It’s rare that a golf equipment company runs unopposed in any category. I mean, given that more than one reputable brand makes a chipper, you wouldn’t think TaylorMade would have the mini-driver category all to itself but that’s how things stand right now as the company launches the BRNR Mini Driver.
This latest iteration, as the vowel-less name suggests, is a bit of an aesthetic throwback to TaylorMade’s classic Burner TI Bubble 2 lineup.
By my count, the BRNR is TaylorMade’s fifth foray into the category and, other than a large PING fairway wood and a singular Callaway Big Bertha mini-driver, nobody else has bothered to compete.
Why?
The simple explanation is that mini-drivers are niche products that don’t fit neatly into the mix for most players. As we dig into that and why you may or may not want to consider one, it makes sense to start with the obvious question.
What is a mini-driver?
Keeping the explanation as simple as possible, a mini-driver like the TaylorMade BRNR Mini is, well, more or less exactly what it sounds like. A mini-driver is a small driver. I could also make a case for describing it as a jumbo 2-wood, though that doesn’t roll off the tongue as smoothly.
In reality, a mini-driver is a bit of an oddity in that it sits somewhere between a driver and a fairway wood.
TaylorMade Director of Product Creation Tomo Bystedt says the BRNR Mini Driver’s DNA is roughly 60-percent fairway wood and 40-percent driver.
We’re, of course, ballparking things a bit as that ratio is based on the fact that many modern fairways are designed—at least in part—to be used off the tee.
It also comes with the caveat that some golfers who buy a TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver may never hit it off the fairway. It may never occur to some that they can.
Based strictly on size, the BRNR Mini Driver is closer to a fairway wood.
A typical driver is 460cc, while fairway woods run in the 170s. For comparison, the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver comes in at 300.
For additional context, that’s roughly the same size as the previous TaylorMade 300 Mini. It wasn’t a club that got a lot of play on the PGA TOUR but guys who bagged the 300 from time to time liked the size, so TaylorMade kept the same basic footprint with the BRNR Mini.
TaylorMade BRNR Mini Tech Details
The most notable technical feature of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver is its low center of gravity. That should help it launch higher, especially when played off the deck.
The BRNR Mini is also the first time TaylorMade has offered movable weights in a mini-driver.
When the heavy weight is in the front, the center of gravity is below face-center. That’s basically unheard of for fairway woods and should work to keep spin down.
With the heavy weight in the back position, spin won’t be quite as low but it does offer a solid forgiveness bump, making it a compelling alternative to a standard fairway wood.
The weights are 13 grams and 1.5 grams. While those values are visible on the weights themselves, TaylorMade has also labeled the weights Heavy and Light. It’s a small detail but I appreciate the simplicity.
BRNR Mini Construction
The TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver features a titanium face (with TwistFace technology), carbon fiber crown and a SpeedPocket. The benefits of the latter should shine through on low-face contact. That is particularly compelling, given the taller face (relative to a standard fairway wood) of the Mini.
I’m sure someone will ask, so no. There’s no carbon face.
As we discussed when the Stealth and Stealth 2 drivers launched, to be viable as a face material, carbon fiber needs a large face. And by “large,” I mean the kind of face that goes in a 460cc driver.
Much smaller than that and carbon fiber won’t work. Attached to a 300cc body, a carbon fiber face is a non-starter.
The TaylorMade BRNR Mini is adjustable at the hosel vai TaylorMade’s two-degree loft sleeve.
On a related note, stock shafts for the BRNR Mini Driver are the same length as fairway woods but, because of the taller body and bit of extra hosel length, the playing length is longer.
That may not matter to everyone but in addition to providing TaylorMade with better fitting tools, it means your TaylorMade 3-wood shafts should work just fine in your Mini. No modification required.
Why would I play a BRNR Mini Driver?
There are several reasons why one might consider putting a BRNR Mini in the bag.
A mini-driver is more forgiving than a fairway wood. The combined MOI (top/bottom and heel/toe) for a TaylorMade Stealth 2 fairway wood, for example, is 4,700 or so.
The MOI of the BRNR Mini driver is around 6,700. That’s a sizable jump.
A BRNR Mini is going to be longer than a fairway wood.
In this case, “longer” refers to both the playing length and distance but the point is that a stock BRNR Mini should be about five to seven yards longer than a fairway wood in stock configuration. In longer builds (closer to driver length), the BRNR’s distance advantage over a fairway wood creeps into double digits.
The BRNR Mini is easier to hit off the tee than a driver. That’s not a universal truth but for guys who struggle with the driver, the shorter-shafted Mini can be easier to hit.
