Are the New Takomo 101 MKii the Perfect First Set of Irons?

I’ve reviewed a lot of direct-to-consumer golf clubs over the years.

Some of them have been surprisingly good…

Some have felt like a compromise…

And some have landed in that sweet spot where you start wondering why more golfers aren’t considering them instead of defaulting to the usual big-name brands.

Takomo has increasingly lived in that third category for me.

They’ve done a very good job of creating irons that look more premium than their price tag would suggest, while still keeping the buying process relatively simple.

And with the new 101 MKII irons, Takomo has taken what was already one of their most approachable sets and made it feel a bit more refined.

But here’s the thing that surprised me most:

When I lined up the 101 MKII, 201 MKII, and 201T MKII next to each other, they looked way more similar than I expected.

Yes, there are differences.

The 101 is a little larger. There’s more offset. It has a thicker sole. It’s clearly the most forgiving iron of the three.

But unless you really know what you’re looking for, the differences are subtle.

And I think that’s one of the biggest selling points of the 101 MKII.

This is a game-improvement iron that doesn’t scream “game improvement.”

But should you buy them? That’s what we’ll cover in this review. Let’s go.

What Are the Takomo 101 MKII Irons?

The Takomo 101 MKII is the brand’s updated game-improvement iron.

It’s built for golfers who want more distance, more forgiveness, and a little more confidence when they stand over the ball.

The set comes in 5-GW, which I think is smart for this category. With stronger lofts, having that gap wedge included makes the bottom end of the bag much easier to manage.

The 7-iron loft is 29 degrees, the pitching wedge is 43 degrees, and the gap wedge is 48 degrees.

So yes, these are distance-oriented irons, and have lofts much stronger than their 201 counterparts.

For my set, I tested the 101 MKII with KBS C-Taper Lite shafts in regular flex.

First Impressions of the Takomo 101 MKii

If you’re used to seeing big, chunky game-improvement irons, the 101 MKII might surprise you.

At address, they look clean. They’re not tiny by any means, but they also don’t look like something designed solely to help a 25-handicapper get the ball airborne.

The top line is confidence-inspiring without being obnoxious. The blade length is a little longer than the 201 or 201T, but not dramatically so. And when you put all three of Takomo’s MKII models side by side, the family resemblance is strong.

Honestly, it was tough to tell which was which at first glance.

That may not sound like a big deal, but I think it is.

A lot of newer golfers want help. They need help. But they don’t necessarily want an iron that constantly reminds them they need help.

The 101 MKII does a really good job of giving you that help in a package that looks more like a player’s iron than a true super-game-improvement club.

Feel and Sound

I was pretty impressed with my first shots on the range with the 101 clubs. 

Not only do they look less like a game improvement iron compared to other brands, but they feel less like it too.

Yes, 101 MKII irons have a slightly hollow feel to them.

That’s not surprising given the construction, and it’s not a bad thing. There’s a bit of pop at impact, and the ball comes off the face with some speed.

Compared to the 201 and 201T, the 101 felt the most lively.

It also felt the most hollow, especially in the scoring clubs.

That was more noticeable with the wedges than it was with the longer irons. I experienced something similar with the new Stix Perform 02 pitching wedge, although with the Stix it was a little more pronounced.

With the 101 MKII, it’s there, but it didn’t bother me.

In the mid and long irons, I actually liked the sensation. There’s a little extra jump off the face, and for the golfer this club is designed for, that’s probably going to be a welcome thing.

How Do the 101 MKii Irons Perform?

For me, the 101 MKII flew about 5 to 7 yards farther than the 201 MKIIT on average.

A big part of that is loft.

The 101 has stronger lofts than the 201, so it should go farther. That’s the point.

But what I liked is that the distance felt easy. I didn’t feel like I had to go after it to get the ball moving.

The C-Taper Lite regular shafts also made the clubs feel light and easy to swing. Between the shaft and the head design, the 101 MKII felt like the easiest of the three Takomo models to launch, although you do lose a little bit of control compared ot the more stable 201s, especially when you get into stiff KBS Tour shafts.

That said, I don’t think this is the absolute most forgiving game-improvement iron out there.

If your main miss is a big slice, and your number one goal is getting as much help as possible, I actually think something like the Stix Nicklaus Essentials or maybe even their Perform 02 set, will do a better job of mitigating that. Although the latter is more of a comparison to the Takomo 201 series of clubs.

The 101 MKII gives you help, but it doesn’t feel like a club designed to completely save your worst swings.

And that’s kind of the tradeoff.

There are easier irons to hit. There are more forgiving irons. There are irons with more offset and more built-in slice correction.

