Takomo 201 Vs Mizuno 223 Irons Comparison

Takomo 201 Vs Mizuno 223 Irons

Do you have your heart set on forged irons?

Then pay close attention as we compare two forged iron sets that are worlds apart in terms of price.

Takomo 201 Irons Overview

“The Takomo 201’s are S20C steel forged cavity back irons for under $600.”

The loft specs of the Takomo 201’s are identical to the Mizuno 223’s. The 201’s also feature perimeter weighting.

Still, they don’t have the luxurious softness of the Mizuno 223’s.

However, the Takomo 201’s are more forgiving and feature considerably more offset than the Mizuno 223’s.

Mizuno 223 Irons Overview

“The Mizuno 223’s are single-piece, grain flow forged with a soft copper underlay.”

Chromoly and 1025E mild carbon steel were used to create these ridiculously smooth irons.

And with the closed up faces, you get a lot more shot-shaping ability with the 223’s.

The trailing edges of the 223’s are also beveled which is a small feature but it makes a big difference in turf interaction.

“The Mizuno 223’s are about twice as expensive as the Takomo 201’s and they are better for low handicap and scratch players.

There is more forgiveness to be had with the Takomo 201’s and they suit mid handicappers better.”

Takomo 201 – First Impressions

“The Takomo 201’s look stunning.”

We were first smitten with the looks which are akin to forged irons at twice the price. They look amazing in the bag and the appearance behind the ball will likely appeal to mid/low handicappers. You can feel how well these irons were made after your first swing too. They give you that soft feedback that you get from premium forged irons.

That all being said, be aware that the milled lines on the backsides of these irons can gather chunks of dirt, turf and grass. They are a bit difficult to clean because the grooves are so narrow.

Mizuno Pro 223 Irons – First Impressions

A first introduction for the legendary Mizuno Pro series to the Western Markets. These are compact players cavity irons that have the profile that tour players demand coupled with the distance they didn’t know they needed.

While the pro series had been reserved for Japanese markets until now, the surging popularity that Mizuno have enjoyed in recent years has lead to their most prestigious family of irons making it to the west and they don’t disappoint.

Forged in Hiroshima, Japan, the 223’s are built with tour players in mind with their compact heads and despite the players profile, there is a ton of technology driving these irons to deliver distance, control, consistency and workability as well.

The 4 – 7 irons are built is a different way as the importance of COR diminishes and the importance of loft increases in the scoring irons.

The 4 – 7 irons have a Forged Chromoly face that is only 2.4mm (The JPX921 Forged is 2.6mm) thick and works with the Microslot inside the bevelled back edge to offer fast ball speeds, flex and a better rebound.

The 8 – GW have a 1 piece, 1025 mild carbon steel, grain flow forged construction and sport wider soles and longer blade as loft becomes more of a determining factor and these precise irons offer high launch, distance a steep descent angle for stopping power on the greens.

There is a microlayer of copper underneath the Nickel Chrome coating which lends to tour level feel and the irons have been accoustically primed to sound perfect on impact.

These irons are reserved for the better players only and with the compact shape it is very unlikely that mid handicappers will feel comfortable with these irons.

Takomo 201 Selling Points

Perimeter weighted
Forged from S20C carbon steel
Graphite and steel shafts available
KBS shafts used for stock steel builds
One-piece forged
Cambered leading edge

Mizuno Pro 223 Irons Selling Points

Players Cavity Back Irons Aimed At Tour Players
Enhanced Ball Speeds For Extended And Longer Courses
Fast Chromoly Face
Microlsot Tungsten Weighting For Launch And Distance
More Workability In The Scoring Irons
Long And High Launching With Excellent Stopping Power
Forged In Hiroshima & Crafted For The Best Players

Who Are the Takomo 201 Irons for?

Now let’s talk handicap.

After our testing we concluded that the Takomo 201 irons are best for players in the mid to scratch handicap range. The perimeter weighting does help to cover up slight mis-hits; but overall there is not enough practical forgiveness to make these irons viable for 20+ handicappers.

But that makes perfect sense because high handicappers aren’t who these irons were designed for. If you are a mid to low handicapper that wants soft, clear-feeling irons that allow you to work the ball as needed, the Takomo 201’s would be perfect for you.

Takomo 201 Specs

Club	Loft (degrees)	Lie (degrees)	Length (steel)
4-iron	22	60.5	38.5”
5-iron	25	61	38”
6-iron	28	61.5	37.5”
7-iron	32	62	37”
8-iron	36	62.5	36.5”
9-iron	41	63	36”

Distance: 96/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Accuracy: 98/100

Feel & Control: 98/100

Overall Score: 97/100

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Who are the Mizuno 223 Irons for?

The Pro 223’s are for the best players on tour and low single digit handicappers. Dont be fooled by the cavity back design, these irons offer the workabilty, control and consistency that will suit only the best golfers around.

This is the first time that Mizuno have released their pro series in the US and UK markets and are reserved for those who like the best craftsmanship and the buttersoft feeling of the grain flow forging process from Hiroshima, Japan

The Mizuno Pro Family of Irons

The 223’s are the upgrade to the MP-20 MMC irons but they are smaller and more compact with a faster face thanks to the Chromoly face and microslot.

The Irons can be considered a smaller version of the very popular JPX921 Forged irons which have thicker faces and are more forgiving.

The Mizuno Pro 225 is a hollow body players iron that is going to be longer and more forgiving than the 223’s but more workable than the bigger JPX921 Forged. The 225 are premium irons that have nailed the shape with distance brief of the players distance iron market.

The Mizuno Pro 221 are forged blades that don’t back any extreme bells or whistles but offer those better players all the forged feel and workability from the legendary Japanese forging process. Partly due to the lofts, they will be shorter and more owrkable than the 223’s

The Miuno pro set is aimed at the better players, offering the upmost quality. The 225’s will offer the best performance for most golfers and the a combination of more forgiving long irons with the Pro series short irons will suit many elite level players.