A devout Titleist AP1 iron player, I’d be hard-pressed to swap sets anytime soon. But I just found some new clubs that might convince me otherwise: The new 718 AP1 irons. Introduced this morning, the modified game-improvement model continues to help most skill levels by lending forgiveness and distance. The 4- and 5-iron each have a hollow body that helps balls get airborne more easily than the previous version. And the 6-iron through the shorter clubs sport a progressive undercut cavity. Ultimately, the thin “unsupported” clubface, higher MOI and low center of gravity magically work together to make most hits feel like you took a perfect swing. I got a few extra yards, per iron. And they felt extremely solid in my testing. Plus, the AP1 now has a luxe gold-ish hue.
There’s also a fresh 718 AP2 version for better players, as well as a brand-new model – the 718 AP3, which is an in-between model: It’s cast steel player’s club bearing tungsten weighting, designed to get the AP1’s distance and forgiveness while providing the AP2’s look and feel. It appears relatively compact when you’re standing over the ball at address, and performs admirably – exemplifying the Titleist iron experience and the perfect line extension.
Veteran golf writer Scott Kramer has covered the golf equipment market full-time since 1990. His career has spanned senior editor positions at both Golf Pro Magazine and GOLF Magazine. He now works on a freelance basis for many consumer and trade publications, including the SCGA’s FORE magazine.