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The Titleist CNCPT CP-03 irons look great in the bag.  Decent feel but far from premium.  Very consistent performer.  No eye-popping distance, but that’s not a bad thing.

Introduction

The other fall 2020 addition to Titleist’s CNCPT line is the CP-03 iron [we reviewed the CP-04 HERE].  This iron splits the difference between the CP-02 [review HERE] and CP-04, trying to be a forgiving club that also has visual appeal to the better player.  I tested it to see if it succeeded.

Looks

The Titleist CNCPT CP-03 iron is noticeably smaller than the CP-04 in every way.  There’s substantially less offset, a thinner top line, and slightly small face.  At the same time, it’s clearly larger than the very attractive CP-02, so, at least aesthetically, it achieves its goal of finding a middle ground between the two other CNCPT irons.

In the bag, the CP-03 is beautiful.  Rather than being yet another hollow body iron that tries to look like a blade, the CP-03 has multiple levels and elevates the “CNCPT” branding on a chrome surface.  This iron will turn heads in the best possible way.

Sound & Feel

Sound and feel are subjective, and the grading is always done on a curve.  There are certain brands that have huge reputations for feel, so their products are judged more stringently.  Similarly, when you stick a $500/club price tag on an iron, expectations are going to be very high.  Like the CP-04, the CNCPT CP-03 irons don’t meet my expectations.

At impact, the CP-03 irons aren’t as clicky as the CP-04, but the feel is not premium.  Similar to the CP-02, the feel isn’t soft nor is it hot and crisp.  Contact just is.  Hitting the middle is moderately more satisfying than slapping one off the toe, but the difference isn’t seismic.  I don’t think the feel of the CP-03 irons will keep anyone from playing them, but I don’t think it will be the reason for any purchases either.

Performance

One of my favorite phrases in the fitting world is “winning the fitting.”  It’s typically used in a derisive manner to describe clubs that really pop on the launch monitor.  For example, the 6I with 24 degrees of loft is built to “win the fitting.”  The unspoken side of that phrase is that in the real world, that club is not the best choice.

My experience with the CNCPT CP-03 showed me, surprisingly, that it is not built to win the fitting.  However, it is well built to win on the actual golf course.  When I hit the CP-03, I did not see the peak ball speed or distance of the CP-04.  What I did see was remarkable consistency.  Good swings and bad swings landed within a few yards of each other.  This isn’t a short iron by any means, but the standout feature is predictability.

In addition to being consistent, the CP-03 launches the ball on an excellent trajectory with very playable spin.  There’s enough spin that the skilled player can shape some shots but not so much that the ball can’t burrow through the wind.  For the above average player who values consistency over distance, the CP-03 is a very impressive performer.

Conclusion

The Titleist CNCPT CP-03 isn’t going to make anyone’s eyes pop during a fitting, but it may be my favorite iron the CNCPT series.  It has stellar looks, and the performance is incredibly steady.  As with all CNCPT irons, the price is stratospheric, but the performance is compelling.

Visit Titleist Golf HERE

Titleist CNCPT CP-03 Price & Specs

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Matt Saternus

Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com

Matt is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Plugged In Golf. He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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