We finally got our hands on the Takomo 301 CB irons and couldn’t wait to test them. These are Takomo’s cavity back irons, built to give you that buttery blade feel with a little more forgiveness baked in.
They look sleek, feel solid, and come in at just $650 a set—so the big question was: can they actually compete with big-brand blades like Mizuno?
Let’s break it down and take a closer look at how the Takomo 301 CB irons actually performed across testing, challenges, and on-course play.
Key Takeaways
If you're short on time, here’s what stood out in our Takomo 301 CB irons review:
- Feel super crisp when you pure one—like, “step-back-and-watch-it” kind of good
- Slightly easier to play than true muscle backs, but still not beginner clubs
- Distance is closer to what we see with our usual gamer irons
- Directional control was more inconsistent than we expected
- Great value at $650 for a full set
- Strong competitor to premium brands if you're under a 10 handicap
And if you prefer watching your reviews, check out our full YouTube video below.
Are the Takomo 301 CB Irons Worth the Hype?
First Impressions: Cavity Backs That Don’t Feel Like Cavity Backs
Right away, we noticed how clean the 301 CBs look. The finish is simple and classy—no crazy logos, no over-designed head. Just a good-looking club.
We were testing the 7, 6, 5, and 4 irons with KBS C-Taper Light stiff shafts and midsize Lamkin grips. The weight and balance felt great, and they definitely didn’t look or feel overly forgiving at setup (in a good way).
Feel & Flight Testing: Butter When You Pure It
Carl hit first and flushed the 7 iron with a baby cut—straight, clean, but slightly shorter than his Mizuno gamer. As expected with CBs, they don’t give you free distance, but when you strike it, it’s pure.
Arvo found them a bit inconsistent off the bat, especially with face angle. But when he did catch one, it flew 200yds+ and felt amazing.
Miss-hits sting more than you'd expect for a cavity back. These aren't your typical game-improvement irons. But when you strike the middle? Feels like cheating.
Comparison: Takomo vs Mizuno JPX 919
We swapped in the Mizuno JPX 919s for a back-to-back comparison. It was close.
- Mizunos felt a bit more consistent, especially in shaping shots
- Takomos had good distance - Arvo was still sending the 4 iron 220 yds
- Feel-wise? Takomos are every bit as satisfying when struck well
Arvo mentioned that he might actually play the Takomos this season. So yeah - they’re that close.
Closest to the Pin Challenge
We played Marco Simone on Trackman and tried to stick one close with the 7 iron.
Carl took the win here by getting it on the green with a crispy little draw. Arvo… not so much. But hey, the wind was definitely not helping (or so he claimed).
One thing we noticed - these irons are a little harder to shape than expected. They kind of want to fly straight in the direction you hit them. That could be good or bad depending on your game.
Course Play: How They Handle Real Shots
This time around, we actually had longer irons to use during the playthrough, which helped speed things up compared to the last video. Carl hit a beauty off the tee, while Arvo went left but managed to stay in play.
From 197 out, Carl chunked a bit but still got it close. That’s the benefit of decent weighting in a CB - when you miss, you still might get away with it.
We both had decent approaches and even tested flop shots with the 7 iron. Shockingly? It worked. But it would have been nicer to use the Takomo Skyforger Wedges for those shots though.
Longest Skull (Bogey Book Tradition)
What’s a review without some chaos?
Skull shots were a bit all over, but Arvo pulled off a solid 49m rocket. The debate started when one of Carl’s top shots maybe kind of sort of counted?
He hit kind of a skull but it didn't really have that distinct skull flight path. I mean, you can go check out the video and tell us in the comments, the debate is still out there. 
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Crisp feel when you pure it
- Classic, minimalist design
- Comparable distance to premium irons
- Great value at $650
- Slightly more forgiving than muscle backs
❌ Cons
- Still punishes mishits more than you'd expect from CBs
- Less consistent shot shape compared to muscle backs
- Not ideal for beginners or high handicappers
Final Thoughts
These Takomo 301 CB irons surprised us - in a good way.
They’re not easy clubs to hit, but they reward a solid swing and feel incredible when you flush one.
The distance is right up there with our main set, and while they aren’t as consistent as muscle backs, they offer more forgiveness when you're not striping it.
If you're under a 10 handicap and looking for a clean, powerful CB that doesn’t break the bank, the Takomo 301 CBs might just be the move.