The good and the bad
Verdict at a glance
What we rate
- Forged 4140 face with SpeedFoam Air gives genuine forged feel with fast ball speed
- Strong, consistent distance that leads the players-distance class
- More forgiving than its compact, clean shape suggests
- FLTD CG launches the long irons easily and controls the short irons
- One of the best-looking irons in its category at address
What gives us pause
- Premium price, among the most expensive in the category
- Strong lofts mean less spin, so gapping and wedges need thought
- Not a max-forgiveness iron for a struggling ballstriker
- Distance-oriented, so purists may prefer a more traditional players iron
The TaylorMade P790 is the golf iron that created the players-distance category, and it remains the benchmark for it. These are golf clubs that blend the compact looks and feel of a players iron with the distance and forgiveness of a game-improvement set, which is why they suit such a wide range of golfers. This review covers how the TaylorMade P790 irons are built, how they perform, and who should play them.
What the TaylorMade P790 is built for
The P790 is aimed at the golfer who wants a compact, good-looking iron that still delivers distance and forgiveness. It is the original players-distance iron, and it fits a broad band of players, from low handicappers who want a little help to mid handicappers who want a cleaner look than a bulky game-improvement set. Whatever your handicap in that range, the P790 flatters your strike while looking the part.
Because it hides its forgiveness inside a slim, forged shape, the P790 is one of the few golf irons that appeals to better players and improvers alike, which is a big part of its long-running popularity.
Construction: hollow body and the forged face
The TaylorMade P790 is a hollow-body forged iron filled with SpeedFoam Air, which supports a thin, fast face while damping vibration for a solid feel. The latest models use a new 430M forged face material that is around 20 percent stronger, letting it be thinner and faster, and that delivers roughly a 24 percent larger sweet spot for more ball speed and carry.
That combination, a forged body for feel and a fast hollow-body face for speed, is what makes the P790 both long and forgiving without looking like a game-improvement club. Tungsten weighting helps position the centre of gravity for a stable, consistent launch.
TaylorMade P790 at a glance
| Spec | TaylorMade P790 |
|---|---|
| Category | Players-distance iron |
| Construction | Hollow body, forged, SpeedFoam Air |
| Face | 430M forged, thin and fast |
| Feel | Soft, solid, above average |
| Best for | Low to mid handicappers |
| Typical price | Around 1,400 dollars for a set |
Feel and forgiveness
Despite the fast hollow-body face, the P790 feels soft and solid, with above-average sound thanks to the SpeedFoam damping. Forgiveness is impressive for how compact the iron looks: the larger sweet spot holds ball speed on strikes away from the centre, so mishits lose less distance than the slim shape suggests. It is a golf iron that rewards a good strike and quietly protects a bad one.
Looks and distance
A major part of the P790's success is its clean, compact look at address, with a thin top line that appeals to better players. On distance it is genuinely long for its category, thanks to the fast face and strong lofts, so check that the set gaps cleanly into your wedges. The trade of a little loft for distance is the whole point of a players-distance iron.
Performance and testing
Across our review and independent testing, the TaylorMade P790 irons post an excellent blend of distance, forgiveness, feel and consistency, and reviewers consistently rate them among the best players-distance golf clubs available. Testers highlight the meaningful gains in ball speed and carry over previous generations, and the latest set carries a very high average customer rating. As an all-round package the P790 is one of the best golf irons for a player who wants distance and forgiveness in a compact, forged shape.
Compared with the previous P790s, the new set feels a touch better and picks up a few yards, and reviewers who hit them note the same. These are clubs that flatter a wide range of golfers, and the reviews reflect it, with the latest P790s among the highest-rated players-distance clubs going. The new face feature is a real step up on performance, adding yards without changing the look better players love.
