A few days ago we gave you a sneak peek at Titleist’s upcoming 710 Series of irons: the CB, MB, AP1, and AP2.
Today, we present our own images, from the range at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, OH, as well as some video. Enjoy.
Let’s start with the AP1, a club that was perhaps under-valued by golfers in the 8-18 handicap range. Titleist really feels that the 710 Series AP1 is going to be a great club for those golfers. Given my experience with the club, I’d tend to agree. Titleist has made some great improvements to the AP1, but the question remains: does the bogey golfer think that all Titleist clubs are for the low handicappers? Will Titleist’s “For Skilled Players” reputation continue to dampen sales of the forgiving, game-improvement AP1?
Here’s a look at AP1 at address, followed by an image of the cavity and some shots comparing AP1 to the new AP2.
The 710 Series AP1 features a thinner topline and a bit less offset than the current AP1.
Here’s a good look at the AP1’s cavities. Note the notch and the new heel-toe weighting.
The AP1 and AP2 both see the addition of a full-cavity plastic ring to create a buttery feel.
The AP2 (left) and AP1 clubfaces. The AP1’s blade length is a bit shorter in the 710 Series.
The AP2 (left) and AP1 toes (and my reflection). Note the differences in bounce between the two.
The stabilizing “arms” aren’t really all that thick, but they have a tremendous effect on feel.
Two more shots of the cavity sand the arms. They’re equally small in AP1 and add a little “coolness” to the clubs in addition to the more buttery feel.
The Titleist 710 Series AP2, CB, and MB at address. AP2 isn’t much thicker than even the MBs!
Titleist’s 710 Series MB, CB, and AP2 (L to R) as seen from the toes. Note the sole thickness on each.
In the clubface image, I bet you can’t tell which is which. And finally, one last look at CB and MB.
For those wondering about blended sets of the CB and the MB, that won’t be quite as easy as with previous generations. The lofts on the CB and MB are the same (previous generations had stronger-lofted cavity back models), so the CB launches a little higher and with a bit more spin than the corresponding MB iron. Golfers may need to do some set tuning or loft bending in order to blend CB long irons with MB short irons.
One final note: as with the previous generation of clubs – AP1, AP2, ZM, and ZB – these clubs conform to the new groove rule going into effect on January 1, 2010 for professional golfers and for serious amateurs on January 1, 2014. You won’t need to buy new irons just to conform to the rules.
Nice looking clubs. Thanks for these pics!
Vimeo is a nice platform, too.
Oh boy….. 😐
ok…I think my wallet is about to take a hit. These AP2’s look like exactly what I’ve been looking for…time to pull the trigger
I wonder if they will still look 5 yrs old after a month of use like the first generation AP1……………..?
I wonder if project x will be stock??
in all of them??
Looking at those AP1s makes me wonder when did Callaway gain control of Titleist….?
Well, Titleist is really pleased with the way the AP1 came out. I hit the first generation and they feel a lot better than any of Callaway’s GI irons, and these offer even better feel with a bit more forgiveness and thinner lines.
How would these compare to say, the Mizuno MP-52s? I currently play the Ping I3+ and am looking at new irons. I’ve recently become an 8 handicap player. There are so many good sets of irons out there now that it’s hard to decide.
Obviously, I haven’t had a chance to hit the 710s yet, but I’d expect them to be a little less forgiving and more workable than the MP-52s. To me, the decision for any player in the upper single digits (or close) is whether to go with a more forgiving club to maximize mis-hits or a slightly more demanding club to optimize feedback and reduce mis-hits. Part of it is certainly how much practice you put in, but it’s also about whether you get joy from a well-hit shot, or only from the score on the card. The 52s are decidedly on the forgiveness end of the scale, but may mask some less-than-stellar contact. You can read my full review of the MP-52s in the Reviews section of The Sandtrap.
Very cool preview. I especially like the video – did you record that with a 5d mkII?
This is obvious proof that Titleist has a niche market… who doesn’t know this? They own a reputation that any number of club making companies would love to be known for: they are the “players choice.” Why would they expect any different outcome on the sale of the AP1s than the one they got? Better yet, why do they want a taste of the grass on the other side of the fence? I know, I know… profits look good to any executive, and how can we maximize our exposure in all levels of the market?? Please…
In their defense, the AP1 is not a thick soled gaudy looking thing… hell, it’s probably not as easy to hit for a 20+ handicapper as some other clubs. But, in most “Titleist-for-life” eyes it was a step into the Busch Leagues.
TITLEIST, you haven’t made a mistake with the AP1s… my old man loves them. But you don’t need the sales data to tell you what you already know… you make “serious clubs for serious golfers.” By the way, the 710 MBs are going in my bag asap… good step in the right direction
Really like the look of the new CB’s and will see if they can finally put my old, battered MP32’s into retirement
I agree with Scotty. I think Titleist has done a nice job of sticking to what they do best… these are still irons for the better player. It’s nice to see a blend of technology and looks. They’ve got Cobra to handle the game improvement market.
