Equipment
TaylorMade Expands Forged Iron Offerings With P-730, P-790
“Like a surgeon’s scalpel.”
That’s how TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Irons, Tomo Bystedt, describes the company’s new P-730 irons, which he and his team designed to meet the needs of three of the top-ranked golfers in the world: Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Dustin Johnson.
Dustin Johnson has been testing Taylormade’s P-730 irons.
“It’s pretty simple,” Bystedt says. “These guys have incredibly sensitive hands. When [Dustin Johnson] wants to hit a 5-yard cut into a right pin, you don’t see him doing anything differently. He just does it. What these players need is a very low-inertia club that they can [manipulate] easily, almost like a surgeon’s scalpel.”
Discussion: See what GolfWRXers are saying about the P-730 irons
Give average golfers a set of musclebacks like the P-730, and their results probably won’t be surgical. More than likely, they’ll butcher their scorecard. That’s where TaylorMade’s new P-790 irons come in. They aim to merge the classic look and feel of muscleback irons with the boost in distance and forgiveness that’s possible from the latest technologies.
The P-790 irons debut a new construction from TaylorMade, using 4140 steel club faces that are forged into an L-shape. The club faces wrap around the sole of the irons, where they’re welded to iron bodies made of 8630 steel. The design allowed TaylorMade engineers to make the leading edge of the irons thinner and more consistent, according to Bystedt, which helps improve the distance and consistency of the irons.
What’s most intriguing about the P-790 irons, however, is what golfer can’t see. There’s a screw on the toe of each iron, which is an access port to the inside of the club. Through it, TaylorMade fills each P-790 iron with a lightweight, flexible material it calls “Speed Foam.” The Speed Foam serves two purposes, the first of which is providing support to the club face so that TaylorMade designers could make it thinner to improve the distance and forgiveness of the irons. The filler also helps absorb vibrations during impact, which creates a more desirable feel.
In the two years TaylorMade spent developing the P-790 irons, it tested several filler materials, one of which was thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), the material PXG uses to fill the inside of its 0311 irons. “The problem with the TPE is that it completely kills your COR,” Bystedt says.
COR, or coefficient of restitution, is the measure of spring-like effect of a golf club. The higher the number, the faster a golf ball rebounds off the club face. To keep the COR of the P-790 irons as high as possible, TaylorMade’s iron design developed Speed Foam. Think of it like EVA, or ethylene vinyl acetate, the cushioning material used in running shoe, Bystedt says. Then think of something “much softer and less dense than that.”
There is a place for density in the P-790 irons, and it comes in the way of tungsten weights that are positioned inside the irons, which weigh as much as 11 grams. They’re positioned uniquely in each iron to create a center of gravity (CG) that’s directly in the center of the club face.
Compared to TaylorMade’s PSi irons, which the P-790 irons replace, Bystedt calls the shaping “more angular.” They also have a “slightly flatter sole.” “It’s clearly a players iron,” Bystedt says. “We’re not targeting this for the 0-5 guy, but we’re confident that the guy who’s a 10-handicap, avid golfer, is going to be able to play this.”
The P-790’s L-shaped club faces are welded to the bodies the irons at their “Speed Pocket,” a slot on the sole that increases face flexion for more distance and consistency.
The P-790 irons will sell for $1299.99 with steel shafts, $1499.99 with graphite shafts for an eight-piece set. They’re available in 3-PW, AW. The stock steel shaft is True Temper’s Dynamic Gold 105. The stock graphite shaft is a new model from UST Mamiya, the company’s 760/780 ES SmacWrap. They’ll be in stores Sept. 15.
The P-730 irons ($1399.99 for an eight-piece set) are available in 3-PW on Nov. 1. The stock shaft is True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S300.
Discussion: See what GolfWRXers are saying about the P-790 irons in our forum.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
View this post on Instagram
OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Fredo
Sep 12, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Breaking News… PXG just filed a lawsuit against Taylormade and the distributors for patent infringement. Better buy em quick, haha.
AV
Aug 31, 2017 at 12:19 am
TM call the 790 “forged construction” on their website:
Wonder how much is actually forged in the overall construction of the clubhead.
