Some like them hot...P790 vs Hot Metal Pro

[rxk9fan]

I hope someone tells me to use my search because there are already 15 threads on this...but I can't find them. I would think these two irons would be marketed at the same group of golfers?

Has anyone played both, or hit side by side?

What did you think. Which do you prefer and why?

[scotty_2987]

I’m interested in this as well. The hot metal pros are catching my eye but I can’t find to many reviews on here about them.

[nostatic]

I only briefly demo'd a P790 - wasn't my cup of tea. But I also didn't like the i500, or the Hot Metal - ended up going i210. When the HMP came out I was interested as I prefer less offset and have admired Mizuno from afar. Ordered up a 7i and liked it a lot - enough to buy the rest of the set and put my i210s up for sale. HMP doens't feel/sound hollow or especially clicky, and it has a lot of jump. Seems to tolerate my less-than-perfect swing pretty well.

 

TXG did a short video on the HMPs:

 

[DFDLT]

I did a fitting with the P790 and a fitting with the HMP. I’m sure I would have been happy with both. I felt more comfortable ordering my specs from Mizuno than I did Taylormade. Received my custom HMP’s in a week. They ship from Atlanta in the US so made it to IL real quick. Also the shafts and grips I wanted were no upcharge. I think maybe since the HMP’s were new and the P790’s have been around awhile could have helped make my decision. Didn’t want TM to come out with a replacement soon after I received mine.

[Crashhays]

Received my HMP set last Thursday and I’m chomping at the bit to play. I’ve yet to hit a golf ball with them, but I’m leaving Wednesday for 7 rounds with guys from work. Absolutely drooling at the mouth just looking at them. I will say I’m not thrilled with the 4i showing the back of the club at address, but that’s something I’ll have to deal with if the clubs play as good as I’m hoping.

[gridironesq]

The P790 requires more speed to elevate than the HMPs. That was huge info for my decision, but I also prefer the feel and added spin of the HMPs compared to the class of distance players irons. I’m still a high capper by definition, but I have had no problems with the forgiveness of the HMPs.

[edgerat]

Recently was fit into 790s from my AP2s. WAY more distance (not that I needed it) like 20yds more, more height, less spin. Third swing with the 4 iron and the head damn near flew off. So much for that.

[bogeypro]

I love the p790. Several friends that play them as well. Nothing but compliments. My distances are spot on.

 

Hmp are good too. However, still too chunky for my tastes.

 

Honestly, I’m surprised your mizuno came in on spec and without issue. I’m a big mizuno fan... have ordered several sets and clubs from them - never received any that had straight grips or to the specs requested. I love mizuno, but their assembly quality is not good, from my experience.

 

Never had these problems from Callaway and Taylormade.

[mikec3672]

I own both and as much as I love the look of the P790, the HMP's look nearly as good, with a slightly thicker top line and sole, yet w slightly "less" offset to the 790. Both are the same distance wise, but I have experienced the "hot-spots" that others have on the TM's, and ultimately, can't long term bag an iron that I cannot trust.

[rxk9fan]

> @mikec3672 said:

> I own both and as much as I love the look of the P790, the HMP's look nearly as good, with a slightly thicker top line and sole, yet w slightly "less" offset to the 790. Both are the same distance wise, but I have experienced the "hot-spots" that others have on the TM's, and ultimately, can't long term bag an iron that I cannot trust.

 

This is one of the areas I am most interested in. Have you found the distances more consistent with the HMP's? I have a single P790 that I used as a long iron but I could not dial in the distance as well as I think I have to do to score. Variables in lie of the ball, length of the grass... anything that could materially affect contact seemed to be magnified with the resulting distances with the P790. If I had a perfect lie and hit it well I knew what I would get. However with the less than perfect lies, while I understood was less than perfect, I would sometimes be surprised with the resulting distance. You kind of need to know what your misses will do too, and for me at least that was difficult with the P790....otherwise loved it. I have the HMP coming in this week and I hope I can better predict distances from the less than perfect hits (if that makes any sense).

