The direct-to-consumer (DTC) revolution in golf equipment has been steadily gaining momentum, and Takomo Golf has established itself as a frontrunner in this space.
Its original 101 irons were a massive success, proving that premium aesthetics and performance don't require a premium price tag. Now, with the Takomo 101 MKII, they aim to refine an already winning formula. As someone who has tested countless game-improvement irons, I was eager to see if this updated model could truly elevate the standard for affordable performance.
The 101 MKII has been designed with maximum forgiveness and distance in mind. It features a 431 cast body in all lofts, paired with a sophisticated face construction: a Cast 17-4 VFT (variable face thickness) face plate in the 5-8 irons for speed retention, and a Cast 17-4 flat (non-variable) face in the 9-iron to gap wedge designed for precise control.
It’s worth noting that the set features relatively strong lofts, with a 29-degree 7-iron, which positions it firmly in the modern distance category.
Visually, this iron is an absolute triumph. I thought the original 101 was the holy grail of clean, minimalist design in the game-improvement sector, but the MKII might be even better.
Amongst other things, I absolutely love the slight two-tone finish of the irons in the cavity, and combined with the overall quality of the finish, it elevates this iron well above its price point.
The Takomo badge has received a little makeover, creating even cleaner branding from behind, and they sit behind the ball beautifully, inspiring confidence without looking clunky.
If I were being super fussy, I probably preferred the profiles of the mid-long irons (I don’t love the hosel-to-leading-edge transition in the 9 iron and below), but the short irons are still well-shaped overall.
One very minor grievance of mine would be the addition of the painted bottom groove this time around, which to me cheapens the look fractionally, so I would be paint stripping that out if I were looking to put them in my bag, but I am willing to forgive and forget based on the rest of the exceptional aesthetic!
The performance and feel are nothing short of outstanding and genuinely comparable to anything else in the game-improvement market in terms of raw launch monitor data. We’ve known this for some time, but it still feels incredible based on the fact that much of its competition comes in at sometimes three times the price!
The impact feel is lively and powerful, providing a satisfying thump at impact.
In testing, on my Foresight Sports GC3 launch monitor, the 101 MKII delivered robust ball speeds and extremely consistent carry distances with no hint of a ‘jumpy’ or ‘hot’ strike.
My only negative note on performance would be that I found spin a little more inconsistent here than with some of the other models I have tested in this category. Just a little too much fluctuation to be considered optimal, but not so bad as to make it a huge concern.
While an iron like the Ping G440, for example, may offer a fraction more in terms of absolute forgiveness on the wildest mishits, the 101 MKII is in no way lacking. It maintains impressive ball speed and dispersion on poorly struck shots, ensuring that your misses are still very playable.
The 'fine-tuned progressive weighting' helps to optimize launch conditions through the bag, and I had no problem getting these airborne despite the relatively strong lofts.
The elephant in the room and obvious downside of the direct-to-consumer model is not being able to try before you buy or be custom fit for this equipment in a traditional sense. However, if you have a reasonable idea of your specs, there are a good number of custom options available to you, including shaft and grip changes, and length and lie alterations, allowing you to dial in the set to your needs.
The direct-to-consumer model is getting more and more compelling every single year, and Takomo is right at the forefront of that revolution.
If I were spending my own (kind of) hard-earned cash on a set of game-improvement clubs, based on the fact that I do know my own specs very well, I would have a very tough time justifying spending more than double the price to get essentially the same performance from a more established brand.
This is another fantastic release from Takomo that will only serve to strengthen its position as the direct-to-consumer king.
The Takomo 101 MKII irons are retailing at $579/£529.
