TaylorMade P790 Irons 2023 – Expert Review

TaylorMade’s 2021 P790 Irons are designed to perform exceptionally well and provide higher trajectory and distance. This article has all that you need to know before purchasing one.

I. Who should use the P790 Irons?

The first version of the P790, from 2017, was marketed as a distance iron for players. It became popular with golfers with handicaps ranging from +4 to 24, even professional users like Meghan MacLaren.

The club is highly customizable, making it a good choice for beginners to the mid-handicap range who want to improve their game. For low handicappers who want to use a great iron that is also very versatile, the P790 with the right shaft would be an ideal option.

II. My experience review with TaylorMade P790 Irons

TaylorMade is repositioning the P790 as a gateway iron into their P Series family. It means that more mid-handicap players like myself will have the chance to experience the same level of performance and playability that made the P790 such a hit in the first place.

I’ve had the chance to play with both the gen 1 and gen 2 P790s in the past, so I was eager to test out the newest version.

After giving the new P790s a try, I found their level of performance and playability to be satisfactory. The clubs allowed me to hit the ball consistently with good distance and accuracy. In addition, I noticed an improvement in the sound and feel of the club, which is always a desirable feature.

I had the opportunity to test the TaylorMade P790 irons in a modern simulator room equipped with a launch monitor. The result was that I was able to maintain consistent ball flight and control over my shots.

My test stats 

Club type	P790 PW	P790 8-iron	P790 6-iron
Ball Speed(mph)	107.8	121.4	135.7
Club head (mph)	88.9	92.2	96.1
Launch Angle(degrees)	25.8	20.0	16.4
Back Spin(rpm)	8148	6349	4584
Side Angle(degrees)	-1.1	-1.9	-1.3
Carry Distance(yards)	140	170	205
Total Distance(yards)	142	175	210

I tried P970 irons pitching wedge, 6-iron, and 8-iron to see how each of them would perform in terms of ball speed, carry distance, and total distance. First, I tried out the P790 pitching wedge and found its sound and flight to be notable. 

It was easy to hit, and my shots had just the right amount of spin and control. I was happy that my shots had about 8,000 spin, which is a good amount for a pitching wedge.

Moving on to the P790 8-iron, I found that the shots felt smooth, and the strikes were consistently good. I was happy to have a consistent, high flight that went a long way. I was able to get plenty of distance without swinging too hard.

Finally, I got to test out the P790 6-iron, and I have to say, these irons shine in terms of performance. They have a nice, loud sound and feel smooth on contact. I had great control over my shots and was able to get a nice amount of spin, around 4,500 rpm, without having to put in too much effort.

Overall, I would highly recommend the TaylorMade P790 irons to golfers of all skill levels. They are suitable for anyone looking for a distance and performance-oriented set of clubs that are also very comfortable to use. With TaylorMade P790 irons, you’ll be able to play your best on the course.

III. In Terms Of Performance Factors

The performance of these irons have been exceptional over the course, with excellent flexibility, and more speed while maintaining the smooth feel. Some of the benefits are mentioned below.

1. Distance (Score 8/10)

The forged hollow-body construction of the club includes SpeedFoam injected into the cavity to create a soft feel while promoting ball speed and launch conditions for optimum distance.

2. Forgiveness (Score 8/10)

The P790 features a thin face of only 1.5 millimetres and is designed with Inverted Cone Technology, which expands the sweet spot to enhance forgiveness.

3. Playability / Trajectory (Score 9/10)

The TaylorMade P790 irons feature a versatile sole design that helps minimize turf interaction and provides consistent hops off the turf regardless of lie angle. And with advanced CG placement throughout the set, you’ll enjoy great control and trajectory on all your shots.

The performance with short irons is excellent. However, some golfers might want more touch and controllability around the greens. In this case, they should try using slimmer P770 irons, but the thicker profile of the 2021 P790 iron allows it to power through grass quite nicely.

4. Look (Score 10/10)

With an ultra-thin top line, minimal offset, and tour-inspired sole design, the TaylorMade P790 irons offer a clean, confidence-inspiring look at addresses that better players will love.

 The TaylorMade P790 boasts a sleek, contemporary look from the back. The “TaylorMade” logo has been swapped for a more discreet “T” logo, and the sole section now flaunts a shiny finish. The toe screw and square font for the numbers have also been added to top off its good looks.

As suggested in its name, the top line of this blade is slightly thicker than average- which boosts confidence levels. This confidence level helps in raising the extra fractional offsetting, raising of toe depth, rounding of heel shaping, etc.

5. Sound and Feel (Score 9/10)

The feel is SpeedFoam enhances feel and significantly reduces unwanted vibrations for excellent and satisfying sound at impact.

IV. Features & Technology of TaylorMade P790 irons

The P790 irons have been designed to improve any golfer’s game, no matter their skill level. With features that benefit everyone, from beginners to professional golfers, it’s easy to see why these irons are some of the best on the market. Check out the features in-depth for more understanding. 

1. SpeedFoam Air

One of the things that set the P790 irons apart from other clubs on the market is SpeedFoam Air technology. A unique, ultra-light urethane foam is injected into the back of this hollow-body head, just behind the face.

