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The Tanso Golf 249-MB irons have superb feel and classic blade looks. Loads of shot control but not much in the way of forgiveness. Easy to combo with the 349-CB.
Introduction
One of the unusual things about golf equipment is that, at least in certain areas, golfers are expected to pay more for less. Forged players irons and blades frequently cost more than their more forgiving, more technologically advanced counterparts. The Tanso Golf 249-MB irons show that this does not need to be the case. Priced at the same reasonable level as their other models, these muscle backs give high end ball strikers the shot control they’re looking for.
Looks
The Tanso Golf 249-MB irons mirror the look of the 349-CB in the bag, the first and most obvious indication that these two sets are built to play nicely together. Both share identical branding – “TG” on the toe and “249-MB” on the heel – and the same finish and black paint fill. The shaping is also the same with a triangular weight pad outlined by a stripe of milled lines. Of course, the key difference is that the 349-CB has a cavity, the 249-MB is a classic, solid muscle back or blade.
In the playing position, the Tanso Golf 249-MB irons have a classic players look without being intimidating. The top line is thin, and there’s just a modest amount of offset. As you can see above, the longer irons feature a more squared toe. That shifts to a more rounded appearance in the short irons.
Above, you can see all three iron models in the Tanso Golf family: the 249-MB, 349-CB, and 449-CB. The first two are almost identical at address, sharing the same offset specs and blade length. This sets them up well to be paired in a combo set. The 449-CB is just a touch thicker in the topline, the blade is longer, and there’s more offset. [See Price / Buy] Use code PIG10 to save 10%
Sound & Feel
If you read my review of Tanso Golf’s 349-CB irons [find it HERE], you know that I was enamored by the soft feel. The feel of the Tanso Golf 249-MB irons is every bit as good, maybe even better. These irons are 3X forged and CNC milled from 1020 carbon steel. That gives them an impact feel that’s soft and rewarding, especially on pure strikes. I’ll always acknowledge that part of this is probably mental, but I don’t think anything feels better than a well made blade struck absolutely perfectly.
Unsurprisingly, the 249-MB irons also offer superior feedback. Your hands will immediately know where the ball met the face. What is surprising is that, unlike most blades, there is little to no sting on mishits. Typically, blades reward good strikes and punish bad ones. The Tanso Golf 249-MB irons seem to have no interest in getting hard or even firm on off-center hits.
The sound of impact with these irons is secondary to the feel, but it is complementary. With a softer Tour-style ball, the sound is no more than a “thud.” Switching to a firmer ball can generate a subtle “click,” but these irons never get loud or harsh sounding.
Performance
I started my testing of the Tanso Golf 249-MB irons with the pitching wedge. The ball launched on a beautiful, strong trajectory with ample spin, and it was routinely hitting the desired yardage. And in further proof that I’m no better than any other ego-driven golfer, I started filling my testing notes with statements like, “These might be the most generous blades ever.”
As I moved into the mid and long irons, however, reality encroached on my fantasy of gaming of a full set of muscle backs. While the 249-MB irons are not difficult to hit – by blade standards – they are still blades. They demand a quality strike, lest they leave the ball far short of your target.
Speaking about forgiveness naturally brings us to a comparison between the 249-MB and the 349-CB. Testing them head-to-head, my conclusion is that they’re much more similar than they are different. Tanso Golf tells us as much in the handicap recommendations: 0-6 for the 249-MB, 0-10 for the 349-CB.
Is there a gap in forgiveness? Yes, and you can clearly see this in launch monitor testing. The Tanso Golf 249-MB irons lose ball speed and distance more quickly as strikes move away from center. They can get a bit further off line. The launch and spin are not quite as consistent. That said, the 249-MB is not some unapproachable club that can only be swung by players with shelves full of trophies [more on who should play blades HERE].
The specs for the 249-MB and 349-CB are identical – same loft, lie, length, bounce, and offset – so you can easily build a combo set from the two. I found them to be very similar in launch and spin – controlled, lower launch with above average spin – so you shouldn’t have a bumpy transition between the two sets. For me, a good-not-great ball striker, I felt both sets offered excellent control of trajectory and shot shape.
Whether you play a full set of Tanso Golf 249-MB irons or just bag a couple of scoring irons comes down to questions of your ball striking ability and what you value in the game. This was made clear to me when I was hitting the 249-MB 4-iron. Objectively, it’s the toughest club to hit in the whole line. I hit a lot of stinkers. But it stands out as one of my favorite clubs from this test because when I really focused and extracted a great result, nothing was more rewarding. [See Price / Buy] Use code PIG10 to save 10%
Conclusion
With a fair price, beautiful look, and rewarding feel, the Tanso Golf 249-MB irons make a strong case to end up in the bags of skilled ball strikers. They offer all the things that players love about blades – shot control and the knowledge that you earned your good results – without the normal sting on mishits.
You won’t find the Tanso Golf 249-MB irons at your local big box, but the company does offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee (if you order them in stock specs) and a “demo” program where you can order a custom 7I at half price before buying the rest of the set. [See Price / Buy] Use code PIG10 to save 10%
Meet the 249-MB — a forged, compact players iron built for purists who demand absolute control. 3X forged and CNC milled from 1020 carbon steel for the buttery feel and precision elite ball strikers crave.
Tanso Golf 249-MB Irons Price & Specs
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.
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One Comment
Another excellent and honest review Matt, I must say these irons look amazing but despite playing off +1 I have never been a MB player and never will be as I like to make this very challenging game slightly easier but I am slightly more intrigued by the CB as over recent years I have played the Cobra King CB (my all time favourite iron), Titleist T100 and T150.