News
TaylorMade Original One: A new twist on the mini driver
It’s been a while since TaylorMade launched its last mini driver, and with the new “Original One” nicknamed Pittsburgh Persimmon (a nod to both the VERY first metal wood and a city known for its steel) you could say this club is 40 years in the making.
There are not a lot of golf companies that get to 25 years, let alone 40, and in 2019 TaylorMade is celebrating its Ruby anniversary in a BIG way. We have already seen the P7TW irons and a HUGE green jacket win to go along with them, and now with the Original One, we are getting a lot of tech into a product designed to help a lot more golfers than a set of blade irons.
As speculated a few weeks ago by yours truly in another piece: Spotted: TM Original One Mini Driver, I’ll pat myself on the back and say that many of the design and technology features I took from that single black and white photo have been confirmed, minus the titanium crown part – its actually carbon fiber. (Hey, I can’t be right all the time)
TaylorMade Original One Technology
I’ll let TaylorMade explain the technology story
“With the 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.”
The heavy steel soleplate was my biggest speculation beyond TwistFace, and now we know they are utilizing this extremely heavy sole. To put that into perspective, 50g of mass is roughly 24 percent of a 208g clubhead — an assumed mass based on the stock length and swing weight spec. That’s a pretty easy way to drop CG and push mass to the outside to increase MOI — something many people that will primarily use this off the tee will want and need.
Additional features of the “Original One” Mini include
- Loft Sleeve with ±2° loft adjustability – get ready for easy shaft testing 🙂
- Twist Face Technology to provide the ultimate path to straight distance – brought in from other metal woods
- Inverted Cone Technology – their tried & tested face design to promote ball speed on off-center hits
Specs, pricing, and 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-degree or 13.5-degree lofts and come equipped with Mitsubishi’s Diamana F Limited shafts in 55g (R), 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.
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Morning 9: Tiger confirms playing schedule | Player: This caused Tiger’s downfall
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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News
Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine
As anticipation mounts for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a few weeks, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in McKinney, Texas to play The CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Last year was the third time TPC Craig Ranch hosted the Byron Nelson. Prior to 2021, the event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
TPC Craig Ranch is a 7,414-yard par-71 that features Bentgrass greens. The event historically plays relatively easy, and that has remained the case in the three editions at TPC Craig Ranch.
The course structure may provide some additional intrigue with the par-3 17th featuring a stadium setup called “Ranch 17” which is reminiscent of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The course also has both long and difficult par-4s mixed with drivable par-4s, which should create some exciting moments.
There are 156 golfers in the field this week, and many stars will be taking the week off to prepare for 2023’s second major championship in a few weeks and a “signature event” at Quail Hollow next week. Notable players in the field include Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Alex Noren, Adam Scott and Will Zalatoris.
Past Winners of the AT&T Byron Nelson
- 2023: Jason Day (-23 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2022: K.H. Lee (-26 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2021: K.H. Lee (-25 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
- 2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
- 2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
- 2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)
- 2015: Steven Bowditch (-18)
Key Stats at TPC Craig Ranch
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for TPC Craig Ranch to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach remains the best measure of current form.
Hot iron play will be at a premium this week. Last year, Jason Day gained 6.4 strokes on approach, which was fourth in the field. In 2022, K.H. Lee was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.2 strokes. In his 2021 victory, he was second in the field and gained 8.3 strokes on the field in the category.
Strokes Gaines: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
- Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
- Ryan Moore (+0.98)
- Ben Martin (0.80)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Fairways are wide at TPC Craig Ranch.
Distance will certainly be helpful, and there aren’t too many difficult holes on the course. Golfers who put themselves in position off of the tee this week should have a sizable advantage.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds
- Peter Kuest (+0.93)
- Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
- Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
- Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
- Kevin Tway (+0.74)
Birdie or Better %
There aren’t many hazards on the course, and all of the par-5s should be reachable in two for the majority of the players in the field. I am anticipating a birdie fest, and this statistic should be helpful in finding the birdie-makers.
Birdie or Better % Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Wesley Bryan (31%)
- Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
- Peter Kuest (25.9%)
- Matti Schmid (25.7%
- Jimmy Stanger (25.2%)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
Many golfers on TOUR have some major putting surface variance in their statistics and prefer Bentgrass to other surfaces.
Bentgrass is common in Texas, and we often see golfers who play well in Texas continue to do so, finding a great feel around the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
- Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
- Callum Tarren (+0.86)
- Harry Hall (+0.81)
- Nick Hardy (+0.69)
Course History
This statistic will tell us which players have performed the best at TPC Craig Ranch over the past three seasons.
Course History Over Past 12 Rounds:
- Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
- K.H. Lee (+2.59)
- Seamus Power (+1.84)
- Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
- Adam Scott (+1.72)
CJ CUP Byron Nelson Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: OTT (24%), Birdie or Better % (18%), Course History (17%) and SG: Putting Bentgrass (16%).
