Taylormade P790
The old P790 was Taylormade’s best-selling forged iron ever... so does the new version have what it takes to keep sales surging?
Two years after the launch of the original P790 iron, Taylormade decided the model was due a refresh. The update, though, was complicated. Big-name Tour pros were fans of the long irons, and the original had found a place in club golfers’ hearts, to become Taylormade’s biggest-selling forged iron ever. When you’re winning like that, you really don’t want to upset the apple cart. After some serious soul searching to understand what P790 really stood for, Taylormade revealed the new model last month. We wanted to know how it stacks up with the previous P790, and compares to Taylormade’s other players’ irons (P760 and M5).
WHAT’S NEW
Taylormade approached the P790 redesign really sensitively and focused on subtle refinements to tailor the new model closer to a better player’s eye. It means a little less offset and a slightly more rounded, forgiving leading edge in the long irons, and more compact, shorter blade lengths and slightly higher toe-scoring irons. The changes haven’t stopped at shaping, though. A new forged face has been reduced in thickness by seven per cent, which not only helps improve ball speed, but also frees up weight. That extra mass has meant the tungsten weight inside has become 15 per cent heavier, which helps launch shots a little higher than the original, too.
OUR VERDICT
Taylormade have been criticised in the past for launching too many products too quickly, but that is now a distant memory. A two-year life-cycle and a new model that could easily be confused for the older version just wouldn’t have been on the brand’s radar a few years ago.
It’s worth pointing out that if you own a set of original P790s you’ve still got a superb set of irons, and you’re probably not the target audience for this update. But if you are a reasonable player who wants a good-looking, fast-faced, distance-orientated iron, you really won’t be disappointed by these.
Our test pro felt the new model was hotter off the face (the original wasn’t slow!) and our data completely backs up his thinking, with a 1mph faster ball speed and three yards more carry distance. While that can be written off as incremental gains, the sound (through a larger tungsten weight being positioned right behind the hitting area) has been improved and, thanks to a new vibration-suppressing Dynamic Gold 105 VSS shaft, which eliminates 56 per cent of harsh impact shock, mishit feel is really improved, too.
All-in, the new P790s – like the ones they replace – are absolute beauties. Some are maybe shocked there hasn’t been a more extensive makeover, but we have no doubt these new P790 will be a hit with serious club golfers around the globe, just like the originals. The real benchmark of their success, though, will be sales and, judging by the performance and the shelf appeal, we can see them carrying the P790 baton forwards.
7-iron loft: 30.5° 7-iron offset: 2.7mm Stock shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 VSS (s) UST Recoil 780 (g) ‘OUR TEST PRO FELT THE NEW P790 WAS HOTTER OFF THE FACE, WITH OUR DATA BACKING UP HIS THINKING’