In celebration of their 40th anniversary, TaylorMade are releasing a brand new ‘Mini Driver’ in homage to their first metal wood from 1979. The equipment giants have ventured into this market with some success in the past, particularly with the AeroBurner Mini, which you can see more about by reading our review here.
The new Original One seeks to take qualities from the brand’s history, and their new technologies, to create a great option both off the tee and from the fairway.
Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director at Product Creation for TaylorMade, said:
In 1979, golf was changed forever with the introduction of the Pittsburgh Persimmon – the original metalwood. For the past 40 years, TaylorMade has continued that legacy of innovation with game-changing technologies, engineered to help golfers perform at their best.
The Original One Mini Driver incorporates the heritage of innovation with key performance technologies, packed into a confidence-inspiring shape that delivers on distance, forgiveness and accuracy.
The idea behind the Original One is to provide all the hallmarks of the popular metal woods currently on offer by TaylorMade, whilst giving the distance and accuracy benefits that a Mini Driver aims to achieve. The result is said to provide a ‘faster, more forgiving and adjustable product’.
The head is made from a new tri-material construction, which consists of a titanium body, 50g steel sole plate and the same carbon composite crown which has been so popular in their M Series of woods. The result of this combination is to create an ultra-low centre of gravity, which in turn increases distance and playability for most golfers.
The other additional features of the Original One Mini include an adjustable loft sleeve, where you can alter the loft by two degrees up or down from the standard 13.5, as well as the Twist Face and Inverted Cone Technology seen on the M5 and M6 Drivers. The Twist Face aims to increase accuracy, and the Cone Technology delivers greater ball speed, on off-centred strikes.
So who is it for? The short answer, according to TaylorMade, is everyone. The Original One is aimed at golfers of all ability levels, by having a variety of different benefits. It has been designed to be a go-to club off the tee which can provide the required accuracy and control of a fairway wood, but also giving extra distance and forgiveness.
For those 'better players' or players with faster swing speeds, the Original One can also be used from the fairway due to its medium face depth and low CG, making it easy to get up and going from the turf. If you're a 'driver off the deck' type of player, this could be the club for you.
With a 275cc head, the Original One fits directly between the driver and a fairway wood. If you struggle off the tee with the big stick, this might be the alternative that gives you the control and distance you require. Or if you're looking for more options at the top end of the bag, add this in alongside your driver for ultimate distance to reach those long par 4s and 5s.
Available from 1st May, the Original One has an RRP of £369, and comes in 13.5 degress which is adjustable. It comes equipped with a 43.75" Mitsubishi Diamana F Limited Shaft in Regular and Stiff flexes, along with a Golf Pride MCC Decade grip.
Do you struggle off the tee? Have you considered or used a Mini Driver before? Let us know your thoughts on TaylorMade's latest option in the wood department below!