It’s also true that the BRNR Mini’s smaller head means the center of gravity is closer to the shaft axis. That’s typically used as the basis for claims that a club is “more workable” but the fact is that it does make a mini-driver easier to turn over.
With that, it works well for holes where a reliable draw is preferred. It’s the reason a couple of BRNR Minis were in play at the Masters. For guys who aren’t necessarily trying to work the ball, the same design attributes can work to reduce a slice.
To put all of that in context, I sometimes play with a guy who carries two drivers. He’s got his standard driver and a higher-lofted, spinnier one he uses on tight holes or when he feels he needs more control.
For him, the BRNR Mini could replace his higher-lofted option. And since that’s currently a NIKE Sasquatch, it probably should.
(I digress.)
The BRNR Mini can be hit off the deck. That’s likely a requirement for those looking to replace a fairway wood (which is mostly likely the case) but it’s nevertheless important to point out that the TaylorMade BRNR Mini isn’t exclusively a tee club.
The low center of gravity makes it easier to hit off the fairway than its address profile suggests. That’s especially true for golfers who hit down on the ball.
Why Wouldn’t I Play a BRNR Mini?
There are a few reasons why a BRNR Mini might not work for you.
It might be hard to hit off the deck.
Yeah, I know I just said kinda the opposite. The point is that a mini-driver without a tee is a classic “your mileage may vary” situation.
While hitting a mini off the deck is probably less difficult than you think, if your frame of reference for a fairway wood is one of those squat shallow-faced clubs designed to be hit from basically anywhere, the mini is going to be a lot of club to look at.
So even though it can be done, you might have a hard time convincing yourself it can be done.
And, yeah, if your attack angle tends to be neutral or even positive, it’s going to be a bit more challenging.
There may not be enough loft
This dovetails with my previous point. The TaylorMade BRNR Mini driver is available in 11.5- and 13.5-degree options only. For some, that’s simply not enough loft to make it viable as a 3-wood replacement.
If you don’t plan on hitting off the deck, it probably doesn’t matter, but if you already struggle to get your strongest-lofted fairway wood in the air, the Mini isn’t likely to make things any better.
The BRNR Mini can work well when the objective is to absolutely max out distance but if high and soft is the primary objective, you’re probably better off with a traditional fairway wood.
You’ve got no room in the bag.
The USGA’s oppressive rules cap your bag at 14 clubs. I’d wager that’s how many you carry and so basic math and common sense tell us that if we want to add a BRNR Mini to the mix, something else has to come out.
Maybe that’s a 3-wood. It’s not unheard of for mini-drivers to be a direct replacement for a standard driver but, for many, the BRNR Mini will likely prove to be a really cool idea that they just don’t have room for.
BRNR Mini Aesthetics
Finally, I’d be remiss not to touch on the aesthetics of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver. What’s likely obvious to many of you is that the BRNR is a bit of nostalgia play that taps into the love for Burner TI Bubble 2.
For sure, there are a few points where TM wasn’t true to the original design. For example, there’s no bubble shaft. Sorry, guys.
Remarkably, I know some of you will be disappointed but, instead of the bubble shaft, TaylorMade is using a UST Proforce 65 (Retro Burner Edition). The original Proforce was popular when Bubble 2 was on the market so there is a loose tie-in here. Mostly, it’s a new shaft with cosmetics to match the original.
Unlike the Burner Ti Bubble 2, TaylorMade didn’t fully commit to the copper colorway. I know some of you like it but a copper crown is a pretty solid way to all but guarantee zero Tour play.
Instead, the crown is black, though it’s not without some copper hues. When the light hits just right, some of that original color shines through.
The sole of the BRNR Mini is a bit of a hybrid design. It has the K-sole shape of the Burner Ti Bubble 2 but the underlying tech is V-Sole which helps push mass low while reducing the surface area for ground contact, making it easier to hit off the fairway.
Lastly, the head cover is a sock-and-barrel design that’s also a throwback to the Burner Ti Bubble 2.
Pricing and Availability
The retail price for the TaylorMade BRNR Mini is $449. That’s the same as a Stealth 2 Plus Fairway. So, on one hand, it’s an expensive fairway wood. On the other, it’s a value-priced driver.
Perspective is everything, I suppose.
The TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5 degrees in regular, stiff, and x-stiff.
The stock shaft is UST Proforce 65. The stock grip is a black-and-copper SuperStroke.
Availability begins April 17.
For more information, visit TaylorMadeGolf.com.
