Let’s cut straight to the chase. The Taylormade P790 UDI is designed for low handicap players with fast and very fast swing speeds. It can produce low penetrating bullets that carry a country mile off the tee.
The SIM UDI is the more user-friendly driving iron of the two. It caters to a much larger handicap range (0 – 15), it launches a bit higher, and you don’t need an ultra-fast swing in order to put it in the bag. You do need to play stiff shafts though. Both the SIM UDI and the P790 UDI are only available in stiff shaft and extra stiff shaft options.
Now that you know a bit more about each club, we can dive into the details of this comparison between the Taylormade P790 UDI vs SIM UDI.
Table of Contents
Specs Comparison - SIM UDI vs P790 UDI
| PRODUCT NAME | SIM UDI | P790 UDI |
|---|---|---|
| Loft Options | 18˚, 20˚ | 17˚ |
| Loft Adjustability | +/- 2˚ | No |
| Hand | RH + LH | RH |
| Launch | Mid-Low | Low |
| Spin | Low | Low |
| Handicap Range | 0 - 15 | 0 - 5 |
| Forgiveness | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Swing Speed | Medium/Fast | Fast/Ultra-Fast |
| Graphite Shaft | Yes | Yes |
| Steel Shaft Option | No | Yes |
| Foam Type | SpeedFoam | SpeedFoam AIR |
| Hollow Body Construction | Yes | Yes |
| Thru-Slot Speed Pocket | Yes | Yes |
Key Differences - SIM UDI vs P790 UDI
1. Loft Options
The Taylormade P790 UDI is only available in a 2 iron loft (17°). The Taylormade SIM UDI is available in a 2 iron loft of 18° and a 3 iron loft of 20°.
Based on the loft specs, it’s pretty clear that the P790 UDI will produce a more penetrating ball flight. The lower loft combined with the lower backspin numbers offered by the P790 means that it is very well suited to hitting stingers off the tee.
Conversely, the loft options of the SIM UDI are better suited to mid and low handicappers with medium to medium-fast swing speeds. In fact, you might find that a certain percentage of golfers can actually hit the 3 iron version of the SIM UDI further than the 2 iron version of the SIM UDI, due to the higher apex of the 20 degree version.
2. Loft Adjustability
Loft adjustability is a massive selling point for the SIM UDI. The Loft and lie can be adjusted +/- 2˚, making it a far more versatile club overall.
Dialing in the ideal loft of a driving iron is super important. For instance, when reviewing the Ping G425 2 Iron Crossover, it became apparent that my swing speed wasn’t high enough to justify putting it in the bag. In reality, the G425 3 Iron Crossover is a better fit for my game.
If you select the SIM UDI 3 iron for instance, you have the option to loft it down to 2 iron specs, keep the default 3 iron loft, or loft it all the way up to a 4 iron.
Having the freedom to find the ideal loft for your swing speed and ball flight is a massive win for the SIM UDI. You are less likely to be left with a club that doesn’t actually make it into your permanent setup.
3. Forgiveness
In terms of forgiveness, it should be pretty clear that the SIM UDI is more forgiving than the P790 UDI.
This means that you can get away with off-center strikes with the SIM UDI, but that isn’t necessarily the case with the P790 in your hands.
With that being said, even though the P790 UDI isn’t ultra forgiving, the reviews online are very positive. Most of the low handicap golfers that have it in the bag are extremely happy with the low ball flight and exceptional accuracy that it offers.
Ultimately you could say that the SIM UDI is more forgiving, while the P790 UDI is more precise.
4. Hand Availability
Simply put, the P790 UDI is only available to right-handed golfers. The SIM UDI is available to left-handed players and right-handed players.
5. Launch, Backspin and Trajectory
Another key difference between the SIM UDI and the P790 UDI is the launch height and backspin numbers that you can expect with each club in your hands.
The P790 is a low loft, low launch, low spin driving iron. It is literally built to produce a penetrating ball flight that can carry over 250+ yards if you have a high swing speed.
The SIM UDI offers a slightly higher loft, a mid-to-low launch, and low spin numbers. While this recipe can definitely produce low spin bullets off the tee, you should find that the apex of the SIM UDI (maximum height of a given shot) is a fair bit higher than the P790. For medium and medium-fast swing speeds, this is actually a good thing. The extra height offered by the SIM UDI can help you achieve maximum carry distance with a medium-fast swing speed.