Compared to the 2019 SpeedFoam, the 2021 SpeedFoam Air is newly engineered by the development team to be 69% lighter, allowing for 3.5g of weight savings and redistributing to optimize mass properties for better launch conditions further.

The SpeedFoam is also formulated to provide a premium feel and sound while manufacturing a fast, flexible face. This unique feature improves sound and feel without compromising the distance-producing properties of a high-strength flexible face.

The foam stabilizes the face, while the speed pocket provides additional support around the clubface’s perimeter. This results in straighter, more consistent shots – no matter where you make contact with the ball. 

2. Intelligent Sweet Spot Technology

Another key feature of the P790 irons is Intelligent Sweet Spot Technology. This proprietary technology optimizes ball speed across the entire clubface for explosive distance and forgiveness.

With the help of data analytics, the sweet spot is repositioned lower on the face to capture more shots and provide performance naturally, where golfers get the most out of every shot.

3. Thin-Wall Construction

In addition to being fast and forgiving, the P790 irons are also highly compassionate, thanks to their wall construction. This construction method allows for a thinner clubface, increasing ball speeds, and higher trajectory. It also provides a softer feel at impact – something sure to please even the most discerning golfers.

The 2021 P790’s head is up to 37.5% thinner in certain locations due to a new 8620 carbon steel construction.

With this technology, CG can be lowered significantly. The 4140 steel L-face is only 1.5mm thick, making it more flexible (and increasing ball speeds) while maintaining feel.

V. Other features of the 2021 P790 irons include

1. Thru-Slot Speed Pocket

The TaylorMade irons have been a signature for many years. There is a slot – Thru-Slot Speed Pocket – located at the bottom of the sole. It is designed for increased face flexibility, ball speed, and forgiveness on low-face strikes on the clubface- often where people erroneously make contact with the club.

2. Tungsten Weighting

The toe of the clubhead contains up to 31 grams of tungsten, more than double that of the 2019 P790. This increased tungsten weight promotes a higher launch angle and improved stability for greater forgiveness, as well as an extra flex to the thinner face from the Cut-through Speed Pocket to increase the ball speed and improve accuracy.

3. Inverted cone technology

The progressive inverted cone technology also prevents slicing and adds more forgiveness. This technology creates a solid hit on the specific mishit location for long irons while protecting ball speeds.

VI. Specifications of TaylorMade P790 Irons

CLUB	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	PW	AW
LOFT	19°	21°	23.5°	26.5°	30.5°	35°	40°	45°	50°
LIE	60.5°	61°	61.5°	62°	62.5°	63°	63.5°	64°	64°
OFFSET	3.5mm	3.4mm	3.1mm	2.9mm	2.7mm	2.4mm	2.1mm	1.8mm	1.6mm
LENGTH	39.00″	38.50″	38.00″	37.50″	37.00″	36.50″	36.00″	35.75″	35.50″
SWING WEIGHT(ST/GR)	D2/DO	D2/DO	D2/DO	D2/DO	D2/DO	D2/DO	D2/DO	D3/D1	D3/D1
HAND	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH	RH/LH

Stock Information

4-PW stock sets and 3-AW individual irons are readily available for the 2021 TaylorMade P790 model. The standard steel shafts include the True Temper Dynamic Gold VSS Pro and KBS TOUR LITE, while the stock graphite shaft is Mitsubishi MMT. Lastly, the standard grip provided is Golf Pride ZGRIP 360.

VII. Alternatives for TaylorMade P790 irons

For golfers who are performance-oriented and stylish, TaylorMade’s P790 irons are perfect. You can check out reviews of the product and compare it to similar products on the market.

1. Callaway Apex Irons

The Callaway Apex 21 irons are some of the best clubs on the market that offer a great feel and distance for players of all levels. The hollow body design with a tungsten energy core helps launch the ball with a more consistent spin. If you’re looking for an alternative to TaylorMade’s P790 irons, these are definitely worth checking out!

2. TaylorMade Stealth Irons

The new TaylorMade stealth irons use multi-material construction and an all-new toe wrap design to improve performance, forgiveness, distance, and feel. You can take your game to new heights with the added weight savings from the low-toe design. If you need an alternative to P790, you can check out the TaylorMade stealth irons.

3. Callaway Epic Irons

The Callaway epic irons and P790 irons have a similar price point, but we found that the Epic Pro had a marginally higher ball speed and distance. The trajectory was also slightly higher with the Epic Pro. However, when it comes to feeling comfort and confidence while playing, most people preferred the P790.

Our take

If you are about to purchase a new set of irons, we recommend trying TaylorMade P790 irons. However, as mentioned, the TaylorMade P790 irons are an exceptional choice for any player looking for incredible distance, forgiveness, and playability in a great-looking package.

The steep price tag can be a barrier for some, but still, they are worth buying with all these exceptional features and benefits.

FAQs

1. Are TaylorMade P790 irons forgiving?

The 2021 P790 is the perfect combination of a player’s iron and a game-improvement iron. It features a forged construction, classic design, exceptional distance, forgiveness, and easy launch – everything you need to improve your game.

2. Are TaylorMade P790 irons blades?

The P790 irons are not true blades, although they may resemble them. Rather, the clubhead is hollow and solid, like a typical blade. As we said in our P790 review above, this makes them more forgiving while still maintaining that sleek look and feel.