TaylorMade P•770 Vs P•790: What Is The Difference?
There’s more to golf than just being a perfect-pure ball striker. If you are in line to become a single digit handicapper, even the smallest factors like centeredness, angle of attack and iron dynamics can make quite a difference.
TaylorMade P•770 and P•790 are one of the most popular irons ideal for mid-handicap golfers. TaylorMade claims that both of these irons have the same ilk and only differ in their footprint. Let’s see.
TaylorMade P•770 vs P•790: What is the difference?
TaylorMade P•770 vs P•790: At a Glance
Both of these irons are near benchmark standards in their category. They are packed with cutting-edge design elements that allow for more distance and increased forgiveness.
The P•790 improves your game in three key areas: distance, speed, and forgiveness. It boasts a player-inspired design and has a unique satisfying feel.
The P•770 on the other hand, is a compact player iron similar to the 760 series used by professionals like Jason Day and Rory Mcllroy. The combination of more spin and higher launch helps skilled players manipulate their shots more easily. This club is often favored by better players or those looking to improve their shot-making skills.
Both of these iron sets are highly versatile. The P•790 is geared towards players with handicaps from +4 to +25, whereas the P•770 is for someone who prefers a smaller-head and more loft.
TaylorMade P•770: Reviewed
Key Features
- 4140 Stainless Steel Face
- 46g of Tungsten Infused
- Ideal for low-mid handicappers
The P•770 irons are a great choice for golfer’s who need the additional distance and accuracy delivered by fast face technology coupled with a compact form factor.
Following in the footsteps of its elder sibling, P•790, this unit delivers excellent feel and great performance.
- Design: Kicking things off with the design, this iron’s design resembles the previous P•760 series and has a slightly longer blade length. Cast 8620 carbon steel makes up the entire body while the face uses 4140 stainless steel. The clubhead is also infused with 46g of tungsten weighting to increase forgiveness. This forged hollow body along with their signature speed foam enables faster swings.
- Performance: From distance and incredible speed to forgiveness, this compact player’s distance iron delivers solid all-round performance. The ICT sweet spot is progressive to help address common-mis-hits. Low offset and strong lofts help players shape their shots easily.
- Forgiveness: While the P•770 Irons’ smaller size means they aren’t quite as forgiving as the P•790, technological advancements like the Progressive Inverted Cone and the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket assist keep ball speeds and distances consistent across the face even when shots are mishit.
- Lofts: When compared to conventional game improvement lofts, P•770 golf irons have a pitching wedge with a loft of 46 degrees instead of 43 or 42 degrees. As a result, this iron may seem to offer less distance but delivers a good sensation upon impact. The amount of loft also helps control the trajectory of the ball.
Who Is It For?
TaylorMade P•770 is ideal for mid to low handicappers who want a compact form factor coupled with good workability and distance.
If you are looking to upgrade from such clubs as Callaway’s Big Bertha line of clubs or TaylorMade’s P•790 Ti irons, this can be a good option. It is designed with such advanced technologies as:
- Compact players shape
- Forged hollow body construction
- SpeedFoam
- Thru Slot Speed Pocket
- Progressive ICT
Heavy hitters often find it difficult to control long irons which is where the smaller head and thin top line of P•770 comes into play.
When it comes to overall workability, this iron is a better choice compared to the P•790. It is ideal for golfers who have a handicap value of ten or less.
TaylorMade P•790: Reviewed
Key Features
- Aimed at Mid-High Handicappers
- 31g of Tungsten in The Toe
- Features a strategic mass distribution and precision tungsten weighting
- Speedfoam 69% lighter than previous versions
- Available for both right and left handed players
- Available in the standard silver chrome, as well as an aged copper finish with black shaft creating a vintage feel. The limited run P790 Phantom Black Prism irons have a bold black finish with a touch of color along the ferrule.
The first generation of the TaylorMade P790 model was launched back in 2017 helping to launch an entirely new category of “Player’s Distance” irons. They were aimed at single figures to mid handicappers.