But you may also grow out of those faster.

The Takomo 101 MKII feels like an iron you can grow into, while still being relatively friendly to the new golfer.

The Lamkin Crossline grips you see across the Takomo range work great, and are some of the most popular grips out there for a reason.

Who Are These For?

The 101 MKII is a really solid option for the newer golfer who wants their first serious set of irons.

Not necessarily someone who has literally never picked up a club before. If that’s you, there are probably easier irons to hit.

But if you’ve been playing for a bit, you’re starting to get more serious, and you want a set that can help you now while still being useful as your swing improves, these make a lot of sense.

They’re also a good fit for higher-handicap golfers who don’t want the look of a traditional game-improvement iron.

That’s probably the strongest case for the 101 MKII.

They look good. They feel solid. They provide enough distance and forgiveness to be helpful. But they don’t feel like training wheels.

Takomo 101 MKII vs. Stix Nicklaus Essentials

This is one of the more interesting comparisons for me.

Stix has done a really good job creating clean-looking clubs for newer golfers, and their Nicklaus Essentials set is targeting this same golfer.

If your biggest issue is a slice, I’d probably give the edge to Stix from a forgiveness and correction standpoint.

But the Takomo 101 MKII looks and feels more like something an improving golfer may want to keep in the bag longer.

The Stix Perform irons are easier. The Takomo 101 MKII irons feel a little more aspirational.

Then there’s also price. With the Stix Nicklaus set, you’re getting 10 clubs, and a bag for about the same price as the 101 irons from Takomo.

I think overall the Takomo irons feel and perform better. But if you’re looking for a full set and you’re on the same budget? The value of this Stix set is undeniable.

What I Like

I love how similar these look to the 201 and 201T.

That’s a big deal.

The 101 MKII gives golfers the confidence of a game-improvement iron without the chunky, oversized look that often comes with the category.

I also like the distance. They’re easy to swing, easy to launch, and there’s enough pop off the face to make them fun.

And I like that they feel like clubs you can keep in the bag for a while.

What I Don’t Like

The hollow feel is more noticeable in the wedges.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but if you’re sensitive to feel in your scoring clubs, you’ll notice it.

I also wouldn’t call these the easiest irons in the world to hit. For some golfers, especially true beginners or people fighting a major slice, there are more forgiving options.

That may sound like criticism, but I don’t necessarily see it that way.

Takomo seems to have intentionally avoided making the 101 MKII a full-on super-game-improvement iron. And for a lot of golfers, that’s going to be the right call.

A Reality of Direct-to-Consumer Clubs

One other reality is the fact these are direct-to-consumer clubs, meaning, there’s no way to demo them beforehand to see if they’re right for you.

I mentioned at the beginning that more and more golfers are starting to consider some of these DTC brands, but this is still the biggest hangup for a lot of people.

Takomo has a 365 day warranty period, but I haven’t been able to find an exact “return” window for the clubs. It does say that you’re able to use your 7-iron as a test club, and if it doesnt work, you can return the full set as long as all of the other clubs are still in their original packaging.

Better than nothing, but still far from ideal.

It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves, as I think this is one of the biggest hangups for brands like Takomo.

Final Thoughts on the Takomo 101 MKii Irons

The Takomo 101 irons are not the most forgiving game-improvement iron I’ve ever hit.

But that might actually be what makes it so appealing.

It gives you plenty of help without looking like it’s giving you plenty of help.

It has enough distance to keep up with modern irons, enough forgiveness to make the game easier, and enough refinement that you won’t feel like you need to replace them the second your handicap starts dropping.

For the newer golfer who wants something they can grow into rather than grow out of, the Takomo 101 MKII is a very compelling option.

And if you care about how your irons look in the bag and behind the ball, these are going to be a lot more appealing than most of the game-improvement options in this price range.

They’re not perfect.

But for the right golfer, they make a ton of sense.

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A very good set of game improvement irons, that don’t look like game improvement irons.

9.3

Greaat

These irons hit a sweet spot in that they’re forgiving enough for a newer player, but they look like more serious player irons. While intimidating for some, I think that’s design will appeal to a lot of golfers. These are a good first set of irons you can grow into, without being the absolute most forgiving out there.

The Good

1. 
   Among the best looking game improvement irons out there
2. 
   Feel is very good with most clubs
3. 
   Plenty of distance

The Bad

1. 
   Not the most forgiving clubs in the category
2. 
   Slightly hollow feel on some clubs
3. 
   No way to demo before hand, and return policy is average at best

• Presentation
  10

• Performance
  9

• Price
  9

• Personal Affinity
  9