Takomo Irons - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Testers Announced!

We are very excited to announce our 4 testers for the Takomo Iron series! With over 4000 applicants this was not an easy one to narrow down and we are happy to introduce the following testers!

Testing the 101t Series

@ZackS Review

@KC Golf  Review

@DukeStKing Review

 

Testing the 301 CB

@TylorJudd  Review

 

Testing the 301 MB

@Jim Shaw  Review

 

Special Tester for this group we have our own @GolfSpy_BNG to test the 101t series as well!

 

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!
 

[ZackS]

Introduction:

Let me start by saying how much I appreciate this opportunity and big thanks to MSG and Takomo. I am not big on talking about myself but here we go. My name is Zack, I was born and raised the Dallas TX area and lived here most my life other then a few years in California for college. I worked in the golf industry throughout most of my 20’s primarily in a teaching role where I was a lead instructor for a city course teaching both adults and kids then an indoor facility with Edwin Watts. I have moved into IT engineering for my career and I am a single dad.   

My Game:

A little on the history on my game. I started playing 23 years ago in high school. I picked up the game pretty quickly and was constantly shooting in the 80s by end on freshman year. My last few years of high school was was consistently in the high 70s. My game was at its best in college where I got down to scratch. Throughout my time in the industry I didn’t keep a handicap but my average score was mid to low 70s with a bad day being high 70s. After years of averaging about 1 round per year I played a handful of time last year and have got the bug again. I still don’t keep a handicap but currently averaging about 8 over par when I play. For a few reasons, I still don’t get play as much as I would like so I practice more than I play currently but with my analytical, perfectionist mindset, I enjoy practicing. I have to intentionally only video my swing, every so often as I will nitpick at myself too much.

 

How I plan to test:

Going to start by putting them through their paces on the range to get an idea for things like feel, consistency, ball flight, etc. I also plan to get some time on a launch monitor to get numbers and compare to my current numbers. And of course test them on course when you need hit different distances, heights etc. and plan to do a irons only round as well. I will compare them to my Adams Idea Pro A12 irons which have been a very good set of forged players cavity, back irons. I think this will be a good comparison. Since I feel picking between a players cavity back and the smaller hollow body players distance irons is a decision most lower double digit or single digit players looking for a little more forgiveness would be making. I hope to provide good perspective into this having been that lower handicap, but is currently closer to the low double digit player.

 

Expectations and what I ordered:

Having looked into these irons I love the companies model, as cost has always been at minimum speed bump to getting into this game we all love. But there is a difference in value and cheap. From what I have seen I am expecting these to be a quality product and provide good value. And hope help more golfers be able make their decision on value these could provide to them.

I selected these specs as the length and lie are what I have used and been fit to in the past. I currently use the same shaft in X stiff and don’t feel it is to much. But I am right on that line between the 2 flexes, I am a mph or 2 slower then when I was fit for my current and would like a little less weight so decided to go stiff. For these to stay in my bag they need to provide a little more forgiveness while maintaining the constant launch and distance control of my current iron. Also as I am a high ball hitter already, not launch the ball to high. And hey if I get a little more distance I will take it.

 

Unboxing:

The box looks like it took a little beating on the trip.

But Takomo had everything packed up very well so was nothing to worry about.

Even the shaft stickers had bubble wrap, haha!

I thought it was a nice touch that they labeled as 1 degree flat which makes me more confident they are build as ordered.

Since they did not have the option to order with extra wraps for the bottom hand. I had them sent with grips uninstalled so I could build them up myself. I plan in installing my Pure Grips Combo on then eventually but for testing I am going to use the Lamkin’s they come with.

I also really like the extra touch of including a Tacoma hat and towel.

And now for the shots you have all been waiting for. I think these are absolutely gorgeous clubs. I am not a fan of chrome usually due to the refections. I have not had them out in the sun yet but I think they have done a great job with the finish. Still has the nice chrome look, but the bushed finish refracts the light and reduces the glare.

6 Iron from the top

p

PW from the top

4 iron from the top

As you can see these do have some offset and a little thicker top line. But I think they are a great size and shape that walks the line between looking small enough for good players but still gives you added confidence that you can miss hit them a little and be okay.

 

 

Final Review 7/23/23

 

First Impressions: (18 out of 20)

I love the companies model of bringing quality clubs at a fair price. As cost has always been at minimum speed bump to getting into this game we all love. So if DTC companies like Takomo can deliver on this enough to sway buys enough we will all win as this should at minimum keep the big manufactures from keeping to up their prices. That said when putting in my order, I was a little disappointed that I was not able to get grips with extra wraps for the bottom hand. It was not a huge deal and I understand the business model and so something will be cut but this seems like maybe something that could be done. It did take a little while for the clubs to arrive and we would all love for them to come within a week. But that is unfortunately not the case with supply cain these days. So I was impressed that they where stating accurate estimates on the site and able to stick to them. When the clubs arrived they where very well packed

Having the clubs labeled as 1 degree flat makes me more confident they are build as ordered.

I also really like the extra touch of including a Tacoma hat and towel.

The only negative as I did notice that the PW was 1/4 inch long and it was apparently the same of for the others that got 101t’s as a well.

 

Aesthetics: 10 out of 10

I think these are absolutely gorgeous clubs. I am not a fan of chrome usually due to the refections. I have not had them out in the sun yet but I think they have done a great job with the finish. Still has the nice chrome look, but the bushed finish refracts the light and reduces the glare. The black Takomo logo on the back looks very nice on the brushed chrome.

I think the shaping of the club does a good job of walking the line of a blade style look but with a long enough blade length and a little thicker top line that give you some confidence that if you don’t strike them perfectly you will not be punished to bad. They have also rounded the sole so there is some leading and trail edge relief.

PW:

7 iron:

4 iron:

Comparing them to my current forged cavity back irons I think the Takomo’s have a smaller look to them. The blade length, sole and top line with are all about the same. What they have done to make them look more like a transitional blade is the hight top to bottom is shorter.

 

The Numbers: (10 out of 10)

I will start by saying that the Golf Galaxy where I can rent Trackman time has pretty soft mats which cause the strikes to be be higher then normal on the blade. This cause the launch to be higher and the spin to be lower then off turf. For example when I did ball testing at PGA Super Store that has much firmer mats.  With this same ball I was getting getting 19.7 degrees of launch and 7039 RPM spin which is about 1.5 degrees lower and 1000 RPM more spin. I point this out as one of the things about the players distance iron category that the Takomo 101t’s fall into is they are high launch and low spin and don’t want you to think they are to low spinning based on the numbers below. For the testing I hit 10 shots with each club to try and get a good average. My ball striking has been a little off and had a tendency to hit fat. I did remove fat shots but left all other miss hits.

I feel as these is a good comparison as the Adams A12 Pro irons I am comparing the Takomo 101t’s against are a classic forged cavity back. In my option the hollow body “players” distance and forged “players” cavity back iron are in the same category of a iron for someone looking for something with some added forgiveness without the blade getting to big. I will point out that I have the Adams bent 1 degree strong from factory, here is a comparison of lofts.

Comparing the numbers with the exception of for some reason I was delivering 2.5 degrees less dynamic loft on the Takomo 4 iron. The rest of the numbers differences can be contributed to the loft differences. I think this shows that the hollow body style is not inherently lower spin, at least not in this case. Now for trends that I noticed. The consistency and dispersion where better with the Takomo’s across all 3 irons. There was not a big difference difference.  But one of the common knocks you here on this style of iron compared to forged is getting hot spots and flyers. This test is not big enough to eliminate that as a possibility but at least in this test that is not the case. The other thing I noticed was very small but interesting that on average I was .8 degrees steeper on attack angle and .5 degrees less outside to in on the club path. I haven’t got them measured on a scale but at home measurements using a swing weight calculator, the Tacoma’s are 1 to 2 swing weight lighter. Also the shafts are 10 grams lighter . So I am thinking the heavier overall weight and swing weight are probably causing the club to lag slightly more behind and inside. That said my dispersion was better with the Takomo’s so slightly lighter might be a good thing for me.

