MEMBER REVIEWS: Takomo Golf Iron Testing! Iron 101T, Iron 301 CB, and Iron 301 MB! See What Members Are Saying!

[GolfWRX_Official]

We have four of our members testing out the Takomo Golf irons that they feel like best fit their golf game. The testers below will be testing the Iron 101T, Iron 301 CB, Iron 301 MB, plus the Iron 301 Combo set from Takomo Golf. The members below will be reporting back to the community about the things that they have noticed while testing this product. Please feel free to ask any questions that you might have, as the testers will be happy to answer them!

The testers are:

@Red4282

@bigdriveandy

@llewol007

@hollabachgt

Learn more about Takomo Golf and their impressive line of irons here.

 

Thank you to @Takomofor putting on this member testing event.

[Red4282]

I am beyond thankful to be selected to test these gorgeous irons! I will be testing the MB/CB combo. Ive been sent a tracking number today, so they are on the way and will be here shortly. My current gamers they are up against, will be Callaway apex 21 mb (7-aw) and Callaway apex Tcb (5-6). I also have a Callaway Apex 4 iron I can compare. I will update as soon as I receive them. 
 

Huge thanks to Golfwrx and Takomo for this opportunity!

[hollabachgt]

First and foremost, thank you to Takomo and GolfWRX for the opportunity to test these irons. Contests like this one are a cornerstone to GolfWRX and the quality of content on this site and I hope others may find value in my feedback.

 

Background

In the last 20 years I’ve played just 3 sets of Irons. From 2001-2008 that was a set of gunmetal Cleveland TA1’s, 2015-16 I played a set of Cobra Amp Cell Pro’s, and the other 13 years have been a set of Titleist 962b’s. Growing up in the late 90’s/early 00’s my two favorite irons were the 962B’s and the TA1’s. I loved the TA1’s but always pined for a set of 962B’s. Shortly after college I found a nice set for not much money and the rest is history. Something about a small headed cavity back has always struck a chord with me. Blade like performance with just a bit more usable forgiveness. For those who spend more time at a desk than the course, it seemed like the perfect combo. After 25 years of life, countless rounds and range sessions, the 962B’s are beginning to show their age and I’ve been on the hunt for something new. This is where the Takomo contest landed on perfect timing. DTC Brands have been piquing my interest for some time now, but with challenges around trying out their clubs and limited public feedback they still feel like quite a bit of an unknown at times. So I’m going to try and review the irons based on what feedback I would have liked to have seen on them prior to getting them in hand.

 

On paper, the 301cb would seem to be a good player’s cavity back option, a 71mm blade length would be similar to the Miura TC-201and 2+mm shorter than a Srizon ZX7. The 301cb has less offset than the Mizuno 223, Titleist 620CB, Taylormade P7MC, and most of the Callaway Apex TCB’s (up until the 9 & P). With a 23* 4, 34* 7, and 37* P; the lofts are not as extreme as you’ll find elsewhere, very much in line with Titleist T100, or Taylormade P7MC. 

 

Unboxing and Initial Impressions

First and foremost, these are very handsome irons. The design is clean and uncluttered. The transition between the 6-7-8 is very smooth, with the 6 having only the slightest of arc to the top line and the 8 having a very traditional top line arc and rounded toe. I do wish the 4 and 5 irons had a bit more point to the toe, but they do blend down the set nicely. The pictures of the irons on the Takomo website show the irons having more of a satin look to the chrome. While not mirror polished bright, the chrome finish is not matte and is a lot closer to bright. This is a disappointment as I prefer darker and flat finished irons. I might end up taking some scotch-brite and knocking down the finish after my initial testing. 

 

At first glance, the heads do appear to have a nice compact profile, but after setting them side by side next to the 962B’s, The overall head size is not as small as I was hoping. I was surprised to find the 962B’s were still a couple mm shorter than the 301cb’s. I’ll have to play attention if I still feel that way after playing a few rounds with them. They do have a nice minimal amount of offset, but I do wish the transition along the hosel was a little cleaner. There almost appears to be a slight kink where the hosel starts its taper towards the heel of the iron, which unfortunately magnifies the little amount of offset the irons do have. 

 

The cavity in the back is very, very shallow. Only 1 to 1.5 mm deep. Which would seem to put the iron much more in the muscle back category than the player cavity category. The soles are not narrow, but they do taper back towards the heel and have a nice amount of leading edge relief, which all things considered, would appear to make for a very playable and accommodating sole design. The leading edge relief was not something I had seen in pictures before, so that was a welcome surprise. Some players might not like the slightly wider sole on such a design, but I expect it will actually be very useful for a wide range of players. 

 

Along with the set of irons, inside the box I received a hat and towel. While the big name brands have established market brand recognition, the DTC guys don’t. So including some small trinkets in the box is a very welcome addition. 

 

Spec wise, all the irons came on point for length. I don’t have a loft/lie machine, so I’m unable to confirm that. Takomo does not have a stock swingweight posted on their site for the 301’s, but for the 201’s stock is D2, which I would expect to be the same for the 301’s. I measured the  4, 6, 7, & 8 with a swing weight of D2 +/-0.2, and the 9 & P measured at D3.3. It’s not that uncommon for the shorter irons to have an increased SW, and something that I prefer. On the other hand, the 5 iron was a big outlier at a swingweight of D3.6. I had to measure that one a few times to confirm. I personally prefer my irons around D5, so I’m going to test them out at the range as is, make some changes to the setup based upon my feedback, and then play them after the changes. 

