Equipment

WRX Spotted: TaylorMade “Original One” Mini Driver

Published

7 years ago

Mar 25, 2019

It’s been said before — what’s old is new again, and in the case of what just popped up on the USGA Conforming List, it appears the new “Original One” from TaylorMade could be 40 years in the making.

Although we have no official word from TaylorMade on any of the specifics of “Original One” yet, there sure are a lot of conclusions we could draw from the standard single black and white image that accompanies a new inclusion on the conforming list.

First off its clearly a Mini Driver (hopefully this proves I’m literate now). We’re not sure of the CCs of this club, but based off the previously released AeroBurner Mini, we would expect it to fall between the 255-300cc mark. Which on a side note is kinda funny because 300cc used to be considered an oversized club…
It’s adjustable: Unlike previous iterations of the “Mini,” this club will be fully adjustable. This means that it will have adjustability +/- two degrees from the standard lofts, currently listed as 11.5 and 13.5 degrees and on the USGA list; fantastic news for anyone concerned about fitting or shaft testing.
Original One (Pittsburgh Persimmon): Like I said off the top, this club is 40 years in the making because 2019 is TaylorMade Golf’s 40th Anniversary. The name is a throwback to its Original metal driver — the Pittsburgh Persimmon. (A TM spokesperson did confirm “This is a cool product to celebrate our 40th anniversary…more info to follow)
Technology aplenty: Just from the sole alone, we can clearly see that the “Original One” has hosel adjustability, a speed pocket, and a titanium crown. This is pure speculation but it will be interesting to see if it will also include TwistFace and the company’s new speed injected face.
Screws on the sole: To maximize mass properties, these screws could be holding a very heavy sole plate to the bottom of the club to move mass to the furthest reaches of the club’s shell. Again this is speculation, but taking a close look at the lines of the black and white photo (I’ve been staring at it for 10 minutes now), I have an inkling this might be the case.

This is not the first time TaylorMade has brought a mini driver to market. There was the SLDR Mini in 2014, and after that, there was the AeroBurner. Both clubs were great for both professional and recreational players alike to give another confidence inspiring option for off the tee — and for the truly brave souls with some speed to hit off the deck.

We will probably be seeing this on tour very soon as players fine-tune their setups for major season. In other words, we shouldn’t have to wait long to see our technological speculation confirmed (or refuted).

See what WRX Members are saying in the forums.

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Ryan Barath

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

31 Comments

Brian Moyse

Apr 15, 2019 at 1:35 am

I had one of those SLDR’s but couldn’t get any benefit from it so changed to an older TM R7 and W/S Ti td5, love them both. Had a lot of time for TM and good to see Tiger using them.

Reply Report comment
LoPro

Mar 28, 2019 at 2:00 am

From the looks of where the screws are placed, this one has “Speed Injected Anus” for a better pounding effect and at least 20 more “Crap” yards ????

Reply Report comment
Bob Castelline

Mar 27, 2019 at 4:15 pm

I carried the original Pittsburgh Persimmon. Carried it for a long time (back in the days when you didn’t change drivers every year). I wish I still had my old Taylormade. Loved that stick. I happen to be a guy who hits his 3-wood more solidly and more consistently than his driver, so this club makes sense for me, if it feels right. Can’t wait to test it out (because after all, my current driver is now a year old, which means it’s sorely out of date).

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Mike Cleland

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:44 pm

Wonderful…get it out…

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HDTVMAN

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:25 pm

I had the Callaway Bertha Mini and really liked it. 3-Wood length shaft and easy to hit. Traded it when the Fusion was introduced. But the new drivers are so forgiving, I don’t see the reason for this club.

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J Mytro

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:22 pm

Loved the MINI DRIVER when it came out but switch back to Tmad driver and cut 2″ off the shaft for more control and distance.

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joro

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:14 pm

April Fools !!!!!!!!

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juststeve

Mar 26, 2019 at 11:21 am

I carried the original “Original One” back in the day. Used it as a three wood. Easy to hit off the turf and very long. First mewtl headed wood I ever owned.

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Richard Douglas

Mar 26, 2019 at 2:53 am

I’ve been gaming the SLDR Mini since its introduction. It’s the only wood I carry besides the driver–it’s 3-iron through LW from there. I love it and use it as my fairway insurance device.

