Titleist Introduces New 718 Irons

[RickPro]

I would consider MB when i tear up my mizuno blades. probably next year I will test it out when I'm in the market again.

[RFKFREAK]

11 hours ago, billchao said:

I thought you were going to buy AP1s last year?

You can probably get a pretty good price for 714s now that the 718s are coming.

So, I actually didn't get them last year because I had to allocate resources elsewhere so I'm still in the market for clubs.

I'm shying away from the AP1's and AP3's, though, because I really don't believe I need help with distance which is what I've read they help with.  Plus, I think I'd like forged clubs. 

Edited August 30, 2017 by RFKFREAK

[StefanUrkel]

Years pass, 1000 dollar clubs come out, new marketing schemes are introduced. My TItleist ZM irons from 2007 still have the same yardages as any new non-Super duper game improvement clubs that come out. Stefan Urkel keeps money and is happy

[kpaulhus]

2 hours ago, StefanUrkel said:

Years pass, 1000 dollar clubs come out, new marketing schemes are introduced. My TItleist ZM irons from 2007 still have the same yardages as any new non-Super duper game improvement clubs that come out. Stefan Urkel keeps money and is happy

They'll wear out at some point. Thats the only reason why I change irons. I play 150x a year so for me its 4-5 years and I get a new set. At $200-250 a year spend thats not bad IMO. 

[Divotmaker77]

Tried out all the new 718's.  Took a few of my irons (AP1 716) and also compared with some of the other 716 models (AP2, etc).  Just being honest, I did not see any difference between the 716 and 718.  AP2 716 and 718 went the exact same difference, felt the same, etc.  The only difference was the AP3 which looked a bit different on the ground (an in-between the AP1 and AP2 look), but I did not see a real difference in its performance.   I hit all types of shots.  I spent alot of time hitting off center strikes to see what kind of forgiveness each model (716/718) gave.  Zero difference.

That all said, the one thing I can say I did see a difference in were the shafts.  I currently use the True Temper XP105.  The   demos I was using had the XP90 shafts.  So, I will admit that I did see a difference in that, but purely the new iron head of the 718's, I did not see any difference.  JMO, pure marketing gimmick.

[RFKFREAK]

So, got fitted and bought myself the AP2's today.  Felt like butter when I hit them!

4 degrees upright, 1/2" longer, 5-PW and got myself the 818 H1 hybrid at 26 degrees (IIRC).

Supposed to come in the day after Columbus Day and up here in the northeast the beautiful golf days will likely be few and far between for the rest of the year but super excited! 

Edited September 28, 2017 by RFKFREAK

[Joeyvee]

On 8/24/2017 at 8:46 PM, allenc said:

Looking pretty nice.  Unfortunately, unlike the new Taylormades from the other thread against which the compete, the AP3s don't seem to be filled with any foam, goop, or soup.  These days I'm thinking you need some foam to be competitive.

Especially when the faces on your TM Irons cave in. It has happened to me. My 5,6, and 7 iron are in a box now waiting to go back to TM for the Second time. They're crap. I'm actually a little concerned with Titleist using hollow body irons that the same thing could happen to them. I had AP1's and I loved them. I should have kept them. I'm going to fight with TM to get a refund so that I can go back to Titleist. Or Mizuno, but anyone but TM. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Joeyvee

[allenc]

On 9/28/2017 at 12:06 PM, RFKFREAK said:

So, got fitted and bought myself the AP2's today.  Felt like butter when I hit them!

4 degrees upright, 1/2" longer, 5-PW and got myself the 818 H1 hybrid at 26 degrees (IIRC).

Supposed to come in the day after Columbus Day and up here in the northeast the beautiful golf days will likely be few and far between for the rest of the year but super excited! 

I'm curious as to why you chose the Ap2 rather than the more forgiving Ap3.  I went to a Titleist Thursday and did a fitting for the 3s and they seemed great.  They looked almost the same as the 2s from address and felt great to me.  I did tell the fitter I was interested in the 3s so at that point he didn't seem interested in exploring any other options.  Was it the same with you and the 2s?  It was just for fun though, I didn't buy anything.

That being said, you're getting beautiful clubs and I'm sure you'll love them.  I don't mean to instigate any buyer's remorse and you absolutely shouldn't feel any.  Just curious.

[RFKFREAK]

1 minute ago, allenc said:

I'm curious as to why you chose the Ap2 rather than the more forgiving Ap3.  I went to a Titleist Thursday and did a fitting for the 3s and they seemed great.  They looked almost the same as the 2s from address and felt great to me.  I did tell the fitter I was interested in the 3s so at that point he didn't seem interested in exploring any other options.  Was it the same with you and the 2s?  It was just for fun though, I didn't buy anything.

