TaylorMade P770 vs P790: Any Upgrades?

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Comparing the TaylorMade P770 and P790 uncovers two irons that feel related at a glance but behave quite differently through the swing and around the green.

Both were designed to give serious golfers a blend of forged feel and modern distance tech, yet each takes a separate approach to speed, forgiveness, and shot-making.

This guide walks through design, construction, feel, launch behavior, turf interaction, gapping, fitting, and most importantly, which profile suits your game.

Read through the sections below and picture how each trait would fit into your bag and your routines.

Design

The P770 shows up with a compact, player-oriented silhouette: thin topline, modest offset, and a relatively short blade length. At address it reads as a “players’ cavity”, enough structure for steadiness but still clean and workmanlike.

The P790 dresses more bold. It keeps a relatively compact look compared with pure game-improvement heads, but you’ll notice a fuller shape and slightly thicker topline that give visual reassurance.

Visually, the P770 signals control and subtlety; the P790 signals accessible power.

That first visual impression matters: the head that makes you feel comfortable to attack a shot often helps you swing more freely.

Construction

Both irons use modern manufacturing to blend forgiveness and feel, but they arrive at that goal differently.

The P770 typically uses a forged face with a hollow or partial hollow body in some iterations, plus strategically placed internal materials to preserve a clean feel.

The P790 leans harder into hollow-body construction with a thin, forged face and an injected SpeedFoam or similar core behind the face to enhance ball speed and fill vibrations.

The net: P770 aims to preserve a forged, connected sensation while keeping the profile compact. P790 prioritizes face speed and a bit more launch assistance thanks to the foam and thinner face geometry.

Face, Ball Speed & Distance

Face design drives much of the perceived difference. P770’s face is reactive and lively on center strikes, but it tends to be tuned for controlled ball speed so scoring irons remain manageable.

The P790 is engineered to be hotter across the face, often producing higher ball speeds on both center and moderate off-center strikes.

If increasing carry with minimal effort is a priority, the P790 tends to deliver more raw yardage in the mid- and long-irons.

If you prefer distance that’s more tied to pure contact and less dependent on spring effect, the P770 offers a more measured approach.

Feel

Forged faces and internal dampers create different sound signatures. Expect the P770 to feel and sound “snappier” and more immediate; a firm, articulate feedback that tells you exactly where the ball sat on the face.

That’s useful because it helps you diagnose and refine contact.

P790, thanks to foam and hollow construction, often feels softer at impact and produces a rounder, more cushioned sound.

That softness hides some vibration from slight misses and can translate to more confidence for players who don’t want every imperfect strike to sting.

Launch, Spin and Trajectory

Trajectory control separates these two. The P770 generally produces a mid-to-penetrating flight with spin rates tuned for stopping power on approach shots. That makes it easier to hold greens on firm surfaces or flight the ball under wind.

The P790 tends to launch a touch higher with slightly lower spin in many builds, especially in the long irons.

This creates long carries and encouraging peak heights, which is useful if your swing speed or launch conditions need a little assistance to get the ball airborne and to hold softer targets.

Forgiveness

Perimeter weighting and hollow designs boost forgiveness; the P790 commonly provides more of this safety net. Off-center strikes tend to retain ball speed better in P790 construction, reducing the penalty for slightly errant contact.

The P770 gives you forgiveness too, but it’s more conservative: the club rewards precision and still helps on moderate misses rather than masking them.

If your priority is to limit the performance gap between flush strikes and toe/heel strikes, the P790 usually has the edge.

Workability and Shot-Shaping

This is where the P770 stands out.

The compact blade length, thinner topline, and balanced weighting make it a more cooperative tool for manipulating flight: fades, draws, low stingers, and higher check shots all become more controllable.

The P790 still allows shape, but its design often resists extreme shaping in favor of straighter, more repeatable trajectories.

If your game thrives on deliberate shaping — for course management or windy links play — the P770 aligns with that objective. If you lean toward consistent, repeatable, higher-launch stock shots, P790 supports that preference.

Turf Interaction & Sole Design

Sole width, leading edge geometry, and camber affect how an iron sits and moves through turf.

The P770’s sole tends to be narrower and more refined for players who create a shallower divot, offering crisp turf penetration and feedback.

The P790 usually features a wider sole with moderate camber, which helps the club glide and avoid digging, particularly useful from softer turf or steep attack angles.

If you play on firm, fast courses and rely on shallow divots, the P770 will feel at home. If you face wetter conditions or take bigger divots, the P790’s sole can be more forgiving.

Short Irons & Scoring Play

Scoring irons must stop the ball. Both models can be built to deliver strong short-iron performance, but their character differs.

P770 short irons emphasize feel and precision: they invite confident, creative approaches and controllable spin.

P790 short irons offer solid stopping power, the outfits with SpeedFoam still allow for bite, but the added launch can change the landing angle slightly.

When your scoring game demands delicate ball-stopping shots from 100 yards and inward, the P770’s controllability often gives a narrow advantage.

When you want easier height and predictable holds on receptive greens, P790’s assistance can be beneficial.

Distance Gapping

P790’s stronger lofts and higher face speeds often produce longer gaps between clubs.

That can be advantageous if you want to squeeze distance out of your long irons, but it may require careful wedge selection or gap-wedge planning to avoid large yardage holes.

P770 usually provides tighter, more traditional gapping. That makes club selection in the short game more straightforward for players who prefer conventional loft progressions.

Set makeup is also a consideration: many players mix P770 in the scoring irons with P790 in the long irons to get both control where it matters and forgiveness/distance where they need it.

That combo approach is popular and effective.

Fitting

Fitting matters here. Shaft choice will change everything: launch, spin, feel, and where each model sits in your bag.

The P770 benefits from mid-to-lower kick point shafts that preserve its shaping and control characteristics, while the P790 pairs well with slightly lighter or more mid-high kick point options that help unlock its launch potential.

Lie angles, shaft length, and grip choice all play a role.

Get fitted with a launch monitor and don’t assume stock shafts are ideal for your tempo. A proper fit can swing the balance between these irons more than any advertisement.

Who Fits Each Iron Best

P770 fits golfers who prioritize workability, feedback, and precision: low- to mid-handicaps who enjoy shaping shots and want a compact head that responds to intent.

If you like to manage trajectory and use spin as a tool, P770 is likely to reward that style.

P790 fits golfers who want forged feel with a helping hand: mid-handicaps up to single figures who want distance without too much compromise in feel, or players with slower to moderate swing speeds who need help launching long irons.

If carry distance, forgiveness across the face, and confidence into longer approaches are top priorities, P790 will often be the preferred tool.