Titleist 718 AP3 Irons Review

Titleist 718 AP3 Irons Review - We take a closer look at the 718 AP3 iron, a new addition to the Titleist family said to offer distance and forgiveness in a slimline package

Titleist 718 AP3 Irons Review

A brand new model in the expansive 718 iron family, the AP3 is billed as the player’s distance iron, said to offer the distance and forgiveness with feel and looks similar to AP2.

This classic and elegant “muscleback” rounded mid-mallet features wrap-around face-sole technology and completely solid stainless steel flange. 718 AP3 was also inspired by the development of Titleist Concept C16 irons, which taught R&D how to engineer breakthrough distance and forgiveness into a player preferred, smaller footprint.

A hollow-blade construction combined with a thin, unsupported L-Face insert launches the ball long and high with shot-stopping spin – even on longer shots.

Gear Test: Titleist 718 AP1 v AP2 v AP3

The high-MOI design – with an average of 84.9 grams of tungsten per head, placed low and in the toe of the long and mid irons – produces higher ball speeds across the face, providing the off-centre distance performance of a game improvement iron.

“AP3 truly represents the best of both worlds,” Josh Talge, Vice President of Marketing, Titleist Golf Clubs, told GM. “We’re giving you the distance and forgiveness of a game improvement iron packed into the look and feel of a player’s iron.”

New, preferred player’s shape appeals to golfers needing distance and forgiveness while maintaining control and solid feel.

Compared to the 716 AP2 7-iron, the 718 AP3 7-iron is said to provide 3.1mph more ball speed, a slightly lower launch and nine more yards of carry distance.

The irons are proving popular on Tour in the long iron section of the bag, with Joost Luiten making a hole-in-one at the USPGA Championship using a 718 AP3 iron.

The new AMT (Ascending Mass Technology) Black shaft provides lighter long iron shafts for launch and speed and heavier short iron shafts for control in specific weight ranges matched to the AP3 target player.

The Titleist 718 AP3 irons are available from September 29th in 3-P, 48º with an RRP of £150 per club in steel, £175 per club in graphite.