The TaylorMade Tour Burner driver performance comes from TaylorMade's new Dual Crown technology, wherein the size of the crown is noticeably smaller than the large sole. A clearly delineated groove encircles the extra large club head, separating the crown and sole. The smaller crown is 12% lighter than the crown of TaylorMade's Burner driver. Also crucial is TaylorMade's Ultra-Thin Wall casting technology, which allows the club head walls to measure as little as .55 millimetres thick. The weight saved by the TaylorMade Tour Burner driver's Dual Crown and Ultra-Thin Wall technologies is redistributed to create an exceptionally low CG location – among the lowest ever in a TaylorMade driver. On a vertical axis, the Tour Burner's CG is positioned 40% lower in relation to the centre of the clubface than the Burner TP.
The TaylorMade Tour Burner driver head's exceptionally high MOI makes it extremely stable and forgiving on off-centre hits. That benefit, combined with the advantage provided by TaylorMade's renowned Inverted Cone clubface technology, results in even higher ball speed on off-centre hits. Inverted Cone Technology, characterized by a shallow cone milled directly onto the inner side of the clubface, changes the way the face behaves at impact so that a larger area of the face delivers higher ball speed.
The combined benefits of the Tour Burner driver's high MOI and Inverted Cone Technology result in what TaylorMade calls "effective MOI," or "eMOI," that exceeds 5800 (the USGA's limit on MOI is 5900). TaylorMade's definition of eMOI is the positive influence on ball speed on off-centre hits that's exerted by the combined effects of a driver's MOI and clubface technology (versus constant-thickness clubfaces). eMOI in TaylorMade drivers is dramatically higher, and more valuable in terms of its affect on ball speed, than MOI alone, owing to the benefits of TaylorMade's patented Inverted Cone Technology. The Tour Burner's large sole serves a second valuable purpose by creating an expansive address footprint that promotes increased confidence, and the advanced club head geometry delivers the kind of great impact sound and feel for which TaylorMade drivers are famous. The TaylorMade Tour Burner also features TaylorMade's SuperFast technology, embodied by the combination of a SuperFast 60-gram shaft that combines low torque (2.8) with a stiff .350" tip, an extra-light grip and a club-length of 45.5". Together these components promote faster swing speed for increased distance.
The TaylorMade Tour Burner driver has a powerful look from the side, but from above it has a slightly triangular shape as the back of the club is pulled away from the face. Compared to the TP version, the standard Tour Burner is shallower top to bottom and longer heel to toe and therefore sounds a little more hollow. The forgiveness was good right across the face and the trajectory was lower than most other drivers around, which was a positive point. Despite the name the standard Tour Burner did not really set us on fire, as we are unsure about the looks and as ever with TaylorMade the TP version is the one to go for as the shaft is much better quality, but at what cost?
» View the microsite at burnerbloodline.com
» Dual crown and weighted power-base promote increased carry and distance
» Modern head shape promotes lower, deeper and precision-placed CG for higher launch angle and lower spin
» SuperFast Technology promotes increased swing speed, faster ball speed and added distance
» Inverted Cone Technology dramatically expands the portion of the clubface that delivers high COR for consistently longer drives on off-center hits
» SuperFast 60-gram shaft is exceptionally lightweight and stable to promote greater distance and accuracy
