expertise. MyGolfSpy is the industry leader in independent product testing.

At MyGolfSpy our mission has never wavered: We put the consumer first. No shortcuts, no bias, no allegiance to anything but the truth. That’s why we exist. To cut through the noise. To hold brands accountable. And most of all, to ensure that you get the most out of your gear.

For this test, we have five mini driver models, all of them new for the 2025 golf season. Our team spent 80 hours testing these five mini driver models. Both indoors and outdoors. 

Our goal with these test results is to provide you, the consumer, with an indispensable, objective and reliable off-the-rack resource as you explore your next mini driver purchase. It is a starting point, especially if you’re unsure which mini driver might best suit you and your needs.

These are the best mini drivers of 2025.

Which mini driver is the best?

Best Mini Drivers of 2025

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver review

Best Overall: TaylorMade R7 Quad

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver review

Runner Up: Callaway Elyte

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver

Titleist GT280 review

3rd Place: Titleist GT280

Titleist GT280

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver review

Best for Distance: TaylorMade R7 Quad

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver review

Best for Accuracy: TaylorMade R7 Quad

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver review

Best for Forgiveness: Callaway Elyte

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver

Show All

Best Mini Drivers Overall

The best mini drivers excel across the board in our testing. They offer golfers the best blend of distance, accuracy and forgiveness. Some outperform others in specific scoring categories. Some are more balanced in their performance. Regardless, the mini driver at the top of the board is the one you should consider the most. They could change your golf game for the better, especially performance off the tee.

These are the best mini drivers of 2025.

Best Overall TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

score icon Review Score
9
distance icon Distance Score
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.6
dollar icon Price
$479.99

Buy This If

  • You want a legitimate driver replacement:

    Mini drivers are a niche golf club. They can be a driver replacement or a fairway wood replacement. Or, they can be both. The performance of TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver suggests that it can be a driver and fairway wood replacement. But, if anything, it can definitely be a driver replacement for golfers. It produces the best numbers off the tee relative to other mini drivers. If you want a direct driver replacement, R7 Quad needs to be your first choice.

Don't Buy This If

  • You're skeptical about a mini driver:

    All we can do is give you unbiased, data-driven results to inform you of how a product performs. TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver performs. There is no doubt about it. Whether it is off the tee or off the ground, it is a quality option for someone looking to replace the driver or a fairway wood. If you're lacking confidence in a driver, this is a mini driver worth trying.

Bottom Line

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver is the best mini driver of 2025. If you are looking for a direct driver replacement, this is the best option. It features an adjustable hosel and moveable weight, which make it versatile and playable from off the tee and off the ground. Of the mini drivers on the market, it is the most “driver” like. It is the best for distance and accuracy off the tee. You cannot beat this combination. Furthermore, it produced a 72% success rate off the turf. Go check out this mini driver today.

Testers' Feedback

Better than expected and that’s a lot coming from me. I like the uniform matte head. Shaft option isn’t ideal for me. Too much spin, but swap that out and it perks my interest.”

Performance wise, it is good. Not a fan of the retro coloring attempt. It is HOT.”

Nostalgic, pretty freaking sweet. It moves.”

By far the best performing, felt more like a driver and really consistent.”

Expert Take

The performance of the TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver speaks for itself. It blows away the other competitors in our inaugural mini driver test. Off the tee, it is by far the most driver like for performance. Easily an option as a driver replacement. Additionally, it performs well off the deck. If you’re in the middle of the fairway and have a green light, you can take it with this mini driver.

Runner Up Callaway Elyte Mini Driver

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver

score icon Review Score
8.6
distance icon Distance Score
8.3
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.5
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
dollar icon Price
$449.99

Buy This If

  • You want forgiveness:

    Playing a mini driver won't be everyone's choice. However, if you are going to play one, you better make sure it fits your needs and is reliable. Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is the best for forgiveness in our inaugural mini driver test. Strictly off the tee, it produces consistent shot outcomes for ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, and dispersion.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    During testing, Callaway Elyte Mini Driver stood out as being good, but lacking distance. The biggest culprit was that it tends to be higher spinning than others. If you're looking for pure distance or for Callaway Elyte Mini Driver to be a direct driver replacement, it can be, but you won't hit it nearly as far off the rack.

