Opinions on the Tour Burner

[Redwood]

Guys,

I'm in the market for a new driver (mainly for the summer) with lower loft than my current driver (which is fine for this time of year as I'm not getting much run out).

I've seen some good deals on the TM Tour Burner. Anyone hit\have one? Nice drivers? Is it quite a low spinning head\low ball flight (looking at the 9 degree loft).

Cheers

 

[CliveW]

I think 9 degrees might be too low for your handicap. Might be wrong though. Try various ones on the range and see how you get on.

 

[Redwood]

Clive,

I've demo'd plenty of 9 degree drivers to good effect. Dare I say it, even with stiff shafts!!!

Tough to get to demo plenty of clubs down here, especially the older models where our club doesn't stock them anymore.

Cheers

 

[Ethan]

The shaft will have a much bigger influence on the launch angle than the degrees of loft.

 

[Redwood]

Cheers Ethan,

Any ideas if the stock stiff shaft in the Tour Burner is a low launching shaft?

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
I have the TP version with a upgraded shaft and really like it as it was said above its the shaft that really effects launch angle rather than the loft.
Mike

 

[USER1999]

Why would a low launching, low loft club go further? Surely grass has more friction than air, so it will stop sooner?

 

[Redwood]

Not when the wind is blowing 20-30mph!!!

 

[Up_Point_1]

Redwood, don't fall into the trap of thinking less loft means more distance. It doesn't (irrespective of the weather).

As others have echoed the shaft makes more of a difference than the loft. My usual Sunday playing partner (hcp 5) plays an 11.5 degree driver and hits it miles. He's regularly outdriving similar standard golfers with lower lofted drivers.

Less loft = potential for more sidespin = more shots ending up in the cabbage = higher scores !!

Why make this game harder?

UP1

 

[thecraw]

Redwood,

I had to get shot of my TM Tour Burner driver, 10.5 degree driver because I couldnt keep the dam thing down. It has a great ball flight but into the wind it just ballooned big time and I could be 60 yards behind my mates into a wind. It was like a rocket launcher.

A 9 degree may help or the shaft may suit your game better than mine.

I have managed to pick up a 10.5 degree Rapture V2 with a White Board shaft and I love it. Look at them, far beter launch angle. (for me!)

 

[Redwood]

UP1,

I understand that less loft means less distance, but I would say that, in particular conjunction with the conditions I normally play in and my ball flight with my normal driver, if I could keep the ball flight down it be beenfit my game.

One, because high winds at Bude rob me of distance when playing my normal driver. In the summer also, I don't get much run out on my drives, whereas with less loft on my drives I'd get less carry, granted, but more overall distance with roll out.

As I said, I have tried a few from the pro shop over the last year or so. The last being an i15 9.5 degree with stiff shaft. Hit it at the range on Saturday compared to my Yonex, and yes, the Yonex carried more, but I would wager that in high winds and hard fairways I'd see more overall distance with the i15.

 

[RGDave]

I think a 9 degree driver is a fickle beast. If you'd like to convince us that your driving is A1 but it's the rest of the game that let's you down, please give it a shot....I'm not judging.....but the less loft, the more side-spin, the more trouble.
I know (admittedly) that some players swing in a way that means low loft is the best choice for launch angle and carry/roll, but until a player is hitting the majority of fairways, probably better to use more loft.

As for the tour burner.....could be great, best to get on a Launch monitor....

 

[Redwood]

I think I'll pass on trying to convince you, you'd have to see it to believe it!!!

 

[RGDave]

I think I'll pass on trying to convince you, you'd have to see it to believe it!!!

If it's going well, it's going well.

 

[d1217]

i had the same problem as you, its horrible, i had an 11.5 driver and there was way too much back spin. so i changed to a 9.5 degree and it has helped by miles, hitting further and straighter (okay i have changed my grip, but its not all down to that), i never used to hit anymore than about 2 fairways, but i am now hitting 7-8+ regularly, its great!!!!

 

[Redwood]

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the 10.5 when there is no wind, as I get good carry with it.

I just need that option for high winds, or on occassions when the fairways are hard and I could get more distance with more roll.

 

[Up_Point_1]

Redwood,

Without wishing to sound rude, but, off of 24 you have 2 shots on holes SI 1-6 and 1 shot on holes SI 7-18.

Why oh why are you considering a lower lofted driver when your handicap quite clearly suggests you're not ready for it?

Your main focus should be be on FIR, GIR (not how far you can smack the thing). Golf is so so much easier played off of the short stuff.

UP1

 

[Redwood]

OK,

I'll try and explain this in simple terms.

I'm not trying to be macho and go for more distance. I need a club which is going to keep the ball flight lower than my current driver. Now, if that is less loft or a stiffer shaft, so be it. Yes, that may get me more distance overall during the summer, which is fine, but it is also for the strong winds in the winter.

If I hit less fairways, then I will obviosuly need to reconsider, but as I mentioned, I have played rounds with a lower lofted\stiffer shafted drivers than my current one and it has not had too adverse an affect on my game. Last time out at Bude I hit 9 out of 14 fairways, and 4 of the other 5 were not by much.

Admittedly, that was with my 10.5 driver!!!

Thanks for all you concern though...it's heart warming!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It seems that Redwood has pretty much made up his mind that its a plan he wants to pursue. I guess at the end of the day if it doesn't work we'll get first dibs on the driver in the for sale section. From what I remember of Bude there are some wideish areas on some holes where he can get away with a bad drive and so its a plan not without possibilities. I would agree that shaft over loft would be my major concern though. I would be looking perhaps for a regular shaft to give myself more of a safety net rather than hitting a lower loft and harder to control stiffer shaft.

 

[mikeyh]

Why do we assume that just because Redwood has a high handicap, his driving is perceived to be poor? For all we know he could be a good driver but a poor putter? I have plenty of friends on high handicaps that are good drivers but some other part of there game is not quite up to scratch.

Anyway, i have tested the tour burner 9 degree and i would say its gives a mid launch with a stiff shaft. Although the stiff shaft is quite soft compared to a lot of others out there. I did get more height on it than my D1 which is quite a low launcher with the Aldila shaft. Just my thoughts...