Titleist CNCPT Irons – CP-03 and CP-04

Titleist CNCPT Irons – Key Takeaways

• Titleist has introduced two new CNCPT iron models (CP-03 and CP-04).
• Both feature Super Metal L Face inserts and significant amounts of tungsten.
• The retail price is $500 per iron.

Titleist CNCPT Irons

The Titleist CNCPT iron series is a unique platform that allows the company to experiment with new materials and engineering techniques. The idea behind CNPT is to remove the cost barriers to innovation and challenge the design team to create things that can’t be created when the eventual retail price is a limiting factor.

Basically, the Titleist engineering team gets to go nuts and the products cost what they cost. In this case, $500 per iron.

Deep breaths, everybody.

We last saw a Titleist CNCPT release (CP-01 and CP-02) on the heels of the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show. That’s little more than a footnote given that Titleist says CNCPT products aren’t released on any sort of schedule. It’s an ongoing initiative with no specific timetable. “We’re going to keep doing CNCPT products until we run out of ideas,” says Josh Talge, Titleist’s VP of Marketing for Golf Clubs.

The benefits of the CNCPT line aren’t limited to those willing to pay the full ride. While it takes a little bit of time, innovation invariably trickles downhill. Titleist’s C16 irons are what got us to AP3 while the C16 driver got us SureFit CG weighting. Some portion of the tech behind C16’s ATI crown appears headed to the upcoming TSi driver.

The CNCPT Difference

Painting with broad strokes, apart from the price tag, the story of Titleist CNCPT irons boils down to materials and common-sense realignment of model numbers. We’ll get to those materials in a bit. What you need to know about the names is that, like the T series, as CNCPT model numbers go up, so does the size of the irons.

Titleist CNCPT CP-02 (Refresher)

We mention the CP-02 for reference purposes only. It’s not new or updated but it’s not going away, either. The promise of the CP-02 is Superior Performance with a blade size and feel. As the description suggests, it remains the most compact of the CNCPT offerings – sharing its footprint with Titleist’s MB and CB offerings.

Titleist CNCPT CP-03

CP-03 provides a shape and profile that sits between the CP-02 and the now-extinct CP-01 (which becomes the CP-04). Titleist bills it as offering an Astonishing Balance of Power and Control. Your actual mileage may vary there but what you do get is CNCPT technology and performance bundled into in the footprint of an AP2. On shape alone, it’s easily my favorite of the CNCPT lineup.

As with other Titleist CNCPT irons, the CP-03 features hollow-body construction and a lot of high-density tungsten. According to Titleist, there’s an average of 104 grams of tungsten across the set.

No matter how many times golf companies stamp the word “tungsten” on their irons, I don’t expect you to care about it. That said, tungsten matters because it’s heavy and when used in significant quantities, it’s an effective means to put weight where you want it.

In this case (and in most cases), all of that tungsten pushes the center of gravity deep. That’s how Titleist is able to produce the high trajectory with a green-stopping power (steep descent angles) necessary to overcome the overtly jacked lofts.

Super Metal L-Face Insert

A good bit of CNCPT’s speed comes from the exotic face material. Titleist calls it Super Metal. It’s the same material used in the CP-01 and CP-02. Unfortunately, Titleist still isn’t saying precisely what it is. There’s some proprietary work going on behind the scenes and once Titleist has it locked down for exclusive use, we expect the company will have plenty more to say.

What Titleist will say at this point is that the material is super rare, incredibly strong and only sold in large quantities. It’s expensive but that’s the barrier to entry for a material that’s reportedly five times stronger than 1025 stainless steel (commonly used in forgings) and 1.7 times stronger than 17-4 (one of the most common casting materials).

Whatever its actual composition, Super Metal allows for thinner faces than Titleist can achieve with more mainstream materials. The speed boost from Super Metal coupled with the massive infusion of tungsten is what makes the strong lofts (31 degrees in the 7-iron, and 43 degrees in the pitching wedge) playable.

Cosmetically, the CP-03 looks the part of a premium iron. As much as any chunk of metal can, it oozes sex appeal. It’s a design intended to occupy the Goldilocks’ position in the market. It looks like a Tour iron and flies like a game-improvement club.

Plenty of golfers would call that “just right.”

Titleist CNCPT CP-04

The CP-04 is the replacement for the CP-01. It’s the most forgiving, game improvement-like iron in the CNCPT series. That said, it’s by no means massive. On size alone, it falls between the T200 and T300. It’s a bit larger than most player’s distance irons but smaller than what you’d typically find in the GI category.

Like the CP-03, it features a Super Metal L Face insert. It also offers a lot of tungsten. However, Titleist can use a bit less (CP-03 offers 100 grams of tungsten on average) because the larger sole also contributes to a low center of gravity.

Relative to the CP-03, lofts are a bit stronger still. The 7-iron is 30 degrees, though the pitching wedge holds steady at 43 degrees. It’s a combination that Titleist says offers ultimate speed with enhanced accuracy.

“Eye of the beholder” and whatnot, with the flat black finish in the back cavity, the CP-04 looks a bit less refined than other CNCPT offerings but it’s by no means ugly.

Titleist CNCPT Series Comparisons

As mentioned, Titleist has intelligently realigned the models in the CNCPT series. As the model numbers increase, the irons get bigger and stronger.

Iron for iron, the CP-03 is a degree stronger than the CP-02. The CP-04 is a degree stronger than the CP-03 (except the PW, where the CP-03 and CP-04 are both 43 degrees).

The progression makes it easier to mix and match to build combo sets, something that hasn’t necessarily been easy or intuitive with previous CNCPT releases.

Where to buy

With a sticker price of $500 per club, it makes sense that the Titleist CNCPT irons will be sold under a limited distribution model. Safe bet you’re not going to find them at your favorite big box store.

With CNCPT, Titleist is focused on providing the best fitting experience possible. To that end, CNPT will be sold through 100 Titleist fitting specialists nationwide.

In addition to those Titleist guys, CNCPT will be offered through another 200 or so retailers and specialty builders. That covers everything from chain fitters (Cool Clubs, True Spec, etc.) to highly reputable independent outlets like Pete’s Golf.

The Titleist CNCPT CP-03 and CP-04 irons will be available for fittings custom order beginning today.

For more information, visit Titleist.com.