 

First Range Session

The first time I was able to get out and test the 301cb’s it was mid 40’s and breezy, my swing felt like an unfolding lawn chair, so it was not the best of test conditions. After working out the kinks after sitting at my desk all day, I went through a model vs model comparison between my 962b’s and the 301cb’s. P vs P, 7 vs 7, and 4 vs 4. Compared to the 962b’s, The 301cb’s had a much softer and smoother feel at impact, but they didn't feel powerless. I’d describe the feeling at impact as being dynamic. The 301cb’s were easy to hit, especially the long irons.Fighting an inconsistent strike with the 962b’s, It felt like I rarely miss-hit the 301cb’s. The larger sole helped to mitigate heavier strikes, and thinner strikes still performed admirably. I spent more time hitting the 4 iron than any other club, just because it was so easy to play. 

 

My biggest dislike of the 301cb’s after first contact was the height of the ball flight. I was constantly surprised with how much higher they would fly than expected. I found them launching a club or more higher than what I would anticipate. As someone who already plays a high ball that is a concern. Reading that the cb was higher launching than the mb, I specifically asked for a stiffer shaft than normal in hopes of managing the launch. So this is something I’ll have to look out for when I take the clubs to the course. I did also notice the head weight was a bit lighter than I would desire, I’m someone who really wants to feel the head during the swing and at times it became a bit lost. I’ll be putting some lead in the cavity to help restore that feel, and that may help to adjust the launch angle. 

 

First Round

I loaded up the 301cb’s in the bag, leaving the 962b’s at home, headed out to Fox Creek. An 18 hole executive course outside of Atlanta, Fox Creek provides an excellent venue to test new irons. 11 par 3’s, 7 par 4’s means you can leave the woods at home and test every iron in the bag. Greens that average less than 3,000 Sqft tests your accuracy and provides plenty of opportunities to work on your short game. The weather was similar to my first range session with the clubs: mid 40’s, light wind, partly cloudy. 

Overall, I was impressed with the performance of the 301cb’s. The easy to hit feeling I had on the range was continued to the course. Even on the par 4’s where I was playing long iron - long iron to the greens I felt confident I could still score well. In the cold weather, the soft forging never felt harsh or jarring. My biggest surprise of the day is how much I enjoyed chipping with the irons. I found them especially easy to chip with. Over the last 4-5 years I’ve struggled with my chipping, periodically decelerating and catching chip shots a little heavy. I’ve adopted a technique of playing my chips nearer towards the toe of the iron with a more vertical shaft angle to help counter the heavy contact. With the leading edge relief on the 301cb’s and their wider sole I found that I could use a more conventional chipping setup without concern of miss-hit. 

 

Unfortunately I struggled with the ball flight still being much higher than I would desire, and after a few holes swapped out my Maxfli Tour X for a Titleist AVX to try and bring the ball flight down. It’s hard for me to say how much of the ball flight is based on the head or shaft. I also was not able to adjust the swingweight of the irons between the range session and first round, so I don’t know if adding lead to the back of the head will help me bring the ball down a little as well. But it’s something I’m going to be on the lookout for. 

 

Distance wise, I didn’t find the 301cb’s to be any longer than my 962b’s. The cold conditions could have easily impacted my assessment, and having the 962b’s in the bag with the 301cb’s would have helped to confirm. I was a little surprised by this. By length and loft the 301cb’s exist as ½+ irons compared to the 962b’s. But being that they launch so much higher, any difference in distance may be negated. 

 

For right now. The 301cb’s are going to stay in the bag. I’ve enjoyed playing them and would like to continue testing them before I reach a verdict. I’ll take this opportunity to play around a bit more with the AVX and the Vice Pro Soft. and to see if the height difference impacts performance, or if it's just my expectation as to where the ball should be launching.

Edited December 6, 2022 by hollabachgt
pictures added

[golfinbrad]

5 minutes ago, hollabachgt said:

First and foremost, thank you to Takomo and GolfWRX for the opportunity to test these irons. Contests like this one are a cornerstone to GolfWRX and the quality of content on this site and I hope others may find value in my feedback.

 

Background

In the last 20 years I’ve played just 3 sets of Irons. From 2001-2008 that was a set of gunmetal Cleveland TA1’s, 2015-16 I played a set of Cobra Amp Cell Pro’s, and the other 13 years have been a set of Titleist 962b’s. Growing up in the late 90’s/early 00’s my two favorite irons were the 962B’s and the TA1’s. I loved the TA1’s but always pined for a set of 962B’s. Shortly after college I found a nice set for not much money and the rest is history. Something about a small headed cavity back has always struck a chord with me. Blade like performance with just a bit more usable forgiveness. For those who spend more time at a desk than the course, it seemed like the perfect combo. After 25 years of life, countless rounds and range sessions, the 962B’s are beginning to show their age and I’ve been on the hunt for something new. This is where the Takomo contest landed on perfect timing. DTC Brands have been piquing my interest for some time now, but with challenges around trying out their clubs and limited public feedback they still feel like quite a bit of an unknown at times. So I’m going to try and review the irons based on what feedback I would have liked to have seen on them prior to getting them in hand.

