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Titleist debuts GT280 mini driver on the PGA Tour at The Sentry

david dusek, golfweek
·3 min read

With the PGA Tour set to start the 2025 season on Thursday at The Sentry, Titleist announced Monday it is bringing a new mini driver to the Plantation Course at Kapalua: the yet-to-be-released GT280.

Titleist launched the GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers last summer at the Memorial Tournament. Those clubs, along with the GT family of fairway woods, have been available at retail for several months. However, a 13-degree prototype mini driver — referred to as the TSR 2W — quietly started showing up in a few Titleist staff players’ bags last season, beginning at The Players Championship. Cameron Young, Will Zalatoris, Max Homa and other pros used the club as an alternative off the tee. Golfweek reported on this club several times and provided close-up images last spring.

While Titleist has not released any official details about the GT280, images show it has two movable weights, one in the back and another behind the leading edge on the sole. If one weight is heavier than the other, placing more weight forward in the head could reduce spin, increase ball speed, and lower the launch angle. Conversely, placing more weight in the back would boost stability, increase spin and create a higher-flying shot.

The GT280 (left) is much larger than Titleist's other fairway woods.
The GT280 (left) is much larger than Titleist's other fairway woods.

Most better-player fairway woods are around 175 to 190 cubic centimeters in volume, but mini drivers from other manufacturers tend to hover around 300 cc. It’s possible the “280” in the GT280 name refers to the club’s volume.

The 13.5-degree GT2 3-wood is 200 cc in volume, so if the GT280 is indeed 280 cc, it would be 40 percent larger. Compared to the 15-degree GT3 3-wood, which is 177 cc, the GT280 would be 58 percent larger.

Photos of the GT280 reveal an adjustable hosel, likely Titleist’s standard SureFit adjustable hosel. If the club has the same 13-degree loft as the prototype used by players in 2024, the GT280 could play with as little as 12.25 degrees of loft or as much as 14.5 degrees.

The adjustable weights and hosel should allow players and fitters to find the ideal launch angle and distance numbers to make the GT280 make sense in a player's bag.
The adjustable weights and hosel should allow players and fitters to find the ideal launch angle and distance numbers to make the GT280 make sense in a player's bag.

So, why would an elite player choose to carry a mini driver instead of a standard 3-wood? Unlike recreational golfers, big-hitting pros rarely need to hit a 3-wood from the fairway to reach a par 5 in two shots. For many, a 3-wood is strictly a tee club. Knowing that, opting for a club that goes 15 to 20 yards shorter than a driver but offers more distance and forgiveness than a traditional 3-wood makes sense. With its adjustable hosel and movable weights, Titleist fitters can likely optimize the GT280 to do just that.

The smaller head and shorter shaft used in mini drivers can also make it easier to shape shots. For players who struggle to hit a draw with their driver, hitting a right-to-left shot with a mini driver could be easier.

When Titleist releases official information about the GT280, Golfweek will report it.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Titleist debuts GT280 mini driver on the PGA Tour at The Sentry