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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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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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.