 

On paper, the 301cb would seem to be a good player’s cavity back option, a 71mm blade length would be similar to the Miura TC-201and 2+mm shorter than a Srizon ZX7. The 301cb has less offset than the Mizuno 223, Titleist 620CB, Taylormade P7MC, and most of the Callaway Apex TCB’s (up until the 9 & P). With a 23* 4, 34* 7, and 37* P; the lofts are not as extreme as you’ll find elsewhere, very much in line with Titleist T100, or Taylormade P7MC. 

 

Unboxing and Initial Impressions

First and foremost, these are very handsome irons. The design is clean and uncluttered. The transition between the 6-7-8 is very smooth, with the 6 having only the slightest of arc to the top line and the 8 having a very traditional top line arc and rounded toe. I do wish the 4 and 5 irons had a bit more point to the toe, but they do blend down the set nicely. The pictures of the irons on the Takomo website show the irons having more of a satin look to the chrome. While not mirror polished bright, the chrome finish is not matte and is a lot closer to bright. This is a disappointment as I prefer darker and flat finished irons. I might end up taking some scotch-brite and knocking down the finish after my initial testing. 

 

At first glance, the heads do appear to have a nice compact profile, but after setting them side by side next to the 962B’s, The overall head size is not as small as I was hoping. I was surprised to find the 962B’s were still a couple mm shorter than the 301cb’s. I’ll have to play attention if I still feel that way after playing a few rounds with them. They do have a nice minimal amount of offset, but I do wish the transition along the hosel was a little cleaner. There almost appears to be a slight kink where the hosel starts its taper towards the heel of the iron, which unfortunately magnifies the little amount of offset the irons do have. 

 

The cavity in the back is very, very shallow. Only 1 to 1.5 mm deep. Which would seem to put the iron much more in the muscle back category than the player cavity category. The soles are not narrow, but they do taper back towards the heel and have a nice amount of leading edge relief, which all things considered, would appear to make for a very playable and accommodating sole design. The leading edge relief was not something I had seen in pictures before, so that was a welcome surprise. Some players might not like the slightly wider sole on such a design, but I expect it will actually be very useful for a wide range of players. 

 

Along with the set of irons, inside the box I received a hat and towel. While the big name brands have established market brand recognition, the DTC guys don’t. So including some small trinkets in the box is a very welcome addition. 

 

Spec wise, all the irons came on point for length. I don’t have a loft/lie machine, so I’m unable to confirm that. Takomo does not have a stock swingweight posted on their site for the 301’s, but for the 201’s stock is D2, which I would expect to be the same for the 301’s. I measured the  4, 6, 7, & 8 with a swing weight of D2 +/-0.2, and the 9 & P measured at D3.3. It’s not that uncommon for the shorter irons to have an increased SW, and something that I prefer. On the other hand, the 5 iron was a big outlier at a swingweight of D3.6. I had to measure that one a few times to confirm. I personally prefer my irons around D5, so I’m going to test them out at the range as is, make some changes to the setup based upon my feedback, and then play them after the changes. 

 

First Range Session

The first time I was able to get out and test the 301cb’s it was mid 40’s and breezy, my swing felt like an unfolding lawn chair, so it was not the best of test conditions. After working out the kinks after sitting at my desk all day, I went through a model vs model comparison between my 962b’s and the 301cb’s. P vs P, 7 vs 7, and 4 vs 4. Compared to the 962b’s, The 301cb’s had a much softer and smoother feel at impact, but they didn't feel powerless. I’d describe the feeling at impact as being dynamic. The 301cb’s were easy to hit, especially the long irons.Fighting an inconsistent strike with the 962b’s, It felt like I rarely miss-hit the 301cb’s. The larger sole helped to mitigate heavier strikes, and thinner strikes still performed admirably. I spent more time hitting the 4 iron than any other club, just because it was so easy to play. 

 

My biggest dislike of the 301cb’s after first contact was the height of the ball flight. I was constantly surprised with how much higher they would fly than expected. I found them launching a club or more higher than what I would anticipate. As someone who already plays a high ball that is a concern. Reading that the cb was higher launching than the mb, I specifically asked for a stiffer shaft than normal in hopes of managing the launch. So this is something I’ll have to look out for when I take the clubs to the course. I did also notice the head weight was a bit lighter than I would desire, I’m someone who really wants to feel the head during the swing and at times it became a bit lost. I’ll be putting some lead in the cavity to help restore that feel, and that may help to adjust the launch angle. 

 

First Round

I loaded up the 301cb’s in the bag, leaving the 962b’s at home, headed out to Fox Creek. An 18 hole executive course outside of Atlanta, Fox Creek provides an excellent venue to test new irons. 11 par 3’s, 7 par 4’s means you can leave the woods at home and test every iron in the bag. Greens that average less than 3,000 Sqft tests your accuracy and provides plenty of opportunities to work on your short game. The weather was similar to my first range session with the clubs: mid 40’s, light wind, partly cloudy. 

Overall, I was impressed with the performance of the 301cb’s. The easy to hit feeling I had on the range was continued to the course. Even on the par 4’s where I was playing long iron - long iron to the greens I felt confident I could still score well. In the cold weather, the soft forging never felt harsh or jarring. My biggest surprise of the day is how much I enjoyed chipping with the irons. I found them especially easy to chip with. Over the last 4-5 years I’ve struggled with my chipping, periodically decelerating and catching chip shots a little heavy. I’ve adopted a technique of playing my chips nearer towards the toe of the iron with a more vertical shaft angle to help counter the heavy contact. With the leading edge relief on the 301cb’s and their wider sole I found that I could use a more conventional chipping setup without concern of miss-hit. 

