TaylorMade Tour Burner vs TaylorMade Tour Preferred (2009)
Side-by-side factory specifications. Differing values are highlighted.
Specification comparison
| Club | Tour Burner loft | Tour Preferred (2009) loft | Tour Burner lie | Tour Preferred (2009) lie | Tour Burner length | Tour Preferred (2009) length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 18 | 18 | 60.5 | 58 | 39.25 | 39.25 |
| 3 | 20 | 21 | 61 | 59 | 38.75 | 38.75 |
| 4 | 23 | 24 | 61.5 | 60 | 38.25 | 38.25 |
| 5 | 26 | 27 | 62 | 60.5 | 37.75 | 37.75 |
| 6 | 29 | 31 | 62.5 | 61 | 37.25 | 37.25 |
| 7 | 33 | 35 | 63 | 61.5 | 36.75 | 36.75 |
| 8 | 37 | 39 | 63.5 | 62 | 36.25 | 36.25 |
| 9 | 41 | 43 | 64 | 62.5 | 35.75 | 35.75 |
| PW | 46 | 47 | 64.5 | 63 | 35.5 | 35.5 |
| AW | 50 | 51 | 64.5 | 63 | 35.5 | 35.5 |
| SW | 55 | 55 | 64.5 | 63 | 35.25 | 35.25 |
| LW | 60 | — | 64.5 | — | 35 | — |
Highlighted cells differ between the two sets. Lofts and lies are factory standard.
Lofts compared
- Tour Burner
- Tour Preferred (2009)
What the differences mean
At the 7-iron, the Tour Burner is 33° and the Tour Preferred (2009) is 35°, a 2° gap. Each degree of loft is worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of carry at the same swing speed, so the Tour Burner should carry roughly 6 to 8 yards further with that club, on a slightly lower, shallower flight than the Tour Preferred (2009). Across the 11 clubs both sets share, the Tour Preferred (2009) averages 1.2° weaker, with the largest gap at the 6-iron (29° vs 31°). The pitching wedges are 46° and 47°; the stronger one leaves a 4° jump to a 50° gap wedge, which matters when planning wedge gapping. Beyond loft, the Tour Preferred (2009) 7-iron sits 1.5° flatter (63° vs 61.5°), which nudges start direction slightly right for a right-hander.
The sets are built differently: the Tour Burner runs 2-iron to LW (12 clubs), the Tour Preferred (2009) 2-iron to SW (11 clubs).
The Tour Burner is a game improvement iron and the Tour Preferred (2009) a players iron, so they sit 2 steps apart on the forgiveness scale. The Tour Burner is the more forgiving design, with a wider sole, more offset and more perimeter weighting for roughly 10 to 25 handicaps. The Tour Preferred (2009) trades some of that for a more compact head, thinner topline and more control over flight and shape, which suits roughly scratch to 10 handicaps.
Both heads are listed as investment cast. With the build method this similar, differences in feel come down to head size, sole width, topline and offset rather than how the heads are made.
Both sets were introduced in 2008, so this is a choice between two models from the same lineup rather than an upgrade: TaylorMade designed them to sit side by side for different players.
Which should you choose?
The Tour Preferred (2009) is the weaker-lofted set — up to 2° weaker than the Tour Burner. That trades raw distance for a steeper landing angle and more predictable stopping power into greens.
Both charts are reproduced in full on their own pages: TaylorMade Tour Burner specs and TaylorMade Tour Preferred (2009) specs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TaylorMade Tour Burner stronger lofted than the Tour Preferred (2009)?
Yes. The TaylorMade Tour Burner 7-iron is 33° against 35° for the Tour Preferred (2009), 2° stronger, which is worth roughly 6 to 8 yards of extra carry with the same swing.
What is the loft difference between the TaylorMade Tour Burner and Tour Preferred (2009)?
At the 7-iron the difference is 2° (33° vs 35°). The largest gap on a shared club is 2° at the 6-iron, and 9 of the 11 shared clubs differ.
Which is better for higher handicap golfers, the TaylorMade Tour Burner or the Tour Preferred (2009)?
The TaylorMade Tour Burner. As a game improvement iron it is the more forgiving design, suited to roughly 10 to 25 handicaps. The Tour Preferred (2009) is a players iron, better suited to roughly scratch to 10 handicaps.
Do the TaylorMade Tour Burner and Tour Preferred (2009) have the same lie and length?
Not exactly. At the 7-iron the TaylorMade Tour Burner is 63° lie and 36.75 inches, the Tour Preferred (2009) 61.5° and 36.75 inches. Both can be bent or built to your own fit.
Shop both models
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