Takomo has started to build some real traction as a brand and has even popped up on the PGA Tour in the bag of Wesley Bryan.
I recently tested the 301 CB iron and was seriously impressed, giving them a full 5 stars in my review. So when Takomo reached out and mentioned they had a new driving iron coming to market, I was really keen to get my hands on it.
Starting with the looks, once again Takomo has done a really good job with the finish of the 101U driving iron. The brushed steel finish from the 301 irons carries through and gives a really premium feel.
The shape of the head is an interesting one. While the shape of the face and topline are pretty traditional, the sole of the club is very wide and can be seen protruding from the back of the club in the address position. This is a minor aesthetic issue, but is always something I find a little off putting.
Other than that, once again Takomo has created a really clean and minimalistic looking product, with a subtle black logo and small font denoting the model. I really do like what Takomo stands for and achieves from a visual perspective.
From a technical standpoint, my number 3 driving iron came at a 20 degree loft, fitted with a KBS 80 gram X flex Hybrid shaft and a Lamkin Crossline grip, both of which added to the premium feel.
If I was being picky, I would have preferred something closer to, or above 100 grams as an option but unfortunately that isn’t available which may limit some higher speed players.
The 101U is a hollow body construction and it features a wide, weighted sole to help bring that CG down. Takomo promises “power, low spin and bullet-like ball flights” but my experience was a little different from a performance perspective.
It could be partly attributable to the shaft weight issue that I raised earlier, but I found the 101U to be a high flying and fairly spinny club relative to other best driving irons I have tested such as the Callaway Apex UT. It should be noted that the Apex UT I tested however, was 2 degrees stronger in loft, but I have tested enough clubs to know what sort of launch and spin change a 2 degree loft differential would normally produce, and this was definitely more than that.
Whilst feel and sound were both excellent, I just found the launch to come out of a much higher window than I expected and it continued to climb a little throughout its flight before landing softly. The flight I experienced was much more akin to a hybrid than a traditional driving iron. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, this hybrid style flight is extremely useful in the correct circumstances, it’s just that it didn’t quite match up with the flight I was expecting and would normally associate with a “driving iron”.
Once again, I would be very interested to see the flight difference with this head in a heavier shaft that I am more used to feeling.
The 101U was however, a wonderfully forgiving driving iron, with many of my more severe mishits still producing perfectly serviceable results. Turf interaction front the extra wide sole was again excellent with zero snagging and provided a super smooth exit from the turf when taking a divot from the fairway.
Flight was pretty neutral, with very little fade or draw bias and the impact sensation was a really pleasing combination of lively and soft.
For $119.00 with a premium shaft and grip combination, the Takomo 101U driving iron represents some real value for money for what is another beautifully put together product from the direct-to-consumer brand. Whilst it didn’t produce the flight I was expecting or necessarily looking for, I still really enjoyed large aspects of this club and could see the head being a really strong performer for me on a heavier shaft perhaps.