How the P790 compares
The TaylorMade P790's rivals are other players-distance golf irons such as the Titleist T200 and Ping i-series, and value forged sets like the Takomo range. Against those the P790 is the category benchmark for the blend of speed, feel and looks, though it sits at a premium price, and direct brands like Takomo undercut it heavily. Which suits you depends on your budget and whether you want a fitting.
Who should play the TaylorMade P790
The P790 suits low and mid handicappers who want a compact, forged iron that still offers distance and forgiveness. Better players who want more shot-shaping may prefer a true players iron, and higher handicaps who want maximum help may prefer a full game-improvement set, but for the broad middle the P790 is close to ideal. A fitting for lie, length and shaft will get the most from it.
Verdict
The TaylorMade P790 is one of the best players-distance golf irons you can buy, combining compact, forged looks with genuine distance and forgiveness through its hollow-body, fast-faced design. If you are a low to mid handicapper who wants a clean-looking iron that still flatters your strike, the P790 is a benchmark choice, provided the premium price fits your budget. Review after review puts the P790s near the top of the category, and in our own review the club felt slightly softer and flew slightly longer than the set it replaced, which is why the reviews stay glowing.
Key features
Tech
- Forged 4140 high-speed face with a hollow cast 8620 body
- SpeedFoam Air, 69% less dense than the 2019 version, for feel and sound
- FLTD CG: centre of gravity lowest in the long irons, higher through the set
- Up to 38g of tungsten weighting across the set
- Players-distance category with strong lofts
- 2023 model, the fourth generation of the P790
FAQ
Are the TaylorMade P790 irons worth it?
For the right player, yes. They lead the players-distance class for distance while keeping a forged feel and a clean, compact look. The main reason to hesitate is the price, which is among the highest in the category.
What handicap are the P790 irons for?
They suit low to mid handicappers, and higher handicappers whose ball striking is better than their number suggests, roughly down to a 12 to 14. A struggling higher handicapper who needs maximum forgiveness should look at a game-improvement iron.
Are the P790 irons forgiving?
More than their compact shape suggests. Up to 38 grams of tungsten and the FLTD CG design make the long irons easy to launch and keep mishits playable, though they are not a max-forgiveness game-improvement iron.
Do the P790 irons have strong lofts?
Yes. Like most players-distance irons they use stronger lofts to add distance, which means less spin and longer carries. Plan your gapping and wedges around that so you do not leave a hole at the bottom of the bag.
What is SpeedFoam Air?
It is the foam injected inside the hollow head that supports the thin forged face so it loses less ball speed at impact, while also damping vibration to improve feel and sound. It is a big part of why a distance iron can feel forged.
How much do the P790 irons cost?
A steel set starts around 1,400 dollars, with graphite shafts costing more. That places them at the premium end of the players-distance category.
What is FLTD CG on the P790?
FLTD CG is a design that places the centre of gravity lowest in the long irons, where you want easy launch, and progressively higher through the set, where you want control. It makes the long irons playable and stops the short irons flying too far.
Are the P790 irons good for high handicappers?
They can work for a higher handicapper who strikes the ball reasonably well, but a struggling high handicapper who needs maximum forgiveness will get more from a dedicated game-improvement iron. The P790 rewards decent contact.
Do the P790 irons feel like forged irons?
Yes, more than most distance irons. The forged face and SpeedFoam Air give a soft, solid, muted feel rather than the clicky sensation of many hollow-body irons, which is a big reason for its popularity.
P790 or a game-improvement iron, which should I choose?
Choose the P790 for distance and forged feel in a compact shape if you are a decent ball striker. Choose a game-improvement iron if you need maximum forgiveness and the easiest possible launch and are less consistent with your contact.
Are the P790 irons long?
Yes, they lead the players-distance class for distance thanks to the fast forged face and strong lofts. Just remember that distance comes partly from lower spin, so plan your gapping into your wedges.
How often is the P790 updated?
TaylorMade refreshes the P790 every couple of years, with each generation refining the construction, weighting and CG rather than changing the concept. The players-distance formula stays consistent across models.