Bottom Line

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is the best for forgiveness. This means it is excellent at producing similar shot outcomes shot-to-shot. Do you want reliability with a golf club, especially off the tee box? Well, this is exactly what Callaway Elyte Mini Driver produces. Of the five mini drivers, it is one of the shortest ones, which is a knock against it. But, the data does suggests it is one the higher spinning models. This leads to easy success off the ground, which is surprising given its head size and profiling. If you want consistency and reliability, Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is a great choice.

Testers' Feedback

Pretty solid across the board, tighter dispersion.”

Feels good, looks good, and performs well.”

Might be too much spin, but very accurate.  .”

Very consistent and could predict shot direction. Forgiving.”

 

Expert Take

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is another option that looks more like a traditional driver. Off the tee, it produces reliable shot outcomes and good dispersion. Even off the turf, it performs, which is another surprising attribute of the Elyte Mini Driver. Go through a professional fitting though. It tends to produce a fair amount of spin, so going with a different loft or a better shaft option could be the golden ticket for this mini driver.

3rd Place Titleist GT280

Titleist GT280

score icon Review Score
8.4
distance icon Distance Score
8.2
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.6
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.7
dollar icon Price
$499.99

Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    Accuracy and forgiveness are the underrated performance traits in most golf clubs. For a mini driver, they are a delightful combination. Whether you have speed or are just looking for more playability off the tee, Titleist GT280 produces accuracy and forgiveness. It ranks second in both of these scoring categories. Ultimately, you have to determine if you want the accuracy and forgiveness over something longer. Furthermore, it excels off the turf with a 70% success rate for playable shot outcomes.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Titleist GT280 misses the mark relative to others in this small field. It ranks last for distance off the tee. There are a few ways to look at this. Yes, it is shorter. That is a fact. Yet, some golfers may like the accuracy and forgiveness GT280 provides over others. The choice is yours.

Bottom Line

Titleist GT280 ranks third overall in our inaugural Most Wanted Mini Driver test. Our mini driver test is scored identically to our driver test. Straight shot percentage and playable shot percentage account for accuracy. GT280 excels with accuracy. It also shines for forgiveness. For some golfers, that is the number one reason they’ll put a mini driver in the bag. Titleist GT280 also takes the title of best for looks. Now, this accolade doesn’t factor into our rankings, but it is a key talking point. GT280 is a clean, smaller profile.

Testers' Feedback

Looks more like a fairway wood, which is appealing. More forgiveness.”

Love the smaller head profile, looks more like a fairway wood which is appealing to me.”

Very consistent across the board.”

Looks amazing, wouldn’t put it in the bag as a direct driver replacement, but I could find a spot in the bag for it.”

Expert Take

Titleist GT280’s performance is solid overall. It ranks well for accuracy and forgiveness. We saw this in a lab earlier in the year. Our testers strongly believe it is the most “fairway wood” like option of the grouping and its performance off the turf backs this up. Yet, there are better options off the tee, especially if you’re looking for a pure driver replacement.

Best mini drivers of 2025

Best Mini Drivers for Distance

Distance is straightforward: carry and total distance.

Most golfers will prioritize distance overall. With a mini driver, it is a critical piece to the equation. This is why we weigh distance performance slightly higher than accuracy in our mini driver test.

In some cases, you will see a tradeoff between distance and accuracy. It is a performance situation that requires balancing. However, if distance is your top priority, look no further.

Here are the best mini drivers for distance.

Best for Distance TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

distance icon Distance Score
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.6
score icon Review Score
9
dollar icon Price
$479.99

Buy This If

  • You want a legitimate driver replacement:

    Mini drivers are a niche golf club. They can be a driver replacement or a fairway wood replacement. Or, they can be both. The performance of TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver suggests that it can be a driver and fairway wood replacement. But, if anything, it can definitely be a driver replacement for golfers. It produces the best numbers off the tee relative to other mini drivers. If you want a direct driver replacement, R7 Quad needs to be your first choice.

