Titleist AP1 vs. AP2

[1par2win]

Sorry if this is a redundant thread but I looked and could find anything that matched my question. Just wondering if anyone had any feedback on the differences between the two. I was thinking of upgrading my irons and based on what I read I keep reading the AP2's are quite forgiving. I know the AP1's are geared towards the mid handicap but I really like the look of the AP2's. Anyway, just wanted to know if anyone knew about these sets.

[ymerej1881]

I think we have about the same handicap...so hopefully I can be a little helpful.

I went and hit the ap2's yesterday and they were amazing! Felt fantastic and had excellent ball flight. They felt more forgiving than the Mizuno 52's too. If you like them, go for em! The only reason I didn't get them was it was hard enough convincing the wife to let me shell out for the cheaper ap1's. It wasn't worth the fight for me

[BigDaddy_Sean]

i hit both the AP1 and the AP2's .. granted i'm a low handicap player but I chose the AP2's.

You have to be on your game to hit them... if you feel off on your swing at all.. they will look small and you will have a hard time hitting them. It took me a few rounds this year to get my swing back and where I could hit them consistently at the start of the season.

They do have a great ball flight and look great at address as well.

You may also want to think about getting a mixed set .. AP1 4-7 and AP2 8-PW or something along those lines.

[atrapasuenos]

I have hit both and the AP1's feel good but the AP2's are better, IMHO. If you like to see at adress a thin topline you should go with the AP2, plus you get the feel of a forged club and forgiveness. They are really great clubs, I like my AP2's a lot!

Cheers!

[quagmire]

so the ap2 is more difficult? I'm thinking about buying them with a projectx 5.5.

[DavidFehertysBike]

so the ap2 is more difficult? I'm thinking about buying them with a projectx 5.5.

My ap2s have 6.0 shafts (there isnt really much difference) but ive found the AP2's arent any more or less forgiving than any other players iron. You miss them out on the toe and the ball stilll inst going anywhere. But if you are a low handicap, youll find them easy to use, if youre a mid handicap, you might have some difficulty with them. If that makes any sense. At 4.2 you shouldnt have much of a problem with them. The longer irons are extremley easy to get into the air.

The AP1's are a game improvement club. They are easier to hit than the AP2's. The heads are slightly bigger and they have more offset. A very nice club for 10 handicaps and up.

[Crey23]

I am not a mid handicapper by any measure, but I do have the AP1's and I think that they are great. I tried hitting the AP2's adn I couldn't do squat. The son of a co-worker uses these (AP2) and it took this kid about 6 months to adjust to these clubs, and he is an avid player, I think he is on the golf team.

The AP1's are very easy to hit, even if you miss-hit. I can pla all the irons well, except 4i, but other than that, I love these clubs.

I guess the question is whether you want to improve and or maintain your game at the level you are and enjoy it, or if you are willing to get out of your comfort zone, in an attempt to get a better club. The possible outcomes from AP2's is either you improve to match the level of the club, or you get frustrated and go back to your old clubs. Or you get the AP1, which will not be a huge gap, if any, from your old clubs, but that will help you imrpve your game as well.

I hope that makes sense to you.

[LaPuzza]

A friend of mine, a 12-14 handicap, went in loving the look of the AP2 and had to be pushed to try out the AP1. He hit the AP1 about 5 yards farther, on average, and with an extremely consistent ball flight, compared to the spread on the AP2. He got the AP1, and has no regrets. The AP2s look just beautiful, but the 1s should not be ignored.

[1par2win]

Thanks for all the feedback. This has been very helpful in determining which way I am going to go. A couple of comments stood out. One is the price issue. There is enough of a price difference to consider what is the better value for my game. Second, the playability issue. My strength is my short game (rolled in 28 putts on Wed and should have been 27. I ^&*$ 3 putted 18!) and my main goal this year to hit more greens in reg. From what I can see it sounds like the AP1's is the better choice for my style of play. The funny thing is last night I went to the range and was just striping my 735cm's. Funny how clubs have a sense when they are on the bubble! Anyway, I am not getting fooled by that and I know that over the course of a season I will make better quality shots into greens with a more forgiving club. Now comes the hard part. Convincing the wife that these clubs are an investment in our relationship. I sure hope Kay Jewelers has a nice sale coming up! Thanks again guys!

