Titleist 718 AP1 Vs. Ping G400 Irons Comparison Overview

 

We tested these two iron sets for ourselves and the first thing we should mention in this comparison overview is that they are very similar. They offer the same kind of combination of distance and short-game control that you really want from game-improvement irons.

And while they performed similarly in key ways, their differences are very noticeable. If you are interested in either of these iron sets, be sure to read the following comparison overview.

Titleist 718 AP1 Irons Overview

The AP1 irons are some of the most forgiving that Titleist makes.

The cavity back design increases MOI so you can get adequate ball speeds even on mis-hits. Each iron in the AP1 set also has unique tungsten weighting that is meant to optimize launch and center of gravity throughout the set.

The longer irons also have a hollow body design which makes these notoriously difficult clubs more forgiving. The shorter irons have an undercut cavity that helps improve launch. Indeed, the mid and short irons in this set enabled our testers to land soft on more greens.

Our testers also remarked that the AP1 irons performed well from the rough and were long enough even for slower swing speeds.

Ping G400 Irons Overview

The Ping G400’s also offer a good combination of short game control and distance.

The Ping G400’s also have a top rail undercut that allows he shorter irons to launch higher. While descent angles were a bit sharper with the Ping G400 irons, they still worked well on short approaches and from the rough/bunkers.

The Ping G400’s sport a cavity back design and our testers were getting good distance from the long irons. However, the biggest performance difference between the Ping G400’s and the AP1 irons is forgiveness.

The Ping G400’s sport a smaller head profile so our higher handicap testers were having a bit of trouble puring the ball with them. While our better testers translated this design aspect to an increase in workability, the AP1 irons seem to be better for high handicappers. However, the co-molded cavity badge of the Ping G400 irons gave them a better sound overall.

It basically comes down to forgiveness. If you want to emphasize forgiveness with your new irons, the Titleist 718 AP1 irons would be the better call. But if sound and workability are more important to you, check out the Ping G400’s.

Titleist 718 AP1 Irons

Category: Game/Improvement

Ping G400 Irons

Category – Game Improvement Irons

Titleist 718 AP1 First Impressions

We were expecting a lot from these irons before we ever hit the course with them simply because they were Titleist irons and we know Titleist to make awesome clubs no matter the category.

We can honestly say that we were impressed with these irons at the end of the day. What struck us the most was the fact that our high handicap testers were able to land more greens.

The Titleist 718 AP1 irons do an amazing job of launching high and landing soft. They produce an ideal descent angle no matter what your skill level is. In short, the Titleist 718 AP1 will help you perform above your handicap.

Our high handicap testers noted better short game control as opposed to the irons they typically use. We honestly weren’t expecting such accuracy around the pin from these game-improvement irons but of course, we were happy to have it.

Ping G400 First Impressions

We were a bit wary of the Ping G400’s at first because they didn’t have the size of traditional game-improvement irons.

While you are looking at a shorter distance from heel to toe with the Ping G400 irons, the COR-Eye technology ensures that if you make contact with the sweet spot, your ball is gonna go far. Almost immediately, our testers were nailing shots in the 160 yard range with the 5 iron in this set.

We also really liked the way these irons sounded – particularly the long irons. The cavity badge really works to enhance sound when you hit the sweet spots of these irons. It didn’t take us very long to get the hang of these irons and start sending missiles down the fairway.

Titleist 718 AP1 Selling Points

  • Hollow body design in the long irons
  • Undercut design in the short irons
  • Pre-worn leading edge
  • Custom tungsten weighting in each iron
  • Fairly thin top line for irons in this category

Ping G400 – Selling Points

  • Hydropearl finish
  • Co-molded, 3-piece cavity badge
  • Good stock shaft choices
  • Very easy to achieve adequate launch
  • They produce easy distance

Who are the Titleist 718 AP1 Irons for?

We don’t want to say that these irons are best for high handicappers and beginners because that would be less accurate than saying they are best for high handicappers who are serious about their game.

If you are casual about the game, play a few times a year or aren’t particularly concerned about breaking 100, don’t get these clubs. There are plenty of cheaper irons that would suit you better.

If however you are committed to getting better, the Titleist 718 AP1 irons will work great for you. They provide great distance and surprising short-game control.

The AP1 Family

If you are looking for even more forgiveness then the Titleist 716 AP1 irons would be a good choice. They too feature an undercut cavity but have more perimeter weighting than the Titleist 718 AP1 irons.

This will help preserve ball speed when you hit near the perimeter of the face as opposed to the sweet spot. The 716 AP1 irons also have a more noticeable cavity in the back at point of address.

You can actually see the sole jut out a bit more with the 716 irons which may be a welcome sight to beginners and high handicappers. However, in terms of distance the 716’s come up short of the Titleist 718 AP1 irons.

The lack of a hollow body design in the long irons make the 716’s consistently shorter than the Titleist 718 AP1’s.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 97/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Feel & Control: 94/100

Overall Score: 96/100

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Who Are The Ping G400 Irons for?

The Ping G400 irons are certainly for players still in the high handicap range. However, after our testing we felt that the kind of player who would get the best use out of these irons is the player who is primed to make the leap into the mid handicap range as they offer better short game performance than you might expect from a game-improvement set of irons.

These are great irons for anyone who is just learning how to work the ball from side-to-side. They allow for such workability but flatten the learning curve at the same time with their mid-size heads.

The G Family of Irons

The G series of irons from Ping also includes the G425 which features variable face thickness architecture which makes it forgiving enough for mid handicappers. The G425 has more of a players performance iron profile though.

Like the G400 irons, the G425 irons have a 14-4 grade stainless steel face design. This material also helps to launch the ball high in the air and produces adequate distance for high to mid handicap players.

Then there are the Ping G710 which are exceptionally forgiving with a longer blade length than the G400’s. The G710’s also feature variable face thickness and a nice maraging steel face. The maraging steel is an incredibly thin yet strong type of steel that allows the faces of these irons to flex and rebound.

The Ping G710 irons would also be a great fit for anyone with slow to moderate swings speeds. Plus, the black finish looks really cool.

Distance: 97/100

Accuracy: 96/100

Forgiveness: 95/100

Feel and Control: 96/100

Overall Score: 96/100

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