Editor’s note: Looking ahead to where we take our golf equipment coverage in the future, we want to look behind us more frequently. What does that mean, exactly? We want to both place new releases in their historical context and highlight past coverage, as we have done from time to time, by opening the GolfWRX archives.
Mini drivers are everywhere right now. Consider the TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver (along with the BRNR Mini Driver), the Callaway Quantum Mini Driver, the Titleist GTS300 Mini Driver (and GT280), and the PXG Secret Weapon Mini Driver…in short, there’s plenty of diminutive drivers on the market.
For this installment, we’re taking a look back to a time when mini drivers weren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they are now. In fact, they were…nowhere to be seen when TaylorMade unexpectedly debuted the SLDR Mini in 2014. Our editor-in-chief at the time, Zak Kozuchowski, handled the write-up.
TaylorMade is betting that bigger is better with the SLDR Mini Driver, its newest metalwood that blends the forgiveness of a driver with the versatility of a fairway wood.
“The general premise is based on how our tour players are using their 3 woods,” said Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s product creation manager. “They’re hitting it off the tee way more than they’re hitting it off the ground.”
The SLDR Mini hits shelves on May 2, and will be available in three lofts: 12 degrees, 14 degrees and 16 degrees. It measures a beefy 260cc, about 100cc larger than the company’s SLDR and JetSpeed fairway woods, which gives the club a substantially larger clubface area. The larger size and 43.5-inch stock shaft length, which is 2 inches shorter than the company’s SLDR driver, makes it an attractive option for golfer who either:
- Hit their 3-woods primarily off the tee.
- Struggle with the accuracy of their driver.
Above: The SLDR Mini (left) and SLDR 460 driver.
Like TaylorMade’s SLDR drivers, the SLDR Mini has a low, forward CG that TaylorMade says contributes to a higher launch, lower spin and more ball speed. Its construction is more similar to the company’s SLDR fairway woods, however, with a steel frame and face and the latest version of TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket, a polymer-filled handle-bar shaped slot in the front portion of the club’s sole that also helps shots launch higher with less spin and contributes to faster ball speeds across the clubface.
Above: The TaylorMade SLDR Mini (left, 260cc) is considerably larger than Callaway’s X2 Hot 2Deep (right, 210cc). It’s also much larger than Ping’s new Rapture fairway wood (219cc), which like the Mini and 2Deep are also designed for golfers who use their 3 woods more from the tee than from the ground.
TaylorMade’s Staff Member Troy Matteson made headlines at the Valero Texas Open when he decided to take his SLDR driver and 3 wood out of the bag for two SLDR Minis: a 10.5-degree version that he used off the tee and a 12-degree version that he used as his 3 wood. Matteson has been the exception, however, as most tour players who have tested the SLDR Mini have opted for one model with a loft between 12 and 14 degrees.
TaylorMade engineers took care in the design of the SLDR Mini to ensure that it was playable both off the tee and from the fairway by adding increased curvature, or radius, to the sole of the club. That slightly decreased the clubface size, but allows the SLDR Mini to slide more easily through the turf. From the ground, Bazzel says the club’s taller, or deeper face will allow it to spin more, which will help golfers who want the SLDR Mini to land softly on the green. Off the tee, Bazzel recommends teeing the SLDR Mini with the ball about halfway above the club’s crown.
The SLDR Mini will sell for $279 with the company’s Speeder 57 shaft, which has a 0.350-inch diameter and is available in M, R, S and X flexes. A SLDR Mini TP ($379) will also be available. It comes with Fujikura’s Motore Speeder 7.3 Tour Spec shaft in R, S and X flexes and has a 0.335-inch diameter.
If you’re looking for further mini driver reading, you can return to the present see what GolfWRXers selected as the best mini of the year: GolfWRX Members Choice: Best mini driver of 2026.
