The best-selling iron of 2021? TaylorMade reveal new P790

TaylorMade P790 2021

TaylorMade have improved on their hugely popular P790 iron for its third generation, creating what will undoubtedly be one of the best-selling golf irons of 2021. 

The original TaylorMade P790 changed the golf irons market in a way no other release has done for some time. It offered impressive distance and lots of forgiveness, in a design that appealed to discerning golfers who would turn their nose up at typically chunky, unattractive, distance and forgiveness irons. In short, the players’ distance iron was born.

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TaylorMade released an improved version of the P790 two years later, and now it’s back for 2021 with the better-than-ever third generation of P790. 

Here’s what you can expect from the TaylorMade P790 iron for 2021…

What you need to know about the TaylorMade P790 (2021) iron

New SpeedFoam Air

SpeedFoam first appeared in the original P790. This new material, known as SpeedFoam Air, is 69% lighter, which means 3.5g of weight is saved from the very heart of the iron and redistributed to improve forgiveness. SpeedFoam also supports the face at impact and tunes sound and feel to levels that decent players love.   

Thin wall construction

TaylorMade used to talk about thinning the wall thickness of their drivers to save weight and improve efficiency, and now their engineers are using the same idea in irons. Strategic areas of the P790’s head are reduced in thickness by up to 37.5%, which removes mass from inefficient areas. A new, slightly ridged top rail showcases the idea brilliantly.  

More tungsten

By removing weight from inside and shaving down the chassis there’s more weight to position elsewhere to improve forgiveness, launch and the centre of gravity placement. The 3rd generation P790s have up to 31g of tungsten positioned towards the toe, which is double the previous model. It means there’s lots of stability wrapped up in this head.  

Intelligent sweetspot

Sweetspot size isn’t something all brands like talking about, but TaylorMade say the new P790’s area of maximum spring and speed on the face has grown by 60% over the original, and an additional 15-30% over the 2019 second generation. That should make it more forgiving than ever on off-centre strikes. 

TaylorMade, though, aren’t making any new speed or distance claims, and the specs between the new 2021 P790 and the previous 2019 model are unchanged.  

Thru-Speed Pocket

The P790 has a slot cut through the sole, so essentially the face floats out front. The idea maximises face flex and rebound and is particularly good at protecting ball speed when shots are hit low on the face, which is a common miss for club golfers. 

More suited to average swing speeds

If you’re an average speed player who’s been attracted to P790 before but you’ve found the Dynamic Gold 105 regular shafts on the heavy side, we love how TaylorMade have introduced a new, lighter Dynamic Gold 95 as the stock regular flex shaft. TaylorMade have obviously thought about their target audience really carefully, and we reckon teaming this shaft with a Tour Response ball could be an excellent marriage for lots of reasonable club golfers.

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What TaylorMade say about the P790 (2021) irons

A pioneer in the player’s distance iron category, P790 are built on a foundation of performance and elegance. Delivering power, distance and feel in a package that appeals to a wide range of players.

P790 iron heads are crafted from 8620 carbon steel (the body is cast) that maintains strength and durability while allowing for a new thin-walled design. A 1.5mm forged 4140 steel L-Face promote’s supreme flexibility, fast ball speeds and distance while upholding a premium forged feel.

Inside SpeedFoam Air, a new ultralight urethane is 69% less dense than the prior generation. In a world where minor adjustments can lead to major results, the switch to SpeedFoam Air accounts for significant weight savings.

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“SpeedFoam Air is the heartbeat of the new P790 irons” said Matt Bovee, Product Creation, Irons at TaylorMade. “The development of this lightweight urethane material allowed us to strategically reconstruct the iron head to promote optimal launch conditions and a sweet spot that covers the most common strike points on the face.”

The company’s iron development team charted data from thousands of golf shots to determine the most common impact points on the iron face. Utilising this data, engineers strategically shaped and positioned the sweet spot to capture more of those shots.

Results include measurable upticks in ball speed and distance compared to the prior P790 generation. Overall, the sweet spot has been better aligned with the centre of the face to naturally provide performance where golfers need it most.

TaylorMade P790 (2021) irons – the specifications

The new TaylorMade P790 (2021 irons) are available from September 3 at an RRP of £1,149.

The TaylorMade P790 UDI

Alongside the new P790 irons, TaylorMade are also launching a new driving iron in the form of the P790 UDI.

Like the other irons in the set, the P790 UDI is powered by the all-new SpeedFoam Air and is constructed of a soft, 8620 carbon steel body combined with a high strength forged 4140 carbon steel face.

It features the same intelligent sweet spot that positions performance precisely where golfers need it the most. The head design promotes low spin shots with a piercing trajectory and is built for golfers who want control without sacrificing distance.

The P790 UDI is available as a 2-iron (17°) for £229.

READ NEXT: TaylorMade P790 (2021) review with launch monitor data

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Jerram is the Digital Editor of todaysgolfer.co.uk
He has been a journalist for more than 20 years, starting his career with Johnston Press where he covered local and regional news and sport in a variety of roles across ten years.
Rob joined Bauer Media in 2010 and worked as the Senior Production Editor of Today’s Golfer and Golf World magazines for ten years before moving into the Digital Editor’s role in July 2020.
He is 39 years old and has been playing golf for almost three decades. He has been a member at Greetham Valley Golf Club in Rutland for eight years, playing off a handicap of 12.