TaylorMade P790 Irons Review
Now in its fifth generation, the P790 is the iron that created the players-distance category back in 2017 and has stayed at or near the top of the sales charts ever since. The 2025 version is a genuine refinement rather than a reinvention, and reviewers are largely in agreement about where the real gains are, and where TaylorMade's marketing numbers outrun what testers actually measured.
We’ve pulled together independent testing, including at least one reviewer’s own launch monitor numbers set against TaylorMade’s official claims, to work out what’s genuinely new here and who it actually suits.
- Fifth generation of TaylorMade's players-distance category, refined rather than reinvented for 2025
- New 4340M forged face and FLTD CG weighting bring real gains in feel and consistency
- TaylorMade's '24% larger sweet spot' claim wasn't fully confirmed by at least one independent field test
- Aimed at low-to-mid handicappers; TaylorMade itself points higher handicappers toward the Qi range instead
The Short Version
- Feel is the clearest genuine upgrade over the 2023 model: softer, more consistent throughout the set rather than getting louder and more explosive in the long irons.
- An independent field test found off-centre strike performance very close to the 2023 model, despite TaylorMade’s claim of a 24% larger sweet spot.
- Strong lofts and a lower spin profile mean golfers who already spin the ball low may see shots that don’t check up as quickly as they’d like.
- If you’re already gaming a recent-generation P790, most reviewers describe this as an evolution, not a reason to upgrade.
TaylorMade P790 Irons (Steel Shafts)
TaylorMade P790 Golf Irons Steel Shafts
How it performs
The headline change for 2025 is the face. TaylorMade moved to a new 4340M forged material that’s rated 20% stronger than the previous generation’s, which let engineers make it thinner and faster while using individual head optimisation and modal analysis to fine-tune feel across every club in the set. Reviewers who tested both generations side by side describe a genuine step forward here: the 2023 P790 ran softer and quieter in the short irons but louder and more explosive in the long irons, while the 2025 set keeps a consistent, soft feel with a crisp click throughout the whole bag.
TaylorMade’s other headline claim is a 24% larger sweet spot compared to the previous generation, and this is where reviews genuinely diverge. At least one independent tester who ran a proper field test measured ball speed and stability drop-off on off-centre strikes and found it very close to, if not virtually identical to, the 2023 model, rather than the meaningful jump the marketing suggests. That doesn’t mean the forgiveness claim is false so much as overstated. Real-world testers still describe the P790 as genuinely forgiving for a players-distance iron, just not dramatically more so than the set it replaced.
Distance and gapping get more attention than almost anything else with this iron, and results here are mixed depending on the tester. One reviewer with above-average swing speed found no meaningful, consistent distance gap between the 4-iron and 5-iron, because launch was simply too low at the top of the set, a fitting issue worth knowing about if you carry long irons. Others found gapping through the main scoring irons, particularly 7-iron to 8-iron, notably improved and consistent compared to previous P790 generations, which had a reputation for occasional distance-gapping problems. The takeaway across reviews is consistent: this is still a very long iron on pure strikes, with excellent results on mishits, but proper fitting matters more here than the spec sheet suggests.
TaylorMade P790 (2025) Specifications
- Genuinely improved, more consistent feel throughout the set compared to the 2023 model
- Excellent distance on pure strikes with strong results on mishits
- Refined, more compact Tour Satin Scratch look without any real drop in forgiveness
- Wide loft range and sensible progressive CG design for launch and control
- Available in both steel and graphite shafts, right and left handed
- Independent field testing found off-centre forgiveness close to the previous generation, despite the ‘24% larger sweet spot’ claim
- Among the more expensive players-distance iron sets on the market
- Marginal upgrade if you’re already gaming a recent-generation P790, evolution rather than revolution
- Strong lofts and lower spin can mean shots that don’t stop as quickly for golfers who already spin the ball low
- At least one tester found inconsistent long-iron gapping (4-iron to 5-iron) at higher swing speeds
Where it sits in TaylorMade's range
The P790 is TaylorMade's flagship players-distance iron, but it isn't the only option at this level, and it isn't the cheapest way into TaylorMade's current technology either.
- P770: near-identical performance and feel to the P790, with lofts around 2° weaker per club. A touch less distance, same refined look, often blended with the P790 in a combo set.
