Expert Review: TaylorMade 2019 P790 Irons

TaylorMade’s Slogan:

You Don’t Mess With What Works. You Work To Make It Better.

The TaylorMade P790 Irons have been one of the more popular iron sets of the last few years. So, when it came time to release an updated version, TaylorMade’s design decisions didn’t re-invent the wheel, rather they produced smart, subtle refinements based off player feedback instead.

A pioneer of the players-distance category, the P790 irons have always been about distance and speed. The chassis has remained relatively consistent with the previous model, featuring a forged hollow body filled with TaylorMade’s proprietary SpeedFoam, progressive Inverted Cone Technology, and a Thru Slot Speed Pocket in the long irons.

Over the past couple of years, the conversations I’ve had with players who have gamed the original P790 irons uncovered some consistent trends in terms of their looks and performance. Typically, most players wanted an iron profile that suits a better player’s eye, they wanted more ability to work the ball, and cleaner feedback at impact.

On a whole, the refinements TaylorMade included in the new P790 irons mirror the wishes of players. The engineers mainly focused on improving the sound, increasing forgiveness and minor adjustments to the shape.

TaylorMade notes the following enhancements: a 7% thinner face, 15% heavier tungsten weights that create a 22% larger COR area, reduced offset in the long irons, and shorter blade lengths in the scoring irons for more of a Tour look. They also included a new stock shaft this year, the Dynamic Gold 105 with VSS Pro dampening system.

Testing

When I tested the original P790 irons, I wasn’t a huge fan at first. It took me a while to get comfortable with the aggressive lofting and the offset, but after awhile I started striping 5 irons to the tune of 225 yards. This go around I felt much more comfortable right off the bat.

While the irons still feature a confidence-inspiring topline and bulk, the shape is a lot more pleasing to the eye and I really get the players-distance vibe from this set.

One gripe I’ve had with foam-filled, hollow blade irons is that the feel is rather clunky, and the feedback muddled. I found between the new stock shaft and the forged 4140 face these irons have a much improved feel and sound. There is still a little click, but I could tell right away whether I caught a ball flush or not.

I had no problem elevating the long irons from the fairway, and the mid and short irons produced towering shots. The short irons looked and responded great. They are still thick (like the whole set), but the shorter blade length frames the ball nicely.

Overall, I’m a big fan of the enhancements to the TaylorMade P790 irons. The shape, feel and feedback are all a big improvement compared to the original version. I can see this as a great set for improving players to grow into, as well as solid ball strikers who have just lost a little bit of distance and want to continue to see their normal numbers.