50 Words or Less
The Takomo 201T MKII irons are the most traditional of the MKII family. Geared toward the better player with traditional lofts. Solid forgiveness for their size. Pleasant sound and feel.
Introduction
In the last month, I’ve had the chance to test Takomo’s new MKII iron family. That family includes two impressive “sequels” – the 101 MKII [review HERE] and the 201 MKII [review HERE] – improvements on two of the brand’s most popular irons. The MKII line also includes something brand new, the Takomo 201T MKII irons. Dubbed a “Players Precision iron” by its maker, it promises a blend of forgiveness, workability, and distance. This sounds like the best of all possible worlds, so I eagerly headed to the lab to see what this set could do.
Looks
The Takomo 201T MKII irons are geared toward the most skilled players – 0-15 handicaps, according to their maker. As such, they are the smallest, thinnest irons in the Takomo MKII family. These are on the larger side of the players iron spectrum, but I think they’re very good looking irons overall. My two nitpicks are that there’s a touch too much offset, particularly in the mid irons, and the heel is too tall in the scoring irons.
Comparing the Takomo 201T MKII irons to the 201 MKII, there are some key differences. Throughout the set, the 201T MKII irons have slightly less offset. The gap ranges from 0.31 mm in the PW to 0.25 mm in the 4I. Also, I think Takomo did a much better job with the shaping of the short irons in the 201T MKII. There’s less obvious face shape progression in this set, which works well because the long irons look great.
In the bag, the Takomo 201T MKII irons look identical to the 201 MKII and 101 MKII irons at first glance. All three share the same finish – not quite matte but not shiny chrome – and have the same minimalist branding. One small difference between the 201 MKII and the 201T MKII is that the 201 MKII has a slight cavity in the upper portion of the club. The 201 MKII is flat across the back – a more convincing faux blade.
Above, you can see, from left to right, the Takomo 101 MKII, Takomo 201 MKII, and the Takomo 201T MKII 7 irons. Given the names – particularly the jump from 101 to 201 – I expected a much bigger difference. The 101 MKII does have a slightly thicker, less beveled top line, but the blade is only about 1/16″ longer than the 201. By far the biggest difference is the sole width, but that’s not something you can see at address. From a visual standpoint, you can easily build a combo set across all three models. [See Price / Buy]
Sound & Feel
The feel is fairly consistent throughout Takomo’s MKII iron family. Good strikes feel a little soft with some strength behind it. As you move into the “small mishit” category, the feel becomes solid, losing the softness. If you elevate your strike, hitting it perfectly flush, there’s a little exciting bounciness in the hands. The Takomo 201T MKII irons can feel firm and a bit harsh but only on substantial mishits.
Turning to sound, these irons are very traditional. They’re below average in volume, no matter the quality of the strike. The Takomo 201T MKII irons do provide audio feedback through the character of the sound. Quality strikes are a gentle “thud.” Moving farther from the sweet spot changes the sound to a mid-pitched “knock.”
As with all of the MKII irons, the 201T have a mix of constant and variable thickness faces. To their credit, this does not create a noticeable difference in feel.
Performance
Despite being aimed at a different category of player, the Takomo 201T MKII irons use many of the same technologies as the other MKII irons. All three are hollow body irons with a mix of variable and constant thickness faces. They also employ weight bars to dial in CG and performance – tungsten in the 4I-7I, steel in the 8I-PW.
The final result is, per Takomo, “a balance of forgiveness and workability [for] consistent ball strikers who want to shot shape but need a bit of forgiveness.” I think that Takomo nailed both the design of these irons and the description. This is an iron with a lot of visual appeal for the better player that is more forgiving than it looks.
Everything about this iron is one step closer to a true players iron compared to the 201 MKII. The Takomo 201T MKII irons do a good job with mishits, but they do exact a slightly larger penalty. Especially in the mid and long irons, anything more than a small mistake is likely to come up a bit short of the green. You won’t be embarrassed by the results, but you will know that you missed.
The traditional lofts of the Takomo 201T MKII irons (one to two degrees weaker than the 201 MKII) help produce a higher ball flight with higher spin. It’s one step closer to a players iron, but not a night and day difference. Overall, the 201T MKII does have above average spin, which aids in control, shot shaping, and holding the green. The 201T MKII can be almost as long as the 201 MKII on the best strikes, but they average out about half a club shorter.
For me, the biggest benefit of the Takomo 201T MKII irons is the shot control that their smaller heads and thinner soles allow for. This iron feels the most nimble during the swing, and the sole allows me to control the trajectory without exaggerated efforts. Having all these options will be enticing for the 0-15 handicaps to whom Takomo recommends the 201T MKII. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
The Takomo 201T MKII irons round out a really outstanding family from this rapidly growing brand. If you’re a skilled or aspiring player, the 201T MKII will give you the balance of shot control and forgiveness that will help you to enjoy your best and worst days. [See Price / Buy]
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Takomo 201T MKII Irons Price & Specs
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.