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.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
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Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
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