[DavidFehertysBike]

Thanks for all the feedback. This has been very helpful in determining which way I am going to go. A couple of comments stood out. One is the price issue. There is enough of a price difference to consider what is the better value for my game. Second, the playability issue. My strength is my short game (rolled in 28 putts on Wed and should have been 27. I ^&*$ 3 putted 18!) and my main goal this year to hit more greens in reg. From what I can see it sounds like the AP1's is the better choice for my style of play. The funny thing is last night I went to the range and was just striping my 735cm's. Funny how clubs have a sense when they are on the bubble! Anyway, I am not getting fooled by that and I know that over the course of a season I will make better quality shots into greens with a more forgiving club. Now comes the hard part. Convincing the wife that these clubs are an investment in our relationship. I sure hope Kay Jewelers has a nice sale coming up! Thanks again guys!

Oh the 735cm's are awesome, too.. So...ummm..good luck..LOL.

[Leftygolfer]

I have some related and unrelated feedback. I just went from a GI iron last fall to a players iron. I had old cleveland TA5s with SL300 S shafts. I am not saying they are as nice as the AP1s but similar in offset and size. I got a new set of MP 60s with DG300s S shafts (these are about 20 grams heavier). I love the way my new irons look but they have really exposed my poor iron play. They are about a half club shorter and I seem to pull the ball just as much. The reason I got them was because I thought the minimal offset would help take the hook out of my iron play and be able to play a more straight ball flight. Don't get me wrong, they feel incredible when I hit it good, but becuase my miss is out on the toe because of my over the top pull move that I am trying to rid, I am not getting as good results as I did with my old irons. My index has went up 1.3 points in two revisions.

Good thing is I know I need to improve. Bad thing is I am getting punished for my miss hits and flawed golf swing.

I am considering lessons right now because I have gotten used to shoting in the low 80s and it hasn't been the case recently.

Hope this helps

[1par2win]

I have some related and unrelated feedback. I just went from a GI iron last fall to a players iron. I had old cleveland TA5s with SL300 S shafts. I am not saying they are as nice as the AP1s but similar in offset and size. I got a new set of MP 60s with DG300s S shafts (these are about 20 grams heavier). I love the way my new irons look but they have really exposed my poor iron play. They are about a half club shorter and I seem to pull the ball just as much. The reason I got them was because I thought the minimal offset would help take the hook out of my iron play and be able to play a more straight ball flight. Don't get me wrong, they feel incredible when I hit it good, but becuase my miss is out on the toe because of my over the top pull move that I am trying to rid, I am not getting as good results as I did with my old irons. My index has went up 1.3 points in two revisions.

It helps alot! I can relate. What's going on with me is I am hitting my driver well at about 230-240 pretty straight and my fairway woods have never been better. It's my wedge game and sinking 10 footers that is bailing me out. I have been feasting on par 5's because it's been driver, fairwood wood, then wedge to the green. No irons! I played a course Wed that has 5 par 5's (par 73) and on all 5 I never hit a single iron shot. Played them -1. That's been the pattern starting late last year and so far this year. After taking a long look at my game the part that is suffering is hitting greens on par 4's. I'm not even asking for 50 or 60% just a couple more per round will make a big difference in my scores.Or at least that the plan anyway!

[Leftygolfer]

My plan is to stick with these irons for the rest of the year. I am going to seek professional help (not a shrink) and see if I can fix my move. I have also lost my driver because I have so much going on trying to correct that I just can't play.

