Quick answer: In the TaylorMade P770 vs P790 choice, pick the P790 if you want more distance and forgiveness. Pick the P770 if you strike the ball consistently and want a smaller head, feel, and control. Neither iron is better overall. The right one depends on your strike pattern, handicap, and gapping.
Should You Choose the TaylorMade P770 or P790?
Choose the P790 if you want more distance and forgiveness. Choose the P770 if you are a better ball striker who wants a smaller head, feel, and control, which matches how TaylorMade positions the two irons.
Use this as a starting point:
- About 10 handicap or better: you can consider the P770.
- Mid-handicap: start with the P790.
- Beginner: compare the P790 with a dedicated game-improvement iron.
This article compares the P770 announced in 2024, which is often sold as a 2025 model, with the 2025 P790. Older versions of both irons have different specs, so check the generation before you apply anything here.
TaylorMade P770 vs P790: What Are the Key Differences?
The P790 has a larger head and stronger lofts, and it is built for distance and forgiveness. The P770 has a more compact head and weaker lofts, and it is built for better ball strikers. Both have a neutral flight bias, according to TaylorMade’s media release.
| Spec | P770 | 2025 P790 |
|---|---|---|
| Target golfer | Better ball strikers who want feel, control, and consistency | Golfers who want more distance and forgiveness |
| Head shape | More compact | Larger |
| 7-iron loft | 33 degrees | 30 degrees |
| Set and loft range | 4-PW, 22-45 degrees | 4-AW, 20-49 degrees |
| Launch | Mid | Mid-high |
| Spin | Mid | Mid-low |
| Internal tungsten | Up to 41 g | Up to 40 g |
| Stock shafts (New Zealand release) | Nippon Modus Tour 120 Luxury Black (S, X) | Nippon Modus Tour 105 Luxury Black (R, S, X) or Mitsubishi MMT (65R, 75S) |
| Launch price | $200 per club | $200 per club |
Sources: set lofts, launch, spin, and shafts come from the media release. The P770’s 7-iron loft and tungsten come from Australian Golf Digest. The P790’s come from Golfalot. Prices come from Golf.com’s 2025 coverage.
The shaft list is New Zealand market information. Confirm US shaft options when you buy.
How Are the P770 and P790 Built?
Yes, the P770 and P790 are both hollow-body irons. Each one has forged construction, internal tungsten, and SpeedFoam Air, a lightweight foam inside the head. Tungsten is a dense metal that lets designers place weight where it helps stability and launch.
What makes the P790 different?
The 2025 P790 has a 4340M forged face that TaylorMade describes as 20% stronger than prior generations. A stronger face can be made thinner. It also has a thick-thin back wall, and the longer irons add a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket.
What makes the P770 different?
The P770 uses a forged 4140 steel face insert that wraps into the sole. Its face is precision-milled, which means it is finished by machine. It also uses modal tuning, a design process that shapes how the head vibrates at impact.
Tungsten barely separates them, at up to 41 g in the P770 and up to 40 g in the P790. Head size, lofts, and face design explain more of the difference.
Which Iron Goes Farther?
The P790 is the distance-focused model, but part of any gain comes from loft. Its 30-degree 7-iron is 3 degrees stronger than the P770’s 33-degree 7-iron. You are not comparing the same club when both soles say “7.”
No independent head-to-head data for the current models was found, so this article does not quote a yardage gap. Be careful with any exact number you see online.
The closest data point is older. In TaylorMade’s 2020-generation comparison, internal testing put the P770 within a few yards of the P790, with more spin and slightly higher launch. That result is from older models and from the manufacturer. The current release lists the P790 as the higher-launching iron, so do not assume the old result still holds.
How should you compare distance?
Test both irons on a launch monitor and look at more than total yards:
- Carry: how far the ball flies before it lands.
- Descent angle: how steeply the ball comes down, which affects how well it stops.
- Spin: too little can make it harder to hold a green.
Extra yards help only if the ball still stops near where it lands.
Which Iron Is More Forgiving?
The P790 is more forgiving, and TaylorMade says so directly. It is the better default for golfers who do not find the center of the face on most swings.
TaylorMade also claims the 2025 P790 has a sweet spot up to 24% larger than the 2023 P790 7-iron. This is a manufacturer claim against the older P790. It does not compare the P790 with the P770.
The P770 still has hidden forgiveness from its hollow body and tungsten. Golf.com says it is meant for golfers who want more forgiveness than the P7CB. Even so, its smaller head asks for a more consistent strike.
Practical rule: if your misses are spread across the face or often thin, lean P790. Impact tape or foot spray on the face will show your pattern in one range session.
How Do Feel, Looks, and Workability Compare?
The P770 looks more compact, with a thin topline. In the 2020-generation comparison, TaylorMade also described it as having less offset and a narrower sole than the P790. Those details describe the earlier models, so compare the current heads in person.
On feel, Golfalot’s review found the P790 faster off the face and the P770 softer. That is one reviewer’s opinion, and feel is personal.
