Taylormade “Original One” Driver

[Shankster 25,596]

Right from the webpage. I love it! Wish they’d offer an all black M6.

 

CELEBRATING COMPANY’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY, TAYLORMADE GOLF COMPANY INTRODUCES ORIGINAL ONE MINI DRIVER

 

Drawing on Inspiration from Company’s First Metalwoods, New Model Incorporates Many of Company’s Most Iconic Product Innovations in a Mini Driver for the Modern Generation

CARLSBAD, CALIF. (April 16, 2019) – TaylorMade Golf Company, an industry leader in product innovation and technology, today announced Original One Mini Driver, a new metalwood that pays homage to the brand’s storied history and utilizes many of the most important product technologies in the company’s long lineage of industry-leading metalwood performance.

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“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 that heritage of innovation with key performance technologies, packed into a confidence-inspiring shape that delivers on distance, forgiveness and accuracy.”

Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director, Product Creation

EVOLUTION OF THE MINI DRIVER

 

TaylorMade first entered the category with the introduction of SLDR Mini in 2014 and enhanced the product the following year with the faster, higher-launching AeroBurner Mini – both utilizing predominantly steel in their construction. While both offered the company’s Speed Pocket technology, Original One Mini Driver is designed to deliver a new level of speed, forgiveness and visual appeal never-before seen in this category.

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UNDER THE HOOD OF THE ORIGINAL ONE MINI DRIVER

 

With Original One Mini Driver, engineers have utilized key product technologies found in many of the company’s most notable metalwood offerings intended to deliver a faster, more forgiving and adjustable product. It all starts with a revolutionary tri-material construction, comprised of a titanium body, 50g steel sole plate and TaylorMade’s instantly-recognizable carbon composite crown. The combination of these three materials creates an ultra-low CG for distance and playability.

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Additional features in Original One Mini include:

Loft Sleeve with ±2° loft adjustability

Twist Face Technology to provide the ultimate path to straight distance

Inverted Cone Technology to promote ball speed on off-center hits

WHO IS ORIGINAL ONE MINI DRIVER FOR?

 

Like its predecessors, the Original One Mini Driver is targeted at golfers of all skill levels. It has been engineered to provide an option off the tee that delivers the accuracy and control of a fairway wood but with more distance and forgiveness. Faster swing speed players may additionally benefit from ease of use off the turf with Original One Mini Drivers’ combination of a medium face depth with ultra-low center of gravity location for extreme distance and excellent playability from fairway lies.

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WHERE THE MINI DRIVER FITS INTO THE BAG

 

From a performance perspective, the Original One Mini Driver with its 275cc head (9% larger than AeroBurner Mini) will fit directly between a driver and a fairway wood. Some golfers will opt to play the club in addition to their current fairway woods, while others may choose to replace a longer fairway wood that was mainly being used off the tee. Most golfers will still keep the regular driver in the bag as the club that ultimately delivers the most distance.

SPECIFICATIONS, PRICING & AVAILABILITY

 

Available for preorder starting today, April 16 and at retail beginning May 1, the Original One Mini Driver ($399.99 USD) will be offered in 11.5° or 13.5° lofts and come equipped with Mitsubishi’s Diamana F Limited shafts in 55g ®, 65g (S) or 75g (X) flexes at 43.75” at a D3 swing weight. The stock grip is Golf Pride MCC Decade grips in black & blood orange. The Original One Mini Driver will also be available through TaylorMade’s custom program, allowing for numerous additional custom shaft and grip options.

For more information on Original One Mini Driver and/or to request additional assets for editorial, contact the TaylorMade communications team.

[SimonBazas 3]

I'm curious to see a test between the new mini and the old mini's. I include in this the Callaway Bertha 1.5 mini driver. 

I currently play the Taylormade Aeroburner mini 12° with an X-Stiff shaft. I use it as a driver replacement, because it is more controllable and I am only giving up about 20 yard in total distance.

[Cdntac 8]

A few weeks ago I tried a new Mini 12-degree with a stock stiff shaft and compared it to my M2 3HL Tour with a shaft I was fitted for.  

