Currently hit old hand me down set of Titleist DCI 962's, Looking to buy my first set of irons...

What do you mean by transition? AP1 is a great club but i dont think you would be transitioning to anything you would just be getting a club thats really easy to hit. If you want to transition to a better players iron you could try AP2 or even a combo of AP1 and AP2. I always suggest Nike Pro Combo CB which has a pocket cavity in the long irons and a smaller cavity in the 6-pw. I am a 13 hcp and have no problem hitting these. Also if you get AP1 you should just get the 710, there is really no difference from the 712 and it will be cheaper. And like you said, get fitted for shafts, loft, lie, etc.

I am not a big fan of the terms "sgi" and "gi" because there is not really a difference and there is no standard for what "sgi" and "gi" are. My philosophy for clubs is that anybody CAN hit any club but NOT everyone SHOULD hit any club. It seems like you like AP1 and those are very easy to hit and are very good clubs. However, there is no club that will make you more consistent. Usually clubs that are easier to hit just mask problems like hitting off the toe. When you go to the range and it balls you think you will be hitting them good but you are really hitting them off the toe or something like that. I like my Nike's because i know when i dont hit the center of the club and it is a sign for me to change something.

 

I am sure there are people who will disagree with me but hitting "gi" clubs like AP1 will have good results but could mask some minor problems. Again there is nothing wrong with AP1 or any other "gi" club, but if you really want to be a better ball striker, you should look for a forged cavity back such as Mizuno MP 53, MP 59 or Ping i20. Also make sure you get a set that has long irons that are easier to hit. Anyone can hit a blade 8 iron but long irons should have a cavity or even a hybrid.

 

Go to a demo day and hit some clubs that you think are out of your range and you will be shocked how easy to hit and forgiving they are. Its why i chose my Nikes over some other "gi" clubs.

As a 20, if you like Titleist I would definitely look into the AP1. The 712 model is a step up from the 710 in terms of the look, but that is a personal thing. Long irons are also very good and not difficult to hit. They can be played by a wide range of handicaps, great all around set that you should be able to keep in the bag for years. At the end of the day, all the OEMs make great stuff. You need to get out there and hit them and see what suits you and your goals. And I agree, fitting is key to get the most out of whatever club you choose.

I think the AP1s would be a great choice for you. I don't really consider them to be super game improvement. The 712 series of irons IMHO is better than the 710 but if you're a 20 handicap I'm not sure you'll notice a huge difference. 

I would disagree with bhp, there certainly is a difference between sgi and gi.  But we all have our opinions...

 

KCLMCF - if you're looking at the AP1s, here are a couple of sets you may also want to consider:  Ping i15, Wilson Ci9, Adams CB2 (which are discontinued, but you can still find them around), Cleveland CG, or Adams CB3.  I'm a big fan of the Adams CB series, but personally I play the Mizuno MP-58s (which is more along the lines of the AP2s).  Hit a pro shop that has a few options in the type of club your looking for (AP1, i15, etc.) and see what you like best.

 

Good luck man!

Go to a fitting center. I was pretty set on AP1's when I went to my fitting...I hit probably 4 different clubs and ended up with the Callaway Razr X Black. I never even thought about looking at or swinging Callaway irons, got great results. Awesome irons, no buyers remorse here. My advice is keep an open mind and don't be dead set on a specific brand. Hit a bunch of clubs, see your results, and get what feels right.
 

I think even the AP2's will be easier to hit than the 962s.  The 962's were not a very forgiving iron.

 

When Sand Trappers refer to SGI and GI - and Player's - they normally are using the Golf Digest hotlist classifications for golf clubs. Hotlist classifications are based (ROUGHLY) on market niche. Players clubs are those designed for pro and amateur competition players, SGI are very user-friendly clubs that tend to launch the ball very high, and the GI are in between (many better players opt for GI clubs because they blend "forgiveness and workability" as the marketing guys say.

 

Each Hotlist classification combines one or more of the Maltby Playability Factor (MPF) categories. A clubs (usually irons) MPF rating score is determined by a mathematical analysis of (usually) the 6-iron head characteristics from a given set model. Look up club designer Ralph Maltby's website for details.

 

So, there is method behind the MPF categories, and to a lesser degree, the Hotlist categories.

 

The categories serve as a rough estimate of what type of clubs you want to try out. Several months ago I did an analysis of the different "current model" irons available from the different mainline manufacturers. I came up with roughly 50 current iron models, plus a couple dozen recent iron models which were still popular.  So, the SGI and GI classifications prevent you from having to try out 70 different iron models to narrow it down to two or three for consideration.

 

It appears you have been playing for awhile. This would be an excellent time to get an overall fitting to see what type of clubs are best suited for your game. One key thing to determine is what type of shaft(s) are best suited to different parts of your game.

 

In your case, the AP1 irons would be an excellent place to start. Several stock shafts available, plus more upgrade shafts.

 

Some golf shops offer comprehensive fittings (takes a couple of hours) in which the fitters sample all aspects of your game - woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putter. Then, you can get some idea of your "ideal" bag mix. If you don't have $2K to buy everything all at once, no big deal. You can plan for the future. Also, some part of your game may be OK as is, or may only need a tweak such as thicker grips.

I guess what i was referring to was sometimes people say i need a "gi" or "sgi" and they end up limiting themselves to categories either created by the hotlist or MPF. I also dont really like the MPF because something is just not right about it. Ex: R11 iron has 508 and AP2 has 504 and Nike Ignite has 314. MPF is based on playability which doesnt really mean much because R11 and AP2 are completely different clubs and how is an Ignite at 314. Most if not all amatuer players should be basing their decison on forgiveness not playability. Your right that it does give you a rough estimate of clubs to test out. I just think going to a demo day or golf store and hitting every club that catches your eye is the best way to make sure you have the right club whether it is in a "gi" "sgi" or "players" category.

 

I just got new clubs a month ago and did all the research in the world to figure out what is best. Im glad i didnt loook at the MPF before i bought them because that would probably have turned me away from alot of clubs. Everyone was telling me, based on what i told them about my ball striking, that i should get G20 or AP1, but i dont like those big chunky clubs. So i just hit every club that looked and felt good. I had an idea of what i wanted based on internet research, then at my demo day i narrowed it down to 3 sets and would have been happy with either of them. I didnt pay attention to categories or ratings and just hit what i wanted.

 

You might not be ready for a less forgiving "gi" club or "players" club, but dont exclude them just because people on here(including me) tell you not to. The most important thing you can do is find a set that has long irons that are forgiving or hybrids. You should give a good look at the Mizuno MP 53, they have a full cavity in the 3-6 and a smaller cavity 7-PW. These are perfect for a transitioning player.