 

Unfortunately I struggled with the ball flight still being much higher than I would desire, and after a few holes swapped out my Maxfli Tour X for a Titleist AVX to try and bring the ball flight down. It’s hard for me to say how much of the ball flight is based on the head or shaft. I also was not able to adjust the swingweight of the irons between the range session and first round, so I don’t know if adding lead to the back of the head will help me bring the ball down a little as well. But it’s something I’m going to be on the lookout for. 

 

Distance wise, I didn’t find the 301cb’s to be any longer than my 962b’s. The cold conditions could have easily impacted my assessment, and having the 962b’s in the bag with the 301cb’s would have helped to confirm. I was a little surprised by this. By length and loft the 301cb’s exist as ½+ irons compared to the 962b’s. But being that they launch so much higher, any difference in distance may be negated. 

 

For right now. The 301cb’s are going to stay in the bag. I’ve enjoyed playing them and would like to continue testing them before I reach a verdict. I’ll take this opportunity to play around a bit more with the AVX and the Vice Pro Soft. and to see if the height difference impacts performance, or if it's just my expectation as to where the ball should be launching.

Nice write up and congrats on being selected!!!!  Is the same shafts in both the 301 and 962?

[hollabachgt]

The 962b's have TT S300's while the 301cb's have KBS Tour X

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Those are sharp! Logo reminds me so much of the Dynacraft logo, can't get over it

[GolfWRX_Official]

3 hours ago, hollabachgt said:

First and foremost, thank you to Takomo and GolfWRX for the opportunity to test these irons. Contests like this one are a cornerstone to GolfWRX and the quality of content on this site and I hope others may find value in my feedback.

 

Background

In the last 20 years I’ve played just 3 sets of Irons. From 2001-2008 that was a set of gunmetal Cleveland TA1’s, 2015-16 I played a set of Cobra Amp Cell Pro’s, and the other 13 years have been a set of Titleist 962b’s. Growing up in the late 90’s/early 00’s my two favorite irons were the 962B’s and the TA1’s. I loved the TA1’s but always pined for a set of 962B’s. Shortly after college I found a nice set for not much money and the rest is history. Something about a small headed cavity back has always struck a chord with me. Blade like performance with just a bit more usable forgiveness. For those who spend more time at a desk than the course, it seemed like the perfect combo. After 25 years of life, countless rounds and range sessions, the 962B’s are beginning to show their age and I’ve been on the hunt for something new. This is where the Takomo contest landed on perfect timing. DTC Brands have been piquing my interest for some time now, but with challenges around trying out their clubs and limited public feedback they still feel like quite a bit of an unknown at times. So I’m going to try and review the irons based on what feedback I would have liked to have seen on them prior to getting them in hand.

 

On paper, the 301cb would seem to be a good player’s cavity back option, a 71mm blade length would be similar to the Miura TC-201and 2+mm shorter than a Srizon ZX7. The 301cb has less offset than the Mizuno 223, Titleist 620CB, Taylormade P7MC, and most of the Callaway Apex TCB’s (up until the 9 & P). With a 23* 4, 34* 7, and 37* P; the lofts are not as extreme as you’ll find elsewhere, very much in line with Titleist T100, or Taylormade P7MC. 

 

Unboxing and Initial Impressions

First and foremost, these are very handsome irons. The design is clean and uncluttered. The transition between the 6-7-8 is very smooth, with the 6 having only the slightest of arc to the top line and the 8 having a very traditional top line arc and rounded toe. I do wish the 4 and 5 irons had a bit more point to the toe, but they do blend down the set nicely. The pictures of the irons on the Takomo website show the irons having more of a satin look to the chrome. While not mirror polished bright, the chrome finish is not matte and is a lot closer to bright. This is a disappointment as I prefer darker and flat finished irons. I might end up taking some scotch-brite and knocking down the finish after my initial testing. 

 

At first glance, the heads do appear to have a nice compact profile, but after setting them side by side next to the 962B’s, The overall head size is not as small as I was hoping. I was surprised to find the 962B’s were still a couple mm shorter than the 301cb’s. I’ll have to play attention if I still feel that way after playing a few rounds with them. They do have a nice minimal amount of offset, but I do wish the transition along the hosel was a little cleaner. There almost appears to be a slight kink where the hosel starts its taper towards the heel of the iron, which unfortunately magnifies the little amount of offset the irons do have. 

 

The cavity in the back is very, very shallow. Only 1 to 1.5 mm deep. Which would seem to put the iron much more in the muscle back category than the player cavity category. The soles are not narrow, but they do taper back towards the heel and have a nice amount of leading edge relief, which all things considered, would appear to make for a very playable and accommodating sole design. The leading edge relief was not something I had seen in pictures before, so that was a welcome surprise. Some players might not like the slightly wider sole on such a design, but I expect it will actually be very useful for a wide range of players. 

 

Along with the set of irons, inside the box I received a hat and towel. While the big name brands have established market brand recognition, the DTC guys don’t. So including some small trinkets in the box is a very welcome addition. 