The new Mini 12 was only about 10 yards farther than my 3HL but I could easily tell that the stock shaft was not for me.  

For the past 3-4 years I've been using a 12-degree Mini Driver (first the original, then the Aeroburner TP Mini) and of the three, I prefer the Aeroburner Mini.  I had confidence to hit the Aeroburner TP Mini off the deck but looking down at the new Mini --- I just didn't have it. 

I do like the fact though that the new one has an adjustable hosel.   

In hindsight, what I should have done was swap my driver shaft into the new Mini 12 .  That would have given me a more accurate judge of how it would have worked for me. 

[Hamachi Style 76]

Super interested in this club. Would like to use more user reviews

[jfrigo 34]

just hit it!! you'll be hooked lol... I'll be the first to say I never saw the point of a mini driver, but after hitting it ill never take it out. I went with the 13.5 degree and its a very penetrating launch and low spinning head. This is much more controllable than the driver and for me its only 10 yds shorter on avg,

Spin wise I'm able to keep it consistently under 2600 and the ball just cuts through the air. Shorter par 4's or if I have to hit a fairway im taking this out every time. Ive never had much use for a 3 wood (and I dropped my driving iron) so this fits perfectly for me. I'm able to hit this off the deck but its certainly harder to do so vs a 3 wood... but again I doubt I will ever need to use this from a fairway

[RickyBobby_PR 4,884]

It’s a great option off the tee for when the driver gets wonky or as a second driver option for those who struggle with woods.

I have the 11.5 playing at 45”. My driver has been good most days so unless I need to avoid going into hazard or running out of fairway this hasn’t been used much 

[Smellis745 519]

They sure look pretty sweet.  I came close to buying a gently used one off the shelf last week.  Had it been an 11.5, I probably would have.

[chipyips 4]

Got my mini driver last week.  Spent a little time on the range.  It is replacing a 2017 M2 D-type.  I tend to play a fade/slice depending on if I eat chicken wings for dinner the night before playing or not.  Right off the bat I was hitting this new mini straight as an arrow.  I am guessing because it is more efficient of a club for me to hit I was getting same distance as my M2.  Center of the fairway drives will be welcome anytime I play.  Hoping to see 10 or so more yards than at the range once I can hit some real balls and not the range garbage we have.

[braveheart 19]

Looks nice and peaked my interest as I used to crush a Titleist 975D once. Could hit the sweet spot more often then. If this one offers more forgiveness than it might be something I would like to try.

[SmoothG 220]

Does anyone know if the tips on the OG Mini are TM standard (for current models) or do they take a special tip?  Trying to figure out what shaft options I have if I buy a shaft that already had an adapter on it. Thanks. 

[Apolloshowl 2,333]

2 hours ago, SmoothG said:

Does anyone know if the tips on the OG Mini are TM standard (for current models) or do they take a special tip?  Trying to figure out what shaft options I have if I buy a shaft that already had an adapter on it. Thanks. 

They are the standard TM tip. 

[NRJyzr 427]

Have to give TaylorMade their due.  There was complaining when they changed from the R9/R11/RBZ tip.  Read a few comments that they would make that a trend, but they've stuck with it.  Everything from the R1 and Stage 2 forward uses the same adapter.  

I only have one driver with that tip, so my comments aren't self-interest related. 

That said, I wouldn't mind scoring an Original One in 11.5*.  I've passed a couple times this season, regretting it...

[NRJyzr 427]

And I've managed to find an Original One, from 2nd Swing.  Live fairly close, it's already here.

Plugging an RIP Alpha 80 in it for starters, have a BiMatrix Proto I'd used in a 3w that I might try in it also.  Have an unused adapter and a few shafts lying around, I may experiment a bit. 

Thankfully, the weather is turning to the good after the 7 inches of snow we got a week and a half ago, and courses are reopening.  Set to play three or four times next week, so I'll get a chance to try it.
 

[russtopherb 5,828]

Curious to know how you make out. Getting a mini driver has certainly crossed my mind more than once based on my tee struggles with the big stick that never seem to go away.