Just a thought – I am playing with a set of Hogan Apex bought new in 2003, which I like. Playing to a 1 handicap, and the group of guys I play with have suggested that even though I can play with forged, muscle back irons, technology has advanced and I should really consider a cavity back blade like the AP2. So, reading a few articles on the clubs, and all looks good, hit a few 6 irons (ap2’s) at my club today, and like them, and it is obvious that these are workable, great feel, and more forgiving on offcenter hits. Our pro mentioned that the new sets are coming out, and I may want to wait (he was just trying to give me all the info that may influence my decision). Doing research on the new series, and I get to the last line in this article, about grooves. I dont understand the groove thing, but my general understanding, pro’s are going to play with grooves that spin the ball less out of the rough….good for them, but I like spinning the ball out of the rough. For this reason, am I better off buying the current version to get the more aggressive grooves. I only play the club championship, no amatuer tournaments that would restrict my play. Thoughts…I think I am better off with old grooves, not new grooves.
I’m pretty sure that The current AP2’s have the new grooves as well.
Yes, which is why the article concludes by saying:
Thanks…I need to do a little research to understand the impact of the new groove rules. I guess the question is, will an older model club, with the old groove setup be better for a low handicap amateur than newer models with less aggressive grooves?
do you have any of the specs for these irons
I’ve been hitting Titeist irons for 15 years now. I’m an 18 handicap
and I love my 735 cm 6 iron and my 704 8 and 9 irons. I have the 804 7 iron the 731PM 3ron and the 704 4 iron. I have a Hogan game inprovement 5 iron now but next year I’m going to order the new 710 CB 5 iron. Am I a crazy left handed hacker, you ask? Yes I am but trust me fellow hackers, you need to step it up and get these Titleist “Players” irons. Okay, I’ll admit they take some time getting used to however once you get used to them you’ll never go back to game improvement clubs ever.
Now, my friend the scratch golfer just bought the Mizuno MP 52’s and he loves them. Another new players club is the Ping i15’s which if I was to switch irons I would go with Ping but I think Titleist irons are the best of the best.
And my Vokey 56 sand wedge? Forget about it, it’s the best club in my bag.
Well, keep on hacking in the free world.
Festus
I wonder if they will allow one to buy say 3-5 in an AP2 and 6-PW in the MBs??? Tired of Titleist full set purchase requirements…….
Titleist stated to me that the only existing clubs they manufacture that do not conform to the new groove requirements are their Vokey Design Wedges.
How about the 755’s which I play (and love, but I might be tempted by the AP2’s) Do they conform? If not then I guess Steve Stricker will be switching over soon..
I just bought the ap1’s 710. I will tell you what the are like. they look amazing!!
Issac…
you wondered…”I wonder if they will allow one to buy say 3-5 in an AP2 and 6-PW in the MBs??? Tired of Titleist full set purchase requirements…….”
Yes! You can order even just 1 club at a time of any model!
I just ordered 7-8-P clubs 1 deg flat -1/64 grip for the AP1 710 model. These are the irons I need most on my golf course. I ordered them through Golf Smith going through their “custom order” option. I will order the 6-9-W irons later as my budget allows.
I just received my 6-PW AP1 710 Irons exactly 1 month after order date.
The delay was caused by the grips I selected from options offered on Golfsmith web site. If you want yours sooner, stick with Titleist stock cord grips, which is what I now have after changing my order to avoid more delay. And the grips are very good.
The clubs are very nice indeed. Titleist custom order rocks! Bent perfectly to my specifications for Lie angles. I like the small offset, and swingweight, not too heavy and not too light. Chipping feel is excellent at least on my hallway carpeting.
I’m thinking about a set of AP1’s can anyone tell me about the stock Nippon 105T shafts? How do they compare to last years True Temper D.G. high launch.
What is the workability and distance of the AP2’s like? i currently play 695mb’s looking to upgrade to something new and different.
thanks
How do the AP2s compare with the MP 58s?
Thanks, and great read
just bought these clubs at 15 yrs of age….i have the mb irons pw-7, and the cb’s 6-3, as they are cavity, therefore easier to control.
first off, they look very good. classy, but not boring. these are players clubs, so do not consider purchasing if you are a beginner, as they will not help. however, for golfers who are experienced, meaning having a solid swing, should give a thought to it. there is a hefty price tag, but you get what you pay for. Awesome rifle shaft, never dig, and great stock grips. (golf pride tour velvet) if you have a solid swing, these clubs will greatly improve your game.
i’ve been playing with nicklaus n1 pro’s for 8 years (started off with borrowed dunlops from my old man), and now decided to upgrade…finally… i bit the bullet and grabbed 4-9 titleist 710 cb’s, and what can i say other than these are absolutely freaking amazing! i play off a 22 at the moment, but shot 89 yesterday and expect to score lower and lower and lower in the coming months.
thanks titleist!
Do the 710 Ap-2’s allow you to work the ball right and keep it down? Not necessarily a low fade, but do the clubs allow one to keep the ball down, and how easy are they to work the ball right? I currently play the 710 mb’s because they don’t balloon like the Ap-2 (08), and I can work them right without having to try and control a big slice. I wouldn’t mind not having to compromise on those issues. I live in N. Texas, where there is an average windspeed of around 17mph, so foregiving and straight (and usually high launching), actually makes it harder to hit the greens.