TaylorMade P790 vs Titleist T200 Irons: Our Head-To-Head Verdict

Taylormade P790 vs Titleist T200 Irons: Our Head-To-Head Verdict

The players distance iron has been a huge growth category in the game over the past few years. Players wanting maximum assistance in a more refined, compact and traditional head shape have gravitated towards this genre in their droves.

The Taylormade P790 has been one of the most popular models of its type and one of the best distance irons for a number of years now and the latest iteration proved popular in our initial testing, receiving 4 and a half stars.

The new Titleist T200 iron sits alongside the P790 at the premium end of the players distance market and are undoubtedly among the best irons on the market, so we wanted to put them up against one another to see which came out on top. We tested both irons out on the course and indoors, gathering data with the GC Quad launch monitor. Here's what we thought...

Looks

Both of these irons are oozing shelf appeal, but in very different ways.

Starting with the P790, it has a very light brushed satin finish to the head, whereas the T200 has a much shinier mirrored chrome finish. The satin finish of the P790 makes the head look a little more inviting down by the ball as the chrome face of the T200 reflects the grass, somehow making the head look a little more compact.

In terms of profile the Titleist iron does have a slimmer top line than the P790 and an overall more refined shape akin to some of the best irons for low handicappers, which will appeal to the better player who is shopping in this category. The Taylormade P790 has one of the thicker top lines you will see in the players distance category which is something to bear in mind in when thinking about the aesthetic you are looking for in your set. 

With regard to the overall footprint of the two, they are pretty much the same, with maybe the top line of the P790 giving it a slightly chunkier feel.

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Whilst we preferred the finish of the P790, we would probably give the edge to the Titleist T200 for looks. It is just slightly more refined, which suited our eye.

Feel

These irons are constructed very differently which does affect their feel characteristics. 

The Taylormade P790 is a completely hollow construction, with Speedfoam Air and tungsten within the head, whereas the T200 is more of a standard cavity back design. The enclosure at the back of the head is just a polymer cap which gives the illusion of a hollow construction.

The Taylormade P790 produces a very dense, powerful thud which feels a lot closer to a forged club than we expected and from a feel perspective is up there with even some of the best blade irons on the market.

The Titleist T200 iron in contrast is slightly louder and more brash at impact and produces a notably firmer feel than its Taylormade counterpart.

Feel is always a very subjective category, but we slightly preferred the softer, more subtle impact of the Taylormade P790 here. That said, if a firmer feeling iron is your preference, you will enjoy the sensation from the Titleist T200.

Performance

We tested both models outdoors and also indoors using the GCQuad launch monitor and Titleist Pro V1x golf balls and the ball data was pretty similar.

A fraction more ball speed was noted in the Taylormade P790, which resulted in a couple of yards more carry, but nothing significant here. They reached the exact same peak height and spin rates were within 150 rpm of one another.

In terms of consistency, both performed well. We didn’t notice any tangible differences in forgiveness between the two models and both were extremely strong at managing mis-strikes. Ball flights in both remained very stable even on some of our poorer strikes.

If you are looking for maximum playability from a compact head then both of these clubs will do a great job for you. They both sit amongst the most forgiving irons we have tested and we simply can’t separate them for performance!

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Taylormade P790 if…
- You want to eek out every available yard
- You prefer a softer feel
- You prefer a soft brushed finish

Choose the Titleist T200 if…
- A refined looking head is important to you
- You like a firmer impact feel
- You enjoy traditional chrome finishes