The second of TaylorMade’s new driver offerings this spring, the Burner eschews the movable weights for another strategy. With a 460cc bullet shaped head, the Burner is designed to promote faster swing speed, faster ball speed, and thus more distance. It accomplishes this wih a longer, lighter shaft, and a lighter grip. Inverted Cone Technology increases effective moment of inertia (the influence on ball speed exerted by a clubs MOI and clubface technology combined) for maximum forgiveness.

It’s interesting that TaylorMade has decided to bring back the “Burner” name, which was attached to a series of clubs some years back. For me, the word “burner” is not a positive one when associated with golf, as in “that shot was a worm burner.”

The SuperQuad is the latest incarnation of the clubs with TaylorMade’s now-famous movable weight technology. The four weight screws offer 26 grams of adjustable weights and six different launch conditions. With a 460cc head, the Superquad also features TaylorMade’s inverted cone technology, of which I can personally testify offers amazing forgiveness on off-center hits.

Are you a player?

No, not that kind. The golf kind. The kind that uses clubs with small heads and little or no offset. That can work the ball and knows distances to within a yard. Guys not like me.

If you are a player, you might like the new TaylorMade R7 TP Irons, which made the 2007 Golf Digest Hot List as the top “Player’s Iron.” These clubs have the look and minimal offset that better players like, while still offering some great technological features.

The R7 TP offers a clubface with TaylorMade’s inverted cone technology, which produces a higher coefficient of restitution (bounce) and ball speed on mishits, resulting in increased average distance.  It’s also got an aluminum web on the back which is supposed to produce a softer feel at impact. A tour configured sole offers less dig.

These are a good looking club; the kind I wish that I could play.

TAYLORMADE r7 Draw Iron Set 3-PW with Steel Shafts

The R7 Draw irons are the latest aid for high handicappers from the mad scientists at TaylorMade.

These clubs are built—as their name suggests—with a built in draw bias. Wdight has been removed from the cavity area in the toe and moved closer to the heel, allowing the player to close the clubface more quickly, reducing the slice and encouraging a draw. Slicing is further reduced by the offset design.

Like other R7 design clubs, the R7 Draw Irons feature TaylorMade’s Inverted Cone Techonology—the same technology that makes their drivers and woods so forgiving and so long. The inverted cone expands the Coeffient of Restitution (COR) zone for consistently longer shots—even on mishits.

The R7 Draw Irons have been made even more forgiving with their wide, cambered sole, which is designed to glide over turf and reduce the chance of fat shots.

Vibration from off center hits is reduced by the unique Dampening Web (that’s the little “X” structure on the back of the club).

What you have in the R7 Draw is the next generational step beyond the R7 XD, a set of clubs I prefer and highly recommend.

TaylorMade has just introduced a new line of R7 Irons. Following on the introduction last year of the R7XD and R7 CGB irons, the new line extends TaylorMade’s signature franchise.

The new R7s, TaylorMade says, were created for skilled golfers who prefer a high launch iron that still has good workability. There’s also a TP model for better players.

Like the R7 XD (Reviewed Here), the new R7s use TaylorMade’s Inverted Cone Technology to obtain a higher coefficient of restitution (trampoline effect), and thus greater ball speed and more distance. The technology works very well with its fairway woods and drivers and also with the R7XD.

The innovation in the new R7 irons is a soft aluminum dampening web across the back of the club that is designed to soak up harsh vibrations. TaylorMade says that the “X” is bonded to the cavity face with a double-sided, closed cell acrylic foam tape from 3M that is designed that absorb shock and soften sound. The combination of those two elements, plus the precise manner in which the web is shaped and positioned, delivers “an incredibly soft and satisfying sound and feel at impact.”

Another interesting component of these new clubs is the new TaylorMade grips, which have hundreds of slots that run parallel to the shaft. These are supposed to deliver better feel and traction.

TaylorMade has sent a number of review sets and clubs to GolfBlogger over the last couple of years, and I’m hoping that they lend me a set of these for some testing, too. It looks like the new R7s are going to be a major and popular addition to their line.