Don't Buy This If

  • You're skeptical about a mini driver:

    All we can do is give you unbiased, data-driven results to inform you of how a product performs. TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver performs. There is no doubt about it. Whether it is off the tee or off the ground, it is a quality option for someone looking to replace the driver or a fairway wood. If you're lacking confidence in a driver, this is a mini driver worth trying.

Bottom Line

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver is the best mini driver of 2025. If you are looking for a direct driver replacement, this is the best option. It features an adjustable hosel and moveable weight, which make it versatile and playable from off the tee and off the ground. Of the mini drivers on the market, it is the most “driver” like. It is the best for distance and accuracy off the tee. You cannot beat this combination. Furthermore, it produced a 72% success rate off the turf. Go check out this mini driver today.

Testers' Feedback

Better than expected and that’s a lot coming from me. I like the uniform matte head. Shaft option isn’t ideal for me. Too much spin, but swap that out and it perks my interest.”

Performance wise, it is good. Not a fan of the retro coloring attempt. It is HOT.”

Nostalgic, pretty freaking sweet. It moves.”

By far the best performing, felt more like a driver and really consistent.”

Expert Take

The performance of the TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver speaks for itself. It blows away the other competitors in our inaugural mini driver test. Off the tee, it is by far the most driver like for performance. Easily an option as a driver replacement. Additionally, it performs well off the deck. If you’re in the middle of the fairway and have a green light, you can take it with this mini driver.

Best for Distance (Runner Up) PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver

PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver

distance icon Distance Score
8.6
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.4
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8
score icon Review Score
8.2
dollar icon Price
$449.99

Buy This If

  • You're looking for distance in a mini driver:

    If you're considering a mini driver for more consistent distance off the tee, you should consider PXG's Secret Weapon Mini Driver. It ranks second overall for distance in our testing. Another sneaky attribute is its ability to hit shots off the turf. Not only can you expect distance off the tee, but you can anticipate it off the turf as well.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    Despite its distance benefits, PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver lacks accuracy and forgiveness off the tee. If you're considering the Secret Weapon, go through a professional fitting to get it fully optimized for your game and your needs. There is plenty of potential in this mini driver.

Purchase at

Bottom Line

PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver is the second best for distance. Most of our testers were pleasantly surprised by it. Their surprise was only validated outdoors where it achieved the second highest success rate off the ground. Unfortunately, PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver lacks consistency relative to the field. It ranks last in our forgiveness category. Frankly, this is surprising as PXG usually performs well in this category.

Testers' Feedback

Best looking of the grouping today. It makes me excited and intrigued to see the performance off the deck.”

Good strikes were longer.”

Hot face.”

Loved the cut shape ball flight I could get with it. It was easy to hit repeatable shots. Solid performer.”

Expert Take

PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver has plenty to offer off the tee. Subjectively, it wasn’t the testers’ favorite mini driver, but they acknowledge the performance it has for distance and the ease at which you can hit it off the turf. That is validated by its 71% success rate off the ground. Go through a professional fitting to ensure accuracy off the tee box.

Best mini drivers for distance

Best Mini Drivers for Accuracy

Just because we weigh distance slightly more than accuracy does not mean you should neglect it. Ignoring accuracy is a huge mistake for most golfers. Keeping the ball in play leads to better scores.

Accuracy is a blend. Hitting fairways is key. Producing playable shot outcomes is equally important. Are your drives landing and coming to rest in playable conditions? This is what we are evaluating for mini driver accuracy.

Here are the best mini drivers for accuracy.

Best for Accuracy TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver

distance icon Distance Score
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.6
score icon Review Score
9
dollar icon Price
$479.99

Buy This If

  • You want a legitimate driver replacement:

    Mini drivers are a niche golf club. They can be a driver replacement or a fairway wood replacement. Or, they can be both. The performance of TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver suggests that it can be a driver and fairway wood replacement. But, if anything, it can definitely be a driver replacement for golfers. It produces the best numbers off the tee relative to other mini drivers. If you want a direct driver replacement, R7 Quad needs to be your first choice.