The model remains a highly popular iron in its category, making it one of TaylorMade’s highest-selling irons.
In 2021, TaylorMade updated the line-up and brought multiple new features to the P790. The SpeedFoam is now 69% lighter and weighs 3.5 grams less compared to the first-gen model.
The body is also now internally carved using 8620 carbon steel which is 37.5% thinner in certain areas as compared to the previous generation.
Furthermore, the amount of tungsten provided near the toe is also double (31g) the previous model which helps create stability and forgiveness.
The sweet spot is also up to 40-60% bigger to provide better performance. The TaylorMade Golf P790 iron is available in two configurations of graphite/ alloy steel shaft material.
The design of the P790 trategically positions the center of gravity (CG) lowest in the long irons and progressively shifts higher throughout the set.
- Design: The newer addition has a sleeker look and a rigid top rail. Taylormade has shaved down the internal weight to improve center of gravity placement. Due to the cutout in P790’s sole, the front portion of the shoe is effectively suspended in mid-air maximin face flex and rebound. This is great for preserving ball speed and avoiding miss-hits.
- Performance: The new iteration of P790 is the talisman of the player’s distance category. Due to the injection of speedfoams in the clubface and tungsten weighing, players get excellent ball control and explosive speeds.
- Forgiveness: Due to the SpeedFoam Air technology, these irons have excellent forgiveness which will suit any level of golfer. Combine that with the massive distance and fast speed that this ironhead offers, you get higher launches effortlessly along with softer landing on greens and fairways.
- Lofts: TaylorMade P790 lofts are on the forgiving side of the spectrum and range between 50 degrees for the A wedge loft to 45 degrees for the P790 pitching wedge loft. This ends on the 3 iron loft at 19 degrees.
Who Is It For?
From SpeedFoam Air and Intelligent Sweet Spot Design to a pearlescent chrome finish, this iron has everything a golfer could ask for.
It is ideal for players having a handicap between 4-25 with a clean look and the general versatility of Taylormade irons.
The P790s are well-suited for everybody including amateurs, weekend players or pros, regardless of their skill level. If you want to work the ball a little bit more and want a blend of distance and feel, then the P790 will be perfect for you.
Features Compared
Both the P790 and P770 are strikingly similar when it comes to appearance and share plenty of characteristic features of a TaylorMade golf iron. Here is a feature-wise comparison to make your decision a tad bit easier.
TaylorMade P•790 vs P•770: Forgiveness
TaylorMade has modified the P790 thrice since its launch in 2017. As technology has evolved, they have shrunk the iron’s body into a smaller form factor and focused more on functionality.
The latest version of P790 has a 60% larger sweet spot in contrast to the last version. This gives it an edge in terms of forgiveness when compared with the P770.
P790 also has a longer blade length allowing for more forgiving technology.
Despite having a smaller-sweet spot, it still has more forgiveness than a traditional players-type golf iron. Furthermore, it is also superior in terms of workability which makes it a bit more versatile.
TaylorMade P•790 vs P•770: Distance
A thin club face which is forged using 4140 stainless steel is another commonality between P790 and P770. Thus, distance delivery will rarely differ.
As soon as the ball hits the clubhead, the interaction is quite similar in both the clubheads, barring the difference between loft of the clubs.
Since the P790has a lower loft value of 30.5 degrees as opposed to the 33 degree loft in P770, it will fly a little further with decent spin.
However, this can be overlooked at high swing speeds. All in all, the P790 wins in terms of loft since it covers a slightly longer distance and throws the ball higher.
TaylorMade P•790 vs P•770: Pricing
Both of these irons sit in the premium segment. Since they have similar design features and the same technology, the pricing is also very similar.
Premium materials coupled with hollow body construction make both of these golfheads worth their price.