 

On Course: (17 of 20)

I unfortunately don’t have any shot tracking such as Arccos to provide numbers but these irons have performed well for me in rounds during the testing period. Usually even if I hit the ball all over the place I will still make solid contact. But recently has been different going into this test. On the positive side of this I was able to test the forgiveness of the 101t’s and I was very impressed. I was getting minimal distance lose on heal or toe strikes. The turf interaction has been very good with these irons. As you can see from the pictures above, the leading edges is a little rounded then my current irons. The sole is rounded to provide some lead and trail edge relief which works cutting through the harder turf we have in the Texas summers. I think this and the strike being higher on the blade causing less spin I am seeing very little distance loss if I hit one a little fat. On that point if the higher strike causing less spin is making up for the fat strike that could speak to these having more exaggerated fliers when they happen. I have had a few shot go longer then expected but all but one was in the first round a I played with them. So with figuring out the distances still and the wind was gusty that day I am not confident it was the club and not just a combination of me and the conditions. The concerning part is on the fliers I have got they where a good 15 to 20 yards longer then normal. The downside of the of my inconsistent contact recently is that I am not able to judge distance control of the clubs as well. But overall considering this, I would say that is has been good. One of the common knocks on this style of club is hot spots and being prone to fliers. At this point I don’t have concern about this causing inconstancies. Outside of the fact that I can’t consistently work the ball like I once could. I can do so just as easily as my current irons. If you are someone who really wants to work the ball a lot you probably should still look at a blade. But you can still do so with this irons as you can see from this fade with a 4 iron off the tee.

 

followed by a lower drawing 8 iron that I hit with the wind into and off the left

 

Another main part that I have been impressed with is that the hollow body players distance stye iron that these fit into are always said to be lower spinning. So far I have not had an issues stopping the ball on greens. As you can see from this 7 iron from 180 yards.

Or from my irons only round where I was able to hit a 500 yard par 5 with two 4 irons and you can see from the picture below that the one into the green the ball is sitting in it’s own divot.

I do have to point out that the hole was a little down hill and down wind. So I am not hitting the ball Rory distances .

 

The Good, the bad, the in-between: (18 of 20)

Most of my experience with the Takomo 101t’s have been positive. Great looks, good feel, sound, performance and forgiveness. There have been a few things like they PW being a little long and towards the end I got the swing weights checked and the PW is a D0, this would be because I cut the 1/4 inch of extra length but I now will have to do something to get it back to spec. All the rest of the irons fall between D1 and D2. This is not enough the I notice it but I am not to sensitive to this but I know others are and this could be a negative. On the in-between you don’t have as many options for customizations if you are someone that really wants that but they offer 2 weight categories and regular to x-stiff in both along with length, lie and grips size. I think this is good considering the price and you can expand your shaft options in steel and graphite if a uncharge if you want.

 

Play it or Trade it? (18 of 20)

For now the Takomo 101t’s are staying in my bag but I am going to immediately put my other set up for sale. Despite my dispersion being better on the launch monitor with them I have had a few weird distances on the course. That said there I have had a few with my driver and driving iron that have been abnormally long as well so I need a little more time to know for sure if it’s just me and what I am working on in my swing or the club. But outside of that I everything else about these I am really impressed with. They offer a great value I would agree with Takomo that these can fit for anyone from scratch to mid handicap. Unless you just can’t stand any offset at all as I think they do a great job of blending looks, workability and forgiveness.

 

Conclusion:

The Takomo 101t’s are a beautiful hollow body iron in the smaller size players distance category. They a great balance of looks, workability and forgiveness. Because of this they can work for golfers from scratch to mid handicap’s and offer great value. I have gained a few yards with the longer irons as they are a degree stronger but conspired to other current irons in this category they have more traditional lofts. On coarse they perform very good. You can work the ball in all directions if needed, provide great turf interactions and see minimal distance loss on mis-hits. I have had few shots jump on me but I am not sure if it’s the clubs or just me lately. Also I have not heard this same issue with the other testers and in launch monitor testing my dispersion across the board was tighter with these then my current forged irons. Being DTC you will be hard pressed to get fit directly for them but if you really want that I would suggest getting fit with TaylorMade P770’s. They have less shaft options then the bigger manufactures but what they do have are all premium shafts and they have enough that I think you will be able to find a good fit. If you are someone that wants reduced taper grips or custom about of tape raps they do not offer this so you will have to order them with grips not installed and do this after the fact. All that said I really love the performance and price Takomo is bringing with the 101t’s and anyone that is looking into irons should consider these as an option option as they provide great value.

 

 

Final Score: (91 out of 100)

 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by ZackS
Final Review

[KC Golf]

Introduction

The Takomo clubs may be from Finland,  but the MGS testing will be done by a majority of Canadians which I think is a first.  Thank you Jamie and the Forum Mod team!

Like many golfers, my golf game lacks consistency.  My index is currently 7.8, but it has ranged from 7 to 10 over the last 2 years.  I play mostly up in Western Canada, so our season is pretty short.  I have played golf for a long time.  My Dad took me to the range a lot when I was 7 or 8 and we played a lot of public and muni courses growing up.

My 12 year old son seems to like golf and we try to get out to the range 1-2 times a week and get 9 in each week.  He gets lessons weekly.  We both play golf for fun and we try not to take things too seriously.  I do try to play handicapped match play events.

Our puppy Cooper wanted to be in the WITB shot.  I keep ending up with a variety of club brands in the bag including  Titleist, Haywood and TM.  Looking forward to the Takoma 101Ts. 

My Game “Most of the Time”

My game is probably typical for a high single digit index guy on MGS.  I have gone for regular swing and other technical instruction over the last 3 years.  I started getting more serious about my golf game during and after Covid.  With lessons over time, my golf swing has gotten on a shallower plane and with a more orthodox overall swing / grip with decent swing tempo.  My mistake is sometimes I come over the top or my tempo gets quick.

Generally, I hit a natural fade in my drives and long irons.  Misses are mostly slices, but I can on occasion hit my irons thin or throw in a hosel rocket too.  Last year, I struggled with driver consistency and attack angle (negative instead of positive), but I was able to work to fix that over the Winter mostly indoors.  My swing coach tells me that I need to focus on less tension and swinging smoothly. This Winter we worked on shoulder / hip rotation on full swings and hitting more solid wedges lower and with spin.  

Iron Play

My current irons are Haywood Signature irons 5 to PW with Recoil ES 780 F4 - Stiff.  They are bent 2 degrees weak.  Standard length and lies.  I usually don’t play the Haywood 4 iron.  I use a 21 deg TS hybrid instead.

So I am looking forward to comparing the 101Ts and the Haywood Signatures.  The Haywoods are a DTC out of Vancouver which I have been gaming for just under 2 seasons.  I really like the Signatures, but I was looking at their Haywood CBs and got a 7 iron to try it out in the Fall last year. The second pic shows the difference in between an Titleist AP2 and the Hayward Signature.

 

I have been fitted for all of my bag except my set of Haywood irons which I bought direct because of the Covid lockdown.  Since Takomo’s are also DTC, I wasn’t able to be fitted.  I should note that Josh Haywood now has fitters in various places including at his head office in North Vancouver.

This Winter, I was looking for new irons for my bag, so needless to say I am excited about the 101Ts.  I have reviewed the website to see the comments / reviews and I have watched their reels on Instagram as well.  Pretty excited to see these irons in person and to get them in the bag.

My understanding is that the 101Ts are less lofted and somewhat smaller head with a thinner top line than the original 101s.   I believe they would look similar to other top player distance irons from TM, Srixon and Mizuno, etc.  I guess we will find out.

After reading all of the information, I have some high expectations for these irons.  I have chosen the KBS Tour Lite Stiff shafts vs the KBS Tour Shafts.  My lofts, lies and lengths will be standard.  The 101T lofts should be pretty close to my 2 degree weak lofts on my Haywood Signatures. I think the KBS Tour Lite shaft weight will be something in between my Recoil and a DG S400.  

I will be excited to see how they launch compared to what I am used to.  Interestingly Takomo has custom graphite shafts as well, but they take extra time for delivery, so that’s something to consider.  We all picked their stock shafts.  Hopefully I will learn more about their custom offerings from speaking with Takomo’s reps, so I can explain it to the MGS Forum.

I believe for me to keep the 101Ts as my gamer irons post testing is to see if the KBS Lite shafts are right for me and whether the forgiveness of the 101Ts still come with decent / tighter dispersion for my scoring irons.  For me it will also be important that the shorter iron approaches stop on the green with decent landing angle and spin.

I have decent amount of Arccos data from my Haywoods, so I plan to get my distances with Takomo’s dialed in with real course data.  Also I will do an iron gapping on a GC Quad and I will put some stickers on some of my 7 irons to see how the datas compare between the 101T 7 iron vs a Haywood Signature and CB 7 iron. 

Needless to say I am very excited to try these Takomo 101Ts and give you our reviews.

purkaminen

“Purkaminen” / Unboxing

It’s unboxing time.  Trying to learn some Finnish.

The outer packaging came a little worse for wear from China via FedEx.  But no damage at all on the inside.

They look pretty sweet.  The hat looks really nice.

Asked for the Lamkin Crosslines uninstalled and they also left the KBS stickers off as well.  Likely will put my preferred GP Plus 4 midsize grips on them for testing.

 

They look even better in person.

 

Final Review:

Thank you Mods and the MyGolfSpy Forum and Takomo for the opportunity to review the 101T irons.  Its been a lot of fun.  I have to admit that prior to the test, I had never heard of Takomo or their irons and just came away very impressed.