Don't Buy This If

  • You're skeptical about a mini driver:

    All we can do is give you unbiased, data-driven results to inform you of how a product performs. TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver performs. There is no doubt about it. Whether it is off the tee or off the ground, it is a quality option for someone looking to replace the driver or a fairway wood. If you're lacking confidence in a driver, this is a mini driver worth trying.

Bottom Line

Which mini TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver is the best mini driver of 2025. If you are looking for a direct driver replacement, this is the best option. It features an adjustable hosel and moveable weight, which make it versatile and playable from off the tee and off the ground. Of the mini drivers on the market, it is the most “driver” like. It is the best for distance and accuracy off the tee. You cannot beat this combination. Furthermore, it produced a 72% success rate off the turf. Go check out this mini driver today.

Testers' Feedback

driver “Better than expected and that’s a lot coming from me. I like the uniform matte head. Shaft option isn’t ideal for me. Too much spin, but swap that out and it perks my interest.”

Performance wise, it is good. Not a fan of the retro coloring attempt. It is HOT.”

Nostalgic, pretty freaking sweet. It moves.”

By far the best performing, felt more like a driver and really consistent.”

Expert Take

is best?The performance of the TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver speaks for itself. It blows away the other competitors in our inaugural mini driver test. Off the tee, it is by far the most driver like for performance. Easily an option as a driver replacement. Additionally, it performs well off the deck. If you’re in the middle of the fairway and have a green light, you can take it with this mini driver.

Best for Accuracy (Runner Up) Titleist GT280

Titleist GT280

accuracy icon Accuracy
8.6
distance icon Distance Score
8.2
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.7
score icon Review Score
8.4
dollar icon Price
$499.99

Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    Accuracy and forgiveness are the underrated performance traits in most golf clubs. For a mini driver, they are a delightful combination. Whether you have speed or are just looking for more playability off the tee, Titleist GT280 produces accuracy and forgiveness. It ranks second in both of these scoring categories. Ultimately, you have to determine if you want the accuracy and forgiveness over something longer. Furthermore, it excels off the turf with a 70% success rate for playable shot outcomes.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Titleist GT280 misses the mark relative to others in this small field. It ranks last for distance off the tee. There are a few ways to look at this. Yes, it is shorter. That is a fact. Yet, some golfers may like the accuracy and forgiveness GT280 provides over others. The choice is yours.

Bottom Line

Titleist GT280 ranks third overall in our inaugural Most Wanted Mini Driver test. Our mini driver test is scored identically to our driver test. Straight shot percentage and playable shot percentage account for accuracy. GT280 excels with accuracy. It also shines for forgiveness. For some golfers, that is the number one reason they’ll put a mini driver in the bag. Titleist GT280 also takes the title of best for looks. Now, this accolade doesn’t factor into our rankings, but it is a key talking point. GT280 is a clean, smaller profile.

Testers' Feedback

Looks more like a fairway wood, which is appealing. More forgiveness.”

Love the smaller head profile, looks more like a fairway wood which is appealing to me.”

Very consistent across the board.”

Looks amazing, wouldn’t put it in the bag as a direct driver replacement, but I could find a spot in the bag for it.”

Expert Take

Titleist GT280’s performance is solid overall. It ranks well for accuracy and forgiveness. We saw this in a lab earlier in the year. Our testers strongly believe it is the most “fairway wood” like option of the grouping and its performance off the turf backs this up. Yet, there are better options off the tee, especially if you’re looking for a pure driver replacement.

Best mini drivers for accuracy

Best Mini Drivers for Forgiveness

What makes a golf club, specifically a mini driver, forgiving?

Our industry-leading standard for defining forgiveness analyzes three specific metrics: carry distance deltas, ball speed deltas and shot area (aka dispersion).

Each of these metrics showcases how well a mini driver produces similar shot outcomes over time. Essentially, we are boiling it down to this:

How consistent is a mini driver?

Here are the best mini drivers for forgiveness.