[Shankster 25,596]

I ended up getting the Callaway Mini Bertha.  Didn’t work out for me.  I hope you have some success with it.

[SmoothG 220]

I put a 661 Sppeder in my TM Mini.  Weather sucks right now but looking better next week to test it out. It's prob 1/2 in longer than I'd prefer but gonna test it before cutting it down.

[NRJyzr 427]

Compared to the usual 2020 golfer experimenting with a smaller driver, I have something of an advantage...

It's not unusual for me to spend a fair part of time playing persimmon/laminate woods.  I started 2020 with Orlimar persimmons, stuck with them for a couple months, before my inner tinkerer got to me.     I also have spent considerable time in the last couple seasons messing around with my old sub-300cc drivers, just for the heck of it.  

Add to that my preference for shorter driver and fairway wood lengths.  That doesn't hurt, LOL.  My drivers are largely 43.5" already, and I don't shy away from playing driver at 43".  My King LTD 3w is 42".

Point of all that is that I won't have the same adjustment period others might have, swinging the smaller club.  I hope.   

I guess we'll see, right? 
 

Edited October 31, 2020 by NRJyzr

[Shankster 25,596]

23 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

Compared to the usual 2020 golfer experimenting with a smaller driver, I have something of an advantage...

It's not unusual for me to spend a fair part of time playing persimmon/laminate woods.  I started 2020 with Orlimar persimmons, stuck with them for a couple months, before my inner tinkerer got to me.     I also have spent considerable time in the last couple seasons messing around with my old sub-300cc drivers, just for the heck of it.  

Add to that my preference for shorter driver and fairway wood lengths.  That doesn't hurt, LOL.  My drivers are largely 43.5" already, and I don't shy away from playing driver at 43".  My King LTD 3w is 42".

Point of all that is that I won't have the same adjustment period others might have, swinging the smaller club.  I hope.   

I guess we'll see, right? 
 

I quit playing golf in 2003 I think. Right before the explosion of driver heads.  Got back into it 2014... I was disgusted at the way drivers looked.  I’m still not used to it.  My last driver was an Adams Tight Lies... tiny little thing.

[SmoothG 220]

48 minutes ago, Shankster said:

I quit playing golf in 2003 I think. Right before the explosion of driver heads.  Got back into it 2014... I was disgusted at the way drivers looked.  I’m still not used to it.  My last driver was an Adams Tight Lies... tiny little thing.

I agree with this. I never quit the game but in the early 2000 I had the TM Super Steel with the bubble shaft and I never got on with the bigger head sizes that came later on. 

[NRJyzr 427]

Original One update....

Played Tuesday and Thursday, used the OO the entire round both days.  Even hit it on a couple holes I wouldn't normally hit driver on.  It was cool, bit windy, and I hadn't played in two and a half weeks, so there was a bit of rust going on.  Flared a couple drives early in round one, pulled a couple later.  Interestingly, I didn't actually hit any real hooks Tuesday, and only one Thursday; aside from that hook, only my first two flared shots showed much lateral movement.  

Distance on the good hits was my usual distance.  Even managed to crawl past the crest of the hill on the uphill par 4 7th hole, which is generally considered a healthy poke for yours truly.

Overall, I'm counting it a success, and will continue with this as my primary tee club.  I'm not as pleased with the RIP shaft I'm using in it.  It behaved better for me in my second round, have to avoid overswinging with it; the feel is a little different for me.  Toying with setting up something else, maybe cutting down the Tour Trac 100 I assembled to use with my SLDR.  Hmmm, sounds like a plan.

Re: loft...  I did set this as low as I could go, 10*; a 1.5* adapter on my RIP 80 shaft.  No problem for me using it at that loft, but as a caveat, I've always been something of a higher spin player off the tee.  Lucky me.  If I were to use the Duo Professional ball (instead of the TP5 I was using yesterday), I might have to play this closer to the 11.5* spec loft.

Edited November 7, 2020 by NRJyzr