First Impressions (17 out of 20)

As the pictures show, this is an interesting players distance iron set.

The Takomo 101Ts is the new refined version of the original 101Ts.  From the website it looks like they are smaller heads, lower lofts and a less offset.  

As others have marveled at them, they very much look like a TaylorMade 770s. While they are not forged the feel and sound on these 101Ts is impressive.  They definitely are better than other hollow bodies.  Unlike my Haywood Signatures, the face does not seem to have the similar hot spots vs the 101Ts.  This leads to more consistent shot distances.  The forgiveness is still there, but the lower offset and smaller head size leads to a better ability to control the ball.

I deducted three points for the PW iron which came slightly long and the distance and feel for the club seems to be a little off. Its stock at 46 deg and the swing weight is within spec, but its just a bit off from the rest of the set. That being said the spin and stopping power from 4-7 irons were impressive and the feel and sound on solid contacts were excellent.  The KBS Tour Lite shafts matched very well with the irons.  It was hard to believe these out of the box standard 101Ts would be such a great fit for me.  

Aesthetics (9 out of 10)

The 101T’s are very good looking irons.  The narrow topline and less offset make these irons look great.  The finish and the aesthetics look great and are quite unbelievable at this price point.  The pics don’t do them justice.

The finish is really nice.  I think they are on par with all the major brands. Its hard to say these are not as nice as a Callaway, Mizuno or a TM. The one downside is the limited number of shaft choices and no graphite shafts as stock only special orders. Stock is just KBS Tour or KBS Tour Lite. Good shafts, but it would be nice to have a couple of other choices like Haywood or other DTCs have.  One other item is grips, only comes with Lamkin. Again not a deal killer given the price, but it would be nice to have other choices.

The best thing about the 101Ts is the sound. Just a great solid sound on pure strikes. Its amazing on so many levels.  Just reinforces the great feel of these irons.  I wish we could show you the sound up close, but it doesn’t really come out on video clips.  Not sure what is injected into the irons, but it works.

I am being a bit picky, but I think the Takomo badge looks a little too big for the subtle aesthetics of the 101T badging. But that is my personal preference.

The Numbers (9 out of 10)

On the practice range the 101Ts were just amazing.  As I have said before the trajectory is a little lower than my gamers, but the spin rates are better throughout the set compared to my 2.5 year old Haywood Signatures.  The lofts are comparable, but it seems like the feel and sound seem to also be that much better.  Its interesting since both irons are very good with sound.  Despite their construction, they don’t seem to have the traditional clicking sound and the 101Ts are even slightly better than the Signatures for sound. 

As I have said previously the Club Pros that have picked them up and hit them on the range or the LM / Sims have been amazed that the 101Ts are not forged since they have a nice buttery feel and great sound.  They are then blown away by the price of these DTCs.  They compare it favourably to various players distance irons from Mizuno and TaylorMade.

 

Accuracy: Really can’t fault the 101Ts.  Their 4 and 5 long irons are very easy to hit and just go dead straight into the wind and they are limited in the roll out.  Kind of amazing since you would think they would roll out given the flight, but they are great for distance control on long par 3s.  The rest of the set are great as well.  I really like the 6-8 irons in particular.  Just amazing on solid strikes. Again the pitching wedge is a little off and I am not sure if its me or whether it’s the weighting of the head, etc. 

Distance: Looking at the Arccos data, these are just very nice.  Nothing special for me, but just predictable.  Winds have been very tricky during the testing cycle, but the 101Ts are just amazing.  Mainly because they stick, the spins have been very good.  The chart shows a decent distance control.

Trajectory:  Without the stronger lofts, I found the 101Ts had a lower 2-3 degree lower overall trajectory than Haywoods despite having similar lofts.  Spin rates were consistently higher across the range, but again not overly so.  Just a nice spin rate with the standard KBS Tour Lite.  Into the wind or down wind, the trajectory and the ability to adjust it was great.

Forgiveness:  The 101Ts look like they would not be forgiving based on the almost CB like offset and top line combined with head size.  But they have just the right level of forgiveness given my 8 index.  I am never going to be a blade guy, but these look great and still have forgiveness.

Control:  The ability to hit ¾ shots with these irons is just amazing. Not sure if it’s the added spin or the flex load of the shaft, but they are just amazing.  I can’t say the same for the Haywood Signatures.  Like a lot of similar irons they have a bit of a hot spot on center strikes that can balloon the distance which I can say doesn’t happen with 101Ts.  I would say a poor shot is not as forgiving as my Signatures, but they still get reasonable distance which surprised me.  

One area which I am amazed about is that with the smaller head, but irons are very playable from tricky rough.  The turf interaction is great.  Its just doesn’t get stuck given the smaller head size and the sole grind. 
 

 

Workability:  With low offset, these irons are surprisingly workable.  I am not an expert in this department, but I have found them quite good when I need the occasional draw when normally I have a slide fade.

On-Course (18 out of 20):

These 101Ts are just great on the course.  In the rain or on windy days the results were impressive.  My strokes gained on approaches were substantially improved by the 101Ts (see table below).  The 101Ts are just impressive.  Under difficult course conditions, the 101Ts were consistently good.  The stopping power was amazing and the flight / trajectories were just nice to watch.  User error at times, but it was not the irons that were the problem.

As testing went on, my confidence in the 101Ts on difficult approach shots only grew.  It was nice to see consistent flight and control. On one round, I managed to have 14 GIRs, almost all of them from long irons to some tight greens.  The shots gained data was also equally impressive compared to my Haywoods. 

The Arccos data doesn’t lie and these stats are amazing.  If only my driving and putting would improve, my index would have gone lower but it stayed basically flat.    

The Good, the Bad and the In Between (18 out of 20)

The “good” is the quality of the product.  Its just amazing to see a DTC creating such a quality product from start to finish.  The price point here is just insanely good.  You almost can’t believe you can buy a set of irons like this without forking out a $1000 or more.

The 101Ts are just a great combination of small head, low offset, thin topline and great turf interaction with just solid sound on contact.  Hard to fault there.

The challenge, but really not the bad, is that they have few options that you can order stock and so you are going to have to do your own changes after the fact.  At this price point you have saved more than enough dollars to do that, but it would be nice to get options to have this done before they are delivered to your door.  The other is I can’t put my finger on it, but the 101T PW seems a little off and I can’t tell why.  At some point I may consider replacing it with another Titleist or TM wedge may be 48 deg bent to 47, if I can’t solve it.  My results with the PW on the course have not been bad, but it just doesn’t seem to have the same stopping power you would expect with it.

These irons are amazing, and I don’t say that lightly. I wish others on the MGS forum could try them at their local fitter since they would be great options for anybody looking at a compact players distance iron.

 

Play It or Trade it?  (18 out of 20)

At the start I was skeptical. How could an iron company I have never of heard of compare to a TM, Ping or a Mizuno? In the end, I came away very impressed.  

So impressed that I am keeping them in the bag and I will likely trade away my Haywood Signatures.  Even though, I really like my Signatures these stock 101Ts are that good.  The biggest difference is the lack of hot spots on the face and the solid feel and sound.  They are better from the rough and are slightly more workable.  I am now used to the lower launch window / trajectories of the 101Ts.  I may replace my shafts at some point to graphite shafts like Recoils or MMTs, but not until later in the Fall (if at all) since I am really liking how I am striking the ball with the stock KBS Tour Lites.

Conclusion

The key for the 101Ts is that it looks great and performs.  Low offset, smaller head, nice stopping power and great sound.  These are predictable player distance irons with great accuracy and distance control.  Similar to a TM 770 but at a substantially lower price point.  The only downside is limited choices in shaft and grips, but at this price can you really complain. I don’t think so.  If you like a smaller head in an iron that looks like a CB but has added forgiveness these irons are hard to beat. 

Final Score (89 out of 100)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TylorJudd]

INTRODUCTION

Good morning everyone! A massive thank you to MGS and Takomo for this testing opportunity first and foremost. My name is Tylor, I am 33 years old and avidly golfing out of the Okanagan Valley. I have played since I was very young, and completely at the age of 12. I am currently playing at a 4/5 index, and am fortunate enough to live where I can golf from February to October/maybe November. I usually hit the range at least once a week and play a different course every weekend. My home course would be Penticton Golf and Country Club but I don't play it that often.

THE MAN BEHIND THE SWING

I am bananas about golf. I took a fairly large hiatus from the game from 2011 to 2022 with many things happening, including my wife's undergrad and masters degree, purchasing our first house, moving from 4 different a cities across 2 different provinces, and a workschedule that took me back across those provinces. In January of 2022, it became too overwhelming and I attempted suicide and went through a deep and dark whirlwind of terribleness. As I worked through therapy, changing my outlook, mentality, diet, job, vehicle, just every small aspect of everything about my life, and the last thing that changed was how golf came back into my life.... I couldn't be more grateful, and blessed to have had that opportunity. I learned so much and rediscovered golf in a way I never had experienced. Golf slapped me across the face so hard, you'd swear I have 338 dimples on my cheeks. Fun note, I do not drink so this review will be sober always and my golf game purely!