Best for Forgiveness Callaway Elyte Mini Driver

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver

forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
8.3
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.5
score icon Review Score
8.6
dollar icon Price
$449.99

Buy This If

  • You want forgiveness:

    Playing a mini driver won't be everyone's choice. However, if you are going to play one, you better make sure it fits your needs and is reliable. Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is the best for forgiveness in our inaugural mini driver test. Strictly off the tee, it produces consistent shot outcomes for ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, and dispersion.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    During testing, Callaway Elyte Mini Driver stood out as being good, but lacking distance. The biggest culprit was that it tends to be higher spinning than others. If you're looking for pure distance or for Callaway Elyte Mini Driver to be a direct driver replacement, it can be, but you won't hit it nearly as far off the rack.

Bottom Line

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is the best for forgiveness. This means it is excellent at producing similar shot outcomes shot-to-shot. Do you want reliability with a golf club, especially off the tee box? Well, this is exactly what Callaway Elyte Mini Driver produces. Of the five mini drivers, it is one of the shortest ones, which is a knock against it. But, the data does suggests it is one the higher spinning models. This leads to easy success off the ground, which is surprising given its head size and profiling. If you want consistency and reliability, Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is a great choice.

Testers' Feedback

Pretty solid across the board, tighter dispersion.”

Feels good, looks good, and performs well.”

Might be too much spin, but very accurate.  .”

Very consistent and could predict shot direction. Forgiving.”

 

Expert Take

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver is another option that looks more like a traditional driver. Off the tee, it produces reliable shot outcomes and good dispersion. Even off the turf, it performs, which is another surprising attribute of the Elyte Mini Driver. Go through a professional fitting though. It tends to produce a fair amount of spin, so going with a different loft or a better shaft option could be the golden ticket for this mini driver.

Best for Forgiveness (Runner Up) Titleist GT280

Titleist GT280

forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.7
distance icon Distance Score
8.2
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.6
score icon Review Score
8.4
dollar icon Price
$499.99

Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    Accuracy and forgiveness are the underrated performance traits in most golf clubs. For a mini driver, they are a delightful combination. Whether you have speed or are just looking for more playability off the tee, Titleist GT280 produces accuracy and forgiveness. It ranks second in both of these scoring categories. Ultimately, you have to determine if you want the accuracy and forgiveness over something longer. Furthermore, it excels off the turf with a 70% success rate for playable shot outcomes.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Titleist GT280 misses the mark relative to others in this small field. It ranks last for distance off the tee. There are a few ways to look at this. Yes, it is shorter. That is a fact. Yet, some golfers may like the accuracy and forgiveness GT280 provides over others. The choice is yours.

Bottom Line

Titleist GT280 ranks third overall in our inaugural Most Wanted Mini Driver test. Our mini driver test is scored identically to our driver test. Straight shot percentage and playable shot percentage account for accuracy. GT280 excels with accuracy. It also shines for forgiveness. For some golfers, that is the number one reason they’ll put a mini driver in the bag. Titleist GT280 also takes the title of best for looks. Now, this accolade doesn’t factor into our rankings, but it is a key talking point. GT280 is a clean, smaller profile.

Testers' Feedback

Which “Looks more like a fairway wood, which is appealing. More forgiveness.”

Love the smaller head profile, looks more like a fairway wood which is appealing to me.”

Very consistent across the board.”

Looks amazing, wouldn’t put it in the bag as a direct driver replacement, but I could find a spot in the bag for it.”

Expert Take

Titleist GT280’s performance is solid overall. It ranks well for accuracy and forgiveness. We saw this in a lab earlier in the year. Our testers strongly believe it is the most “fairway wood” like option of the grouping and its performance off the turf backs this up. Yet, there are better options off the tee, especially if you’re looking for a pure driver replacement.

Best mini drivers for forgiveness

How to choose a mini driver

Our mission is to cut through the subjective BS and encourage golfers to buy based on performance. Performance should be your top priority. However, there are other things you need to consider when purchasing a new mini driver.

Why choose a mini driver?

Mini drivers are a building trend. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge in their popularity. More and more manufacturers are including them in their production lines. But, why should you even consider a mini driver?