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Ricky

Mar 25, 2019 at 6:33 pm

Reliable insider sources report that this club is specifically coming to market in advance of the Masters as Augusta National will announce that the maximum size of clubs for this years tournament will be 300ccs. It is rumored that the announcement from Augusta is coming on April 1st. Instead of rolling back the ball the club has reportedly decided to take a stand against increasing distance in the game through the size of drivers and not the “Masters Ball” as discussed by many talking heads last year. All other manufacturers are working on similar products for their staff players at the Masters.

Reply Report comment
- Simms
  
  Mar 25, 2019 at 9:01 pm
  
  Now I have to say they are going to announce this April 1st?? that would be crazy, if they have equipment requirements they would let the pros know a lot more in advance then that…do you really think giving the player less then a month to get a new club and put it in play…if this was so how come no one was hitting one on the range or playing one in the last few tournaments…reliable insider sources from one of the most private golf clubs in the world..Yea I believe that..
  
  Reply Report comment
  - rockin1234
    
    Mar 25, 2019 at 9:30 pm
    
    Yes. April 1st.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Fool
      
      Mar 25, 2019 at 10:01 pm
      
      Definitely April First.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - Tim Armington
    
    Mar 26, 2019 at 12:12 am
    
    Wow
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Tim Armington
      
      Mar 26, 2019 at 12:13 am
      
      Def April 1st from my source too
      
      Reply Report comment
  - B
    
    Mar 26, 2019 at 3:24 am
    
    Belee it Simms, belee it. lol
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Spalding
    
    Mar 26, 2019 at 6:43 am
    
    Yep April 1st here too in Australia.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Richard Douglas
  
  Mar 26, 2019 at 2:50 am
  
  Ahh, the ground-breaking April 1st announcement. Of course.
  
  Did you know the word “gullible” is not in the dictionary. Go ahead, look it up.
  
  Reply Report comment
Curt

Mar 25, 2019 at 5:28 pm

Time for them to be the size pros have to use. Maybe they’ll have to think a bit more about swinging as hard as possible.

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ND Hickman

Mar 25, 2019 at 5:14 pm

Now waiting on Callaway to re-release some form of Big Bertha Mini / Phrakenwood … which I will probably end up buying anyway.

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- Pack7483
  
  Mar 26, 2019 at 8:28 am
  
  If they would add jailbreak I will definitely buy.
  
  Reply Report comment
Shallowface

Mar 25, 2019 at 5:09 pm

Love it! I was around for the original “Original One.” Maybe 125cc. The club was 43 inches with a steel shaft, and with a Top Flite 300 yard carries were not out of the question. Then on long par 5s you could hit it again for the second shot as the face depth was around 1.25 inches and the loft was 12 degrees. I didn’t work for TaylorMade, but letting guys hit my club sure sold a lot of them for them.

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C

Mar 25, 2019 at 4:56 pm

Cool! Can’t wait! TM is the best! Beat the rest!

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- Jon
  
  Mar 30, 2019 at 7:51 am
  
  You have been brainwashed by TM’s marketing, get help.
  
  Reply Report comment
JP

Mar 25, 2019 at 4:33 pm

Too late. The mini driver craze has ended. They didn’t realize, we’re at the tail end of the driving iron craze. You get rich knowing what’s coming NEXT!

Reply Report comment
- Mike Rohmann
  
  Mar 25, 2019 at 5:05 pm
  
  I don’t necessarily agree. I have been gaming a 16 degree Slider mini driver for 4 years. It’s a superb club off the tee and is easy to get in the air from the turf. I have 1 that I game and another back up. I think that for many this club is a great alternative to any kind of driving iron. I have tried many and this is much easier for the regular play to use.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Alex
    
    Mar 25, 2019 at 8:20 pm
    
    Why do you play a 16 degree mini driver?
    
    Reply Report comment
    - B
      
      Mar 26, 2019 at 3:24 am
      
      He obviously has problems getting it up
      
      Reply Report comment
      - JP
        
        Mar 26, 2019 at 11:52 am
        
        Your reply just won the internet! Hahaha
        
        Reply Report comment
    - Benny
      
      Mar 26, 2019 at 8:41 am
      
      I play the same. 16* Mini as my 3w. Super easy off the tee and has great height while being able to shape it well. Off the deck I needed the 16* to get some loft.
      I had a 12* and 14* but the 16* was best for me as I am a low ball hitter. I have tried replacing it with a normal 3w but I have such issues with how the club sits and why I tend to game the Sldr Mini.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Charles Haeger
        
        Mar 30, 2019 at 9:11 pm
        
        Then fix your swing
        
        Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”