5 things you should know

Realizing that everyone does not have time to consume endless content on the day of the launch of the club, we offer a new version of our detailed technical article focusing on high points. Here’s what you need to know about TaylorMade’s P7CB ($1,400/7-piece set) and P770 ($1,400/7-piece set) which will be available for pre-order through Fairway Jockey starting 7/31 and on sale starting 8/6. .

Visitation reception

Rory McIlroy doesn’t change gears. Take a look at his current TaylorMade setup and you’ll find Rors Proto mid and short irons from when he was first introduced as a staff member in 2017. The long irons followed the same script until a surprise upset at the Valero Texas Open saw McIlroy. replace the P760 with a cavity-back “Proto” 4-iron.

Golfers only see the new club in the bag, not the work behind it. McIlroy was one of the first pros to predict what would eventually happen P7CBbut the session lasted no more than a few minutes.

“When Rory came to The Kingdom in late March, it took four times to sell him an iron,” Matt Bovee, TaylorMade’s global division director, told GOLF.com. “The session is over and it’s straight to the bag after seeing the high launch and spin retention. Seeing him quickly turn that around and win at Wells Fargo was very reassuring for the team. Winning before the iron is even removed is great.

“With Rory, he usually doesn’t like to change irons. He has been playing Rors Proto irons forever. He has been gaming 760s for a long time. It usually takes him more time to decide whether the instrument meets his needs. I was honestly surprised to see him make a change before the Masters.”

McIlroy’s immediate acceptance of the P7CB was just the beginning. In the following weeks, Collin Morikawa would add a 4-iron, in May, before extending it to a full set at the Genesis Scottish Open. Tommy Fleetwood installed a 3-iron again after seeing improved launch conditions and spin.

“Within five shots, Collin and Tommy [Fleetwood] we were ready to play them after doing the tests at RBC Heritage,” continued Bovee. “I’ve never been part of a band that got accepted into the Tour so early. It speaks volumes about the quality and flexibility of the design, and what it is intended to do. The position is where it needs to be and suits their eye. Collin who went 5-9 at the Scottish Open also talks a lot about the different types of turf the iron can play on. “

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Under the hat

Go through TaylorMade’s notes on the P7CB and you’ll see that each 1025 carbon steel head goes through a five-step molding process that involves taking 2,000 tons of pressure to produce a controlled microstructure. This is a great way to say that the irons look, feel and feel like a better player’s iron.

But don’t think this is just TaylorMade rehashing the previous P7MC. Following the fourth step of the molding process, the pocket is machined away from the sole to insert a tungsten toe weight and a low density metal alloy that fills the remaining void space. Seven times lighter than steel, the steel composite frees up 20 grams of optional weight to improve stability.

“I don’t believe we’ve ever made a product that sounds as good and as forgiving for this head size,” Bovee said. “It has the same length as the P7MC and it gets a little longer in the long irons where it has a long face. And even with a long face, we’re able to keep the center of gravity constant instead of seeing it rise like you would with a long face, which is very different from long irons.”

From there, a single plate is placed on the head to form one solid body. Yes, steel is a multi-purpose design, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the head.

While there’s a lot going on under the hood of the P7CB, Bovee is quick to point out that TaylorMade’s latest offering for the better player isn’t another P770 or P790. It is aimed at handicappers of 5 and better who are looking for something different in the mixed head category.

“We are very focused on winning this space,” he said. “We want it to look traditional and play amazing — that’s what CB is all about. We won’t beat the technical drum too high like we usually do with the P790. It’s a different muscle for us.”

Remember me?

We know what you’re probably thinking: The P7CB looks like some TaylorMade cult from the early 2000s. Textured cavity and mass pad in the middle? Forged TP screams.

“There are heritage vibes to this,” Bovee confirmed. “When it started, some people said that the race is back. I depend on that. In-cavity stitching is something we’ve definitely incorporated into many products; it’s our calling card, so to speak. That pad mass in between, even the 300 Series had less of that. There are strong TaylorMade roots there. “

Consider the P7CB the perfect blend of classic looks and new-age design. On the design side, TaylorMade’s iron team began to notice a trend in shaping that was disrupting the better player’s previous irons.

“Normally we’ve made thinner blades on a steel profile like this, but we’ve been seeing a trend toward longer compact blades with a wider sole,” Bovee said. “That comes from the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry and the college ranks. Models have a leadership position within this list of players – it’s a way where they have changed as well. “

To meet the demands, TaylorMade kept the length of the blade compact but added a significantly wider sole – between 2mm and 4mm depending on the skew – to improve turf interaction.

“The head won’t dig too much,” Bovee said. “Something else to think about? The first molding feature you notice when you take it off the rack or pull it out of someone’s bag. This is the first thing that lets golfers know if they can play the product or not.”

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In the shadows

When the P770 originally released in August 2020, TaylorMade sold out its entire collection of irons in a matter of days – but even that wasn’t enough to dampen demand. After the initial launch of the P770, TaylorMade spent the rest of the season playing catch-up, pumping out their hot new irons to consumers as quickly as possible.

The slimmed down little brother to the popular P790 has always been a favorite among golfers – even if it never escaped the P790’s shadow. However, things change in a big way with the third iteration of the P770.

“This is a time to redefine what the 770 stands for,” Bovee said. “We are making changes to bring it out of the shadow of P790. This is no longer a smaller version of the P790. This is an iron that has it’s own identity for someone looking for the irons of a semi-professional player. It has a completely different attitude than the previous 770, and that’s on purpose. There is no topline feature, as you will notice. This one is blade-esque. We wanted to recruit a better player. Molding will be a big part of that. “

To pull the P770 out of the P790’s shadow, the designers ditched the glossy finish and went with a consistent matte finish throughout. The front line is lowered to further differentiate it at P790 – a request confirmed by Bovee directly from the retail market.

“Golf felt like that [the topline] he wasn’t young enough,” she said. “It’s visually clean with a single geometry in the long irons that has been completely rethought. We reduced the radius of the leading edge to make it a little sharper, not as dull. He lowered it again. This allows the iron to penetrate the soil better and improve the interaction of the turf. “

Clean aesthetics are paired with a Forged 4140 face and heel toe weight – and tungsten weight in the toe – to give the irons a better feel when hitting with the mishit protection golfers around 10 handicaps and under want to see. .

Mix it up

TaylorMade touts the P7CB and P770 as separate products, but that doesn’t mean mixing and matching is out of the question. In fact, Bovee expects golfers to combine both models to create a unified set for their game.

“We know that many people will associate the CB with the 770,” he said. “I think it will happen in the Tour as well. We want the same feeling on the turf and to check the box for a better player. Looking for [P770] feeling like CB so things stay consistent throughout the set. “

From the 6-iron to the pitching wedge, the lofts are the same. Lofts change ever-so-slightly on a 3- to 5-iron, but never more than 1 degree.

“This can go in and out of combining the CB and 770 without changing the lofts too much,” Bovee said. “That was intentional. Combo sets continue to grow in popularity and we want to let those golfers know that we are considering their needs.”

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Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and the Managing Editor of GOLF.com Materials. Before joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years assembling PGA Tour equipment. He can be reached at jonathan.wall@golf.com.