Off the tee, they have a tremendous advantage over a traditional fairway wood. For some of you, there is a strong chance you hit a mini driver better than your current driver. For some, it might be the smaller, more traditional profile versus today’s 460cc driver heads. For others, it is the versatility of a mini driver that is so appealing. 

TaylorMade R7 Quad mini driver
Best of 2025

The reasons to consider a mini driver are numerous. Ultimately, you have to determine what your golf game needs. Do you have room at the top of your golf bag for it? Does your golf course require more precision off the tee? Do you play from yardages that make sense for a mini driver? 


These are all questions you have to consider. The biggest and most surprising takeaway in this test though is the success rate of mini drivers off the turf. More on that later. 

Cost

Mini driver price points are hovering around $500. Basically, cost is taking “mini” into the equation and not having it be on par with driver price points. If you’re looking for a positive, the winner, TaylorMade R7 Quad is the second lowest price point at $479.99. 

Shaft selection

Selecting the right shaft for your golf game is critical for optimal performance. The proper shaft can positively impact launch conditions and overall accuracy.

Shafts are typically made from either graphite or steel with the former being lighter and aiding in faster swing speeds. The shaft flex corresponds to swing speed and affects the trajectory.

Beginners often benefit from lighter graphite shafts that offer more flex, while seasoned players may prefer the precision of stiffer steel shafts suited for more powerful swings.

How We Test mini drivers

Testing mini drivers the MyGolfSpy way is not an easy task. Our 2025 Most Wanted test took 80 hours, which includes indoor and outdoor testing.

For 2025, the testing pool comprises of five different mini driver models.

MyGolfSpy’s test program is powered by three crucial components :

  • Foresight GC Quad – Foresight is the gold standard in camera-based launch monitor technology. Why? Because it produces data we can rely on with every shot hit. And since we can’t say it enough, for this test, our GC Quad’s captured more than 2,150 shots.
  • Titleist Pro V1 golf balls are a key component in testing. Every shot hit in Most Wanted Testing utilizes these golf balls. It is one of many ways we try to eliminate variables and Titleist Pro V1 is our trusted golf ball.
  • The Indoor Golf Shop’s SIGPRO Premium – Indoor golf is taking the world by storm. All of our testing is done indoors at our HQ in Yorktown, Va. With each test, our screens take an absolute beating. Thus, we need high-quality, durable impact screens to handle the workload. SIGPRO Premium exceeds our expectations.

For mini driver testing, we have 20 testers. Although anyone can play a mini driver, we curated the tester pool to 90mph and higher club-head speed.

Best mini drivers of 2025 – Scoring

Providing you, the golfer and consumer, with insights into the best mini drivers on the market is our No. 1 goal with this test. We can’t do that without taking a diligent, in-depth approach to analyzing the data we collect throughout this process.

Callaway Elyte mini driver - best for forgiveness

Our scoring categories remain the same and we will review those below. 

Overall scores are labeled as an MGS Score. The MGS Score is on a 10-point scale.

Mini driver testing is comprised of three scoring categories:

  • Distance
  • Accuracy
  • Forgiveness

These three categories are weighted with distance taking a slight priority.

Distance

Maximizing mini driver distance is every golfer’s goal. For our distance category, we evaluate two specific metrics:

  • Carry Distance
  • Total Yards

Accuracy

Being accurate off the tee can be a game changer. For our accuracy category, we analyze two specific metrics:

  • Straight Shot Percentage – An enhanced take on Fairway Percentage. The target area widens the further a shot is hit. This ensures longer shots aren’t penalized and allows us to fairly compare results for big hitters with those of shorter ones.
  • Playable Shot Percentage – You want playable shots. We identify a playable shot as one that is in or within 10 yards of the edge of a 35-yard-wide fairway.

Forgiveness

We label forgiveness as how consistent a mini driver is at producing consistent shot outcomes. For our forgiveness category, we assess three specific metrics:

  • Carry Distance Deltas – The difference between the longest and shortest carry distance for a given mini driver.
  • Ball Speed Deltas – The difference between the fastest and slowest ball speed for a given mini driver.
  • Dispersion – Also called Shot Area, dispersion is a measurement (yards/squared) of the elliptical distribution of a series of golf shots.

