TaylorMade P770 vs. P790 Review [Expert’s Comparison]

It’s the battle of the titans between TaylorMade’s P770 vs P790 irons. Here’s my take on which is better.

Every year, TaylorMade and Callaway produce some of the most competitive and highly demanded lines of golf clubs for that year. But from 2019 to today, TaylorMade was setting the benchmark for the mid-handicap and low-handicap irons sector with their P790 ‘19, P770 ‘20, and P790 ‘21 golf irons.

In 2023, we were treated with a new version of the ’23 P770 irons at the start of the year and a new ’23 P790 irons beginning of September. We’re here to decide which is better for you!

As an avid golfer with a 10.6 handicap, I’ve been running TaylorMade’s 2021 P790 irons since they were released and have recently thought about switching over to the TaylorMade 2023 P770s irons. Now, it may be time I switch to the ‘new 23 P790 irons from TaylorMade.

Summary: The ’23 P790 irons were slightly more forgiving while P770 iron was more compact and workable.

Which to Get: If you’ve just entered the mid-handicap range (20 to 13 handicap index) then the P790 might be the best option. If you’re somewhere between the end of the mid-handicap range to the start of a low-handicap range (12 to 8 handicap index) then the P770 might be a good pick moving forward.

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The Breakdown: TaylorMade P770 vs. P790

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Are there Differences Between the P770 vs. P790 Irons?

Besides a difference in forgiveness, ball launch, feel, distance, workability, and control, which we would cover below, both irons offer different specs and technologies. Here’s a spec list of both these irons followed by the technologies in each set of golf irons:

P770 Specs

’23 P770 Features

CLUB	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	PW	AW
LOFT	19.5°	22.5°	25.5°	29.0°	33.0°	37.0°	41.5°	46.0°	51.0°
LIE	60.5°	61°	61.5°	62°	62.5°	63°	63.5°	64°	64°
OFFSET	3.6mm	3.3mm	3.0mm	2.7mm	2.4mm	2.2mm	1.9mm	1.6mm	1.6mm

P770 Technology: 

• Compact Players Shaping: designed to bring visual cues by making the irons more compact: thinner topline, smaller face, and less offset.
• Forged Hollow Body Construction: Generates more energy on the golf ball for extra distance.
• SpeedFoam:  improves feel and feedback.
• Thru-Slot Speed Pocket: improves ball speed and gives more forgiveness on thinned shots.
• Progressive Inverted Cone Technology: improves accuracy and gives more forgiveness on mishits by not sacrificing power. 

’23 P790 Features

CLUB	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	PW	AW
LOFT	19°	21°	23.5°	26.5°	30.5°	35°	40°	45°	50°
LIE	60.5°	61°	61.5°	62°	62.5°	63°	63.5°	64°	64°
OFFSET	3.5mm	3.4mm	3.1mm	2.9mm	2.7mm	2.4mm	2.1mm	1.8mm	1.6mm

P790 Technology:

• SpeedFoam Air: improves sound, feel, and launch.
• Thin-Wall Construction and Forged L-Face: better face flexibility for more energy to be transferred to the golf ball
• Thru-Slot Speed Pocket: improves ball speed and gives more forgiveness on thinned shots.
• Intelligent Sweet Spot: larger sweet spot for easier striking and straightness 
• Tungsten Mass for Low CG: improves stability and MOI of the golf club. Prevent the club from twisting on mishits.

Before we jump into the comparison of the P770 and the P790 irons, here is a quick recap of what loft, lie, and offset do to your golf irons:

• Loft: The higher the loft degree, the more spin it generates and the shorter the ball would go. However, this often means more control for the golfer.
• Lie Angle: The lie angles for both the P770 and P790 irons are the same here. Essentially it is how well the sole of the club rests on the ground. This affects the direction and flight of the golf ball.
• Offset: The more offset you have on your irons, the easier it is for the club to square itself on impact. This is good for any golfer who struggles with any type of golf slice.

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Winner of Looks? BOTH

For the P790, I preferred the smooth design at the back of the club face. However, the compactness and blade-like style of the P770 always makes me feel like I’m a pro golfer when holding it. So, I’m going to give it a tie.

Winner of Forgiveness: TaylorMade P790

The 2023 P790 has seen three upgrades since its release in 2017, 2019, then again in 2021. Now, the P790 has become an iron created to provide optimal forgiveness for mid-handicappers. Its body has become more compact and with the sweet spot increased by 60% from the previous model. Additionally, the center of gravity compared to the 2021 model is much more optimal in the 2023 P790. making it much for forgiving than its 2021 version.

As someone who tends to struggle with a push slice, the P790 made my balls so straight that I ended up buying it the day I tested it at the store. 

Compared to the P770, the P790 also has a larger topline and club face. This leads to better MOI and better contact on ball strikes. Simply put, it’s much easier to hit with. 

The P770 is still very forgiving compared to your traditional Player-type irons, however, it shines more in workability and feel.

Winner of Ball Launch/Flight: TIE

It’s much easier to launch the golf ball with the P790 irons compared to the P770 irons because of the large sweet spot and bigger club face. However, the P770’s weaker lofts created higher golf balls but with much more spin, leading the better control. 