 

Spec wise, all the irons came on point for length. I don’t have a loft/lie machine, so I’m unable to confirm that. Takomo does not have a stock swingweight posted on their site for the 301’s, but for the 201’s stock is D2, which I would expect to be the same for the 301’s. I measured the  4, 6, 7, & 8 with a swing weight of D2 +/-0.2, and the 9 & P measured at D3.3. It’s not that uncommon for the shorter irons to have an increased SW, and something that I prefer. On the other hand, the 5 iron was a big outlier at a swingweight of D3.6. I had to measure that one a few times to confirm. I personally prefer my irons around D5, so I’m going to test them out at the range as is, make some changes to the setup based upon my feedback, and then play them after the changes. 

 

First Range Session

The first time I was able to get out and test the 301cb’s it was mid 40’s and breezy, my swing felt like an unfolding lawn chair, so it was not the best of test conditions. After working out the kinks after sitting at my desk all day, I went through a model vs model comparison between my 962b’s and the 301cb’s. P vs P, 7 vs 7, and 4 vs 4. Compared to the 962b’s, The 301cb’s had a much softer and smoother feel at impact, but they didn't feel powerless. I’d describe the feeling at impact as being dynamic. The 301cb’s were easy to hit, especially the long irons.Fighting an inconsistent strike with the 962b’s, It felt like I rarely miss-hit the 301cb’s. The larger sole helped to mitigate heavier strikes, and thinner strikes still performed admirably. I spent more time hitting the 4 iron than any other club, just because it was so easy to play. 

 

My biggest dislike of the 301cb’s after first contact was the height of the ball flight. I was constantly surprised with how much higher they would fly than expected. I found them launching a club or more higher than what I would anticipate. As someone who already plays a high ball that is a concern. Reading that the cb was higher launching than the mb, I specifically asked for a stiffer shaft than normal in hopes of managing the launch. So this is something I’ll have to look out for when I take the clubs to the course. I did also notice the head weight was a bit lighter than I would desire, I’m someone who really wants to feel the head during the swing and at times it became a bit lost. I’ll be putting some lead in the cavity to help restore that feel, and that may help to adjust the launch angle. 

 

First Round

I loaded up the 301cb’s in the bag, leaving the 962b’s at home, headed out to Fox Creek. An 18 hole executive course outside of Atlanta, Fox Creek provides an excellent venue to test new irons. 11 par 3’s, 7 par 4’s means you can leave the woods at home and test every iron in the bag. Greens that average less than 3,000 Sqft tests your accuracy and provides plenty of opportunities to work on your short game. The weather was similar to my first range session with the clubs: mid 40’s, light wind, partly cloudy. 

Overall, I was impressed with the performance of the 301cb’s. The easy to hit feeling I had on the range was continued to the course. Even on the par 4’s where I was playing long iron - long iron to the greens I felt confident I could still score well. In the cold weather, the soft forging never felt harsh or jarring. My biggest surprise of the day is how much I enjoyed chipping with the irons. I found them especially easy to chip with. Over the last 4-5 years I’ve struggled with my chipping, periodically decelerating and catching chip shots a little heavy. I’ve adopted a technique of playing my chips nearer towards the toe of the iron with a more vertical shaft angle to help counter the heavy contact. With the leading edge relief on the 301cb’s and their wider sole I found that I could use a more conventional chipping setup without concern of miss-hit. 

 

Unfortunately I struggled with the ball flight still being much higher than I would desire, and after a few holes swapped out my Maxfli Tour X for a Titleist AVX to try and bring the ball flight down. It’s hard for me to say how much of the ball flight is based on the head or shaft. I also was not able to adjust the swingweight of the irons between the range session and first round, so I don’t know if adding lead to the back of the head will help me bring the ball down a little as well. But it’s something I’m going to be on the lookout for. 

 

Distance wise, I didn’t find the 301cb’s to be any longer than my 962b’s. The cold conditions could have easily impacted my assessment, and having the 962b’s in the bag with the 301cb’s would have helped to confirm. I was a little surprised by this. By length and loft the 301cb’s exist as ½+ irons compared to the 962b’s. But being that they launch so much higher, any difference in distance may be negated. 

 

For right now. The 301cb’s are going to stay in the bag. I’ve enjoyed playing them and would like to continue testing them before I reach a verdict. I’ll take this opportunity to play around a bit more with the AVX and the Vice Pro Soft. and to see if the height difference impacts performance, or if it's just my expectation as to where the ball should be launching.

Awesome review and the photos are amazing. Looking forward to seeing some updates!

[bigdriveandy]

Hey everyone. Just wanted to throw out a quick introduction and a tremendous thank you to GolfWRX and Takomo for allowing me to test these irons. I have been a super super long time member of this forum, joined early in 2006 iirc. I've always thought that product testing and the reviews are what make this site stand out amongst the rest and stand the test of time. I feel like it is so cool after all this time to actually get to take part in what makes this site great.

 

I will be testing the 101T irons, with KBS Tour S shafts. I plan to test them up against the following irons: New Level 902-PD, Callaway Apex Tour 19 (my current gamers), PXG 0311P Gen 4, and a Sub 70 699 Pro if I can get my hands on a demo iron in time. I have access to an indoor trackman bay through my local driving range, so I plan to give unbiased comparisons between all irons with related launch, spin, distance, and dispersion. I will also test the 101Ts outside on a grass range as well as on-course. I will parse my reviews out as I have time to do them, with the upcoming holiday and winter weather being a variable for me in Central VA. 