Smaller heads with less offset generally suit golfers who want to shape shots. Treat this as a trade-off, not a measured result. You may gain a sense of control with the P770, but you give up some of the P790’s help on off-center hits.
Which Iron Is Right for Your Handicap?
Most golfers above about a 10 handicap should start with the P790. Golf.com aims the P770 at 10-handicappers and better and calls the P790 a players distance model for the widest range of golfers. Golfalot lists a 5-18 handicap range for the P790.
| Your game | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | P790 vs. a game-improvement iron | The P770 is not aimed at beginners, and a game-improvement iron may offer more help |
| Mid-handicap (about 10-18) | P790 | Sits inside Golfalot’s range and offers more forgiveness |
| Low-handicap (about 10 or better) | P770 or P790 | Choose the P770 for a compact head and control, or the P790 for more distance help |
| Slower swing speed | P790 | Higher listed launch, plus a regular-flex stock option in the New Zealand release |
| Inconsistent strike | P790 | TaylorMade calls it the more forgiving model |
| Consistent center strike | Try both | You can use the P770’s smaller head without giving up as much |
Are P770 irons good for mid-handicappers?
They can work for a mid-handicapper with a consistent strike, especially near a 10 handicap. Most players in the 10-18 range should start with the P790. Golfalot says its stronger lofts and added ball-speed technology make it better suited to less consistent golfers.
Can a beginner play TaylorMade P790 irons?
Yes, but it may not be the best first choice. Golfalot’s range stops at an 18 handicap, so most beginners fall outside it. Hit the P790 next to a dedicated game-improvement iron and keep the one that gives you the most consistent carry.
Warning: handicap is only a starting point. Two golfers with the same handicap can have very different strike patterns and swing speeds. Let a fitting make the final decision.
How Should You Handle Gapping and Set Makeup?
What are the lofts of the P770 and P790?
The P770 comes in 4-PW with lofts from 22 to 45 degrees. The P790 comes in 4-AW with lofts from 20 to 49 degrees. The 7-iron is 33 degrees in the P770 and 30 degrees in the P790.
Stronger lofts can open a gap between your pitching wedge and your next wedge. For example, if your next wedge is 52 degrees, the 45-degree P770 pitching wedge leaves a 7-degree jump. The P790’s 49-degree AW would leave only 3 degrees.
- Write down the loft of every iron and wedge you plan to carry.
- Mark any step that is much larger than the steps around it.
- Check carry distance for each club on a launch monitor.
- Add or change a wedge to fill any gap you find.
Can you mix P770 and P790 irons in a combo set?
Yes. The usual idea is P790 long irons for easier launch and forgiveness, with P770 scoring irons for a smaller head and control. Do this only after you check loft gaps and shaft match in a fitting.
- Choose the club where you want to switch models.
- Check the loft step at that switch. The P770 has weaker lofts at the same number, so the gap can grow where the set changes.
- Match shafts across the set, since the listed stock shafts differ.
- Confirm carry gaps on a launch monitor before you order.
Is the P770 or P790 Worth the Price?
Price does not separate these irons, so choose on fit. Golf.com listed both at $200 per club in its 2025 coverage. The better value is the iron that gives you consistent carry and good gaps.
Compare current street prices and used older generations before you buy. An older model can make sense if its specs fit your game.
When you buy used, confirm the generation, because lofts and technology changed between releases. Ask for the model year and check the loft of each club. No official 2026 replacement had been confirmed when this article was written, so check TaylorMade’s current lineup before you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the P770 or P790 better for slower swing speeds?
The P790 is the better starting point for most golfers with slower swing speeds. TaylorMade’s release lists it with mid-high launch, while the P770 is listed as mid launch. The New Zealand release also includes a regular-flex stock shaft for the P790. Confirm US shaft options and test both in a fitting.
Does the P790 launch higher or spin less than the P770?
The P790 is listed with higher launch and lower spin than the P770. TaylorMade’s media release rates the P790 as mid-high launch and mid-low spin, and the P770 as mid launch and mid spin. Check your own numbers on a launch monitor, since too little spin can make greens harder to hold.
Does the P770 feel softer than the P790?
The P770 felt softer and the P790 felt faster off the face in Golfalot’s review. That is one reviewer’s opinion, and feel is personal, so it should not decide the purchase on its own. Hit both irons side by side, and weigh feel alongside your strike pattern, carry distance, and gapping.
How can I tell whether my strike pattern suits the P770 or P790?
Put impact tape or foot spray on the clubface and hit balls for one range session. If your misses are spread across the face or often thin, lean toward the P790. If you strike the center consistently, try both irons, because you can use the P770’s smaller head without giving up as much.
What should I check before buying a used P770 or P790?
Confirm the generation first, because lofts and technology changed between releases. Ask the seller for the model year and check the loft of each club. An older model can make sense if its specs fit your game, but specs for the current irons will not apply to earlier versions.
