TaylorMade P·790: The Player’s Distance Icon’s Next Chapter

It’s exhausting to speak about TaylorMade’s P·790 with out acknowledging the seismic shift it precipitated within the iron market. Earlier than the unique P·790 debuted in 2017, “participant’s distance” wasn’t actually a factor.

I’m not suggesting P·790 was the primary however it was inarguably the best contributor to the emergence and subsequent development of the class.

Right this moment?

Participant’s distance is the second-largest iron class in golf, trailing solely game-improvement. TaylorMade’s flagship mannequin is the talismanic chunk of metal and foam by which different participant’s distance irons are in contrast.

So when TaylorMade releases a brand new P·790, it’s an enormous deal.

Getting into its fifth era, TaylorMade says the 2025 P·790 is quicker, extra forgiving and better-feeling than ever.

Daring declare?

Certain, however totally par for the course. Let’s dig somewhat deeper and take a look on the particular the explanation why TaylorMade says this P·790 is its best but.

If it ain’t broke, make it higher

By no small measure, P·790 has all the time thrived out there as a result of it checks a number of bins for a number of forms of golfers. It’s unapologetically a distance iron however with every launch, it appears to be like much less like one. It’s forgiving however, once more, it doesn’t essentially scream “mis-hit me, no matter, it’s effective.” And whereas few (at the least those that don’t work for TaylorMade) would counsel it affords the pure buttery really feel of a muscle-back, the SpeedFoam-infused P·790 can maintain its personal with most the rest within the class.

As a result of TaylorMade has repeatedly blended these efficiency components inside an aesthetically refined bundle, the P·790 has one of many broadest reaches of any piece of golf gear out there at present. Whereas TaylorMade lists the target market as 5-15 handicaps, you’ll discover it within the luggage of everybody from near-scratch golfers to aspirational 20-somethings.

It’s not a real “Tour” iron insomuch as you gained’t discover full units of P·790 on the PGA Tour however it’s not unheard of for the occasional P·790 lengthy iron to search out its means right into a bag each from time to time.

For 2025, P·790 retains a lot, if not all, of what golfers love about with some key upgrades that ought to hold it high of thoughts (and demo lists) for golfers buying the class.

New or improved

Right here’s a fast rundown of what’s new and probably improved within the 2025 P·790.

New 4340M cast face

For 2025, P·790 will get a brand new face materials. The brand new face is 20-percent stronger than the earlier mannequin’s which allowed TaylorMade to make it thinner. A thinner face is a sooner face. Along with extra pace, 4340M creates a candy spot that’s 24-percent bigger which in the end makes the brand new mannequin extra constant, too.

FLTD CG (Flighted Heart of Gravity)

TaylorMade launched Flight CGs within the earlier P·790. With the brand new mannequin, they’ve continued to refine the inner geometries and use strategically positioned tungsten (as much as 40 grams) to provide easy-to-hit, high-flying lengthy irons, extra forgiving mid-irons and flatter, spinner trajectories for extra management within the scoring golf equipment.

Up to date Stabilization Bars

Inner buildings distinctive to every loft work to regulate vibrations, tune frequencies and enhance sound and really feel.

Thinner topline, improved sole geometry

A sleeker, barely extra compact profile with an optimized sole radius produces higher turf interplay. Huge image: Regardless of being a bit extra constant than the earlier mannequin, the brand new P·790 appears to be like much more like a participant’s iron.

Up to date loft bundle

TaylorMade says the brand new P·790 is engineered to create extra constant gapping between golf equipment. To that finish, lofts on the brand new mannequin are barely stronger than the earlier model. The notables are that the 7-iron is half a level stronger (now 30 levels) and the 4-iron (now 20) and PW (44) are a level stronger.

It’s the sort of static change that may little doubt elicit rage however golf is a dynamic recreation and it’s exhausting to know a lot of something till you hit them. Additionally, irons are supposed to be bent so what’s on the spec sheet ought to all the time be handled as the start line.

P·790 continues to be a distance machine, however …

This can be a story about golf golf equipment in order you’d count on, TaylorMade says the brand new P·790 is quicker (and longer).

The elevated pace comes by means of a brand new 4340M cast face. The added energy of the fabric allowed TaylorMade engineers to make it thinner (and, by extension, sooner) than the earlier mannequin. Extra pace equals extra distance with the additional benefit of the pace being extra constant throughout the face.

Understand that 24-percent bigger candy spot is relative to the fourth-generation P·790. In case you’re upgrading from a Gen 2 or Gen 3, the distinction can be even larger.

The problem, arguably the issue, with the participant’s distance class is that the hollow-body designs (together with those full of foam and different assorted goos) are liable to scorching spots. I’d wager anybody who has performed a playe’rs distance design has skilled a random nuclear flier that flew 20 yards longer than it ought to have. In my expertise, a 190-yard 7-iron isn’t good for a lot apart from bragging rights (and that’s provided that you allow out the half in regards to the white stakes behind the inexperienced).

Whereas I can’t promise that may by no means occur, TaylorMade says P·790’s new face delivers extra constant pace and launch circumstances.

Translation: Loads of distance, extra predictability, fewer disagreeable surprises.

The Really feel Issue: What good is pace if it seems like crap?

Velocity is nice but when an iron feels clunky, sounds skinny or clangs like a metal rubbish pan lid, golfers gained’t chunk. Properly, a few of you’ll, however all of us have our limits.

With each iteration of P·790, TaylorMade has labored to enhance sound and really feel. OG SpeedFoam advanced to SpeedFoam Air. The earlier era introduced us individually optimized sound stabilization bars.

The newest iteration builds on these applied sciences with some up to date inside geometries designed to work particularly with the brand new face materials and supply even higher really feel.

Forgiveness with out wanting chunky

For all of the expertise discovered inside P·790, a great little bit of its success out there will be attributed to the stuff you’ll be able to see. Clear (and infrequently generationally improved) appears to be like have all the time been a part of the P·790 story.

That hasn’t modified.

We’ve talked in regards to the tweaks to the topline and sole however as was the case with the Qi35 drivers, there are plenty of refined aesthetic modifications to P·790 which may go unnoticed.

The P·790 emblem has been shifted to the middle which TaylorMade says offers the design a brand new perspective. The up to date design contains a Tour satin scratch end with a mirror polish on backbar. The distinction is supposed to subtly counsel perimeter weighting. There’s additionally a little bit of machined texture below the brand which I suppose would possibly counsel precision.

As a bundle, the up to date design language is supposed to counsel a design that’s inviting and aspirational. To no small extent, that’s all the time been P·790’s secret sauce.

Ultimate ideas: Who’s it for?

As has all the time been the case, the brand new P·790 ought to work for a variety of gamers from near-scratch golfers to 15-plus handicaps who need distance, forgiveness and one thing kinda like cast really feel in a smooth bundle.

But when we’re being particular:

In case you play a game-improvement iron however need one thing extra compact and extra refined, P·790 matches the invoice.

In case you’re a single digit on the lookout for further pop with some forgiveness with out giving up a lot really feel, P·790 is a textbook alternative.

In case you’re already a P·790 participant however you need the most recent, better-looking and extra constant model, TaylorMade says that is it.

Backside line: Whereas I’d by no means counsel it’s the most suitable choice for each golfer, the P·790 stays the benchmark participant’s distance iron. The 2025 model is quicker, extra forgiving and better-feeling than evee wll whereas maintaining the look and DNA that made it an icon.