First Look: Proto Concept C01 TBic Iron Review

A number of months in the past, Proto Idea introduced the C03 TC cavity-back iron which changed the unique C03 CB mannequin that it launched a bit over a yr in the past. As one may count on, the JDM (Japanese home market)  upstart can also be changing the first-generation C01 muscle-back iron with the C01 TB. Technically, the moniker is C01 TBic—we’ll deal with that “ic” half momentarily.

If you understand me, you’re conscious that I’ve a fever for Japanese gear and the one treatment is extra Endo-forged irons and wedges (although I wouldn’t balk at a solid cow bell, I suppose). That apart, the target of the C01 TBic is to offer golfers with a real muscle-back iron that may be paired with the C03 TCalthough the C01 TBic is obtainable from 5-iron by means of pitching wedge for individuals who want to play a full set of blade-style irons.

It’s additionally truthful to notice that the C01 TBic is the embodiment of a distinct segment product. It caters to extremely expert ball-strikers who aren’t simply dissuaded by an elevated price ticket, like $450 per membership elevated. That mentioned, the usual pricing disclaimer applies: If costly items draw your ire, you’re possible not the goal client. Furthermore, the existence of luxurious objects doesn’t eradicate the supply of lower-priced options.

Proto Idea Refresher

Loads of golfers know the identify Lydia Ko. Critical followers may acknowledge Haeji Kang or Ryuji Imada. What they’ve in widespread is that they’re a part of a rising contingent of pros taking part in Proto Idea gear.

With that, Proto Idea isn’t as acknowledged as JDM stalwarts Miura, Epon or Yonex. Rising a model takes time, notably while you received’t discover it in your native large field retail retailer. So there’s that.

Different salient speaking factors embrace:

Proto-C is a collaborative effort between the Endo forging home and the Golf Associate govt possession group.

Golf Partner is the biggest golf retailer on the earth. It boasts practically 400 retail areas and 550,000 in-stock golf equipment. It’s one thing just like the Japanese equal of Starbucks however for golf gear. I point out this primarily for instance that the corporate has a novel perspective and breadth of JDM data. Its management has a eager understanding of what works, what doesn’t and, most significantly, what resonates with the target market.

The Endo forging home is an business benchmark. Past Proto Idea and its home model, Epon, Endo counts a litany of manufacturers as purchasers. Srixon, Yamaha, Mizuno, Honma, Bridgestone, Tourstage, S-Yard, Daiwa, Callaway and Titleist have all, at instances, relied on Endo to forge their premium strains of golf irons and wedges. A number of nonetheless do.

Endo is the restaurant the place all of the cooks go to eat.

Proto Idea C01TBic Iron Tech Speak

The primary little bit of the tech story is boilerplate muscle-back iron stuff. Put otherwise, the tech speaking factors focus on supplies, mass properties and design aesthetics. As such, irons on this class don’t go away a lot room for superior polymers, uber-thin faces or an excessive perimeter weighting structure.

That apart, the Proto Idea C01 TBic isn’t void of technology. Fairly, it’s a bit extra refined and nuanced. That is the place the “ic” enters the chat.

Whereas the Proto Concept C03TC irons characteristic a milled pocket cavity within the 4- to 7-irons to exactly place the CG location (heart of gravity), the CO1 TBic makes use of an “Interior Ceramic” to perform an identical outcome.

Within the first Proto Idea C01 mannequin, engineers impregnated the metal billet with a titanium rod to unencumber a little bit of weight which was reallocated to the perimeter of the physique to reasonably enhance heel-toe MOI (forgiveness). Successfully, the internal ceramic materials replaces the titanium rod whereas attaining two necessary efficiency advantages: extra forgiveness and an even-more exact CG location.

Why change it up? The only reply is Muneyuki Matsuyoshi, aka “Q”. On the earth of CAD design, “Q” is held in excessive esteem and a few gear insiders even toss across the “savant” label. After his time at Fourteen Golf (which mysteriously disappeared from the North American gear panorama), he began his personal model, Juice. From there, Proto Idea enlisted “Q” to design its second era of irons, beginning with the CO3 TC and now the CO1 TBic.

Twinkie Expertise

I get the Twinkie analogy isn’t excellent nevertheless it’s ok.