[Mahbles]

Aloha all,
I recently got fitted for a set of Titleist irons and woods as a wedding gift from the new bride and ended up with the AP2 irons. I was originally set on the AP1 but the fitter said I was capable of using the AP2 irons. I do like the thinner top line and I got them 2 degrees upright and the stock, Project X 5.5 shaft. They are amazing. There's something to be said about being fit for clubs and those are amazing. My old set were stock Nike CCI cast irons and I loved them but these AP2's are amazing. Put it this way. with the Nike CCI irons, I can hit my 5 iron maybe 2 out of 5 times straight and onto the fairway. With the AP2, I'm 4 out of 5 on the fairway. I get better ball flight and this is all due to being fitted.
I say if you can get fitted, do it, this way you can see how your launch angle and spin rate are for each iron. If your numbers are similar, then it just comes down to how well you like the club looking down at it, and cost. Good luck!

[nj2fl]

I am a 58 year old, new golfer and really into it. I want to get better than average. Right now I have an old 735 combo set. Clearly not the clubs I should be hitting but I love them. I tried the Calaway razrr clubs and really did not like how they feel. I am playing almost every day and intend to stick with it, till I get pretty good.

I purchased the 735 a few years ago to have the same set as my son who was a -3.5 handicap. I don't feel like the clubs really hurt me that much, as they provide such a great feel. But seems both the AP1 and AP2 would be more forgiving. My misses are generally really deep digs, so I don't see how a bigger sweet spot would help. If I don't dig, I usually hit the head pretty solid.

Price is really not such an issue for me.

What do you think?

My concern about what should be the obvious choice given my handicap, the AP1's, is that I will lose the benefit of feeling a miss hit. That was part of why I did not like the Razr x's.

[PirateJim]

I am a 58 year old, new golfer and really into it. I want to get better than average. Right now I have an old 735 combo set. Clearly not the clubs I should be hitting but I love them. I tried the Calaway razrr clubs and really did not like how they feel. I am playing almost every day and intend to stick with it, till I get pretty good.

I purchased the 735 a few years ago to have the same set as my son who was a -3.5 handicap. I don't feel like the clubs really hurt me that much, as they provide such a great feel. But seems both the AP1 and AP2 would be more forgiving. My misses are generally really deep digs, so I don't see how a bigger sweet spot would help. If I don't dig, I usually hit the head pretty solid.

Price is really not such an issue for me.

What do you think?

My concern about what should be the obvious choice given my handicap, the AP1's, is that I will lose the benefit of feeling a miss hit. That was part of why I did not like the Razr x's.

I'm 59 and am thinking real hard about a set of AP1s. Or perhaps a mixed set with 8 or 9 through gap wedge in AP2.  I have been playing Ping G20s for over a year now and my game has improved a lot.  I can assure you that I (at least) can definitely tell when I have mishit a shot and in what way.

Most of my mishits are out toward the toe of the club and I can feel it when it happens, even if people watching me make the shot may not notice because the shot doesn't go completely to hell. (That's a real good thing, by the way. :-)  The AP1s, while definitely Game Improvement class clubs, are more "player oriented" than my G20s certainly (somewhat smaller heads, narrower soles, less offset, etc.).  I have absolutely no doubt I'll always be able to tell when I'm not flushing a shot.

[Jmdmbike]

AP1's are great all round clubs. Love mine. They feel great when you put a good swing on it. You can feel your mishits too, perhaps not like your 735's and I can't compare directly, but to me it's enough. I can definitely tell when I mishit one.

[CaddyshackD]

so the ap2 is more difficult? I'm thinking about buying them with a projectx 5.5.

Yea, they're more geared towards a solid player but at a 4 handicap you won't have any issues.  I play the 2008 model AP2s with the Project X 5.5, and absolutely love them.  Ball flight is great, feel is great, etc.  However, since they are now 5+ years old I'm looking to upgrade.  I hit the new AP2s last Friday, and I'm already 100% confident they will be in my bag this year (they come out November 8th).  Go check them out - you won't be sorry you did!