Callaway Elyte Mini Driver - Full Review

Callaway Elyte Mini Driver Review: Pointless Gimmick or Secret Weapon?

Is this golf's most pointless club, or your next fairway-finding secret weapon? The Callaway Elyte Mini Driver aims to carve out a niche between your standard driver and trusty 3-wood. It's not promising bombs, but it might give you long enough tee shots with more accuracy. So, does it work? And more importantly, who’s it actually for?

What Mark Says

“I came in skeptical, but honestly, this thing’s impressive. Great looks, brilliant feel, and better launch off the deck than I expected. For the right golfer, the Elyte Mini could seriously earn its spot in the bag. No, it’s not cheap. But it might save you strokes.”

Inside the Review: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. What Is the Elyte Mini Driver?

• 340cc head, smaller than a traditional driver

• 43.75” length – closer to a 3-wood in shaft size

• Loft options: 13° and 11°, adjustable via Callaway’s neck sleeve

• Designed for accuracy-focused tee shots and easier launch than a 3-wood

• Carbon + titanium face, AI design, and two movable weights (neutral/fade bias)

It’s basically a miniaturised driver with a deeper face and shorter shaft.

2. Looks & Feel

• Clean, compact shape, just a slightly scaled-down version of Callaway’s modern driver head

• Deep face inspires confidence off a tee (more so than a 3-wood)

• Sound and feel: muted, carbon-like thump with a solid face response

• Shaft and hosel feel premium, though the hosel’s a bit thick visually

3. Performance Off the Deck and Tee

Off the deck:

• Surprisingly playable, even from decent lies in the fairway

• Much easier to launch than expected, though still not ideal from tight or uneven lies

• Better suited for strong players comfortable hitting longer woods from the ground

Off the tee:

• Excellent stability and forgiveness

• Launches easily, especially with higher loft models

• Easier to control than a full-length driver thanks to shorter shaft

4. The Numbers: Mini Driver vs. Driver vs. 3-Wood

• Elyte Mini slots perfectly between driver and 3-wood

• Most accurate of the three in fairway tests

• Carry drops compared to driver, but dispersion improves

• You can loft down and crank distance, but at the cost of versatility

5. Fairway Test: Can It Find the Short Grass?

In a narrow fairway test (30 yards wide):

• Elyte Mini hit more fairways than the driver, particularly on mishits

• Toe and heel strikes held line better than with a 3-wood

• Confidence grew the more Mark used it, especially when trying to “send” it

6. Price Check & Value

• Yes, it’s expensive; often nearly as much as a standard driver

• If replacing your driver: comparable value

• If it’s a “bonus” club between driver and 3-wood: a premium luxury

• Best suited to those who struggle with driver consistency or want tighter dispersion from the tee

Who Should Game the Elyte Mini Driver?

• Players who struggle with a full-size driver

• Golfers who need accuracy over pure distance

• Players uncomfortable hitting 3-wood off a tee

• Strong players who want a second tee club for tight holes

• Not ideal for: players with low swing speed or those who rarely miss fairways with their driver

Final Thoughts

Callaway’s Elyte Mini Driver might sound like a niche club, and in some ways, it is. But for the right golfer, it could be a game-changer. It’s not a magic fix, but if you’ve been struggling to keep the driver in play, this could offer a better balance of distance and accuracy.