[bogeypro]

here's my theory on the hotspots (people said the same thing with the TMB and apex cf16 irons as well): people actually hit the center of the club and it reacts accordingly. They aren't used to that so they call it a hot spot. Hit the center more, less perceived hot spots.

[hd.softail]

Hit both quite a bit side-by-side last weekend. I'm glad to see above someone else say the HMP has less offset than the P790. On paper TM lists the P790 as having less but when you look at the two side-by-side the HMP definitely has less offset. This is my only complaint about HMP, wish Mizuno would have put the 919 Forged offset in the HMP.

 

Anyway, for me both performed very similar. The HMP seemed slightly more forgiving and definitely got the ball up easier. The HMP has slightly more spin but was tough to tell because I couldn't hit both with the same shafts. My fitter didn't have the PX LZ 5.5 for the P790 and after I learned TM wanted $25 per shaft for PX LZ, considering all other factors, I was done with the P790 at that point.

 

I think both are fine clubs and there's not much difference in them. I would say schedule a fitting, hit both and purchase the one you like the best, I don't think the numbers are going to differ that much.

[Wooderson]

> @bogeypro said:

> here's my theory on the hotspots (people said the same thing with the TMB and apex cf16 irons as well): people actually hit the center of the club and it reacts accordingly. They aren't used to that so they call it a hot spot. Hit the center more, less perceived hot spots.

 

Post of the year. I put g410s back in the bag yesterday. Toe strikes were going normal distance. Flushed ones easily 10-15 yards further. But at my 14 cap I catch center maybe 1 out 5, but the toe strikes feel like solid strikes and then all of the sudden bam.

[KMeloney]

> @bogeypro said:

> here's my theory on the hotspots (people said the same thing with the TMB and apex cf16 irons as well): people actually hit the center of the club and it reacts accordingly. They aren't used to that so they call it a hot spot. Hit the center more, less perceived hot spots.

 

So true. I've found that the P790s like to be hit higher on the face [than I tend to when my swing isn't great]. It's not a hot spot -- it's the sweet spot. And it's just a reminder that I don't hit it as often as I should. But that doesn't make the club less predictable. In fact, they're so good on mishits that it's easy to be lazy and hit them off the bottom of the face and still have the shot work out almost as well.

[BlkNGld]

For me, the 790s were the first TM iron in a while that interested me enough to try it in the hitting bay. Unfortunately it ended there. Just couldn't hit it well. Tried some others like Apex and Hot Metals just to be sure it wasn't me, and hit those fine.

 

Doesn't mean that TM is putting out junk, but sometimes there are clubs that just aren't meant to be for me. HMPs were much better for me.

[BiggErn]

> @BlkNGld said:

> For me, the 790s were the first TM iron in a while that interested me enough to try it in the hitting bay. Unfortunately it ended there. Just couldn't hit it well. Tried some others like Apex and Hot Metals just to be sure it wasn't me, and hit those fine.

>

> Doesn't mean that TM is putting out junk, but sometimes there are clubs that just aren't meant to be for me. HMPs were much better for me.

 

Deja Vu

[dhen9]

What is a 100-110 high launch shaft available for either of these irons????

[noodle3872]

I had the 790’s. Just couldn’t get use to the hollow iron feel. The HP Pro are every bit as consistent as my MMC’s only 5-7 yards longer.

[rxk9fan]

> @noodle3872 said:

> I had the 790’s. Just couldn’t get use to the hollow iron feel. The HP Pro are every bit as consistent as my MMC’s only 5-7 yards longer.

 

Now I am excited! My favorite 2 most recent sets are the MMC's and Z945's. Thank you so much for your comment. Good news while I wait for my clubs to arrive since I have played many rounds with the club you compare. I expect my HMP to arrive today or tomorrow latest.

Our bags look like our taste may be along the same lines too. I like your iron shaft but have moved to Recoil due to elbow issues. I liked the MMC's. The Spider X is my favorite putter of all time and I play the TP5. I play a M4 FW, and only recently finally moved away from the TM M2 driver.

If you like the HMP, that is a good sign for me!

Thank you!

