TaylorMade AeroBurner Review
John Scott
4.5/5 stars
Way back in 1984 I purchased one of the first TaylorMade Burner drivers. It was out of this world long at the time. I kept that driver for over 10 years. When you see a picture of it compared to the 460cc heads that are common today, it is almost laughable. To say that driver design has come a long way in the last 30 years is an understatement. The Aeroburner resurrects the Burner name once again and is sure to tempt loyal TaylorMade users.
Pros
Cons
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Increased distance is the area that the Aeroburner wanted to appeal to the masses. In addition, golfers want their driver to be forgiving. TaylorMade has always had a very unique and powerful sound that emanates from their drivers. This continues to be an area that players consistently identify as being important to them. The white crown has been a recurring theme recently, especially in the “R” series. The AeroBurner eventually released in three different configurations… four if you count the ladies; the white head, the black head, the TP model with the white head and the ladies.
As we are used to now, in order to get more distance you need to make the clubhead move faster and there are a few classic ways to do this such as having a longer shaft, a more aerodynamic head, and a lighter overall weight. TaylorMade has used all of these in the past but maybe have got away from doing them all in recent models. In the AeroBurner driver, they have gone for a package that brings all three back together again.
The AeroBurner boasts subtle yet significant aerodynamic upgrades to help you generate faster clubhead speeds off the tee. During the swing, airflow attaches to a fin-like piece along the hosel, while the rounded toe design and curvature of the crown (from topline to peak height) also reduce overall drag. Besides that, the club’s overall weight is sub-300 grams.
Testing conducted by TaylorMade shows that players swing the AeroBurner 1 mph faster than the JetSpeed and SLDR drivers. In addition, the updated “speed pocket” extends the length of the sole, which increases face flexibility on shots struck low on the face and in the heel or toe, and expands the club’s sweet spot by 10 percent compared to the JetSpeed driver.
Distance
There are a number of design attributes that contribute to the AeroBurner’s distance capability. As the name suggests, a lot of the added speed comes from aerodynamic improvements. The first is the small fin on the hosel. This combined with the rounded toe, and textured crown curvature, shape the airflow and makes it easier to swing this club faster than you might have with another.
Added speed also comes from the fact it is lighter, but we will talk about that later. The “Speed Pocket” on the AeroBurner is much longer and deeper than previous drivers. Testing suggested that golfers of most levels gained 1 mph in their swing speed. The launch angle is significantly higher with this driver as well, contributing to added distance.
Forgiveness
The size of the “Speed Pocket” also enhances the sweet spot on the TaylorMade AeroBurner. The 10% larger sweet spot (larger than that of its predecessor, the JetSpeed) increases face flexibility on off-center and low struck shots.
Adjustability
The only fact to mention here is that there is no adjustability in the AeroBurner. TaylorMade claims that an adjustable hosel would have drastically affected the aerodynamics of the club. This outweighed the benefit of any hosel adjustment.
Specifications
- Right-handed and left-handed 460cc head
- Lofts available: 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees
- Shaft is a TM Matrix RUL-Z 50
- Flex: ladies, regular, stiff and extra stiff
- No adjustability
- 300 grams overall weight
Acoustics
Dating back to the original Burner I played back in 1984, TaylorMade has always had a distinct sound when hit well. If anything, that has been enhanced with the advent of larger clubheads and thinner faces. The AeroBurner is no different. When you stripe it, the sound is unmistakable.
Optics
The AeroBurner has both white and black crown options. The alignment aid is easier to see on the white head, but the black gives the club a look that we haven’t seen from TaylorMade before.
Tour Version
The TP model comes designed with a longer hosel, flatter lie, and more open face angle. Shaft: Matrix Ozik White Tie 60X4
Accessories
No accessories needed.
Who is it for?
This driver is very light (300 grams) and therefore is best suited for players with medium to slower swing speed. Hard, fast swingers could get a bit wild in regards to swing plane with the AeroBurner and would benefit better with opting for either the TaylorMade R15 or the TaylorMade M2.
Consumer ratings
By Keeku
I had trouble with the stock (10.5 degree) Azul regular shaft, so I put in a R11s stiff shaft. I was definitely more able to control the face and club throughout the swing. Club head was still light and the performance was to my higher end. Distance and forgiveness was high even though launch was also. Did not roll out as much as last years Jetspeed. The results were very good and easy to hit once the shaft change but there is not enough feel to know what is going on with the contact and your swing.
By Michael
Bought this driver at the start of the season, superb. I like the fact that there is no messing with loft or club face adjustment. Hardly missed a fairway and my local course is tight, l have the 10.5 loft stiff shaft my swing speed is 100-105 flies high and flies long. Into the wind it’s difficult to keep low but with the ground conditions this year (heavy wet ground) l feel l get just as much distance from my normal set up. I like it a lot.
Attractive at address, sits slightly closed. Increased club speed delivered more yards. It was tricky to control at times and I’d have liked to add a fraction more loft.
The lightweight feel worked for me. My club speed went up by 2mph and I got some of my longest carries on test.
Summary
Having used TaylorMade so much over the last 30 years, I am undoubtedly somewhat biased. However, I believe that TaylorMade has hit a home run with this driver. In a time where launch angle and distance are so important, the AeroBurner driver gives us improvements in both areas. The fact that there is no adjustment needed to achieve these results only goes to prove that, sometimes solutions to problems need not be complicated.
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