Winner of Feel: TaylorMade P770

When considering the feel of a club, we look for a golf club that provides good vibration control and particularly informative feedback. Feedback allows more skilled golfers to learn how to control/ shape the golf ball, creating draws or fades when needed. As a result, the P770’s smaller sweet spot, shorter wedge length, and more compact head gave much more feedback than the P790. The P770 feels almost like a blade in this aspect but is much easier to hit with. 

Winner of Distance: TaylorMade P790

This was tricky because the P770 irons have weaker lofts than the P790 irons. For instance, the P790’s seven iron is 30.5 degrees while the P770’s is 33 degrees. 

And yes, the P790 irons added roughly 7 to 10 extra yards, but for a more skilled mid-handicap golfer, I would say that extra yardage is rather trivial when you end up getting more feel and workability.

Winner of Workability: TaylorMade P770

I didn’t even have to try it to know that the P770 irons were going to be more workable. The more compact head, smaller sweet spot, lower lofts, and higher spin made fades and draws much easier to create at will. This is where the P770 becomes the better option for more skilled golfers. The P790 irons are still decent when it comes to workability, but the fades and draws aren’t that significant compared to the P770 irons.

However, workability really depends on the player. Some may find the P770 to be too difficult to hit with so its ‘workability’ may backfire and make the P790 more workable for that player instead.

Winner of Control: TaylorMade P770

The P770 creates much more backspin for the golf ball. For someone who isn’t looking for extra distance in their clubs and doesn’t miss the center of the face that often with their irons, the P770 had excellent control on the golf balls that land on the green. For instance, I noticed that I became more confident in taking aggressive shots toward the green from over 150 yards because the golf balls dart onto the green without rolling past it.

That said, the P770 is slightly harder to hit and be consistent with as it is slightly less forgiving. So, if control to you means getting a consistent launch on the golf ball, then the P790 is your best bet here.

Pricing: TIE

Sitting at the premium end, both irons are priced pretty much exactly the same. That’s because they’re some of the best irons TaylorMade has to offer. Plus, unlike irons designed for beginners, both these irons are tailored for the low to mid-handicap golfer so their more intricately designed, have more technology in them, and are better quality.

If you’re looking to save a few extra dollars you can buy the 2021 P790 Irons. They’re still magnificent irons for mid-handicappers. 

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FAQ – P790 vs. P770

Which should you get? P790 vs. P770

Generally, we recommend the P790 irons for a mid-handicap or a high-handicap golfer.  Meanwhile, the P770 irons are for anyone with a lower handicap starting from 10 and below.

However, my best suggestion is to try these golf clubs out yourself before you buy them. You can do this either at a golf store near you or with try golf clubs before your buy with the Utry program offered by GlobalGolf. Essentially, for a fee, you get 2 weeks of free trial with these golf clubs. It’s a very reliable system and ships particularly fast when you’re in the US.

What is the difference between TaylorMade’s P770 and the P790 irons?

The main difference between the Taylormade P770 irons and the TaylorMade P790 irons is the club head size, which generally affects all the feature differences we mentioned above. 

The P790 irons have a larger club head, thicker topline, stronger lofts, and a larger sweet spot. These features are made for those who are looking for more forgiveness for consistent ball striking, straightness, and distance. 

The TaylorMade P770 irons are more compact and look close to a blade. They have weaker lofts and a smaller sweet spot. These features are made for those who are focusing less on forgiveness but on workability, feedback, and control. That said, the P770 irons are still exceptionally forgiving.

Can Beginners use TaylorMade’s P790 Irons?

Yes, the forgiveness of the P790 is so good that even beginners can use it. However, why I wouldn’t recommend for beginners to take up this set of golf irons right away is because the P790 irons are quite a heavy investment. Those who have a deeper foot into the game may find it worth investing in these premium irons instead.

If you’re a beginner, you may not be too sure how long you would stay in the game, or how serious you want to take it. If that’s the case, sticking with a beginner-friendly golf club is more viable. They’re not only more affordable but they’re more forgiving and have features that fit specifically for a beginner to start the game right and with motivation to keep going.

However, I’d say if you’re a high-handicap golfer (roughly a 30 handicap) then the P790 irons can be a good choice. 

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My Verdict: TaylorMade P770 vs. P790

I put the TaylorMade P770 irons against the TaylorMade P790 irons to see which would win me over. I’m currently using the TaylorMade 2021 P790 irons. They’ve effectively allowed me to improve my golf all the way to a 10.6 handicap from a 22 handicap. Now, it may be time for the TaylorMade P770 irons to take over. I needed something more workable, with a better feel to it while I’m also willing to sacrifice a tad bit of forgiveness.

After these tests, I can firmly say that it’s time to move on from the TaylorMade P790 irons. It’s still the best all-around mid-handicap iron set for if you’re standing at a 20 to 15 handicap and looking to drop closer to 10 handicaps. However, once you reached a 10 handicap, the TaylorMade P770 irons may be something you’d want more.

That’s it for this comparison review between the P790 and the P770 irons. If you’re looking to pair a new set of drives, here are the best golf drivers of mid handicappers. 

May the course be with you