THE SWING BEHIND THE MAN

As for my golf game, my iron play has always been decent and solid. I currently play Cleveland TA7 irons I purchased new in 2003, and I only play 6-9. I haven't played 3-5, even before I stopped playing in 2011. My shot is usually a subtle draw, and my miss is a slight push right, although I'm learning how to work the ball. I would consider my irons to be quite consistent but obviously I lack workability due to the type of iron I am playing. I am eagerly waiting to see how I can shape these irons, maybe moreso than my Cleveland's, and really see if my ball striking is at the level I want it to be. I believe I am at the stage in my game where I am ready to step away from my TA7's and improve that aspect with a different set. 

THROW ME SOME DEETS

I am fitted for irons, just not my irons my set up is 2° upright, 1/2" long, with a midsized grip. I will be playing the KBS Tour shaft in the Takomo against my Project X Rifle 6.0 in my Cleveland. This will also be the first time I'm using a Lamkin Crossline, as I prefer Golf Pride MC4. 

I am beyond stoked to see these things of beauty, no bias, but I really believe that DTC brands like Takomo are going to have a massive part to play in golf in the future and this test will hopefully be testament to that. I will throw my V3 tags on the clubs to hopefully pull some better data but we will see. 

I hope I can shed some light on Takomo and more specifically the 301CB's. Feel free to send me a DM if you have any specific questions or concerns and I will do my best to answer those for you!

DO FRIES COME WITH THAT SHAKE!?!?! Category is Aesthetics (10/10)

These are gorgeous! That can't be said enough. They are so subtle, and understated, yet elegant and bold. They have a swagger that screams "watch what I can do!". These are certainly a no BS club, they are here to play and play well, (me depending!). You get a great snap back hat and quality waffle towel with them as well!

2nd Christmas!!! (Category is First Impressions 20/20)

They are packaged well, the grips are wrapped, the shafts are wrapped, the heads are shrink wrapped and bubble wrapped, with an elastic holding them down. The heads are placed in foam, and the clubs staggered for transport. Considering these came hard and fast from China, they are well packaged. The box doesn't have pizazz but who cares!

The heads are milled beautifully! The paint fill is clean and top notch as well. These will produce glare, but I use Tour Chrome Vokeys so it won't be a bother to me. The heads are shorter heel to toe than my TA7's, but that is to be expected from a blade. They have a grind on the leading edge which is a feature I would only expect on the highest quality of irons to prevent excessive digging from new irons. The soles on the scoring clubs (PW-7) are wider then 6-4 to provide some more relief, getting more impressed every minute I look at them! The face shape is almost identical to a vokey as well where the heel is slightly taller where it meets the hosel, and the hosel is longer which is a nicer look. There is no micro-milling on the face but not going to matter much in the long run, especially with the longer irons. The length of the irons is spot on, and I can't verify that these are 2 degrees upright but they all had a sticker with that spec on them. 

The grips are different to me. I am not a fan of lamkin grips to begin with but they are well built. Comparing them side-by-side with my Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360, they don't feel like they have as much stickiness but I will put that to the test. They are certainly nicer on the hands than the MC4's but they have an odor to them that I have not experienced with Golf Pride. GP also their logo at the top of the butt and Lamkin's seems to be so bold and bigger than necessary. Not a knock on Takomo, easily changeable, and I honestly probably will but I will use the Lamkin for the remainder of this season. The wieght of the irons are beautiful, these are paired so nicely with the KBS Tour 120 S. Speaking to grips, and since this has come up in the forum, there is absolutely no problem adding my Shot Scope V3 sensors into the grips. KBS also chose such a nice place to put their stickers versus my Project X Rifles which are so in your face. I don't typically play an iron higher than a 6, but with my handicap lowering and a ton more compression in my swing, I am excited to give them a try. I will have to figure out gapping at the lower end of my bag as I play 4 vokey wedges, one being a 48 bent 2 degrees strong.

All in all, I am elated that I even have the opportunity to do this because these irons are boss. They are bold, beautiful, and bitchin! 

Sometimes I don't Understand anything about Science (Category is The Numbers 9/10)

I will preface this by stating I do not have access to a GC Quad, Trackman, Garmin R10, or Rapsodo etc. I have no discernable hard number for you, but I can share what has happened. With my Cleveland TA7's, I carried 4 irons (6/7/8/9) and have not carried a 4/5/P for a while... That has now changed. Before I didn't have enough versatility with those, and the Takomo 301CB's have opened another door for shot execution and scenarios. They live up to the workability claims, while maintaining "ENOUGH" forgiveness. These irons will let you know you hit the ball like s***. The balls still moves, but you won't be smiling about it. They actually force you to figure out striking better, and it was exactly what my game needed. I played 7 rounds with these irons, with well over 20 range sessions dialing in yardages and carries. The bottom line, my index dropped from a 6 to a 4.2 in roughly 7 weeks... That is a pronounced statement if I can make one. 

My distances are stronger, my clubs are bent 2° upright, but man look at the numbers below:

              Cleveland.       Takomo              PW.           148yds.            ~165yds     

9 iron.       157yds.            ~175yds

8 iron.       164yds.            ~185yds

7 iron.        181 yds.           ~200 yds

6 iron.        195 yds.          ~210 yds

5 iron.        Nope.              ~220yds

4 iron.      Good Luck.        ~240yds

The biggest takeaway, other than distance increase and gapping work to be done, is I can hit a 4 and 5 iron with relative ease. I actually find the 4 iron easier to hit than the 5, but the 220 yardage for me is a bit of an outlier and rarely come into that spot. I will use the 4 iron for in the wind tee shots almost exclusively, as it performs so beautifully at them and I hit hybrids great, and prefer their trajectory and stopping power into the green. 

The trajectory is completely different than my Cleveland's. I believe this to be primarily the KBS Tour S 120 shafts though, as my previous project x rifle 6.0 were lower piercing, and the KBS are a beautiful flight. For me personally though, the KBS sometimes put me in a tough spot with the wind but the Takomos can play knockdown shots effortlessly, so they balance eachother very nicely. I can see why they offer KBS. The only time I'd say it's an issue is when I'm playing from an elevated tee box, like the one pictured, but anything can get hang up on drops like that

Spin, IMO, is pretty high. The Takomos stop the ball, no question, but sometimes they just don't want to release the ball. I've had a few instances from over 200 where a 6 iron was mere inches from its divot. Not a problem, just need to dial in the distance control and attack a little more aggressively. I play a TP5x primarily too, so that could also be the culprit. I've had PW zip back 6/7', everything else usually stands pat.

The Takomos are like a mirror when talking about workability. They will give you exactly what you're putting into them. They are perfectly happy hitting regular shots over and over, but the beautiful thing is that when you ask something of them, they just deliver. I have been able to hit high, big draws (20 yds of lateral movement) with them, the hit knock downs like they invented the shot, and piercing stingers under trees or into hard headwinds. They will fade the ball, but I struggle with a fade, and thus so do the irons. Not Takomos fault, I can't state the fade ability.

Just get this ball, in that hole... How hard can that be (Category is Course Performance 19/20)

The only reason I'm giving 19/20 is the Takomo 301CB will embarrass you for not taking it seriously. Out of nowhere, I started hosel shanking everything at the range and boy the Takomos just kept saying to me: "Tylor, if you continue to strike with such poor abilities, I will undoubtedly show everyone at the range that you are hoseling every iron and your playing a CPGA pros tour bag . Honestly though, it was 36° after work and all my weight was on my toes and I was standing too far away from the ball. It was too hot to think about it clearly and just dug a hole. 

What do you mean my face looks thinner? HOW FAT WAS MY FACE!!! (Category is the good, the bad, the ugly 19/20)

 

On the course they are magic. Honestly, not a lot more I can add to this category. They take lovely divots, almost picture perfect. The pre-ground leading edge is so amazing. This is something you should really look at closer because a lot of companies won't take this care for their production. They hit just as well in wet conditions, although I have a descending blow of a swing and if conditions are soggy, the Takomos will need a serious bath. Around the green they work great, I used them in our irons only challenge for this and they get through it without complaints. My bag dropped off my cart one round and onto the cart path, the Takomos actually took that with grace too. I'm sure what kind of stainless they forged these out of, but they took the hit with minimal markings.

I've had 3 people on course, including a shop pro, ask about the Takomos with serious interest. 

