We’ve been talking about mini drivers quite a bit already this year. We’ve covered why you might want a mini driver and why you might want to consider an alternative. We’ve written about the PXG Secret Weapon and the Titleist GT280.
I’m confident more are coming.
The latest mini to hit the market is the Callaway Elyte Mini Driver. That’s the entirety of the name. I appreciate the simplicity but also, after last year’s Paradym Ai Smoke Ti340 Mini, I feel a little shortchanged. Slackers.
The Elyte Mini backstory
As you’re likely aware by now, the recently invigorated mini driver category is absolutely exploding and I can tell you from recent conversations that everyday golfers are intrigued, if not excited.
I’m not saying everybody is going to buy a mini driver but with so many companies entering the mix, awareness has never been higher.
On the PGA Tour, mini use is on the rise. Almost nobody hits their 3-wood off the deck anymore and while the conventional driver is still the best choice for maximizing distance, mini drivers are replacing 3-woods as the club of choice when the best players in the world need to dial it back a little.
It’s that Tour-level use case that provides the explanation for the size of Callaway’s mini (340cc) which is considerably larger than its competitor’s offerings. Callaway positions its mini as offering versatility because it’s an alternative option to your driver off the tee. That’s quite a bit different than Titleist’s take on versatility with the GT280. That one is versatile because it’s still small enough to be used off the fairway.
To an extent, I suppose that makes them different animals. That’s what I love about the emergence of the mini driver category – there are opportunities to create a variety of different products to suit the needs of a wide range of golfers.
Callaway sees its Elyte Mini as off-the-tee options on unreachable par-5s, tight doglegs or anywhere else where the value of accuracy outweighs that of distance. Off the fairway? Not so much.
The selling point for Callaway’s latest take on mini is that with the larger shape comes higher MOI – the Elyte Mini is more forgiving than a fairway wood. And while, for most golfers, it’s going to fly shorter than the driver, the shorter shaft goes a long way towards increasing accuracy and keeping tee shots between the white stakes.
With that in mind, while the current mini driver craze originated as a solution to Tour-level problems, the Elyte Mini, like other minis, has the potential to solve the accuracy problem for a lot of average golfers as well.
Elyte adjustability
Like other Elyte driver models, the Callaway Elyte mini driver is adjustable. In addition to loft/face angle, and lie adjustability via the OptiFit hosel, you also get the same three-position swappable weight configuration as the full-sized Elyte driver. With the smaller package, you’re not getting the same range of center of gravity movement but Callaway says there’s about 12 yards of left-to-right correction between the draw and fade positions.
Is the Elyte Mini right for you?
Deciding whether an Elyte Mini might be right for you begins with thinking about what it’s going to replace. With its comparatively large footprint, it’s almost certainly going to be a challenge for average golfers off the deck. If you hit 3-wood frequently from somewhere other than the tee box, it’s likely not your best option.
If, however, your 3-wood only makes an appearance on the tee box, the Elyte Mini could be ideal.
If your plan is to ditch your biggie driver for a mini, then you don’t really need to think about much else.
Specs, pricing and availability
The Callaway Elyte mini driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5 degrees. Stock length is 43.75 inches. Stock shafts include the Project X Denali Charcoal (men’s) and Mitsubishi Eldio (women’s)
Retail price is $449.99. Pre-sale begins immediately. Full retail availability starts April 4.
For more information, visit CallawayGolf.com.
Looking for more Callaway? Be sure to check out the updated Triple Diamond Driver lineup.
Mike
1 year ago
As someone who played a mini driver for a season or two, my question is why all the sudden releases? Are all the club makers all searching for some type of niche product? Realistically, the mini driver has no relevant place in the bag for at least 95% of all golfers. I play a lot of golf and other than myself, have never seen anyone game a mini driver.