How to Hit a Mini Driver: 5 Tips for Accuracy and Distance Off the Tee
A mini driver combines the forgiving ease of a fairway wood with the powerful launch of a driver. Mini drivers are huge right now and showing up in the bags of amateurs and professionals.
The mini driver is a versatile club for golfers seeking both distance and accuracy. Understanding proper setup, swing adjustments, and tempo is essential to get the most from your mini driver.
This guide provides actionable tips and drills to help you consistently strike your mini driver pure and straight.
Key Takeaways
If you don’t have time to read through our entire guide on the mini driver, or you want to wait until you get to the range, at least take these tips with you for now.
- Use a forward ball position similar to your driver setup.
- Tee height matters; tee it slightly lower than a traditional driver.
- Wrist position at the top of the swing impacts shot consistency with a mini driver.
- Tempo and rhythm can significantly improve your accuracy.
- Mini drivers can be effective off the deck, with the right setup adjustments.
- HackMotion can precisely measure wrist positions, ensuring consistent performance with your driver and your mini driver.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
5 Tips for Hitting a Mini Driver
For the most part, the mini driver is going to play very similarly to your driver.
There are a few things to note: it’s a shorter club that is easier to play off the deck and generally easier to control than your traditional driver.
For players who are wondering if the 3-wood is the right addition to the bag, the mini driver could be a good alternative.
Play the Ball Position Forward
When hitting a mini driver, you are going to want to play the ball just inside your lead heel. Keep it in the same position you would with your traditional driver.
The forward ball position encourages an upward strike, optimizing launch and reducing spin.
You want to keep this ball position forward when hitting off a tee and when hitting from the short grass. No divots with the mini driver, get the ball on the upswing and sweep it clean.
Tee Height Adjustment
The mini driver is not as large as a traditional driver. Tee it slightly lower than you would a standard driver.
You want about half the ball above the crown of your mini driver. This helps promote ideal impact conditions without popping the ball up.
The higher tee height helps you maximize distance, but you have to adjust slightly because the mini driver is not as large.
Pay Attention to Your Setup Posture
A taller posture with less knee bend encourages a flatter swing plane. Even though the mini driver isn’t as long as your regular driver, that flatter plane will help you sweep the ball cleanly.
Try not to crouch or lean back as it can throw off your balance and contact position.
If the thought needs to be “stand taller” at setup, that’s acceptable with this club in your hands.
Wrist Angles at the Top of the Swing
The wrists in the golf swing control the face of the club. If you want to hit a square shot with your mini driver, you should maintain a neutral wrist angle.
Keep this wrist angle neutral at the top of your backswing and avoid excessive cupping (extension) or bowing (flexion) as both issues can cause poor strikes.
HackMotion is perfect for tracking your wrist angles and helping you improve wrist mechanics. You can work on drills in real time that help you fix your wrist position at the top of the backswing.
Mini Driver Off the Deck
One of the things golfers like about the mini driver right now is that it is a versatile club. As great as it is for getting a tee shot in the fairway, it also works on those longer approaches to a par five.
If you hit your mini driver from the fairway, move the ball slightly back from your tee position. Get it just ahead of the center stance.
Ensure you have a perfect lie, as mini drivers are less forgiving off uneven or thick grass.
Maintain that neutral wrist angle at impact. If you lead with your arms and your wrist is in a poor position, you won’t have good results.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
3 Proven Drills to Improve Your Mini Driver Performance
The best possible way to work on your mini driver performance is to practice it more. Spending time hitting shots will help you get more comfortable and see better results.
Here are some drills that should help you work on hitting a mini driver with consistency and distance.
Combined Top Drill (HackMotion Drill)
This drill bridges slow-motion practice with full-speed swings to refine your top-of-swing wrist position.
You can find the Combined Top Drill in the HackMotion app and work on it in real time.
Combined Top Drill in HackMotion
Train your top position by mastering optimal wrist angles. Challenge yourself to reach the ideal wrist position during a full-speed backswing.
HackMotion Combined Top Drill – Step by Step:
- Address the Ball: Set up normally and wear your HackMotion sensor.
- Backswing & Pause: Make a full-speed backswing and pause briefly at the top.
- Check Wrist Position: Use HackMotion to confirm you’re in the green zone for flexion/extension.
- Swing Through: Complete your swing from the paused position.
- Smooth Out the Pause: Gradually shorten the pause until you can hit the correct wrist angle naturally.
HackMotion Motorcycle Drill
If you struggle to hit straight shots with your mini driver, the Motorcycle Drill may help.
This drill is designed to help you square the clubface through impact and hit a more penetrating ball flight with more flexion in your lead wrist.
Motorcycle Drill – Master Wrist Flexion in the Downswing
Focus on continuously adding flexion until the club reaches parallel, then smoothly complete your swing.
HackMotion Motorcycle Drill – Step by Step:
- Set Up Normally: Take your usual address position with the HackMotion sensor active.
- Rev the Wrist: Start the downswing by “revving” your lead wrist to add gradual flexion.
- Reach Max Flexion: Build to maximum wrist flexion by the time the club reaches parallel to the ground.
- Maintain Through Impact: Keep the wrist flexed through impact, then let the club release naturally.
- Mix Practice & Real Swings: Alternate between slow-motion reps and actual shots, using HackMotion feedback to refine wrist action.
Benefit: Creates a consistent square clubface at impact, critical for accuracy and distance with your mini driver.
Tempo and Finish Drill
Finally, any time you have a longer club in your hand, tempo becomes an important part of the equation.
Tempo in golf helps to improve swing rhythm and balance for better consistency, but when you need distance and accuracy, make sure the tempo is correct.
Here’s a great tempo and finish drill that’s perfect for practicing with your mini driver.
Tempo and Finish Drill – Step by Step:
- Build Rhythm: Waggle your club and allow slight foot movement at address to establish a smooth tempo.
- Hit and Hold: Make your swing and hold your finish position until the ball lands.
- Check Balance: Ensure you can hold your finish comfortably without losing your balance.
Final Thoughts
Mastering your mini driver involves proper setup adjustments, precise wrist mechanics, and smooth swing sequencing.
Incorporating these tips and drills into your regular practice sessions, combined with HackMotion feedback, will help you achieve consistent accuracy and impressive distance off the tee.
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