They dig out your fat shots better than my Cleveland's. Very minimal yardage loss on those shots. But I can't say the Lamkin Crossline grips have the best performance out there. I will be swapping these for MCC4's, but again not a knock on the irons or Takomo, these can easily be changed and given more time, a possible relationship with Golf Pride may exist. The lamkins are just so slick, to the point you think you're going to lose them. On the hottest days out here in the Okanagan, I almost went with two gloves as the Lamkins wanted to stay very wet. 

Put Me in Coach! It's Brucey's time to shine (Category is Play it or Trade It 25/20) 

Ya I just did that. You know why... Try using the same irons for 21 seasons, game improvment for that matter, decide you want to go into a blade iron, and then just put them in your bag day one and never have to think about taking them out. I have no f***ING idea how Takomo had engineered this sorcery with their 301CBs but my TA7's went into the shed, and have sat there since June 8th. Not once was their even a sliver of doubt, seed of despair, or inkling of mistrust. These babies are here to stay, and they entered my life with a swagger only the big 5 were thought to possess. Seriously, to anyone who might take this article seriously, buy the irons. Just do it. Yes, I am fitted for irons and that makes it easier but honestly you should be fitted if you're reading this also. The ONLY thing that may happen... A combo with 301MB in the scoring clubs but that chance is so small given the performance of these this far. 

I changed every single club in my bag this year, and on all accounts, shouldn't have dropped my index doing this mid season, but I did. And of all the new clubs, (Paradym TD, Stealth 2+ 3w, TSi2 hybrid, Takomo 301CB, Vokey SM8's, Odyssey 2Ball Ten), the Takomos needed the least of my attention because they just fit. They are effortlessly wonderful, without sanding effort and attention. They are so happy to be golfing, they could care less if your driver dive hooks, or wedges don't spin, or putter gets cold as ice. They are a comfort blanket of approach shots, that right hand man you never need to worry about, just pure loyalty. 

As I'm sure you can tell, I love them. I don't change equipment often, as I see no need until you need to, and I doubt these come out of my bag in the next decade. I can confidently say, I will play Takomo irons for a long time, and I will give Takomo preferential treatment should I need to change again. I can not say enough thank yous to all staff at MyGolfSpy whoade this possible, and for Takomo to allow, and trust, a bunch of caddie shack amateurs with their products! Seriously though, Takomo you have made an incredible product and deserve a seat at the table with Titleist, Taylormade, Cobra, Ping, and Callaway. I'd be worried if I were them.... 

Curtain Call 102/100

Guys, gals, and all whom dont identify to those structures, these irons are such an investment. As a golfer who is trying to get lower in my index, and overall scoring, the Takomo 301CB have opened up more fun ways to play golf, ways to get better, and the best part not break your bank. These should be in serious consideration when looking at new irons. Please don't buy these of your a mid/high index player and saying well Tylor said they'd be fine. No, LIE, you won't be happy. Go find the 101Ts instead. But when you're ready, come back to them. If you're reading this and your entire bag is Titleist, rethink your goals and budget. Why pay for a tour sponsorship, when you can just pay to play golf.

 

 

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by TylorJudd
The grammar police ;)

[Jim Shaw]

Takomo 301MB Official Review

 

Introduction:
 

Hello everyone, an introduction and a bit of a golf snapshot, I am 64 years old and have been playing golf since I was 8 and competitively since I was 12, with a slow down from about 1990 to 1998 to raise a family. My first win was a local tournament called "the little masters" that was held at executive par 3's in the lower mainland when I was about 13 and I was hooked on tournament golf. I won club championships in both match and medal play and because I transferred around British Columbia and Alberta with my job I had the opportunity to win in many cities on many different courses. I have won some club tournaments and my last win was the 2019 Rivershore Senior in Kamloops against a strong senior field. My work kept me from playing many provincial and national championships in my early years and although I missed them I don't think I was mature enough at the time to really compete anyway. Something clicked when I turned 55 and knew that amateur senior golf was an opportunity for me, I worked really hard on my game and on my health and in my 1st bc senior amateur championship in 2013 I finished second and made the bc team to go to the amateur senior national championship. My performance wasnt what I wanted at the nationals but again I got a taste of the game at the highest amateur senior level and was hooked again. Since then I have played in 10 provincial championships and 8 national championships made the cut in everyone but 1 national. Interestingly enough that one missed cut at the nationals made me realize I needed some mental help so I hired a sports psycologist when I returned and that was life changing for me and my game, I also have a swing coach locally that I have worked with since 2018. I am playing in 11 tournaments this season. As far as clubs, I don't change clubs very often, since 2003 I have had 2 sets of irons, Mizuno and currently have Miura's and have been pondering a new set for the past year or so, I did buy a new driver 2 years ago and it took me a year and a half to pull the trigger. I look forward to the opportunity to communicate my feelings on the Takomo 301 muscle back irons from the perspective of a very competitive amateur senior golfer. 

 

this picture didn't turn out fully but you can see the Olympic Mountains in the background in Washington State, this is a look down the 3rd hole, a par 5 at Olympic View where I am a member, the reason for the picture is I am looking forward to getting my Takomo irons and giving them a rip on this beautiful hole, I visualize....4 iron-4 iron-wedge to 3 feet and sink putt for birdie..... (maybe eh?) 

 I thought I would pos this here as well as another thread, I had a question about why I was working on my scoring clubs, this will seque into when my Takomo irons arrive as I will do the same work with them that I do with my current set...

it is a change of mindset, always evolving so to speak, this may be a long explanation so please bear with me. I like to break down my game into 1. distance clubs (driver/3 wood)..2. long irons (2 hybrid, 3 hybrid, 4 hybrid (like to get close to the hole but realistically pin high or on the dance floor somewhere is good)3.  5 iron, 6 iron (same as long irons however a bit closer if possible) 4. scoring irons 7 iron (carry's 150 in the summer) 8 iron-140, 9 iron-130. PW 120, 50 degree 100 and 56 80 yds.5.putting and chipping. so as my game evolves and I omit concerns with the 1.2.3.and 5. then it is time to concentrate more on 4. 

So I will still go through my bag on the range, 5 balls with each of the other clubs however go back and hit 30 or more balls with just the scoring clubs and when I am on the course I will focus a bit more on striking them pure and making sure my face and path are really really good.... 

Just as an example today I finished my round, had a good day 72 even par, just ready to get in my car and come home but said to myself (you are not going to get any better sitting on the couch)  so got my equipment out and headed down to the range... worked on my scoring clubs again... I am excited to get my Tacomo irons so I can work with them as well... 

 

 

 

This is me when I found out my Takoma's were on the way.....

 

 

Guess what!!! They just arrived, I will unpack them, get some pictures and post... I have really fun stuff planned... stay tuned...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nice hat came with the package...

 

All the lengths look perfect, 1 degree flat, thank you.... just heading to an indoor testing facility to check my carry distances, they will be in my bag tomorrow...

 

Hey everyone, I was able to game my Takomo's today, 1st time in a few weeks as I was gaming my Miura's in my past 3 tournaments. It always takes me a while to get confident in any new equipment but by golly today was a real stepping stone.

Right off the bat my second shot on 1 called for a "tween" shot 110 yds to the hole, that is a "hands at 9 o'clock shot for me with my PW" Grab my Takomo PW commit to the shot and hit it to 10 feet pin high left...

3rd shot on number 3 par 5, into a heavy breeze from the west, it usually blows from the west on my course, anyway, I flared my second shot into the rough, downhill 145 yards to the hole, pull out 1 club extra, 6 iron, stay with the shot, hit it right in the middle of the club, flight it down and run it up to about 15 feet short of the pin. These are not easy shots at the best of times.

Number 4 par 3, 145 to the flag into the fan again, my partner hits it 10 feet past the hole with a downhill putt, I decide to hit my 145 carry club, 7 iron, and hit it hard as there is at least a one club wind, hit ii in the middle of the club off a tee and land it 5 yds short of the pin, great shot. 

anyway my day went on like that pretty much the whole day, the shot of the day was on number 15, pushed my drive into the crap, again downhill sidehill shot, 168 to the flag with the wind this time however the shot called for a low punch shot to the front of the green and run back to the hole, I pulled 5 iron, punched it perfectly pin high, big smile on my face. 

really good day with the irons looking forward to tomorrow...

 

Final Review

First off I would like to thank MyGolfSpy Forum and Takomo for the opportunity to review the Takomo 301 MB irons, and most importantly get them in my hands and play them. Also a shout out to @GolfSpy_BNG and the rest of the Takomo testing crew, I enjoyed this experience very much. Also, due to my inability to understand technology well enough, I had some fun pictures to share and when I figure it out I will share them lol...