6. Swing Speed
Simply put, the P790 UDI is built primarily for fast and super-fast swing speeds. If your driver clubhead speed is 110+, then you should definitely consider the P790. You need a very fast clubhead speed to unlock the true power of this golf club.
The SIM UDI is built for medium and medium-fast swing speeds. If your driver clubhead speed is somewhere in the region of 95 to 105 mph, the UDI is probably a better fit for your needs. If you fall into this swing speed range, you should find it gives you better carry and total distance numbers, due to the slightly higher loft, hollow body construction, and mid-to-low launch trajectory that it offers.
7. Steel Shaft Option
Both P790 UDI and SIM UDI are only available in stiff shaft and extra stiff graphite shaft variants. However, there is also the option to order the P790 with a steel shaft, if you select the customize option on Taylormade’s website.
8. Speedfoam vs Speedfoam Air
The last difference centers around the type of Speedfoam used in each club. The SIM UDI is built with the original Speedfoam, while the P790 UDI is built with Speedfoam AIR. According to Taylormade, SpeedFoam AIR is 69% lighter than the original SpeedFoam. The main advantage of this reduced weight is that gives the club designers more freedom to redistribute that weight into other areas of the club, in order to make it more forgiving.
Product Technology - SIM UDI
THE ULTIMATE “PLAYER DISTANCE” DRIVING IRON
Designed with insights from the game’s best players, The Taylormade SIM UDI is truly the Ultimate Driving Iron. It can bring a new dimension to the upper end of your bag as a complement to fairway woods, Rescues or long irons.
HOLLOW BODY CONSTRUCTION
The hollow body construction of the Taylormade SIM UDI delivers clean aesthetics while also allowing for a low and forward CG placement for a powerful and penetrating ball flight.
BUILT WITH SPEEDFOAM™
An ultra-light urethane foam injected inside the head that’s engineered to push the design limits of face speed while simultaneously improving feel.
FORGED C300 FACE WITH ICT
A lightweight ultra-thin face forged from C300 steel allows for a stronger face and explosive ball speeds. Engineered with Inverted Cone Technology for an enhanced sweet spot and to promote a straighter ball flight.
Product technology sourced directly from Taylormade SIM UDI Product Page
Product Technology - P790 UDI
BUILT FOR POWER & CONTROL
The head design maintains low spin with a piercing trajectory, even for those with faster swing speeds. The P790 UDI is built for golfers who want control without sacrificing distance.
FAST BALL SPEEDS & PREMIUM FEEL
Inside the Forged Hollow Body Construction, the newly engineered urethane foam inspires increased face flexibility and fast ball speeds while upholding premium sound and feel.
INTELLIGENT SWEET SPOT
SpeedFoam Air is 69% lighter than its predecessor, unlocking our thinnest P•790 face ever with an intelligent sweet spot that’s been repositioned to capture more shots, pinpointing performance where golfers need it the most.
THRU-SLOT SPEED POCKET™
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ built into the P790 UDI provides increased face flexibility while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.
TUNGSTEN MASS FOR LOW CG
Engineers developed new construction methods to thin out the body of the P790 UDI, allowing for up to 31g of tungsten to be placed in the toe. It creates a massive amount of stability and forgiveness wrapped in a player’s package.
SPEEDFOAM™ AIR
Newly engineered SpeedFoam™ Air is 69% lighter than its predecessor. It provides an average of 3.5g of weight savings that has been redistributed to further optimize mass properties for better launch conditions. The new formulation gives you exquisite sound and feel while producing a fast, flexible face.
Product technology sourced directly from Taylormade P790 UDI Product Page
Which Driving Iron Is Right For You?
In the end, choosing between these two driving irons comes down to swing speed and forgiveness.
If you are an excellent ball striker with a fast/ultra-fast swing speed, the P790 UDI could legitimately replace your 3 wood. It is very well suited to strong iron players that need a reliable fairway finder.
If you have a pretty fast swing speed but you need a bit more forgiveness, the SIM UDI is probably the better choice. It will give you a slightly higher launch, and you don’t need to hit the sweet spot every single time. It is a user-friendly driving iron that is versatile enough to serve scratch golfers and mid-handicap players with a reasonably fast swing speed.
The only extra point worth mentioning is that if your driver swing speed is somewhere between 90 – 100 mph, the 3 iron version of the SIM UDI might actually give you better carry numbers than the 2 iron version of the SIM UDI. Naturally, the only way to put this theory to the test is to go for a club fitting. The point is, when it comes to driving irons, sometimes a bit more loft can be helpful for players with a medium-to-medium fast swing speed.
