Mini drivers have seen a surge in popularity recently, with many golfers looking for a reliable option off the tee that could also be used off the fairway too. In 2025, Titleist has entered the conversation with the GT280 Mini Driver – designed to bridge the gap between driver and fairway wood.
I’ve had the GT280 in the bag for a few weeks now, and after some on-course and simulator testing, it’s time to discuss how it performs.
I decided to put it head to head against two other mini drivers from 2025 – the Callaway Elyte Mini and the TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini. Let’s see how it gets on…
Who Is It Aimed At?
The GT280 Mini Driver is targeted at players who want a bit more control and forgiveness than a traditional driver without giving up too much distance. The shorter shaft and smaller head could be ideal for golfers who struggle with consistency off the tee. or those playing in windy or links conditions where a lower, more penetrating flight is preferred.
If you’re the kind of player who finds a full-sized driver a bit intimidating, or enjoys a more compact shape, the GT280 could be for you.
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The Tech
The GT280 Mini Driver comes with a Seamless Thermoform Crown, made from the same lightweight polymer used in the GT Driver heads. This helps shave off some weight while still delivering that classic Titleist sound and feel we all expect.
It also features the same forward and back weight adjustability found in the GT4 driver. Out of the box, it’s set up with an 11g weight at the back and a 3g weight up front. If you swap those around, you’ll lower the spin and launch for a more penetrating ball flight — handy if you’re looking to keep it low and fast.
There’s a forged L-Cup face here too. This is designed to help out on those low-face strikes — a common miss with longer clubs. Combine that with a lower leading edge and you’ve got a mini driver that’s actually playable off the deck, not just off a tee.
As the name suggests, the GT280 has a 280cc head. This puts it right between the GT fairway woods and full-sized drivers in terms of size. It definitely leans more toward a beefed-up fairway wood than a slimmed-down driver.
It comes in a 13-degree loft with a 43.5-inch stock shaft. That’s two inches shorter than your standard driver. This should make it a bit easier to control while still offering plenty of distance.
Titleist GT280 Mini Driver Review
Looks and Feel
Visually, the GT280 is exactly what you’d expect from Titleist. It takes design cues more from the GT fairway wood lineup rather than the GT drivers, featuring the same face pattern as the fairways.
With a 280cc head, it looks compact at address. It’s more like a large 3-wood or even a 2-wood than a driver. This still gives you confidence, without it feeling oversized.
At address, the head sits really square, and the classic shape will probably appeal to traditional Titleist users. That lower leading edge sits nicely behind the ball. It made me feel like I could sweep the ball off the ground, even though it’s mainly designed for tee shots.
The sound at impact is fairly loud. It’s makes a nice crack when you strike it well. Personally, I enjoyed the feedback. It gives you a good sense of strike location and makes the head feel a little hotter.
Performance
From a performance standpoint, the GT280 was impressive in its consistency. The ball flight tends to be low and bullet-like, which is ideal for windy conditions and links-style courses. While I did find it less consistent left-to-right than the other mini drivers in the test, it was extremely solid front-to-back. This meant that mishits still carried well and didn’t lose too much total distance.
Using Trackman, I was averaging a carry distance of 196 yards, with a total rollout around 232 yards. Ball speed was consistently strong at 128 mph, and spin rates hovered around 2,900 rpm. This was a good middle ground that helped me keep the flight down without losing control.
Off the fairway, it was a standout. That smaller head makes it easier to get the club under the ball. While a few shots leaked right (as many mini drivers tend to do), I still found the GT280 to be the easiest of the three tested to hit off the deck.
The GT280 includes front and back weight adjustability. This allows for tweaks in forgiveness and launch, although it lacks the full track system found in the GT3 driver. Still, the adjustability here is more than enough for most players.
Titleist GT280 Mini Driver Verdict
Titleist have delivered a mini driver that really performs with the new GT280.
It’s powerful, compact and versatile, which is exactly what I’m looking for in this category. I love being able to use it off the tee and the deck. It’s so useful for me as I play lots of links golf.
An RRP of £459 is pretty premium, but the performance was great. If it can help you get in play off the tee more often, then it might be worth the investment.
It was the most expensive of the three mini drivers that I tested. However it was also the one that best suited my needs.
Would I Use It?
Absolutely. While the R7 Quad Mini was arguably more fun and had a retro appeal, the GT280 is the better fit for my game.
It offers the best blend of tee and fairway performance and feels like a true fairway wood alternative rather than a shrunk-down driver. If I had to carry one mini driver in the bag that I could trust both off the tee and from the fairway, it would be the GT280.
£459!!!