First Impressions (18 out of 20) 

As I have tested the product I have kept my ear to the ground whenever anyone on social media or otherwise have mentioned Takomo 301 MB’s. One social media personality compared them to Miura (which I currently play) and to Mizuno’s players irons. And MyGolfSpy ranked them second in their players irons testing, I was very impressed with that. I feel they are similar to the OEM muscle back irons they offer ie. Titleist, Taylor Made. They are a forged head with a great feel and sound. …….others have marveled at them, they very much look like a TaylorMade 770s. While they are not forged the feel and sound on these 101Ts is impressive.  They definitely are better than other hollow bodies.  Unlike my Haywood Signatures, the face does not seem to have the similar hot spots vs the 101Ts.  This leads to more consistent shot distances.  The forgiveness is still there, but the lower offset and smaller head size leads to a better ability to control the ball.

The only reason I ranked the first impression at 18 is that my request to have certain lofts from the factory on each club however they were unable to do that, not a big deal as I have a good club maker close to me that had absolutely no problem getting the lofts I required. (the reason for the loft adjustment for me is I like to have certain distance coverages for certain irons and the stock Takomo MB’s have more of a standard loft than my current irons.) The KBS Tour Lite stiff shafts matched very well with the irons and I had Takomo adjust the heads to 1 degree flat, as I will say later in the review I may get fitted for a different shaft, more on that later. Coming out of the box was very very exciting for me. 

Aesthetics (9 out of 10)

The 301 MB’s are great looking irons.  The narrow top line and the way they look when you look down on them at adress, all you can see is the top line, for me I don't need to see (the junk in the trunk) however these muscle backs don’t have a lot on the back anyway. The finish and the quality are great and quite frankly are nicer than much higher priced OEM muscle back irons.

The finish is really nice. The one downside is the limited number of shaft choices and no graphite shafts as stock only special orders. Stock is just KBS Tour or KBS Tour Lite. Good shafts, but it would be nice to have a couple of other choices. They come with Lamkin grips which are good quality and of course if I needed other shafts I could get them locally so not a deal breaker as far as I am concerned. 

I love the simplicity of the Takomo logo, when I show them off at the range every player says “they look sleek and the logo is sleek as well, aesthetically they just set up perfect.

The Numbers (5 out of 10)

After I received the irons I went directly to fitting centre, put “driving range setting” on and went through all the irons to check only carry distance, I don’t get too wrapped up on side spin etc. So I was pretty well dead on 1 club shorter than my other irons due to the more loft on the MB’s out of the box. After I had those numbers I got them strengthened by 2 degrees (the fitter said due to the quality of the heads it was no problem strengthening all the clubs). After they were adjusted the carry distance was bang on what I wanted. The trajectory was the same as my Miura’s, looked the same on the range as well. I don’t notice any sound difference when the ball comes off the head and I would notice that immediately if that was the case. 

Accuracy: Definitely not worse than my current irons, the only time they are not accurate is when I mishit them, which isn’t very often, I am the type of golfer that doesn’t blame my tools, I take responsibly for shots that go astray, however having said that I wouldn’t “game" any clubs that weren’t accurate with my swing. We did an “irons only” competition with the rest of the testers and the 4 iron was very accurate which is one I don’t usually use as I have a 4 iron hybrid in my current set. All the rest were accurate enough for me to shoot 2 over par for 18 holes, it was fun hitting out of the middle of the fairway off the tee. One area I like to work on with new irons is “feel” shots around the green for example bump and run with a PW or 9 iron, 8 iron etc. This will take time to understand the spin and release of the Tacoma’s and I look forward to working on those shots this fall and winter. The weight of the irons feel a wee bit heavier than the Miura’s but that may be the shaft as well.

Distance: I don’t have a very fast swing, never have, so distance for me is more “I need the PW to carry 115 yds, 9 iron 130, 8 iron 150, 7 iron 160, 6 iron 170, 5 iron 180, and 4 iron 190. These distances are all fine tuned in a controlled environment, ie inside in a hitting booth, so I have confidence when I am in competition, I achieve these number through swing and loft adjustments, and like I said there is no issue adjusting the lofts.

Trajectory: I used to be ( in the 70’s and 80’s) considered a high ball hitter, well the young guns absolutely launch the ball now so there has been mention, from them, that I am now a low ball hitter lol… The trajectory of the Takomo MB 301’s is exactly the same as my current clubs and due to that i am happy with them.

Forgiveness: If you as a golfer need a lot of forgiveness the Takomo Muscle Back 301’s are not for you, there is very little forgiveness, these are players clubs and perform as such.

Control: What the 301’s lack in forgiveness they make up in control, high shots, low shots, left to right, right to left, punch shots etc. if you know how to hit these shot these irons deliver. One of my constant comments is “golf is a game of constant adjustments” there is rarely a round that is perfect conditions, these irons help me get the most out of all the conditions golf throws at us. One area that I have changed in the past 15 years that I didn’t do the 1st 25 years is that I used to be a sweeper of the ball, now I try and compress my irons and the Takomo heads love that style, the interaction with the ground is beautiful. There is a bit of a grind on the bottom of the irons which helps that out.

Workability: I have discussed how workable these irons are, I need that is my irons and these deliver.

On-Course (18 out of 20):

Currently I am a scratch player, I would not game these irons if I didn’t think they would perform on the course. When you get to my lever golf is 90% mental, and I really believe that when I am in competition I really don’t need to think if my equipment is performing. I spend time in the off season making sure my tools are compatible to my swing and age (64) so when I am on course I am thinking more about mechanics and feel. I have 100% confidence in the Takomo’s and that is all I need.

The Good, the Bad and the In Between (18 out of 20)

The “good” is the quality of these irons. I have never had Direct to Consumer clubs before, really hadn’t heard too much about them prior to joining the MyGolfSpy forum group, but now I am going to drive my peers crazy with “why wouldn’t you get these irons, price is right and quality is spectacular, I play in local, provincial and national championships and hit balls beside the best seniors in Canada. They will be in trouble if they say “hey, what irons are those” lol...

The “bad”. I have just spent this whole review explaining the good with these irons, the only and I mean only thing I can see bad with these is not in the head but the options with shafts and grips. I believe with the MB’s being targeted at the better players I believe there should be more options there, this is the part where I say, get fitted before you order these irons, Takomo may be able to help you get closer to what fits for you.

Play It or Trade it?  (20 out of 20)

I am 100% going to play these, normally I purchase new “tools” in the fall and have the winter to fine tune them and get the feel of the clubs, I was fortunate enough to get picked to test these clubs in the summer however I will game them in competition starting in mid September and ready to go for the new season starting May 2024.

Conclusion

In conclusion, please consider Takomo 301MB’s for your next set of gamers… believe me you will not be disappointed. These are quality irons at a great price, a win win for everyone as far as I am concerned..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Jim Shaw

[DukeStKing]

Introduction

Hi all. I want to send a big THANK YOU to @GolfSpy_BNG for sending me his Takomo 101T's to review and the the entire MGS staff for the opportunity to test a set of irons. I hope the community knows how hard the staff works to get as many reviews out to you all as possible. In my case, @GolfSpy_BNG sent me his set as a pay it forward, so that there would be another reviewer of the Takomos so you all can get as much info as you can. So again thank you and I hope I can add some value to the forum and help anyone thinking about investing in the Takomo 101T's.

About Me

I'm a 52 year old with 3 kids from New Jersey. I've been playing since my teens and I'm self-taught. I mostly play the County courses where I live and occasionally get invites to play some private clubs. In the summer, I play multiple times a week- less in the Spring and Fall. We didn't have a winter in NJ, so this year I did get out year round. I don't really play any tournaments anymore, but I get competitive rounds in with friends and family- just the usual casual games. Mostly, I enjoy keeping stats on my Garmin and competing against myself. I love gear and trying out new stuff- my obsession is usually funded and made possible by buying and selling stuff on E-Bay... and having a really understanding wife.  

My Game

So I would describe my game as very steady and not spectacular- I make a lot of pars and very few birdies. I am presently a 7 Handicap because of my iron play, which has always been my strength. According to Garmin, I hit GIR 51% of the time at my home course in the past 41 rounds. My handicap has trended down in the past year from a 10 because of an improved short game and putting. My big weakness is the Driver, which I hit way more than I should. I would hit more GIR if I could stay out of trouble off the tee, but I'm not a smart man... but I do love hitting Driver. 

My Gear 

I presently play Callaway Apex 19 Combos with updated (Thank you MGS) Nippon N.S. PRO 850GH neo shafts. I have really enjoyed my Apex's and wonder if the Takomos stand a chance at knocking them out of the bag. There are two big questions I am curious to answer: 1. Will the Takomos be as forgiving as the Apex's? and 2. How will the KBS Lites perform against the Nippons? The Apex's give me just enough forgiveness combined with the feel and playability I enjoy in an iron. The Nippons are nice and light and produce a very high ball flight which gives me excellent stopping power. The bottom line will be can I get the forgiveness, feel and flight I get in my present set-up or will the Takomos fall short in those categories.  A small side-note that I'm looking forward to seeing when I get the Takomos will be how wide the soles are compared to the Apex's. I play very soft courses and how the Takomos interact with those conditions could be what keeps them in the bag. I may enjoy the Takomos if they dig a little less than the Apex's. 