That being said, you're getting beautiful clubs and I'm sure you'll love them.  I don't mean to instigate any buyer's remorse and you absolutely shouldn't feel any.  Just curious.

Well, I was more partial to the AP2's so I told the fitter I wanted to try those out because I had read that they were more forgiving than the 714 AP1's and I figured that I'd hit them and go from there.

And it might just have been that day but I hit them really crisp.  The fitter said I really didn't need help with distance as I was carrying the 7I about 155-160 which have 34° of loft as opposed to the stronger loft of AP3 (31°) and AP1 (30°).  Combine that with the help I've received from my Evolvr instructor which has led to more consistent contact and because I felt I didn't need the distance help, these irons will be best suited for me and as I (hopefully) continue to improve.  My current set is about ten years old and I plan on using these irons for quite a while so my thought process is, "invest in the game I hope to have in the future and not just in the irons that will most help me now."

[allenc]

18 minutes ago, RFKFREAK said:

Well, I was more partial to the AP2's so I told the fitter I wanted to try those out because I had read that they were more forgiving than the 714 AP1's and I figured that I'd hit them and go from there.

And it might just have been that day but I hit them really crisp.  The fitter said I really didn't need help with distance as I was carrying the 7I about 155-160 which have 34° of loft as opposed to the stronger loft of AP3 (31°) and AP1 (30°).  Combine that with the help I've received from my Evolvr instructor which has led to more consistent contact and because I felt I didn't need the distance help, these irons will be best suited for me and as I (hopefully) continue to improve.  My current set is about ten years old and I plan on using these irons for quite a while so my thought process is, "invest in the game I hope to have in the future and not just in the irons that will most help me now."

With the Ap3 7i I was something like

swing speed:  79

ball speed:      112

rpm:                 4800

carry:                158

land angle:        >45

on my better shots.

Do you remember any info like that on your Ap2 fitting?  Perhaps you had a faster swing speed and more spin?

Edited October 2, 2017 by allenc
7i

[RFKFREAK]

4 minutes ago, allenc said:

With the Ap3  7i I was something like

swing speed:  79

ball speed:      112

rpm:                 4800

carry:                158

land angle:        >45

on my better shots.

Do you remember any info like that on your Ap2 fitting?  Perhaps you had a faster swing speed and more spin?

We didn't discuss my swing speed or my ball speed.  IIRC, he said my spin numbers were approximately 7,000 RPMs and the roll out was only a few yards (I want to say like 5).

Sorry I can't be of more help.   I probably should have jotted that info down.

[RFKFREAK]

I just got my irons!!!!

So excited! 

 

Edited October 6, 2017 by RFKFREAK

[Vinny Cap]

Sweet sticks RFK!  Hope you get out to use them this weekend.

Let us know how the do.

The 718 MB are very nice looking as well.  Wouldn't mind trying some of those but all the Golftowns/smiths up here are closed as of last summer.... bummer!

[RFKFREAK]

10 minutes ago, Vinny Cap said:

Sweet sticks RFK!  Hope you get out to use them this weekend.

Let us know how the do.

The 718 MB are very nice looking as well.  Wouldn't mind trying some of those but all the Golftowns/smiths up here are closed as of last summer.... bummer!

Playing a round tomorrow!  Super excited for sure! :)

[Pullhook]

Switched from 716 Ap1 to 718 Ap3 today. Felt very much smoother and looked much better at the adress! Got much better shaft too because my seing has changed a lot in 2 years.

 

Took Kbs S+ staff. It was way more stabile than my previous amt regular!

 

avg swing speed with 7i were ~90mph

carry ~184yds

 

Very pleased with the feeling of new ap3!

[RFKFREAK]

4 hours ago, Pullhook said:

Switched from 716 Ap1 to 718 Ap3 today. Felt very much smoother and looked much better at the adress! Got much better shaft too because my seing has changed a lot in 2 years.

 

Took Kbs S+ staff. It was way more stabile than my previous amt regular!

 

avg swing speed with 7i were ~90mph

carry ~184yds

 

Very pleased with the feeling of new ap3!

Nice!  Have you broken them in yet?

[Pullhook]

14 hours ago, RFKFREAK said:

Nice!  Have you broken them in yet?

They are in my local store in three weeks so have to wait! Then I will go straight at them!

[wannabe]

saw these in person for the first time today.  The AP3's looked much better than in pics - wow, is that a unique looking and beautiful club.

The AP2's and 1's were also quite nice, but I was most surprised by the 3's; one of these days, I'll be more than just a browser.