 

Looking forward to sharing the results as soon as I receive the irons and get testing underway. Thanks again! 

[PowderedToastMan]

3 hours ago, bigdriveandy said:

Hey everyone. Just wanted to throw out a quick introduction and a tremendous thank you to GolfWRX and Takomo for allowing me to test these irons. I have been a super super long time member of this forum, joined early in 2006 iirc. I've always thought that product testing and the reviews are what make this site stand out amongst the rest and stand the test of time. I feel like it is so cool after all this time to actually get to take part in what makes this site great.

 

I will be testing the 101T irons, with KBS Tour S shafts. I plan to test them up against the following irons: New Level 902-PD, Callaway Apex Tour 19 (my current gamers), PXG 0311P Gen 4, and a Sub 70 699 Pro if I can get my hands on a demo iron in time. I have access to an indoor trackman bay through my local driving range, so I plan to give unbiased comparisons between all irons with related launch, spin, distance, and dispersion. I will also test the 101Ts outside on a grass range as well as on-course. I will parse my reviews out as I have time to do them, with the upcoming holiday and winter weather being a variable for me in Central VA. 

 

Looking forward to sharing the results as soon as I receive the irons and get testing underway. Thanks again! 

Looking forward to your review! I'm particularly interested in the sound of the 101T's versus the 0311P as that is a club I am familiar with. I'm hoping they sound similar to that and not like the i500. 

[llewol007]

Hi Golfwrx community!! Just wanted to introduce myself as I have been chosen to test out the 301 Mb’s. Many of you see me posting as 4Kidsgolfer or selling as llewol007

I first want to give a big shout out to Golfwrx and Takomo for giving us the opportunity to test out their clubs. From looks alone, I see their products filling up golf bags across the country. 
A little about me, I took up the game in my senior year in high school while working at a golf shop back in 95’. Fell in love with the game as quickly as Tiger rose to fame. Learned the game playing blades of many sorts that came in through our golf shop. From Hogans, to Titliest to eventually Mizuno Mp 14’s and 33’s. I’ve always been accustomed to the look and feel of a blade.

I’m looking forward to testing out the 301Mb’s. I will be offering some great feedback and insights in comparison to my current setup which is the Wilson Staff Pro Model Blades. I received the confirmation of shipping and should be receiving them early next week. Get ready for the ride!! Should be a fun one. Thanks again Golfwrx and Takomo!!!!

Edited December 8, 2022 by llewol007

[Red4282]

Well, my tracking had it to be delivered yesterday, but has been delayed until monday. Cant wait to get them out. One thing Im interested in, is to hear the other reviews on the 101t, as i play an apex pro 4 iron with my current set, and could definitely see grabbing one to go with these 301 cb/mbs. 
 

Edit! Just checked again and they are scheduled to be delivered today! 🤗

Edited December 10, 2022 by Red4282

[Red4282]

They arrived right as I was about to walk out the door to go to a Christmas Party! Should be able to take some pics tomorrow and give some initial thoughts on the looks and quality/quality control.

 

 

The hat and towel was a nice touch. Thanks again Takomo and GolfWrx!

[Red4282]

So, just a heads up, I intend to be extremely detailed in my review because  in the past, when I have been intrigued or curious about some DTC clubs, I have always been disappointed with the lack of information available (which obviously is a big deterrent).  For the first part of the review I will go over:

 

1)Packaging/presentation

2)Basic build quality/component quality

3)Looks , Club head design, and features

4)Ordering options and component options

 

I will cover performance, feel, and comparisons to my gamers with data at a later date. I would also like to spec these more advanced, loft, lie, blade length, accurate playing length, etc.
 

PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION:

I was very impressed with how much care was taken to protect these clubs. Foam cushions, plastic shrink on head and grip, bubble wrap sleeve on head and a plastic shaft sleeve. For saving so much money compared to the big OEMs,  they didn’t skimp out in this area. A+

 

BASIC BUILD QUALITY/COMPONENT QUALITY:

I was also quite pleased at the build quality Takomo performed on these. All grips are straight as an arrow and logos lined up with the face. All shaft labels are face down and not visible at address. The ferrules have no visible gaps, and have been turned down very well (Im extremely picky about this as I build myself and turn ferrules). Ive seen some really bad jobs by other OEMS in this area. The heads are clean, and the forging/milling appears to be top notch. I looked carefully for any flaws in stamping or paint fill and only found one slight flaw. The paint fill on the “Takomo” on the hosel of the 5 iron has a little smear. No big deal, can clean that up. Well done. A+

 

 

 

 

LOOKS, CLUB HEAD DESIGN, AND FEATURES:

 

The first thing that really jumped out at me were the soles. They appear to be a little bit on the wider side for a blade/players cavity, and especially compared to my Apex MB. However if you take into account the preworn leading edge, the sole width shouldn’t play as wide as it appears. There also isnt any beveling on the trail side, but rather a slow taper with a sharp line. I would imagine these will be perfect for middle of the road to slightly steep AOA. Really shallow players may struggle a bit, but without hitting them yet, that is to be determined. I wouldnt mind seeing a little trail edge heel and toe beveling but thats me just being really picky.