- Alex Noren
- Adam Scott
- Keith Mitchell
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephen Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Jhonnatan Vegas
- Nate Lashley
- Brice Garnett
- Tom Hoge
2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson Picks
Byeong Hun An +3000 (DraftKings)
Byeong Hun put together an excellent performance at The Masters, finishing T16, which ties his best ever finish at a major championship (also T16 at 2019 U.S. Open). The South Korean gained 9.16 strokes from tee to green, which ranked 2nd in the field behind only the champion, Scottie Scheffler.
An’s next start at Harbour Town didn’t go as well (67th), but he still had a fantastic ball striking week. The 32-year-old bled strokes both around and on the greens, which was his eventual undoing. In his past three starts, An has gained significant strokes on the field both off the tee and on approach.
Benny had a strong start at last year’s Byron Nelson, finishing in a tie for 14th. With limited challenges on the course, he shouldn’t have to do much scrambling. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 17th in the field in birdie or better percentage. The putter is up and down per usual, but his ceiling putting weeks with his LAB Golf putter in 2024 are higher than they’ve been in past seasons.
An is starting to become my “white whale” of the PGA Tour, but I believe in his talent and TPC Craig Ranch is a course that should suit his excellent tee to green play.
Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)
Mackenzie Hughes is quietly putting together a very good season. He finished in a tie for 3rd at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T14 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
In his past 36 rounds in Texas, the Canadian ranks 5th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total. Last year, he finished in a tie for 14th at this event and gained strokes putting and off the tee. Mackenzie played well that week despite being in extremely poor form. He missed two cuts in a row prior to the event, and four consecutive cuts immediately after. His irons were off that week, but in 2024, we’ve seen an improvement in Hughes’ approach game. He now comes to the event playing some steady golf. He’s gained strokes on approach in four of his past five events and is hitting the ball very well from tee to green.
Hughes has two victories on the PGA Tour, both coming in relatively low-scoring affairs (-17 in each). He will need to go a bit deeper to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has the type of putter that can keep pace in a birdie barrage.
Seamus Power +7000 (FanDuel)
After struggling over the past few seasons with injuries, Seamus Power seems as if he is rounding back into the form that made him a really consistent player on the PGA Tour.
Power finished T12 in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage, which is encouraging considering it was a “signature event” with a very strong field. For the week, the Irishman gained 4.4 strokes on approach and 2.8 strokes putting, which is the combination he’s used in the past to contend on Tour.
In his three trips to TPC Craig Ranch, Power is yet to finish outside of the top-20, with his best finish being a T9 in 2019. He ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course. The 37-year-old thrives on easy tracks and has won in 2021 (Barbasol Championship) and 2022 (Butterfield Bermuda) on easier layouts with weaker fields.
Power has the game to go extremely low and I believe he can get back in the winner’s circle for the third time in four years.
Chan Kim +10000 (FanDuel)
Chan Kim has been striking the ball beautifully this season and is a proven winner with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 as well as eight career Japan Tour wins.
At last week’s Zurich Classic, Kim and his partner Doug Ghim finished in a tie for 28th. Prior to that, the South Korean T14 at the Valero Texas Open and T6 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. His success this season in Texas as well as he propensity to play his best golf on the PGA Tour’s easier courses make him and ideal fit for TPC Craig Ranch.
2024 has given plenty of longshot winners on the PGA Tour, and with a birdie fest like this, I believe there’s a strong chance we get another this week in McKinney, Texas.
Alejandro Tosti +10000 (FanDuel)
Alejandro Tosti is one of the most polarizing players on the PGA Tour thus far in the 2024 season. His antics can rub many the wrong way, but he’s shown on a few occasions that he has what it takes to compete in Tour events.
This season, Tosti has been elite off the tee. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The Argentine hits it long and straight, which works at any course on earth. He got a taste of contention a few starts ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, finishing in a tie for 2nd place.
Tosti had a fantastic year in 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour, where going low is a prerequisite to success. If this turns to a shootout, which it likely will, the 27-year-old has the ability to set the pace. Tosti will look to become the second Argentine to win in Texas in the past two seasons after Emiliano Grillo emerged victorious at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
C.T. Pan +15000 (FanDuel)
Outside of a T3 at the Mexico Open, C.T. Pan doesn’t have strong results this season in terms of finishes. However, over his past two starts, Pan’s iron play has come alive. At The Players, he gained 6.6 strokes on approach. At the Valero Texas Open, he gained 3.7. At last week’s Zurich Classic, Pan and his partner Kevin Yu finished T28. For a player who can get extremely hot with his scoring clubs, I believe he’s playing better than the results have shown over the past month or so.
Last season, Pan finished 4th at TPC Craig Ranch and was spectacular across all the major stat categories. In his past 36 qualifying rounds, he ranks 16th in Strokes Gained: Total in Texas.
Pan has won on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and is always a player that I believe has what it takes to win on a Sunday if he finds himself in contention.
