The Callaway Elyte mini driver is the brand’s second mini driver offering, following on from the impressive Ai-Smoke 340Ti mini driver. The mini driver market has grown exponentially over the past few years, with the majority of manufacturers now offering their spin on this versatile club that falls between a driver and a fairway wood.
While the opinion on the looks of the whole Callaway Elyte range was divided when first launched, I personally think the range looks smart and premium. The Elyte mini driver is aesthetically just a smaller version of the impressive Elyte driver. Despite being one of the larger mini driver heads on the market, the Elyte mini driver has been designed with enhanced shaping, which Callaway claims offers improved aerodynamics over its predecessor, resulting in more clubhead speed and ultimately more distance.
The new Thermoforged carbon crown is a feature that runs throughout the whole Elyte range and I think looks superb, particularly in the sunlight. The banner strip running across the top of the face acts as a great alignment feature, helping me set the face square to the target more regularly. This lightweight carbon fiber crown also plays a crucial role in providing a solid feel and muted sound through impact - something I particularly enjoy over a louder, metallic sound.
So how did the Callaway Elyte mini driver perform and who do I think it’s most suited for? There are two main reasons golfers will be delving into the mini driver world; firstly, you may be seeking more accuracy from the tee but not wanting to sacrifice the yardage lost by hitting a 3-wood. Secondly, you might want to find a little more distance than what your fairway wood offers, giving you the potential to reach the green on longer par-4’s or attack par-5’s on a more regular basis.
After multiple driving range sessions and rounds on the golf course, I would recommend the Elyte mini driver more towards those seeking an alternative to the driver from the tee. The fairly deep face and ability to change the CG location through the rear weight ports on the sole certainly leant this club more towards finding a ‘safe’ shot from the tee, which allowed me to put the ball in play more often, particularly on tighter, more daunting holes. The playing length of 43.75” is also another reason why I felt in more control than my driver and when gripping down on the shaft, I could take another inch or so off the length, only enhancing my accuracy.
As a fairly high club head speed player (116mph) and someone who spins the ball a fair amount, my TaylorMade Qi35 driver is designed to launch and spin fairly low. Having a higher lofted and spinning option of the Elyte mini driver, definitely provided me with a little more confidence when I needed to hit the fairway. The Elyte mini driver actually surprised me with how well it performed from the fairway, despite a fairly intimidating deep face. The fact it is offered in both an 11.5° and 13.5 ° head options and both come with adjustable hosels as standard means golfers can precisely dial in the loft of their mini driver and tailor it to their specific needs.
Like the Elyte driver family, the mini driver boasts a Ai10x face, which I found to be particularly effective when hitting this club from the ground. I found a few shots felt as though they were struck fairly low on the face but because of the multiple sweet spots and variable face thickness, the ball was still launching high and for the most part, travelling my intended distance.
At $449/£449 the Callaway Elyte mini driver isn’t a small investment but I think it’s well worth doing so if you’re serious about improving your game at the top end of the bag. I always believe if I’m hitting the ball well from the tee and find myself putting the ball in play regularly, that I can produce a decent score on the day and the Elyte mini driver certainly lets me do that.
