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.
“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 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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Equipment
Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange
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 Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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Whats in the Bag
Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)
- Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (44 7/8 inches, tipped 1 inch)
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @13.9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X (43 inches, tipped 1.5)
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19 degrees @17.8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees) Buy here, Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S @49, 54-10S, 60-08C @61)
Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X
Putter: Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Split
Grips: Iomic
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
More photos of Akshay Bhatia’s WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Emiliano Grillo WITB 2024 (May)
- Emiliano Grillo what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
5-wood: Cobra LTDx Prototype (18.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Callaway MD3 Milled (46-08S), Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S, 54-10S, 60-08T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Emiliano Grillo’s clubs 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
——————–
“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