 

 

 

From address the shaping is really really good. Nice rounded toe. Maybe a bit more “knuckle” in the transition from hosel to topline than Im used to but by no means is it bad. These are REALLY low offset, especially in the mid and long irons. I really like that as it can be harder to find. The top line is Id say somewhere on the thin/medium spectrum. There are thinner top lines out there for sure, and my Callaways are one of them, but its not by much and the added thickness isnt a turnoff by any means. For a blade Id say its middle of the road, and for a cavity, its on the thinner side of things. Blade length on both is perfect. Not too small and intimidating but doesnt feel like shovels either. 
 

 

The one area I had some concern before hand was the CBs at first glance doesnt look like it offers a ton of help over the MBs. The obvious difference was the slight mass that has been milled out in the back above the muscle.

 

However, there are other subtle differences. The blade lengths are ever so slightly longer with the CBs. The sole/muscle pad on the CBs is also ever so slightly wider/bigger. Its still a rather small jump in forgiveness, if I was nitpicking, Id like to see just a bit more “help” especially when it comes to the longer irons. Jury is still out, will need to test but, if possible I may try to get a 101T 4/5 iron and see how they would combo up.

Overall for looks/features Id give them a solid A-.

 

ORDERING/COMPONENT OPTIONS:

 

This is one area that wont grade that well for Takomo. The options for shafts and grips are very limited. I understand this may be part of the reason for a really low price point, the elimination of complexity of components, but I can also see that being a deterrent for some people ordering especially a better player who is in a very specific and proven shaft/build. You are only limited to KBS shafts in steel the Tour being standard option. C-taper and c-taper lite is offered with an up-charge. Graphite options are Atmos and a shaft called Obsidian, both with up-charges. For grips, its either Lamkin Crosslines or Crossline midsize. The one thing that saves them from a really bad grade here is they do offer heads only, which for me would be the way to go. However I would like to see an Individual head/club ordering option, like in my case, where I would want to add a 101T long iron. Overall grade here: B-

 

Im hoping to get some outdoor pics with comparisons to my gamers later today. Im not sure exactly when Ill be able to hit them, it will be weather permitting and also with holidays coming up. If anyone has any questions in meantime, Id be happy to answer. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PDXGolfr]

Thanks to all - WRX, Takomo and to the reviewers for their in depth reviews. Will be following along

[Red4282]

Here are some more address pics taken outside as well as some comparisons to my previous gamers (7-Pw 2021 Callaway Apex MB, 5-6 Apex TCB).

 

 

[FifeRiviera]

That top line is horrific in my eyes

[Red4282]

2 minutes ago, FifeRiviera said:

That top line is horrific in my eyes

Which one? I think the MB has a little thicker topline but to be fair, the apex is one of the thinnest that I know of. The CB is almost identical to the TCB from what I can see. 

[FifeRiviera]

5 minutes ago, Red4282 said:

Which one? I think the MB has a little thicker topline but to be fair, the apex is one of the thinnest that I know of. The CB is almost identical to the TCB from what I can see. 

 

Both... 

 

Nah especially the MB the CB just needs rounded a tad and it would be okay.

[Red4282]

7 minutes ago, FifeRiviera said:

 

Both... 

 

Nah especially the MB the CB just needs rounded a tad and it would be okay.

What irons do you currently play? Yea I tend to agree as I always liked the thinnest topline I could get. However i think for these a thicker topline actually compliments them. The blade length is more compact than the Apex MB and I think the slightly thicker topline helps keep it not so intimidating.

[FifeRiviera]

29 minutes ago, Red4282 said:

What irons do you currently play? Yea I tend to agree as I always liked the thinnest topline I could get. However i think for these a thicker topline actually compliments them. The blade length is more compact than the Apex MB and I think the slightly thicker topline helps keep it not so intimidating.

 

P7MC/MB which sit a bit more in the TCB range of topline probably thicker than I normally would like but rounded well enough to hide it. 

 

Maybe it's just the newness making them look so blunt, If they launch and spin right who cares. 

[Red4282]

3 minutes ago, FifeRiviera said:

 

P7MC/MB which sit a bit more in the TCB range of topline probably thicker than I normally would like but rounded well enough to hide it. 

 

Maybe it's just the newness making them look so blunt, If they launch and spin right who cares. 

I wouldnt think they would be all that much thicker than yours, but yes they are pretty “square” and probably would look a little better with some of that edge beveled off.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Red4282

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Yeah toplines to me give a slightly unfinished vibe

[llewol007]

Finally, a break in the rain and the body is at about 90%. This darn flu season hasn’t been as nice. 
I’m going to rate a couple sections out of a possible 10 points. I compared the Takomo 301Mb’s to my Wilson Staff Models. 

 

Here are some initial pictures from the unboxing. From the onset, they look really solid. The hat and towel were a pleasant surprise and is a nice touch. 

 

Looks

 

The Takomo 301Mb’s remind me so much of the Mizuno Mp18’s. Clean lines with a classic Blade design.  Easy to set up with just enough offset. 

Great side by side views of the Pw, 7 iron and the 5 iron.