Most single-piece solid irons begin with a billet of carbon metal which is heated after which subjected to a number of strikes from massive hydraulic hammers. The place the “ic” expertise differs is that every spherical billet of S20 carbon metal is impregnated with an inside ceramic bar. From there, the forging course of is comparatively much like different high-end, single-piece solid irons. Nevertheless, guaranteeing that the ceramic cavity maintains its exact place all through the method is a job requiring the experience of the aforementioned Endo forging home. The idea of built-in materials forgings is relatively advanced and, so far, Endo seems to be, as soon as once more, on the forefront of the dialog.

Proto Idea C01 TBic Iron Efficiency

As we acknowledged, the inner ceramic materials serves two functions. The primary is to generate a extra exact CG location which, in flip, has a major affect on ball flight. In response to Proto Idea, the CG of every iron is uniquely positioned to account for contemporary shafts and variation in affect loft (dynamic affect).

The simplified model is that the modified CG location within the C01 TBic ought to enable golfers to hit lengthy irons increased and brief irons decrease. This was a direct request primarily based on suggestions gathered from PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour gamers who used Proto Idea irons in competitors.

Relating to heel-toe MOI (forgiveness), I don’t suspect we’ll see substantial enchancment from the Proto Concept C01. That mentioned, incremental advantages are all golfers ought to fairly count on from the participant’s iron class.

In earlier Most Needed testing, Proto Idea irons appeared to favor accuracy over distance. In addition they acquired excessive reward from testers for sound and really feel. As a client group, that is consistent with what higher gamers are inclined to search for in a set of irons.

Full disclosure: I haven’t but hit the C01 TBic however I’d wager a pleasant steak dinner (with dessert after all) that it doesn’t stray too removed from this system. As well as, we don’t embrace muscle-back irons as a separate class throughout our annual testing. That mentioned, we’ll take a better take a look at the C01 TBic as soon as we get them in hand. We’re excited to place them on our Foresight GC Quad launch monitor.

As with the Proto Idea C03 TC, the baseline goal of the C01 TBic is almost equivalent, i.e., to generate enough distance, constant launch situations, and a fascinating steadiness of forgiveness and workability. The small tweak is that relative to the C03 TC, the C01TBic must be barely much less forgiving however extra workable.

Proto Idea C01 TBic Aesthetics

The Proto Idea C01 TBic is generally what golfers count on from a standard single-piece solid, muscle-back iron.. Mainly, this contains minimal offset, skinny toplines and a compact footprint. My single level of rivalry is that I may do with out the “internal CERAMIC” label within the cavity. Usually, I like my muscle-back cavities like I like my checks—clean.

MY $0.05

I’ve a set of the CO3 TC irons in play and the early outcomes are promising. If we use that as a proxy (coupled with testing knowledge), I’m optimistic that the C01 TBic ought to provide marginal however noticeable enhancements over the mannequin it replaces, the C01.

It may appear odd that we’re already speaking a couple of new model of the Proto Idea C01, provided that JDM product cycles are usually longer than mainline U.S. manufacturers. My hunch is that Proto Idea noticed a chance to get “Q” on the Proto Idea group (which is a significant win). And while you add somebody like that to the roster, you don’t wait round to place them within the recreation.

Additionally, Proto Idea isn’t making an attempt to realize market share by pumping out an enormous quantity of kit. So it’s not as if they’re sitting on a lot, if any, previous stock.

When it comes to the place the C01 TBic matches within the Proto Idea iron array, it’s the consummate “How do you want your participant’s iron cooked?” story. Proto Idea payments the C01 TBic as a blade-style iron with cavity-back degree forgiveness. Conversely, the C04 TC is a cavity-back iron with workability to approximate a muscle-back iron. Little doubt, it’s splitting hairs however the selection between the 2 possible hinges on which is extra necessary to you: workability with a splash of forgiveness or stability with some trajectory management.

Pricing and Availability

Proto Idea wedges are at the moment obtainable by means of approved sellers.

The MSRP for the Proto Idea C01 TBic is $450 per membership. Pricing will fluctuate primarily based on location and chosen elements.

For extra data, go to protoconceptgolf.com