Sounds ambiguous and even misleading to me.
AV
Aug 31, 2017 at 12:20 am
Here’s the TM website:
http://taylormadegolf.ca/p790-irons-p-series.html
Golf Engineer
Sep 26, 2017 at 11:11 am
Can anybody tell us if the P-790 is ‘fully’ forged back and face, or, is it ‘co-forged’ with a cast steel back and a thin roll forged face plate welded to the steel back? There seems to be some contradictory reporting on this issue, like here:
—————————
It’s not quite all forged though, as the wrap around face is forged from 4140 Carbon Steel and then welded onto a cast 8620 carbon steel body. Therefore the bit you hit the ball with is forged, so you have that feel….”
http://www.golfalot.com/equipment-reviews/taylormade-p790-irons-review-3888.aspx
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“The key to the P790 performance is a hollow, cavity-free construction that features forged 8620 carbon steel in the body and forged 4140 carbon steel in the clubface.
http://www.golf.com/equipment/2017/08/22/first-look-taylormade-p790-forged-irons
———————
From what I see of the exploded internal view of the P790, the body looks too complex to be a forging. So who is right? Golfalot.com or Golf.com.?
GolfWRX Staff must investigate and inform us…. fully forged or co-forged? Ask TM because putting the word “forged” on a cast hosel may be disingenuous.
Realist
Aug 26, 2017 at 10:08 am
I’ll pick these up on the Bay in about 3 weeks for $200.
JR
Aug 25, 2017 at 12:03 pm
Buttocks!
Derrick
Aug 25, 2017 at 12:25 am
The Magic of Tungsten and TPE jello inside the hollow heads makes impact sweeeet. I love the new technology from the technologically advanced OEMs.
Tippy Canoe
Aug 24, 2017 at 11:33 am
Cool, I was wondering when the R9 irons were going to come back. All you have to do with the big boys, is research what they did 10-15 years ago. Nothing is new…buy some lessons people! Titleist is also on the move towards Gimmick Land now that went public, but still the best bang for your disposable bucks!
Allan
Aug 24, 2017 at 1:05 am
P-790 —- Hollow body, foam injected, tungsten toe weight, forged face. This is not a golf club, it’s a sucker club for incompetent wannabe golfers.
MAGA
Aug 23, 2017 at 2:02 pm
Fake forged
Bert
Aug 28, 2017 at 7:47 pm
Agree +1 guess the definition of a forged club is ambiguous at best.
Chris
Aug 23, 2017 at 8:43 am
Epon 502s with the Inner Gel comes to mind.
Rich Douglas
Aug 22, 2017 at 9:16 pm
Where’s the SL version? Oh, right. Pass.
rex235
Aug 22, 2017 at 7:05 pm
The Taylor Made P-790 model is this generations Beauwood PSS (perfect sweet spot) iron model, with
adjustable weighting and urethane reinforced interiors. Made in the early ’80s.
The Taylor Made P-730 in the latest refinement of the Mizuno MS-9/MP-11 iron models. Offered in late ’80s, early ’90s by Mizuno.
You should be able to compare these designs with these “new” iron models from TaylorMade.
Neither Beauwood nor Mizuno offered these iron models LH, so even though it is 2017, and these designs have been around for a while, both appear to be new versions of the RH Only theme.
Because… “tiny.”
Heich
Aug 22, 2017 at 8:38 pm
Another new ID, Obs? Why can’t you just stay away and take your pills
Phil
Aug 22, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Mizuno > Taylormade
FyearoldGolfer
Aug 22, 2017 at 2:49 pm
My local Pro is a Taylormade Rep, I’ll ask him what his fitted price is on a new set of clubs. Thinking $1100 for the P730’s. Oh, don’t forget our “new” 10% sales tax rate.
Engineer Jim
Aug 22, 2017 at 1:57 pm
Only the face of the P-790 is forged. The body is a complex casting if you look at the blow-up picture of the head internals. You could never forge a complex body like that. TM have ‘forged’ on the hosel but that’s only marketing deception.
