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| Burner 2.0 Driver |
By now everyone has seen the TV commercials, magazine ads, YouTube videos and tour coverage of Taylormade’s new WHITE drivers. Is it just all hype and marketing from the big golf machine we call Taylormade? Or do they really preform in real world conditions? Read the only review on the web that covers both the Taylormade R11 and Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 Drivers.
White Out?
When I first heard about Taylormade’s new “WHITE OUT” drivers for 2011, I was skeptical about how the consumer would react. Nothing can be further from the black painted drivers we have become accustomed to over the last decade. But when I first put one in my hands I was surprised on how minimally invasive the white colour was. The non-reflective, matte white paint is very pleasing to the eye. In fact, I hardly even noticed it was white. Both the R11 and Burner 2.0 are incredibly easy to look at and align. And that is the purpose; white crown combined with a black face make both these drivers easy to align towards the target.
Both drivers have subtle, computerize silver and red graphics around the edge of the crown, but it didn’t interfere with the looks of the club and probably assists in the alignment of the drivers.
Is it Just Paint?
Quick answer: NO. Besides what the competition says, these are not repainted versions of the R9 and Burner 1.0. Both have been reengineered from the ground up, creating the best drivers Taylormade has ever produced. The white makes them just that much better. But now that we have addressed the paint, lets look at each driver on an individual level.
R11 Review
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| R11 Driver |
The R11 driver looks similar to the R9 in terms of the head shape, moveable weight and flight control technology but the engineers have taken it a step further with a Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP). With these 3 exclusive technologies, the golfer can now adjust flight path (MWT), loft (FCT) and face angle (ASP) on an individual basis. What does this mean? Well, you can now fine tune each aspect more precisely to get the most accuracy and distance out of your drives.
Real World Testing
I took my R11 9 degree the stock Fujijura Blur stiff flex shaft out to the range and put it through the paces. First impression; wow this feels good. Besides the good looks of the white paint the R11 has a distinctively better sound than the R9. Not has hollow as it’s predecessor, the R11 has a more solid feel but doesn’t go as far as being a “dead” or “clunky” sound. After a few hits I dialled up the loft a degree to help promote a more right to left ball flight but then opened the face to produce a more square look at address.
After shaking some winter rust off the swing I truly had the R11 dialled in and was hitting it just as, if not better, than my R9 TP.
Burner Superfast 2.0 Review
After hitting the R11 for a bit I didn’t want to put it down, but I wanted to try the new Burner 2.0 just to get an idea. First impression when I picked up this latest version was immediate gratification. Gone is the spaceship looking duel crown the Burner 1.0 sported, and although I never liked it, it still preformed very well. But now the Burner 2.0 has a more traditional looking crown and combined with the white paint makes it a very sexy looking driver. It is the lightest Taylormade driver ever at 279 grams, a few grams light than the first version, which has allowed Taylormade to lengthen the club by an inch to produce more club head speed and more distance. This is Taylormade’s longest driver EVER!
Real World Testing
It took me a few swings to get use to the extra inch, but after that I was bombing this driver. Even though it has no adjustability, I was hitting the Burner 2.0 so well I am now considering switching from the R11, it was that good. The sound was a little more hollow that the R11, but a lot of people are going to like this driver. Not only does it look better with the removal of the dual crown design and the white paint, it just preforms hands down.
For the better player, the Burner 2.0 TP looks even better with a slightly open face at address and a more bulged toe creating a nice compact look.
Both drivers are available at The Harvest Golf Shop. The R11 has a price tag of $449 and the Burner 2.0 comes in at an attractive $339! I recommend that you take advantage of our NO CHARGE club fitting service with our certified CPGA Club Fitters to find the right Taylormade Driver for yourself.
Contributed by
Chad Scott
Head Professional