Best mini drivers of 2025 – Results

Mini Driver ModelMGS ScoreAccuracy ScoreDistance ScoreForgiveness Score
TaylorMade R7 Quad9.08.79.08.6
Callaway Elyte Mini Driver8.68.58.38.8
Titleist GT2808.48.68.28.7
Krank Formula Fire Mini Driver8.38.38.58.4
PXG Secret Weapon8.28.48.68.0

How the MGS Score is calculated

Scores are derived strictly from ball launch monitor data by way of our Efficiency Values. Efficiency Values are a cleaner, better representation of raw average as they remove certain outliers from the equation.

With this being said, scores are weighted with 40 percent of the score coming from distance metrics, 35 percent from our accuracy metrics and the remaining 25 percent from our forgiveness metrics. You can reference the specific metrics within each scoring category in the previous heading section.

Finally, we reserve a very small percentage of the score to account for things like fitting considerations, excessive amounts of outliers and other details that fall outside the scope of the data.

Best mini drivers of 2025 – Data

Below, you’ll see the raw average data for the mini drivers off the tee.

Mini Driver ModelAvg. Ball SpeedAvg. CarryAvg. TotalAvg. Back SpinAvg. Launch AngleAvg. Descent AngleAvg. Peak HgtAvg. OfflineShot Area
Callaway Elyte Mini Driver154.53251.05262.753,13612.1141.1235.50-4.673,953
Krank Formula Fire Mini Driver154.96253.47265.182,97711.1838.8532.3312.285,043
PXG Secret Weapon153.56252.04263.272,94412.2639.8234.112.835,840
TaylorMade R7 Quad154.40255.04268.012,86611.8239.3833.463.243,881
Titleist GT280152.97251.61264.432,86912.1039.3233.32-7.314,030

Outdoor testing evaluation

Best case scenario, a mini driver is a dual weapon. It can be a direct replacement for a driver and a fairway wood. Yet, how do they perform off the turf? Can you hit it consistently from the fairway?

Well, we took the mini drivers outdoors and put them to the test.

For the outdoor portion of the test, each tester hit shots off the turf with each mini driver model. Afterwards, each tester was then asked the following questions:

  • Did the shot outcome pass or fail?
  • Would you take that shot on the golf course?  

Let’s break down the results.

  • Three of the five mini drivers produced a 70% or higher success rate off the turf. 
  • TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver produced the highest success rate at 72%.
  • PXG Secret Weapon and Titleist GT280 were close behind the R7 Quad with a 71% and 70% success rate
  • Callaway Elyte Mini Driver produced a 68% success rate, which is still very appealing. 
  • Krank Formula Fire Mini Driver had a 49% success rate. 

Every tester was extremely impressed with the performance of the mini drivers off the turf, especially the TaylorMade R7 Quad and Callaway Elyte. Each of these mini drivers’ profiles are closer to that of an actual driver. So, when you address the ball off a fairway, it can be an intimidating experience. 

These results suggest that mini drivers are in fact usable off the turf, which is a home run for manufacturers. But, don’t take our word for it. Here are comments from some of our testers:

  • “The test was informative, thorough, and extremely eye-opening to understand what these mini drivers are built for. I personally like the smaller head shaping on them. It suits my eyes better. I’d consider using it more as a driver than a fairway wood, but it is reassuring to know that a mini driver can be used off the fairway.”
  • “Overall, I am very impressed with the mini drivers off the deck. With my swing speed, I would definitely consider carrying a mini driver as a replacement for my driver and 3-wood. TaylorMade R7 Quad and Titleist GT280 were the most impressive off the ground and were the most consistent.”
  • “Turf interaction with all of the mini drivers was better than I expected. That’s my biggest takeaway. They were easy to hit off the turf. Even with my swing speed, I expect to hit it well enough off the turf, but damn, I didn’t anticipate this type of performance. I’d want to go through a fitting for one.”
  • “Initially, I was not a believer in the mini driver. I didn’t think you could hit shots in the fairway as well as with a 3-wood (and I hit my 3-wood well). I was wrong, very wrong. I believe I will have a spot in my bag available for a mini driver after this test.”
  • “I didn’t think it would be easy getting these airborne. They surprised me though. The Krank was great off the tee, but not off the turf. PXG was a solid club and Titleist was a good one. The Elyte was the easiest to get in the air and the most forgiving.”