However, if you are an absolute beginner, it would be better to invest in irons such as the Callaway Rogue Irons
TaylorMade P•790 vs P•770: Feel
TaylorMade has used a technology called SpeedFoam air which allows them to increase the overall stability of these irons without increasing their weight.
Both of these come in the same materials and have a hollow body shaft infused with SpeedFoam for more stability. The other two factors which weigh in are vibration and feedback.
Given the fact that both of these irons are in the premium segment, you will not feel any vibrations whatsoever.
As for the feedback, P•770 excels and delivers more feedback since it has a small sweet spot and a shorter wedge length.
TaylorMade P•790 vs P•770: Workability
Workability is more dependent on a player instead of the golf iron alone.
At the end of the day, there are certain irons that will feel good in your hands and certain that won’t, even if one of them is considerably less costly.
That said, since the P770 delivers more feedback, has higher spin and lower lofts, it is better suited for a lower handicap player who wants to improve his/her game.
The P790 is not as effective in this regard as it does not allow any wiggle room to draw/fade or control the height of your golf shots.
Bonus: Watch this video to learn how to control golf flight ball trajectory with irons.
| Data Comparison | 7-Iron Loft | Backspin | Launch Angle | Ball Speed | Descent Angle | Height | Carry distance |
| TaylorMade P770 | 33˚ | 6317 RPM | 16.8˚ | 125.7 MPH | 47.9˚ | 35 YDS | 177 YDS |
| TaylorMade P790 | 30.5˚ | 5552 RPM | ˚14.1˚ | 130.4 MPH | 45˚ | 32 YDS | 189 YDS |
Data Comparison Chart
Frequently Asked Questions
The bottom line between the TaylorMade P770 and the TaylorMade P790. Both of these irons are excellent in terms of what they offer and stay mostly neck-n-neck when it comes to features. Here are some frequently asked questions before you continue your shopping spree.
Which TaylorMade Iron is Most Forgiving?
The SIM2 MAX Irons for men and women are the most forgiving irons by TaylorMade. The multi-material construction promotes better forgiveness, distance and feel; far better than the performance of traditional cavity backs. With optimized CG placement and a new face uniquely designed to position Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) for not only optimal forgivenes, but also to minimize the common right miss, this model is fast, flexible and supremely forgiving.
Can You Bend TaylorMade SIM Irons?
Yes. TaylorMade’s SIM Max Irons have a built in soft spot for bending. The SIM irons can be safely bent to +/- 2˚ to influence loft. However, changing the loft on your irons would require a visit to a golf shop or club fitter.TaylorMade’s SIM Max Irons have a built in soft spot for bending
What Flex Should My Irons Be?
Flex speeds directly depend on driver swing speeds. Players with swing speeds over 95mph should opt for stiff flex shafts whereas those with speeds less than this should go with regular flex.
There is also an option for superior swing speeds (105+mph) and slow speeds (85mph).
95mph or more: Stiff flex shafts
Under 95mph: Regular flex
105+mph: Extra stiff
Under 85 mph: Senior flex
How Do You Know What Irons are Right for You?
The first option is club fitting which analyses the player’s performance and consistency. Recommendations then can be made after analysing the results.
When buying a set of clubs, consider factors such as shaft flex, materials and pitching wedges to streamline the list of available options. Choosing an iron can be a difficult experience, even the most well researched golfer. Golf Monthly has an informative article: How To Choose Golf Irons.
Final Thoughts
P•770 and P•790 are unique and special in the world of players irons.
P•790 offers game improvements in performance: distance, speed and forgiveness, has an exceptional feel, and allows for player-inspired shaping. These features benefit the 25-handicapper.
With the P•770, TaylorMade followed a similar design concept but made this model into a more compact players iron. TaylorMade brags, ” this is an iron that could be played on Tour.”
The size of the clubhead and loft angle are the two key differences between these irons. The thinner P•770 is more compact and is a bit less forgiving when compared to the P•790. The bottom line is that both of these irons deliver greater distance, ball flight and forgiveness.
