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Welcome to Devil Ball's Proving Ground, where we put the latest golf equipment through its paces. Today we get a chance to look at the latest line of great irons from Titleist with the new version of the AP2s.
Tester -- Shane Bacon -- Handicap: 1.9
Target Golf Audience -- 0 - 15 Handicap
There are certain products that hardly need our endorsement to get your attention. Mercedes Benz is like this. So is Apple. And for golf, that product is Titleist. No matter how good some products are over the years, Titleist is the name that people associate with great golf products (I still remember how cool it used to be to snag a sleeve of Titleist Balata 90s and go play with them ... even the smell coming out of the sleeve was mesmerizing).
So when I got the opportunity to review the new Titleist AP2 irons, I was excited, mostly because it was my first chance to really look at a new version of an iron I played for many years.
Initial Thought
With the older version of the AP2s in the closet, I went out with the new irons and was extremely surprised. The changes to the clubs were subtle, but playable. The look was sleek, sharp and a little tighter than the old version. All in all, I was convinced that the new set was better than the last, and could happily spend some time in my bag.
Titleist irons are just good looking. It's hard to say anything negative about them out of the box because they are real golf clubs that have proven over the years to be just about the best on the market, and it seems any young player coming up the ranks has a cup of coffee or two with this company because they know where to find the products that are proven. The AP2s are no different.
A few rounds with these and I was happy to still be with the Titleist family. The clubs are great looking, and the envy of just about everyone on the range.
Transitioning & Playability
A nice change to the AP2s that I was a fan of was the workability of the clubs. It seems easier to move the ball when you want to, and for someone that has hardly ever hit a ball dead straight, that was a nice touch. I loved moving it around, and felt these irons were better for that than the last generation.
What every golfer wants is distance, feel and something good to look at. While some people might not feel totally comfortable with a blade in their hands, a club like the AP2 is the best of both worlds because most handicaps could pick it up, and figure out a solid shot with them.
I enjoy these clubs because they aren't nearly as clunky as some of the competitors, and they still can get the ball out there even when you don't totally catch it (I noticed a lot of "bad" shots still finding the front of the green even when I thought they'd be half a club short, something imperative if you actually want to score on the golf course).
Final Verdict
With all the available technology out there these days, it is hard for one company to really one-up the other ones, but Titleist always puts out a product you can be happy with. These irons were no different, and anytime you can put some time in with irons that are more advanced than the last ones you owned but still as good looking, you'll take them. I was a big fan of the changes and would recommend them to anyone that was looking for a step-up to their set.
Titleist AP2 Rating -- 8.75 out of 10
Price -- $154/iron (steel), $175/iron (graphite)