TITLEIST AP2 718 IRONS - PUSHING PERFORMANCE FORWARDS

Since late 2008 the Titleist AP2 irons have been my gold standard for judging irons. They offer a perfect blend of compact looks yet they have a forgiving cavity back design. They really have been one of the best designed irons over the years. Amateurs and Pros alike love the AP2 irons with their advance in performance that comes with each new iteration of the line.

On TV you’ll see tour pros with these in the bag, they’ll shape their shots and land land then with complete control, at an amateur level you’ll see them hit them straight, shot after shot. Titleist tweaked the AP2 design in the 718 model to make them even better.

Every two years, Titleist tweaks the design of the AP2 irons to improve them, so I headed down to my local fitter to get dialled in. This edition gets a changed CG, and revamped look. I hit every iron Titleist has in the 718 line and settled on a full set of AP2s with DG S300 AMT Black shafts, I was able to stick with the stock lofts and lies with the AP2 718 irons. This might be attributed to the shafts, but also the revamped design has the CG just a touch higher (by the looks of the cavity) which kept the spin and launch angle down.

The clubs arrived just in time for a golf trip over to Arizona, the over seeding season had just wrapped up and courses were in pristine condition. It was a perfect time to try out new irons. The Titleist AP2 718 irons looked really good in the bag. I saw immediate success with these in the bag, my iron play has been very precise. My GIR went up as did proximity to the hole.

There was an immediate comfort level with these irons and it showed on the course.  The AP2 intreaction with the turf is fantastic, the camber on the sole is great for clean crisp shots off firm fairways.

One of the big advancements of the Titleist AP2 718 irons for me was the better ball flight. Previous models were typically a little higher launching, these however have a lower, more penetrative ball flight, and even a little more distance.

The final piece to this puzzle that makes the AP2 718 irons so appealing is the amazing forged feel. Even though they are multi-material and cavity back, they feel as solid and pure as the CBs; maybe not quite as pure as the MBs, but still very good.

Flightscope Xi Tour Launch Monitor

AP2 718 8 Iron

· Spin: 7797 rpms

· Launch Angle: 27.2*

· Dispersion: 3.0 yds

· Club Head Speed: 86.1 mph

· Ball Speed: 115.2 mph

· Total Distance: 158.8 yds

· Carry Distance: 153.1 yds

If it is time to upgrade your irons, the Titleist AP2 718 irons should be at the top of your list.

They aren't a huge upgrade from previous AP2 models; but the adjusted CG, new shaft choices and combo set options might make these worth the look.

They are Titleist's best AP2s yet.

#golfequipment #golfreview #titleist #AP2718 #TitleistAP2 #GolfFocused