 

 

[CanadaCal]

Hit both side by side a couple times. P790 had better results, HMP had a better feel. I find the P790 feel hard, and I know it shouldn’t be the case for forged, but on 2 occasions, with a few shafts, Same deal...

 

Bought Z585 over both of them.

[golfjam]

Played both and stuck with HMP. It's more forgiving, longer and cheaper than P790. I couldn't get used to a mushy feel with TM.

[KMeloney]

Back-to-back comments about the P790s feeling both "hard" and "mushy." Feel is definitely in the eye (hands?) of the beholder.

[BiggErn]

> @KMeloney said:

> Back-to-back comments about the P790s feeling both "hard" and "mushy." Feel is definitely in the eye (hands?) of the beholder.

 

I noticed that too. I have them and they feel a bit different but like most all clubs a solid shot feels nice.

[KParks]

I was fitted into my HMP's right when they came out and I hit the P790s as well and just didn't like the feel of them and they didn't fit my eye as well as the HMP's either.

 

I don't know if I'd say the P790's were hard or mushy, just more clicky/harsh than the HMPs when struck pure (which as a 14 hdcp I can do a decent amount, but certainly not all, of the time). To be fair the P790's didn't feel as clicky as the i500s I tried during my fitting, but I still just didn't like the feel of them. Maybe had a *tiny* bit more distance on the P790s but it was coming from a lower launch and spin which I and my fitter weren't really excited about.

 

My fitting actually came down to the z585s and the HMPs and the HMPs ended up wining out for me because I preferred the feel (even though they are cast and the 585's are "forged", still preferred the feeling of the HMPs when struck well). Extra bonus points for Mizzy for being the cheapest option AND having my CTL shafts and MCC Plus4 grips with no upcharge as well. Fitter found one tweak off with the 4 iron when the order came (loft and lie were to spec, but club just didn't balance/hang right) which he easily fixed.

[dylanjr2]

I just had a fitting yesterday and went into the fitting with my eye on the P790s as both of my mates have that set and they are very appealing to the eye. But, I wanted to go in with an open mind and allow the fitter to recommend what he thought was best based on my swing and see what felt the best. 

 

I ended up narrowing it down to the HMPs and the P790s out of the 8-9 clubs I swung. Both had the most distance and best feel IMO. The HMPs had a bit more consistency in disparity on shots and also had more distance by average with my worst shot being significantly further than my worst shot with the P790s. 

 

I did end up getting an upgraded shaft as my swing speed averages around 94-95mph and hit 98.8 max. I had to go with the more stout shaft from Mizuno which was an extra $60 per club.

 

Also, to note, while hitting the 7i of the P790s I broke the shaft. Not sure how or where, I just remember feeling like I hit the net on my follow through but the net was nowhere near me and the fitter taking the club, trying to tighten the screw and it would not tighten. He said we were not able to continue hitting that club, and that that was a common theme with the P790 shafts. Said they do not sell a lot of TaylorMade because of this issue. It was mentioned by a previous comment to where a guy lost the head of his 4i 3 swings in. Beware!!

[Tiptx1122]

I played them both as maybe it's more because of my shaft selection with my HMP's but the HMP checks all the boxes for me. Hands down better feel, more distance, a bit more forgiveness, very consistent in yardage and love the penetrating ball flight. Both looks great as that is a personal preference but don't say the P790's feel better than the HMP's as not only is the feel better they sound better. Now the next P790's will later be released but I don't see how TM will improve on them. Fantastic turf interaction and did I mention how much money you'll save with the Mizuno's as I'm so surprised they could sell such an amazing set of irons for the price they do. I'm curious as to what shaft upgrade did you go for that was $60 more per club. 

[Fisherking]

I have the P790s with DG95 shafts, very harsh on the hands. I decided to try the Pings with the Steel Fiber shafts, but the could only find the one for the Mizuno, so I tried that just for the shaft but the HMP heads. Man, that left a really good taste in my mouth. I came back to test it again, this time with the UST Mamiya Recoil shafts. I was blown away with how these two paired well together. The feel and distance was something. My 7 iron is at 150 yds, now its 165 yds. I am just waiting for the TMs to get sold and buy the HMP. By the way, they look very similar at address.