50 Words or Less
The Titleist CNCPT CP-01 Irons are the game-improvement half of this exclusive iron line. Futuristic look. Disappointing feel.
Introduction
Titleist is the most staid OEM in a game known for decorum. When they sneak out a new iron and load the description with over-the-top adjectives, it gets my attention. The CNCPT CP-01 irons have a space-age look and the promise of unparalleled performance. I was able to get my hands on them to see if they’re worthy of their hype and their price tag.
Looks
The CNCPT CP-01 irons are the more forgiving of the two, and they look the part. The top line is average in width, and there’s a healthy amount of offset. Aesthetically, these irons fit neatly into the game improvement category.
In the bag, these sticks have a futuristic look. The “CNCPT” logo in the cavity looks sharp, and the lack of brand name lends the club some mystery. Where Titleist really succeeded is in the overall shape: it’s modern without trying to look high tech.
Sound & Feel
I’m not going to dance around this: I can’t recall a club that felt more disappointing than the CP-01. As much as I harp on performance, looks and feel matter, too. And they matter even more in an iron that costs $400 per head.
Impact with the Titlest CNCPT CP-01 feels hard. When you hit the ball on center, one could charitably describe the feel as firm. When you’re even slightly off center, there is no word nicer than hard.
The jarring feel is compounded by a loud, charmless impact sound. Sadly, it doesn’t even sound fast; it’s just unappealing.
As always, sound and feel are subjective. Others may find these irons very appealing. For me, there’s literally nothing I liked about the sound or feel.
Performance
The main talking point around the CNCPT irons is the ultra-thin face. Titleist claims that the face is made of a never-before-used-in-golf alloy and this produces huge ball speed. My testing did show that the CP-01 produced very good ball speed, but I would stop well short of calling it unprecedented.
As we showed HERE, ball speed is largely dependent on lofts. The CP-01 irons have very strong lofts – as much as 2 degrees stronger than the CP-02 irons (full review HERE).
To paraphrase Titleist, the effects of the strong lofts are supposed to be offset by the huge amount of tungsten packed low in the club head. I did find that the CP-01 launched slightly higher than expected, given the strong lofts, but, again, it’s not in a class by itself. Other game improvement irons are able to pair mid-launch with high ball speed.
The spin of the CP-01 was slightly below average, but not worryingly so. I wouldn’t expect the average golfer to spin their approach shots back with the CP-01 irons, but they should be able to hold a green.
Conclusion
Ultimately, my opinion of the Titleist CNCPT CP-01 irons mirrors my feelings about the CP-02. It’s a cool looking iron, but the feel is disappointing. The performance is quite good, but it’s not game changing. For me, those should not be the characteristics of an iron with a price tag this high.
Titleist CNCPT CP-01 Irons Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
Latest posts by Matt Saternus (see all)
- Podcast Episode 189 – Upgrade Your Golf Practice - June 7, 2023
- 2023 Adams IDEA Irons Review - June 5, 2023
- Duca del Cosma Orlando Golf Shoe Review - June 2, 2023