- P790: covered in this review. The benchmark players-distance iron: distance, forgiveness and a compact look in one set.
- Qi Max / Qi Max HL / Qi Gunmetal: TaylorMade’s more game-improvement-focused current irons, meaningfully cheaper and more forgiving for higher handicaps, at the cost of the P790’s compact players look.
- P7MB / P7CB: tour-level blades and cavity backs for better players who want maximum workability and are willing to give up forgiveness to get it.
If the P790’s price is the sticking point rather than its performance category, TaylorMade’s own Qi Max line gets a lot of golfers most of what they actually want for meaningfully less. Weighing it against other brands too? Our iron sets guide runs through Callaway, PING, Mizuno and the rest.
Want to Spend Less? The Qi Max Is Worth a Look
If £1,069 is more than you want to spend on a set of irons, TaylorMade’s own Qi Max costs meaningfully less and leans further into forgiveness for higher handicaps. You give up the P790’s compact players look and some of its workability, but you keep TaylorMade’s current-generation face technology and a genuinely easy-to-hit iron for golfers who need more help on off-centre strikes than the P790 is really designed to give.
TaylorMade Qi Max Golf Irons Steel Shafts
How We Compiled This Review
We haven’t played this set ourselves, so rather than fake a hands-on account, we built this review from independent testing and launch monitor data published across the golf media, checked against TaylorMade’s own published specifications.
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Independent field testing
Compared launch monitor data on off-centre strikes against TaylorMade’s own marketing claims, rather than repeating the official figures uncritically.
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Cross-checked expert reviews
Read and cross-checked reviews from National Club Golfer, Golfalot, Plugged In Golf, Golf Monthly, Today’s Golfer and Golfer Geeks.
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Checked owner and forum feedback
Included reader questions and owner responses from Plugged In Golf’s comment section for real-world fitting concerns that don’t always show up in first-look reviews.
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Verified against TaylorMade specs
Checked every technical spec, loft and shaft option against TaylorMade’s official product documentation.
Where independent testing didn’t fully back up TaylorMade’s own marketing claims, particularly on sweet spot size, we’ve said so rather than repeating the number that flatters the club.
What to Check Before You Buy
At least one tester with above-average swing speed found the 4-iron and 5-iron didn’t gap consistently. A fitting will catch this before you buy a full set.
If you already spin the ball low, the P790’s strong lofts and low-spin design can mean shots that release more than you’d like on the green.
If you already have a 2021–2023 P790, most reviewers found the 2025 gains incremental rather than essential.
Several reviewers blend the P790’s forgiving long irons with the more compact P770 or P7MB in the scoring clubs for the best of both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2025 TaylorMade P790 worth upgrading to from an older P790?
Feel is genuinely improved, but most reviewers describe the performance gains as incremental rather than essential if you already own a 2021–2023 P790. It’s a stronger case if you’re coming from an older set or a different brand entirely.
Is the P790's 24% larger sweet spot claim accurate?
At least one independent field test found off-centre strike performance very close to the previous generation, rather than a dramatic jump. Treat the figure as directional marketing rather than a guaranteed real-world result.
What handicap is the P790 best suited to?
TaylorMade markets it to roughly a 0–15 handicap, and most reviewers agree it suits low-to-mid handicappers best. TaylorMade itself recommends higher handicappers look at the Qi range instead.
What's the difference between the P790 and P770?
Very similar performance and feel, with the P770 carrying lofts around 2° weaker per club, which usually means slightly less distance. Many golfers blend the two in a combo set.
Does the P790 come in graphite shafts?
Yes, alongside the steel shaft version reviewed here, TaylorMade offers a graphite-shafted option with the Mitsubishi MMT as the stock shaft.
No surprise charges at the door: VAT and import duty are included in the price and prepaid. Delivery is €7, free over €120, in 2–4 working days.
The 2025 P790 is a genuine refinement of the iron that built the players-distance category, with a real step forward in feel and a more consistent set from top to bottom. The forgiveness claims outrun what independent testing actually found, and the price sits at the top of the category, but for golfers wanting distance and playability in a compact, premium-looking iron, this remains the benchmark most rivals are still chasing.