My Testing Plan

I plan on testing the Takomos mostly on the course using my Garmin to keep track of distances and stats. I also plan on getting on Trackman or my friend's Foresight to do a comparison of numbers. I look forward to "unboxing" what look like beautiful irons and sharing my results. I'll keep you posted.  
 

Unboxing

Thank you to @GolfSpy_BNG for sending these beauties out so quickly and keeping them in pristine condition. Opening the box still gave me that Christmas morning feeling. I love that they look like blades, but are hiding game improvement features inside the cavity. The only hint is a tungsten screw in the toe. Great job Takomo on a simple and attractive design.  

First Impressions:

I played my first round with the Tacomo 101T’s yesterday at my home course. Kudos @Old Joe for coming up with “secret sauce” sole terminology. I agree with him wholeheartedly- the interaction with the turf was wonderful. The course was soft and the rough terrain as deep and I would have to say this this the greatest strength of the Tacomos.  I had a couple of tough lies in the rough and the Tacomos breezed through the tall stuff better than my Callaway Apex’s. In the soft fairways I had shallower divots that were straight as an arrow at the target line. 
That was the great news… now for the not so great. The trajectory was too penetrating for my tastes. On the first hole I had 120 to the middle of the green and hit a pure PW that landed in the middle and rolled off the back of the green onto the fringe. Weird for me. I’m used to backing the ball up quite a bit with my Apex irons. On the fourth hole I had a 170 yard shot from the fairway that went 180 with the 7 iron. The story was the same all day:

Comparing the numbers above (it’s only one round, so it has to be taken with many grains of salt) with the Callaway Apex irons:

Considering the lofts on the Tacomos are weaker, but the flight was lower and thus the distances were the same,  there must be some big spin differences. So there can only be two reasons that I get less back spin with the Tacomos: 1. The shafts and 2. contact. I have the Nippon 850 neos in the Callaways and when I reviewed them I was struck by how much more backspin I produced with them over the stick Elevate shafts. I think the KBS lites play similar to the Elevates, producing more of a penetrating bal flight- I was about club longer with the Elevate shafts in the Callaways. This is the most likely explanation for the difference in backspin between the Callaways and the Takomos. A less plausible (but possible- maybe a combination of both) reason for the more penetrating ball flight of the Tacomos is the delivery of the face through the zone as a result of less digging. The sole not digging results in a shallower contact point and less backspin. Of course it’s possibly a mix of the two factors, but after one one round, the lack of back spin stood out to me. Reduced backspin may work for some, but not me. Again, I’ll reserve final judgement after playing with them a few more times. 
I’ll finish on a positive note: despite the reduced back spin I had a good day scoring- shot 79 with 9/18 GIR. While the dispersion (long) was not what I wanted, the left to right misses were minimal. I pushed a shot or two, but was very happy with the left/right dispersion.  I’m going to continue to look at the back spin in future rounds- using the same ball (Pro V1) to see if I can get the ball to back up for me. Score: 16/20

On the Course (First Impressions aren't always accurate.): 

I took the Tacomos out for another spin today; same course, same score, different results holding greens. 

Right out of the gate, I had the same PW into the first green and it was one bounce and stop this time. I would still describe the trajectory as penetrating- especially for the PW. I hit one that I was able to back up 4-5 feet. Again, I loved the way the soles interact with turf. Today, I took some shallow divots and I think that’s why I was getting more backspin. 

The long irons were spectacular today. They are definitely easier to hit than my Callaway Apex long irons. Again, I credit the soles- they feel like they are gliding through the turf. Hit this beauty of a 4 iron to within 6 feet and made the putt on a 430 yard (uphill) par 4: 

The thing was like a guided missile all day for me. Hit this beauty of a 5 iron against the wind over the green on #14, a par 5:

I felt so confident with the long irons today- I had to rely on them for tee shots, because my driver is being replaced by Callaway- probably a good thing as I was hitting them solid and straight… can’t say that for my driver. 
I hit every Tacomo iron today again so I was able to add to my Garmin data:

The distances are still the same as my Callaways- again, I attribute that to the more penetrating flight I get with the KBS Lite shafts in the Tacomos.

Last, but certainly not least, I hit a couple of stinkers contact wise today and one ended up on the green, which it had no business doing so. The forgiveness with the Tacomo 101T’s is impressive- I would say as good, maybe slightly better than than the Apex irons. I am very. impressed after 2 full rounds and some practice sessions. If this keeps up, the Tacomos will be staying in my bag. Score: 18/20

The Numbers: 

So I was able to use my friend's simulator to get some numbers with the Tacomo 101T's. These are the averages of 5 shots with the PW, 7 and 4. The 7 and PW were a bit longer than what I feel I've been hitting them outside on average, but that's to be expected considering wind and elevation changes. It's good to see the spin numbers which confirm that my first round with the Tacomos were an anomaly with regard to the lack of stopping power I was experiencing on the greens; the 3 rounds I played since confirm this as well. So after 4 rounds and a simulator session, I'm about ready to give my final thoughts and grades... just in time for the start of school. Score: 10/10 

The Good, Bad, in-Between:

I have played 7 rounds with the Takomo 101T’s, a couple of range sessions, and a brief (PW, 7 iron and 4 iron) session in a launch monitor. I used my Garmin to track distances and played on windy days, wet days and perfect conditions. My first impressions can be found here: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59179-takomo-irons-2023-forum-review/page/17/

What I want to do now is give my final thoughts and grades.

Are the OEM claims true? Yes. Takomo is marketing their irons as “built from the same premium components as the big boys” at a fraction of the price and as “speed meets forgiveness.” I compared the Takomos to my Callaway Apex Combo set and found that the 101T’s were as good and in some ways better than the Callaways. The Takomo 101T long irons (4 and 5) really shine because of the soles and forgiveness- they are just sooooo easy to hit for me. I was able to hit high fades with the long irons and low stingers. They get through the rough especially well and still produce decent distances on mis-hits. The mid irons (6 and 7) were a draw- the Callaway Apex combos have the regular Apex irons in the 6 and 7, which are equally forgiving and I don’t need the help with the soles as much in the mid and short irons. I prefer the Apex Pro in the short irons (8-AW) as they are easier to work in both directions than the Takomo 101T’s. I wasn’t able to move the ball with the Takomo short irons- just nice straight shots. I would love to see if a Takomo combo set would fit me better- playing the 201’s in the short irons would probably suit me better. That’s my preference and not a criticism. Their claim of “Premium golf Equipment at an Affordable Price” definitely holds true.

The Good:

Aesthetics: The Takomo 101t’s look like premium clubs. I love the look from address of the 101T’s- compact, but still confidence inspiring because they don’t look like blades. In the bag, they have the appearance of muscle back with subtle looks but hidden tech- great job! 

Accuracy: I had terrific results with my dispersion. They played better for me in the wind, as I hit the Takomos slightly lower than my Callaways (again if you read my first impressions, that’s a product of the shafts in the Callaways- the Nippons launch the ball higher than the KBS Lites.) The left/right dispersion was excellent as were the consistent distances I got with the Takomos. Hitting my targets was very easy, leading a playing partner to remark one round, “You’re really dialed in with your irons.”  

Forgiveness:  I consider iron play my greatest strength in golf, thus I don’t often miss a lot of shots (for that you would have to talk to my Driver- whoa mama), but when I did the Takomos were excellent. On the bad swings, these was very little distance lost- in one case, I hit a 7 iron terribly and still put it on the green. The Takomos will let you know when you missed it, but there isn’t that awful vibration you may get with a muscle back or blade. I would say that they have the same level of feedback as the Callaway Apex, less so than the Callaway Apex Pros. 

Trajectory: I would describe the trajectory as mid to high. But again, I’m comparing the Takomos to the Callways that have the Nippon NS Pro 850GH Neo’s in them which give me a lot of height and backspin.  The KBS Lites are what produce the slightly lower flight than what I am used to hitting. So because I got plenty of height and stopping power on the greens (one hop and stop, but no back-ups), I would grade the trajectory high. Score: 9/10

The In-Between: 

Distance: I was surprised that despite the weaker lofts, I got similar distance numbers with the Takomos. The exception was with the short irons- since I could not work the ball with the Takomos like I can with the Callaways, if I needed to hit a draw with the short irons, I couldn’t with the Takomos. With the long irons that wasn’t a problem as I was able to hit quite a few nice stingers with the 4 and 5. 

