Is it an alternative for a 3-wood or a driver? Or maybe both? That’s the question with Callaway’s new Quantum Mini Driver, which has all the tech found in the company’s Quantum driver, but also what you’ll find from the equipment company’s fairway woods as well. Maybe this should be more aptly titled as a driver hybrid, by offering the benefits of both clubs. “The Quantum Mini features all the core technologies of our drivers,” says Evan Gibbs, Callaway’s Senior Director of Research and Development for Woods. “They’re probably still primarily used off a tee, but for those who do want to use it off the deck having the Step Sole allows them to get under the ball a little bit easier and help them launch it a little bit higher.”
Key technologies
Tri-Force Face
A tech found in the company’s latest line of drivers, Tri-Force Face helps generate significant speed, even when you’ve missed the center. Made possible by a face that layers ultra-thin, high-strength titanium, poly mesh and carbon fiber into a fully integrated speed system, it is a tech that’s not been seen in this combination previously.
Step Sole
Taking a tech that is found in fairways and designed to help when the sole meets turf, this technology helps the head sit naturally behind the ball at address. This allows players to get the ball in the air with the mini driver from the fairway as well as off the tee.
AI Face design
This technology incorporates multi-material design, using titanium, poly mesh and carbon fiber. The objective is to increase speed on off-center strikes, while also benefiting accuracy and launch.
Ball Flight Optimization
With weighting in the front and back of the head, flight can be readily adjusted. Put the weight in the front and you’ll get a flatter flight and lower MOI, while the back setting allows for more forgiveness and higher launch. Seven settings are available through fine tuning with the hosel.
Shape
A mini-driver is just that, neither a driver nor a 3-wood. Therefore, the head needs to reflect this balance, offering confidence off the tee, but not appearing too big to be used from the fairway.
Is it for me?
Oakley says while mini drivers won’t appeal to all players, there are two key golfers that will benefit from having them in their bag. “There are players that are maybe not very good at hitting a driver, that are looking for something that’s a little easier to hit, maybe a bit more consistent due to the shorter build length,” say Callaway’s Zack Oakley, Senior Manager of Global Equipment Strategy. “Then we’ve seen players on the other end of the spectrum who are better ball-strikers, that hit fairway woods probably too far and it’s a club where you’re already going to be hitting fairway wood off the tee because you already hit your driver far enough, why not go to something that’s a little more forgiving and that’s easier to hit off the tee than a fairway wood? So having that extra bit of versatility on the Mini Driver is something we were looking at there.”