Review: TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron
Our TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron review took place at Rudding Park in Yorkshire with some testing also done at Leeds Golf Centre and out on the course at Hillsborough.
We gathered data using a SkyTrak launch monitor and used premium range balls.
This review is very much from my perspective as a mid-handicap golfer.
TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron review: First impressions
We are huge fans of the TaylorMade P790 irons which came out on top in our best irons of 2018 feature.
The UDi can basically follow on from your P790 set or just be used as a driving iron in its own right.
We’ve seen quite a few tour players using this iron over the past six months including Rory McIlroy.
It’s only available as a 2-iron with 17˚ of loft and has the Project X Hzrdus Black 6.0 as the standard stock shaft.
From a looks point of view it has tremendous shelf appeal. Behind the ball it is a little bit intimidating.
When this product first arrived in the office for testing I was really hoping I could make it work as my 3-wood hadn’t been seeing much action out on the course.
I was really hoping this could be a back-up to driver for me, especially at my home club Hillsborough which has a few really tight tee shots.
TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron review: The technology
Like with the regular P790 irons this iron has a hollow construction and has been filled with something TaylorMade call ‘speedfoam’.
They say it improves the sound and feel without sacrificing any of the ball speed off the face.
TaylorMade say this iron will suit golfers “seeking the forged look and feel of a players iron with increased distance and accuracy off the tee or fairway”.
I’m looking for something that flies quite low with maximum run out that’s going to be reasonable forgiving. I don’t think players can expect a 2-iron to be THAT forgiving can they?
TaylorMade say they have been able to add a bit of extra face flex from heel to toe to improve the performance on off-centre strikes.
There’s also strategically placed internal metal-injection-molded (MIM) tungsten weighting for precise CG placement and higher MOI (resistance to twisting).
TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron review: The results
From the initial testing session at the driving range I was pleasantly surprised how easily I could launch this club.
When I took it out onto the course, the results were very encouraging too.
I’m not really sure the SkyTrak numbers tell the full story but an average carry of 203 yards and an average total of 225 isn’t too bad at all.
I know from using it out on the course that, when it’s nice and dry, it can run out to 240-250 for me at times.
Looking at some of the other numbers, the ball speed, spin and launch angle are very encouraging for me.
I generally tend to hit the ball too high which makes me a bit nervous playing in the wind.
But the TaylorMade P790 UDi gives me a pretty strong penetrating flight.
It sounds and feels sensational too. When you middle this club it makes you fall in love with the game over and over again.
TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron review: NCG verdict
It’s very easy to get carried away when you hit a few good 2-irons.
It’s also very easy to convince yourself that something is working if you are desperate for it to work.
I was desperate for this club to work for me.
He absolutely loves it. pic.twitter.com/i8NvSjtCXB
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) June 6, 2018
But I can only judge it on the results I have seen out on the golf course.
I don’t think the SkyTrak numbers alone really make a strong enough case for me to put it in the bag because the carry and total numbers are pretty much identical to those of my 19˚ hybrid.
But that club flies quite high and spins a lot more. I basically can’t use it into the wind at all.
In my first competition round with this club in the bag I shot 35 points. In the next I scored 44 points.
I used this club off the tee five times and once as my third to a par 5 (after chipping out of the trees).
Not sure whether to laugh or cry. But at least five years of relentless practice and unlimited access to the best and latest golf equipment is finally paying off… pic.twitter.com/upJ1t77kNU
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) June 1, 2018
The results were fantastic. But most importantly, I have gained quite a bit of confidence with it.
The Project X Hzrdus Black shaft is the same model I got fitted into for the TaylorMade M4 and it’s the same shaft I used in the M2 all of last year.
So I think there’s a bit of added confidence from the fact I know it’s a good shaft for me.
I don’t see any reason why mid-handicappers like me can’t have success with this club.
Yes, you do have to strike it well to get good results but I just don’t feel like there are as many destructive misses possible with this club as there are with a 3 wood.
I’m prone to the odd top or fat with a 3 wood. I can still hit a high, spinny fade with a 3 wood.
At the moment, this club is working really well for me and is helping me shoot good scores to get my handicap down. I can’t ask for any more than that can I?
TaylorMade P790 UDi 2-iron details
Loft: 17˚
Shaft: Project X Hzrdus Black 6.0
SRP: £199
More information can be found on the TaylorMade website.
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James Savage
Former equipment editor of NCG. Inconsistent ball-striker and tea-maker.