 

 

 

Very streamline design with minimal stepping on the backside. The Toe has enough of a curve and not to boxy. The top line is a tad thicker but not a major drawback.The ferrules are short and simple. Over look I would rate a 9/10

 

Feel and Contact

The Takomo 301Mb’s feel solid. Just like most blade style irons, the sweet spot is about the size of a quarter. Anything outside that circle and the forgiveness diminishes. The flight to me was a tad higher in comparison to the Wilson staffs but I attribute that to the KBS shafts in the 301Mb’s which I tend to launch higher. The long irons I truly love in this set and found the ball to have more velocity coming off the face. Dispersion was a tad tighter with my Wilson Staff’s but noticed more forgiveness with the Takomo 301Mb’s when contact was higher in the face. The thicker topline provided that much more forgiveness higher up in the face which was noticed on a couple shots.  I added comparison pictures of the 7 iron and PW.  Overall rating on the feel and contact is a 8/10

 

The great selling point of Takomo products is that they are direct from Manufacturer to consumer. The website is easy to navigate and provides great content on what they have to offer. The product comes neatly packed with the club heads and grips in shrink wrap. The club’s are individually wrapped in plastic and the heads secured in their foam bedding. 

Although the options for shafts and grips are smaller than other manufacturers, the main objective of providing a great product at an affordable price point is a win win. 

 

Overall product rating is a strong 9/10

Thank you Takomo for the experience in testing out the 301Mb irons. They are a winner in my book! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2022 by llewol007

[hollabachgt]

On 12/13/2022 at 6:28 AM, Red4282 said:

I wouldnt think they would be all that much thicker than yours, but yes they are pretty “square” and probably would look a little better with some of that edge beveled off.

 

The topline on the 301cb's is actually pretty thin. But while many irons have an almost fully rounded over topline, the Takomo's is very squared off. I measured the topline thickness on the 7 iron at ~4.7mm. Which in comparison is thinner than the Srixon ZX7, Miura TC-201, and Mizuno 223.

 

I could see some being turned off by the square topline, as it does have an almost unfinished or un-polished look to it compared to other major brands. But for those who prefer a slightly thicker topline, this is a good optical illusion that does not risk moving too much weight high in the head.

Edited December 14, 2022 by hollabachgt

[cz13X4]

topline on the 101t is more rounded than the forged models and I think looks better in person.

[Red4282]

6 hours ago, hollabachgt said:

 

The topline on the 301cb's is actually pretty thin. But while many irons have an almost fully rounded over topline, the Takomo's is very squared off. I measured the topline thickness on the 7 iron at ~4.7mm. Which in comparison is thinner than the Srixon ZX7, Miura TC-201, and Mizuno 223.

 

I could see some being turned off by the square topline, as it does have an almost unfinished or un-polished look to it compared to other major brands. But for those who prefer a slightly thicker topline, this is a good optical illusion that does not risk moving too much weight high in the head.

Good points, and so I went an measured mine and was actually surprised to find that across the whole set, they were thinner than the Apex MB and TCB. Pretty crazy how that edge can trick your eyes. Its actually growing on me and the it compliments the squatty compact head. 

 

5 hours ago, cz13X4 said:

topline on the 101t is more rounded than the forged models and I think looks better in person.

Do you have some 101Ts? Id love to see some address pics. Still interested in possibly adding a long iron (if possible).

[Red4282]

One more small update. Had a small window of decent weather and was able to sneak to course during my lunch. Hit small bucket, 30 balls with 4,7, and 9 iron. About 10 balls each. Pretty much went as expected. Out of the middle they feel really good. Launch was about where I expected and to my surprise I didn't get any ballooners (KBS tour loves to ballon in my past experience) despite hitting into a 15mph headwind.

 

All around they perform like a typical blade and players cavity. I do feel like they handled the soft moist ground better than my apex would. I hit one 9 a little heavy, and maybe only lost 10-15 yards, where as with apex i feel it may have been a complete fat. 

 

This also confirmed to me I hate steel shafts. I have been in steelfiber i110s for over a year and love them. A mishit with steel is just so harsh! Ive seen enough now to be committed to giving them a spot in my bag. I want to have one more range session against the callaways with data and then will be likely pulling the steelfibers and putting them in the Takomos.

Edit: Also forgot that I measured lengths and swingweights. I ordered +1/2” over standard, and they all came in at +3/4”. However, this may be due to the measuring technique. I measure down the center of the shaft and if Takomo measures them down the back of the shaft that will add about 1/4”. All swing weights came in between D1 and D3, and in my opinion thats within the margin of error, and inline with most other OEMs.

 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Red4282

[cz13X4]

14 minutes ago, Red4282 said:

Good points, and so I went an measured mine and was actually surprised to find that across the whole set, they were thinner than the Apex MB and TCB. Pretty crazy how that edge can trick your eyes. Its actually growing on me and the it compliments the squatty compact head. 

 

Do you have some 101Ts? Id love to see some address pics. Still interested in possibly adding a long iron (if possible).

I did have 101t. Check the thread in the equipment forum. I posted a bunch

[Red4282]

5 minutes ago, cz13X4 said:

I did have 101t. Check the thread in the equipment forum. I posted a bunch

Ah, found them. Great pics by the way. And looks like exactly what I would be looking for in a long iron if the performance was good too.

[cz13X4]

22 minutes ago, Red4282 said:

Ah, found them. Great pics by the way. And looks like exactly what I would be looking for in a long iron if the performance was good too.

4 and 5 irons were beasts.