TaylorMade AeroBurner Driver and 3 Wood Review

TaylorMade’s new Aeroburner Driver and AeroBurner Fairway Woods feature new advanced aerodynamic shapes with hosel fins creating a reduction in drag for faster swing speeds. The new Speed Pocket increases the size of the sweet spot and reduces spin for longer, more forgiving shots on off-center hits. A new raised crown with matte-white finish and alignment aid give a great overall look.

You would think that PGA Tour players would want the latest driver with all possible hosel adjustments, movable weights, and other high-tech features to dial in their best possible set up. But that is not always the case. Just ask Dustin Johnson, who won the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March, currently leads the PGA Tour with a massive 318+ yard driving average, and is fourth in the OWGR. Johnson uses the TaylorMade AeroBurner TP Driver to launch those towering majestic drives that we mere mortals can only dream of.

So why would Johnson use a non-adjustable driver when he could use TaylorMade’s top of the line R15 model? He can generate higher swing speed (120+mph) with an optimum launch angle and lower spin, that is why. Pro golfers want to use equipment that gives them the best chance of winning. Johnson currently leads the tour by 7 yards over the next player in driving distance and a whopping 30 yards over the tour average. This gives him a huge advantage. Maybe you can get the same extra yardage and be a club closer to the green.

Technology and Design
TaylorMade’s new AeroBurner drivers and fairway woods feature a revised 460cc aerodynamic shape with a rounder toe, raised center crown, and a new hosel fin that creates a reduction in drag for faster swing speeds. The raised crown helps “keep airflow attached longer and reduces drag” states TaylorMade. The hosel fin is set on the backside of the hosel and allows air to flow around the hosel better, also reducing drag. We’ve seen this feature in other sports like bicycle frame bodies. Keeping air flowing smoothly around a surface and reducing turbulence will reduce drag allowing for faster speeds. Below is a photo showing the raised crown and hosel fins on the driver (left) and 3 wood (right).

The new Speed Pocket, on the sole near the face, increases the size of the sweet spot and reduces spin for longer, more forgiving shots on off-center hits. TaylorMade claims the Aeroburner has the longest open channel of any design. The speed pocket is not a new idea, but companies (including TaylorMade) are continually refining the design for improved performance.

The speed pocket is the red channel near the face.

Speed pockets allow the face to be more flexible for more “trampoline” effect or COR. The location of the speed pocket on the sole allows this flex to occur on hits low on the face, where there would normally be more spin created. Of course, there is a limit to COR in drivers that TaylorMade must adhere to. However, the speed pocket allows TaylorMade to keep the COR near the limit for the whole face, while improving the COR in off-center hits.

The 3 wood has the same speed pocket feature.

A new matte-white finish, black face, and AeroBurner alignment aid on the crown makes alignment extremely easy and inspires confidence off the tee. TaylorMade also offers a black crown version for a more traditional look with the same alignment aid graphic.

The TP (Tour Preferred) model comes designed with a longer hosel, flatter lie, and more open face angle. This is an adjustment for the faster swing speeds that Tour Pros have.

The high launch (HL) versions of the driver and fairway, have higher lofts to obviously increase launch angle.

Specifications

Driver          Volume   Lofts (* = LH)     Lie           Length
-------------   ------   --------------     ---           ------
Aeroburner      460cc    9.5*, 10.5*, 12*   61            45.75"
Aeroburner HL   460cc    15                 61            45.75"
Aeroburner TP   460cc    9.5, 10.5          59            45.75"

Shafts
Matrix Speed RUL-Z 50 – X,S, R, M
TP Matrix OZIK White Tie 60X4 – X, S, R
Matrix Speed RUL-Z 45 – L

Driver shaft.

Fairway         Volume   Lofts (* = LH)     Lie           Length
-------------   ------   --------------     ---           ------
Aeroburner      165cc    15*, 18*, 23       60,60.5,61    43.25, 42.25, 41.25"
Aeroburner HL   170cc    16.5*, 21          60,60.5       42.25, 42.25"
Aeroburner TP   159cc    15, 18             58,58.5       45.75"
Aeroburner TPHL 135cc    16.5               58            45.75"

Note: Fairway head volumes are for the 3W. Volumes vary with loft.

Shafts
Matrix Speed RUL-Z 60 – X,S, R, M
TP Matrix OZIK White Tie 70X4 – X, S, R
Matrix Speed RUL-Z 55 – L

Fairway shaft.

Grips
TM Speed Grip – 47g
Lamkin UTX TP – 52g
Winn Speed Ladies – 37g

TaylorMade also makes a Aeroburner Mini Driver and a AeroBurner TP Mini Driver with 253cc heads. TaylorMade excels at giving you options. Aeroburner is also available in rescue clubs (hybrids).

