Titleist Ap2 718 Irons Vs Titleist Ap3 718 Irons Comparison Overview
The misconception that a lot of players have when shopping these two elite Titleist iron sets is that they are both Tour-grade irons.
This is a common mistake as the AP2’s were a favorite on Tour and of course, the similarly named AP3’s have to be Tour-grade too, right?
Not necessarily. While we would not overlook the AP3 718 irons for any reason if we were searching for a premium set of irons, there are some differences that set these irons apart.
In the following comparison article, we will be discussing what those differences are.
Titleist AP2 718 Irons Overview
The Titleist AP2 718’s are an excellent combination of distance, forgiveness and short game performance.
In fact, it would be hard to argue that these aren’t the finest irons that Titleist currently makes. The 718 irons actually have thinner faces than their predecessors (the ones that came out in 2008) and at 2.1mm, these irons play hot.
Helping with the distance is infused tungsten weighting. We don’t mean housed, we don’t mean glued, we don’t even mean attached.
The Tungsten weights are infused with the steel inside the heads of these irons which gives them a superb, uniform feel.
Titleist AP3 718 Irons Overview
While not a Tour-grade iron set, the AP3’s are no slouch. They fall into the category of player’s distance irons and are among the best in their class.
These are hollow-blade type irons that have a sweet look at address – if you are a mid to low handicapper.
The blades are nice and short, the heads are compact and the offset is kept to a minimum.
However, if you are familiar with the AP1 or AP2 718 irons, you will notice that the head shape sits right between the two – smaller than the AP1 but slightly larger than the AP2.
Right off the bat, the head size makes the AP3 irons more congenial for mid handicappers than the AP2’s.
Titleist AP2 718 Irons
Category: Tour Irons
Titleist AP3 718 Irons
Category: Player’s/Distance Irons
Titleist AP2 718 Irons First Impressions
The Titleist AP2 718 irons look great at point of address with a clean muscle back design.
We tested the long irons first so we noticed right off the bat how low and central the CG was. This provided us with easy and instantaneous launch.
We also noticed that the brushed soles smoothed out turf interaction.
However, we forgot that we were playing a tour-grade iron almost immediately. The explosive faces make these feel almost like distance irons.
It’s only when you compare the head size to other irons that you realize just how small the AP2’s are.
The Titleist AP2 718 irons have a nice forged feel thanks to carbon steel, co-molded construction.
Titleist AP3 718 Irons First Impressions
We tested the AP3’s second so the lower handicap players in our party were relieved at the sight of the slightly larger heads.
The AP3’s have something of a hybrid cavity back/muscle back design. The undercut in the rear also serves to pop the ball high in the air in both the long and short irons.
The AP3’s were also noticeably more forgiving than the Titleist AP2 718 irons. That’s probably because of perimeter weighting in the heel and toe via tungsten weights.
The AP3’s also have the “L-shaped” face insert that has been included in many other Titleist irons.
The Titleist AP3 irons are slightly more suited to lower handicap players and lack some of the advanced features of the Titleist AP2 718 irons like the co-forged, infused tungsten weighting and carbon steel construction.
Titleist AP2 718 Selling Points
- 1025 carbon steel body
- Infused tungsten weights
- Low, central CG
- Good launch throughout the set
- Great turf interaction
- Good short game accuracy
Titleist AP3 718 Selling Points
- Better for mid handicappers
- Slightly larger profile
- L-shaped face insert
- Good forgiveness on low face shots
- Brushed leading edge
- Good forgiveness
Who are the Titleist AP2 718 Irons for?
It should be noted that the Titleist AP2 718 irons would be best suited to experienced players in the 0-5 handicap range.
And it’s not only about the smaller heads. The shorter irons are a bit stunted in feel but that is only because of the beefier sole from the 8 iron on.
This shouldn’t be a problem for players who can make consistent contact with the ball but it could throw off less experienced players.
That being said, the Titleist AP2 718 would also be a great option for anyone looking for a forged iron that plays very surprisingly long and fast.
The Titleist AP Irons
As we mentioned earlier, the AP2’s are the smallest in the AP family. The AP1’s will be the most comfortable for mid to low handicap players but lack the short game accuracy of its counterparts.
Titleist AP2 718 Irons Final Assessment
Distance: 95/100
Accuracy: 93/100
Forgiveness: 91/100
Feel & Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 93/100
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Who are the Titleist AP3 718 Irons for?
The AP3’s would be great for any single digit handicapper who is looking for a bit more feel and help with contact.
While the Titleist AP3 718 irons are a great introduction to the AP family. They are more forgiving than the Titleist AP2 718 irons but provide you with better short game control than the AP1’s.
While not on the same performance level as the Titleist AP2 718 irons, the AP3’s do provide comparable distance in a great looking player’s iron shape.
The Titleist AP Irons
The great thing about the Titleist AP3 irons is that they sit perfectly between the AP1 and AP2 in terms of size.
While the AP2 is certainly the only model that can be considered a tour-grade iron set, the AP3 and AP1 will appeal more to players who have just broken into single digits.
Titleist AP3 718 Irons Final Assessment
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 92/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel & Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 92/100
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