As you can see, multiple testers were shocked with how easy the mini drivers were to hit off the turf. They made multiple testers believers in their capabilities. Witnessing all of these shots makes us believers too in the playability of these trendy golf clubs. Go check them out for yourself. 

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Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Cancer Survivor. Amputee Golfer. Essentially, a OneLeggedBoss. When he isn't facilitating testing or analyzing data, Phillip enjoys his family time, practicing and playing golf, unwinding with video games, capturing photos of nature, or devouring pretzels.

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Driver Titleist GT3 3 Wood Titleist GT3
7 Wood Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Irons (5-PW) Srixon ZXi5
Wedges (46, 50, 54, 58) Titleist Vokey SM10 Putter L.A.B. MEZZ.1 MAX
Ball Titleist Pro V1x  
Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop





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      Alex

      8 months ago

      I tested the Callaway mini driver with 11.5° loft. For context, I usually play a Titleist TSR3 with 9°. The idea was to replace my 3-wood (Ping 14.5°), since I mostly use it off the tee and very rarely from the fairway. So I was looking for a club that hits shorter than a driver but can still be played from the fairway.

      My experience is that the mini driver feels like a slightly easier driver (more loft and a shorter shaft). Compared to my regular driver, it goes about 10 meters less in distance. It can be hit comfortably off the deck and delivers roughly the same distance as the 3-wood.

      My conclusion is that the mini driver makes sense if you struggle with your driver and are willing to trade some distance for more accuracy. Otherwise, it doesn’t really deserve a spot in the bag.”

      Reply

      John

      8 months ago

      Bought the Callaway Elyte mini over the TM mini because for some reason TM only offers the left hand version in 11.5. 13 or 13.5 seems to be the most popular loft so I’m not sure who’s making the decisions at TM but they’re not getting it correct.

      Reply

      David Lewis

      10 months ago

      Sponsored by Tayloymade 😎

      Reply

      Killer Carton

      10 months ago

      I find it somewhat concerning that nearly every single MGS rating this year falls between 8.0 and 9.0 for every club type and scoring category. Is it because all of the clubs tested this year are just marginally better or worse then one another? Which seems doudtful to me. Or should I be reading the 8.0 ratings as a 0/10 and the 9.0 as 10/10?

      TLDR: Results need to be scaled better to show meaningful performance differences in my opinion.

      Reply

      Killer Carton

      10 months ago

      I find it somewhat concerning that nearly every single MGS rating this year falls between 8.0 and 9.0 for every club type and scoring category. Is it because all of the clubs tested this year are just marginally better or worse then another (this seems doudtful to me)? Or should I be reading the 8.0 ratings as a 0/10 and the 8.0 as 10/10?

      TLDR: Results need to be scaled better to show meaningful performance differences in my opinion.

      Reply

      Paul Tanzillo

      10 months ago

      Is there much of a difference with the shafts in mini drivers, as opposed to your regular driver? In other words, can you expect to use the same shaft in a mini driver as you use in your regular driver?

      Reply

      MikeB

      10 months ago

      Thanks for another great MGS review. These mini-drivers come in various lofts. It would be informative to know what the lofts are on the mini-drivers you evaluated.

      Reply

      HeftyLefty

      10 months ago

      What lofts were used for the tests? Taylormade and Callaway have 11.5* and 13.5* minis and Titleist and PXG are 13*. Also, if you are lefthanded the Taylormade is only available in 11.5* loft.

      Reply

      MattG

      10 months ago

      The Callaway Elite is sold out on the Callaway website and shows a price of $9,999. LOL

      Reply

      Randy Siedschlag

      10 months ago

      Available on cpo

      Reply

      Jason S

      10 months ago

      I’d love to see a comparison of the R7 Quad to the BRNR and how they differ and what improvements the R7 Quad offers, if any.

      Reply

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