The Bad:

Workability: This was my only disappointment with the Takomo 101T’s. Again, it was only with the mid and short irons that I saw difficulty working the ball in both directions consistently; it was especially pronounced with the short irons. The slightly wider soles in the short iron compared to my Callaway Apex Pro’s accounted for the workability issues. I especially had problems closing the face enough to get a draw with the short irons. This is the classic opportunity-cost of having a wider for forgiving sole, which costs workability. I didn’t see this problem with the long irons. With the 4 and 5 I could hit my usual fade, but if I needed to the stinger was a very reliable shot shape for me as well. The good, the bad, the in-between Score: 17/20

Play it or Trade It: My plan is to play the Takomo 101T’s, but replace the 9 and PW with the Apex Pro’s. If its soggy out, I will use the Takomo 9 and PW as the wider sole won’t dig into the wet ground as much- something I really liked about the Takomos. Overall, I think the Takomo 101T’s are exactly what they claim to be and could work for a lot of golfers like me (single digit diggers).  Overall Score: 17/20

Conclusion: The Takomo 101T’s are exactly as advertised… “Premium golf Equipment at an Affordable Price” and “speed meets forgiveness.” Their greatest strength is the distance you can get from a weaker lofted iron combines beautifully with the forgiveness achieved in the hidden tech of the hollow body and tungsten screw. I have to give a final score of a B+ because of the short irons and my inability to work them both ways. If I could instead play a combo set from Takomo the grade would have been a solid A (94/100)  Final Score: 88/100

Thank you Takomo and My Golf Spy for this opportunity!

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by DukeStKing

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Takomo 101T Official Review by GolfSpy_BNG

 

First I have to thank MyGolfSpy and Takomo for this opportunity.

Intro

For those that don't know me, my name is Mark.  Before becoming a moderator and the name change to GolfSy_BNG a few months back, I went by blackngold_blood.

I am a 42-year-old golf addict living in north central Iowa.  I play to an unofficial 3-4 handicap(which is down from about 5 last year).  I would consider myself one of the more under-the-radar club ho's(thanks @Golfspy_CG2 for taking the heat).  Luckily I am married to a wonderful, semi-understanding woman, who despite my addiction loves me anyways.  I have 1 daughter who will be entering her senior year of college.

My golf game/score greatly depends on my wedge game.  I have never been a high GIR guy, so my wedge has always been my safety blanket.

Unboxing

There will always be something sweet about getting a 48x6x6 box in the mail.  Takomo is second to none in my opinion with their shipping and presentation.  They were upfront about lead times and shipping from china to Iowa was 4 days.  That is right, 4 days from pick up in China to my door in Podunk Iowa.  That is impressive.

Inside the box, the 101T's were very well protected with a surprise towel and hat to boot.  On the wrapper of the heads were labels showing 1* flat and the grips were uninstalled as requested.  This shows to me that Takomo builds these to order.

First Impressions            20/20

Right out of the box Takomo hit a homerun.  Just the right amount of chrome to look premium with the mirror look reflecting the sun.  This is a hollow body player's distance iron that unlike many others in this category is not filled with anything.  This always worries me when it comes to feel.

Aesthetics         10/10

The 101T is very similar to other Hollow Body PD irons.  It has a smaller profile and a blade-like look in the bad.  Below are a few comparison pictures of the 101T and P790.  The look is similar except for the finish and the slightly smaller head of the 101T.  I would suspect the 101T to compare almost identical size-wise to the 770.  I mentioned in the mod slack channel that the 101T screams Mizuno 225 to me.  I don't have any pictures of both together but from memory they are hard to differentiate.

My worries about feel I mentioned earlier were unfounded.  The 101T has a very pleasing sound and feel that makes you believe they are filled with the magic goo others are using.

The Numbers         10/10

I am not gonna go much into the numbers as I never made it to a sim to get any.  I can say that the 101T have consistent distances(not hotspot jumpers so far) and where your swing dictates for direction.

 

On Course and Good, Bad, in between         27/40

I'm combining these 2 categories as I believe they are linked for me.  This score is probably a little harsh so I will try to explain why.  I have lowered my handicap(unofficially) this year and even shot my first-ever round under par with these in the bag.  That said and the reason for combining the 2 sections is so I don't double dip and bore you with the following.

The Good was the fact that the 6/7/8 irons were basically point-and-shoot for me.

The Bad was the most concerning for me and the reason for the score.  I could not hit the 9/P to save my life and as we all know those are scoring clubs.

The in-between for me was the 4/5 irons.  I struggled with these but I am someone who tends to be erratic with those normally.

Play it or Trade it         10/20

Here in lies my dilemma with the 101T's.  These are in the bag for the moment.  I will however probably need to make some major adjustments.  Probably looking at doing something like 4/5 101's, 6/7/8 101T's, and 9/P 301 MB's.  I believe this would give me the help I need in the longer irons and the shot-making ability in the scoring irons.

 

In summary, Takomo has a winner on their hands with not only the 101T's but with the price that is extremely hard to beat.  Unlike other OEM's you can even buy heads only.  A good thing should you not fit into their limited stock shaft offerings.

 

Final Score 77 out of 100

[Triple_Putt]

Congratulations testers! Looking forward to all of your tests!

[Hobert]

Congrats all! Looking forward to reading your thoughts.

[Paxarin]

Congrats, everyone! Really looking forward to your reviews, specially the 101Ts.  Giving them serious look for a 2nd set of irons.  

Edited May 9, 2023 by Paxarin

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Congrats guys. Such a good group and I’m extremely thrilled to join them to review these.  

[DRLEONARD58]

Congratulations to all the testers! Can't wait to read about your experience with these gorgeous clubs!

[xOldBenKenobiX]

15 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Testers Announced!

We are very excited to announce our 4 testers for the Takomo Iron series! With over 4000 applicants this was not an easy one to narrow down and we are happy to introduce the following testers!

Testing the 101t Series
@KC Golf
@ZackS

Testing the 301 CB Series
@TylorJudd

Testing the 301 MB Series
@Jim Shaw

Special Tester for this group we have our own @GolfSpy_BNG to test the 101t series as well!

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!
 

Congrats testers, I think you guys are really going to enjoy this one.

[Fongle]

Congrats to the testers! Looking forward to seeing the reviews

[GolfSpy_APH]

Just now, Fongle said:

Congrats to the testers! Looking forward to seeing the reviews

Thanks for reposting. Was about to send you a note that you were too quick while I was getting the thread ready!

[Splatt]

Congrats @KC Golf @ZackS @TylorJudd @Jim Shaw and @GolfSpy_BNG

Can't wait to see what you guys think. From all the photo's I've seen they look stunning

[Fongle]

4 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Was about to send you a note that you were too quick while I was getting the thread ready!

Haha, I had been refreshing to see if I was lucky enough to be one of the testers, so I saw the thread pretty early

[brogies]

Amazing. Interested to hear the reviews.

[pozzit]

Congrats testers. Looking forward to how you all get along with them and ready for all those glamor shots.

[crisj]

Congrats all. Looking forward to hearing about these. 

[ZackS]

So excited, thank you so much to MGS and Takomo for this opportunity. Now it’s time to get to work. But luckily it’s fun work!

[Josh Ross]

Congrats testers! Couldn't bring myself to sign up because they didn't have what I'd need available, but as always I'm very excited for y'all to get these in hand and get started on this!

[MattWillGolf]

Congratulations testers! These irons have shown up quite a bit in the hands of numerous YouTubers. It will be great to see more in-depth testing.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

What a great group of testers! Congrats @KC Golf, @ZackS, @TylorJudd, @Jim Shaw & @GolfSpy_BNG!

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

16 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Testers Announced!

We are very excited to announce our 4 testers for the Takomo Iron series! With over 4000 applicants this was not an easy one to narrow down and we are happy to introduce the following testers!

Testing the 101t Series
@KC Golf
@ZackS

Testing the 301 CB Series
@TylorJudd

Testing the 301 MB Series
@Jim Shaw

Special Tester for this group we have our own @GolfSpy_BNG to test the 101t series as well!

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!
 

Congrats! Hit them well in Bermuda, Bahamas, in front of pretty mommas, Because they are Takomo,s you’ll hit them well and walk up slow, the ball will be where you want to go, when you hit Takomo!

[ChitownM2]

Congrats to all the testers!  I'd never even heard of takomo until earlier this year but after looking them up, I'm definitely intrigued.  Looking forward to see what you have to say about them!

[DotesMaGotes12]

Congratulations testers! I've seen a lot of videos on these irons and have thought of potentially putting them in the bag. Excited to see the reviews.

[ejgaudette]

Congrats to the group, another great test and looking forward to seeing how they perform for you

[ACalling]

Congrats on the winners for being selected! A lot of interest in these Takomo clubs, looking forward to hearing your results.

[JLThom]

2 hours ago, ZackS said:

Placeholder

Cool!