BV
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Ya they are ‘forged’ like in ‘fake’.
rex235
Aug 23, 2017 at 12:42 am
I agree, the P790 body is cast steel and the thin face is forged. Why they put ‘forged’ on the cast hosel is puzzling but it’s wrong and deceptive. TM should just fess up and admit as much.
Dat
Aug 22, 2017 at 12:22 pm
The P-790 irons will sell for $1299.99 with steel shafts, $1499.99 with graphite shafts for an eight-piece set. They’re available in 3-PW, AW. The stock steel shaft is True Temper’s Dynamic Gold 105. The stock graphite shaft is a new model from UST Mamiya, the company’s 760/780 ES SmacWrap.
The P-730 irons ($1399.99 for an eight-piece set) are available in 3-PW on Nov. 1. The stock shaft is True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S300.
Is there going to be a reasonably priced set?
The Dude
Aug 22, 2017 at 11:08 am
In an effort to clean up the club….2 why use 730’s…just use 7.
CCGolfTx
Aug 22, 2017 at 10:23 am
These clubs actually intrigue me. Seems like they out. Lot of thought into the construction but did not Callaway us on the price.
Shanklampard147
Aug 22, 2017 at 10:02 am
I call on all lefties to boycott taylormade. No 730’s in left hand is a joke. I was going to get the new m1 woods but now I can’t give them my money and still look at myself in the mirror. As sad as it is, I might have to go to pxg. They are the only company that makes every club available to lefties.
Ummmm
Aug 22, 2017 at 10:53 am
Easy to be able to afford the production of lh irons when you overcharge like PXG does
Boycott them? They can’t make everything for your side of the ball, it’s not fiscally responsible. If you owned a golf club company and wanted to make a ton of high end LH stuff you wouldn’t be in business long.
Shanklampard147
Aug 22, 2017 at 2:06 pm
It’s easy though, all they need to do it a little research. How many bad left handed golfers do you see? In Minnesota it’s rare. On the other hand, the majority of right handed golfers are hacks, so they can play the big clunky irons. Blades and small cb’s for lefties, clunky cast giants for you righties.
LeftyBlades
Aug 22, 2017 at 6:00 pm
PING…every club RH or LH, and never a doubt about product quality or performance.
Heich
Aug 22, 2017 at 11:28 am
You can go to Callaway, Shank. And have a nice day.
gioreeko
Aug 22, 2017 at 1:11 pm
Just play righty. I can swing lefty almost as well as I do righty. Practice, or quit whining.
Shanklampard147
Aug 22, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Serious question, Is producing enough drivers and woods for every citizen of the world fiscally responsible? There are more taylormade drivers in PGA superstores than there are golfers in this country.
Heich
Aug 22, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Lets not exaggerate, shall we, Shankpard?
Shanklampard147
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:36 pm
I apologize, that was for the guys telling me to learn to play right handed. That wasn’t directed at you.
Shanklampard147
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Good response, moron. That would be like me telling you to stop liking guys. We are all born how we are born.
Mike
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:10 pm
Learn to play right handed.. problem solved.
Chuck
Aug 22, 2017 at 9:49 am
“Speed Foam” LOL is that like Flubber?
birdy
Aug 22, 2017 at 11:43 am
lol +1
i think TM technology and engineering department is top notch.
their marketing department needs revamped. the silly names are dumbing down their products
BV
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:18 pm
How about “Fast Foam” or “Shave Foam” — like shaving strokes off your game.
Hcho
Aug 22, 2017 at 9:47 am
but where is the 2 iron UDI :(((
BV
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Since a 4i is really a 2i, a 2i would be a zero-iron.. or a -1i.
Hcho
Aug 22, 2017 at 5:05 pm
Lol I didnt check the lofts till you commented… that 19 degree 3 iron will do fine with a tour ad shaft
DumbledoreBigD420
Aug 22, 2017 at 9:39 am
First!!!!
michael
Aug 22, 2017 at 10:54 am
You want a medal?
chinchbugs
Aug 22, 2017 at 2:56 pm
At least a blue ribbon…
BV
Aug 22, 2017 at 4:22 pm
First the ‘worst’.. gotcha