Test Specifications

• Aeroburner Driver, 10.5° with Matrix Speed RUL-Z 50 Shaft in stiff flex and TM Speed Grip.
• Aeroburner 3 Wood, 15° with Matrix Speed RUL-Z 60 shaft in stiff flex and TM Speed Grip.

Esthetics
I wasn’t a fan of white drivers and woods when they first came out. They seemed gimmicky to me. But white and other colors have grown on me with improved finishes that don’t glare. What I really like about the Aeroburner design is the matte finish with the raised crown. It gives the head a sleek, racy look with no glare and the raised crown stands out. The added alignment graphic with the “Aeroburner” logo and trailing line looks very sharp and with the crown lines make aiming the face easy.

Aeroburner logo alignment aid

TaylorMade’s TP (Tour Preferred) version has the same matte-white finish and raised crown, but does not have the “Aeroburner” logo on the crown, just a red line.

Headcovers are white leather and go on and off easily. They have red accents, are nice looking, and not too flashy. The leather has a nice soft feeling finish. The Aeroburner logo is stitched in. They go on and off quickly, which is a plus. I don’t like wrestling with headcovers on the course.

The driver cover has an additional leather strap to allow for easier removal. This is a nice addition.

Driver headcover with stitched TaylorMade Logo.

The fairway cover is the same pattern. I wish that the fairway covers had stitched in numbers on the top. Most OEMs, including TaylorMade, have a tag indicating the wood or hybrid number. But the tag is always hidden from view in my bag. I have resorted in gluing a number on some headcovers to make it easier.

3 Wood headcover.

Performance
I have been playing drivers with 12 degree loft (sometimes set to 13) to improve my launch angle. What surprised me about the Aeroburner is how high I could launch it with a 10.5 degree loft. I was only about a degree lower in launch angle at most. At the range, I could launch my driver nearly as high.

I have a local range with a back net. I use the net as a gauge for distance. I also try to hit over the net (admit it, you do too!). I took the Aeroburner there and again was impressed at the launch. It was nearly as high as my 12 degree driver. I have had other 10.5 degree drivers and could not launch them as high as the Aeroburner.

The sound on good hits was a positive, “whack.” It was a nice sound. Many drivers, including previous models like the the SLDR, reviewed here, SLDR S Review, and Jet Speed Review, have a more subdued sound at impact in my opinion. I prefer a more pronounced sound but with not too much high pitched bell ringing.

I purposely tried off-center hits on the toe and heel. I did lose some distance, but not as much as I used to with older drivers. The toe hits did curve nicely back toward target and were fairly high. The heel hits stung a bit more (as they always do) and were lower. They curved back, but lost some distance due to the lower launch.

I play light stiff shafts in my other clubs. The stock Matrix Speed RUL-Z 50 in the driver and Matrix Speed RUL-Z 60 in the 3 wood have a nice feel at impact. They are not overly stiff in the tip, but not whippy either as with some other light shafts. The name, “SPEED RUL-Z” (get it?) is cute. The butt end is firm but not too stiff and feels good at impact. Overall, it is nice shaft that is light, which I like. My driver swing speed is around 95mph. If you swing faster or have quicker tempo, you may want to try the TP Matrix OZIK White Tie or at least the X-stiff Speed RUL-Z.

The 3 wood launched nicely off the deck. It has a similar sound at impact, but a bit more quiet. If I had one complaint, it would be the shaft length of 43.25″ in the 3 wood and 45.75″ in the driver. This is a bit long for me and I am 5′ 10″. Shaft lengths keep creeping up. For the testing, I just choked up a bit. I have been fitted before and know the length I should play.

On the course, I found the ease of aiming the face a nice addition. Black crown drivers with black faces can be a little harder to aim.

The grips feel like GolfPride Tour Velvet, which is pretty common for OEM stock grips.

Conclusion
With all the adjustable features on newer drivers, hosel adjustments for loft and lie, movable weights, etc., it is refreshing that a top end manufacturer can make a driver without those features that flat out performs. This is an excellent driver that is forgiving, launches high with lower spin and looks great. It retails for $299 for the standard version, to $399 for the TP. If you’re looking for a new driver, and are a bit shocked at the price for the top of the line models (up to $499!) then check out the Aeroburner. Visit your local TaylorMade dealer or a demo day and spend some time appreciating the relative simplicity of the Aeroburner. It has loads of engineering to help you drive the ball longer and straighter in a more simple looking design.