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Benny
May 5, 2019 at 7:07 pm
Well said Larry and Ian. Great article and posts. I have my SLdR mini in my trunk. I use it when I am in a tight course. About as ling as a 3w but I can find the curtesy cut if need be. I can cut and draw it and wish I had a driver set up the same way. Anyways these are just 2w guys and simply marketed differently so people buy them. But 2w were always bigger and slightly higher loft. Not as long but finding fairway is much better than woods.
Funkaholic
May 3, 2019 at 8:08 pm
I hit the demo at the pgass on the stiff stock diamana. This may replace my 3w.
JP
Apr 30, 2019 at 11:35 am
$399 for this latest gimmick? No thanks…
.
You’re better off just learning to hit a driver and fairway wood properly.
Dan
May 2, 2019 at 8:49 am
They’ll be $199 by July
Funkaholic
May 3, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Just because you are poor doesn’t mean this won’t be a fun club to own.
David Mac Iver
Apr 17, 2019 at 8:54 pm
Larry asked my question- how many CC’s. After playing golf for 62 years, I still can’t get used to 460 CC heads and go to my 13 deg. Rocket Ballz, or my old Callaway Deuce, when I have driver woes.
David Mac Iver
Apr 18, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Carl-Magnus is correct 275 CC’s, limited production, available May 1st. My local off course golf shop owner told me to watch that date since he is only expecting a few to be available in store.
TeeBone
Apr 17, 2019 at 6:25 pm
This will be a big hit initially for the many people who can’t hit a driver for beans who think that a shorter club and a smaller head is the answer. It isn’t. The problem is your crappy swing.
James Calkins
May 25, 2019 at 9:47 pm
I can’t disagree. However, with limited practice time, I’d rather work on my standard iron – fairway wood swing (descending blow) and use that same swing for my driver, rather than practice what for me feel like a lot of changes in order to accommodate the upward path needed for current drivers.
I tried the Original One today at Golf Galaxy. The significantly shorter shaft, and the ability to use a 3-wood swing rather than a driver swing, worked for me. I’m going to go back for a detailed fitting and then buy one. We’re moving soon to a house on a fairly narrow, tree-lined course. I’d much rather hit my driver 255 and be in the fairway almost every time, compared to maybe 280 but with ‘way more dispersion.
The other issue is club count. Going with the Original One, I’ll be 5i, 4H, 5W, driver; compared to 5i, 4H, 5W, 3W, driver. So I’ll open up a club to use at the low end of the bag – a good thing to have.
Maybe I’m just one of a minority, but I’m really glad TaylorMade put this club together.
Larry
Apr 17, 2019 at 4:41 pm
How many cc is the club head
carl-magnus elg
Apr 17, 2019 at 9:12 pm
275cc
Dennis Sanderson
Apr 17, 2019 at 4:41 pm
I use the SLDR 12 degree Mini on tighter courses and in cooler weather. I believe it is quite lively and plenty accurate. Do you strongly expect the new one will be longer and more accurate and/or forgiving? With the loft adjustable on the new one would we be able to use a shaft longer than on the SLDR but still shorter than length of regular drivers? I would certainly like to try out that combination.
Travis
Apr 17, 2019 at 7:42 am
I already play my 460cc driver at 44”, but I’m worried I would lose distance
Borat
Apr 17, 2019 at 7:19 am
The club looks boring! Like my wife.
JP
Apr 21, 2019 at 2:50 am
Trade it in. Especially when you find a 50% trade in bonus!
Steve
Apr 16, 2019 at 10:02 pm
Will this be any better than my 15 degree RBZ2 3 Wood? Looks way cooler, that’s for sure.
Marc
Apr 16, 2019 at 10:45 am
I’m sure a lot of people are gonna hate on this because it is another mini driver. The reality is that many people can’t hit their big driver worth a damn, but their ego keeps it in the bag. My G400 3W is freakishly long and I hit it a lot in tournament rounds because of how long and accurate it is. If you constantly stripe it down the middle with a 3w, it wears down your competitors. I play so many events with people that shouldn’t hit drivers on a majority of the holes, but they do, and they make bogey or worse. Fact is, a lot of people would do best to replace their driver with something like this, because it will likely go further and straighter because they will have so much more confidence while hitting it. Standing on the tee with near 100% confidence is truly a weapon that many people don’t have.
Milo
Apr 16, 2019 at 11:28 am
I love by Callaway mini bertha driver, I’ll be interested to see how this stacks up to it.
Grayson
Apr 16, 2019 at 6:49 pm
I also have the Bertha Mini and absolutely love it. It’ll be hard to top it. My only wish is for maybe a 40cc smaller clubhead.
Milo
Apr 16, 2019 at 7:45 pm
I agree, if I had a problem getting the ball in the air it would be tough to hit off the turf but I actually have the opposite problem, haha.
Ian
Apr 17, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Most sensible comment I’ve read for ages in regards to Drivers. I agree most are just not that consistent with the long stick. But one good shot in every 5 drives is enough for some to still keep it in the bag
Larry69
Apr 17, 2019 at 11:00 pm
Great post. Confidence as a weapon. Awesome. Golf is beautiful because it’s played in the brain just as much if not more than physical ability.