Titleist AP1

Titleist is synonymous with the finest in golf. Tiger Woods was using Titleist before Nike. Current US Open Champion and golf prodigy Rory McIlroy is using all Titleist equipment. His equipment used in the historic win: Titleist 910 D2 Driver (8.5 degrees), 906F2 Fairwoods (13 & 18 degrees), MB irons 3-9, Vokey Spin-Milled Wedges, a Scotty Cameron Prototype putter and Pro V1x ball. Mostly, Titleist makes clubs that are meant for Pros, low handicappers and better players. At least that was the impression. They are for purists!

Then Titleist came out with the AP1 & AP2 irons with AP meaning Advance Performance. It used to be that irons came in 3 distinct categories of Super Game Improvement (SGI) for beginners and high handicappers, Game Improvement (GI) for average or mid handicappers and then Player's type for pros and single digit handicappers. Increasingly today, the line is a little blurred as even touring pros are using what we call Tour or Tour-Preferred irons. Then the driver, fairway woods, hybrids and even putters are now in such different categories.

Titleist AP1

What They Say: The AP 1 is a high-tech multi-material club constructed with steel body, tungsten nickel sole, elastomer bar and aluminum cavity plate menat primarily to deliver "Performance" and "Feel". The dual cavity design was created for forgiveness by pushing weight to its perimeter. It has a centre cross member which features an elastomer cushion to create structural rigidity behind the impact area that also helps dampen vibration for better feel. The lower cavity is then enclosed by a tungsten nickel box. High density material shift the centre of gravity (CG) low and deep for performance and low frequency vibration for outstanding and solid feel. It offers a contemporary, confidence-inspiring apperance in the set up position with a traditional profile shape, soft blends, modern proportions and semi-under slung hosel. The attractive metallic black cavity plate with multiple elevation graphics, textures and colour contributes to hte AP1's great looks and bag appeal. Titleist's R & D's advance research led to extensive sound and vibration analysism to reduce harsh feel.

Who Should Get It?



Serious and avid golfers want performance and great feel. There are the Ping G15 and I15, Callaway X-22 and Tour, Taylormade R9, etc. so why Titleist AP1? Firstly Titleist clubs are often in the top of the charts of prestigious golf magazines. The one I am going to feature is the model up to 2010. The AP1 is the only cast iron model in their line up. For a start, this is a big departure for Titleist. It is like Porsche only making a certain type of car then now they have the Cayenne SUV and the four door Panamera. It has more perimeter weighting to the club head made from cast 431 steel. 


They created a state-of-the-art cast iron for solid performance, control and excellent feel which only forged iron could provide.If you have been playing for some years, you think that re you striking the ball better, have a decent swing, is rather more skilful now and is an aspiring golfer, you may be looking at something with a bit more playability, you are tempted to ask yourself: "Should I go for irons that are a lot more challenging?" My answer for you is simple. If you are playing 2-3 times a week you will stand a better chance but when you could only do so once a month, then please go for easier clubs. It is like your computer software, version 3 can read version 2 but version 2 can't read version 3. So a better golfer can handle any clubs but a new or high handicapper will struggle using difficult clubs. A butcher can chop your meat but does not mean he could slice your sushi delicately. Question is are you a butcher or sushi chef?

So the AP1 is what I would call a "Tweener" club i.e. an "in-betweener". You are a better player say mid-handicapper aspiring to be better but not yet there. This is for you! To the purists, anything that looks bigger than a blade, is bulkier, has more colour graphics are a no go. They like them sleek like sports cars rather than a MPVs. But then sometimes in life, people actually look better in real person than their photopgraphs - like me. On this pix, you will find that the AP1's club head on the left is smaller (left to right & top to bottom), has less offset and a much thinner sole.

I saw two other brands and models that has thinner top lines and soles and they are the Mizuno JPX 800 Pro (forged) and the Adams Black CB2 (forged). These are also possible future acquisition for anyone looking at this category. When someone use the words confidence-inspiring it can be as different as night and day as it could mean big or small depending on their level of skill. I personally do not like shining clubs and would rather they be matte for obvious reasons like the sun's reflection and that they will be easily scratched and soon lose its lustre. 

The saving grace is the minimum offset and the normal size club head which will soothe my eyes and does not look like machete. If you could handle graphite with a stiff shaft then you should also be able to handle a steel shaft with regular flex. Clubs that are easier to play usually comes with lighter shafts so that slower swingers swinging at the same speed actually experience a faster swing speed but this one comes in a 75g Aldila shaft. This is easily 10-15 g more than the usual.

NS Pro steel "Stiff" flex would be too much for even me so the max I could go would be steel with "Regular" flex. When you are considering shaft options and has any doubts, just go for the one with lesser flex. Quite simply, you could still play with less flex but you will struggle and suffer more with a stiffer flex. This is fitted with a Aldila VS Proto-T 75g shaft with a low flex point and medium torque. It will work well for players who has at least average swing speed and smooth tempo and who likes a medium-high trajectory and a solid feel. For the "R" flex it is actually 73g which is heavier than most irons with shafts of up to 65g only. Torque is at 3.5 degrees.

The VS Proto is a new Series featuring their exclusive Micro-Laminate Technology. Carbon nano-tubes combined with Aldila proprietary A65 Performance Resin System plus using Ultra High Modules Graphite Fibers all synthesized into Micro-Laminate Technology. Here you can see the elastomer cushion bar in the club head (below).

Sometimes you tend to be more careful and do better on a tight fairway than when playing onto a large fairway where you may get careless. Maybe a smaller club head helps you to get a better focus. Specification as follows: 4-iron (offset: 0.220", Bounce: 1 degree, Loft: 23 degrees, Length: 38.5", Lie:61 degrees, Swing Weight: D1). 5-iron (O/S:0.195", B:2 degrees, Lo:26 degrees, Le:38", Li:62 degrees, SW:D1), 6-iron (0.170", 2 degrees, 29 degrees, 37.50", 62.5 degrees, SW:D1), 7-iron (0.145", 3 degrees, 33 degrees, 37", 63 degrees, D1), 8-iron (0.125", 4 degrees, 37 degrees, 36.50", 63.5 degrees), 9-iron (0.110", 5 degrees, 41 degrees, 36", 64 degrees, D1), PW (0.105", 6 degrees, 45 degrees, 35.75", 64 degrees, D1), W (gap wedge)(0.100", 7 degrees, 50 degrees, 35.50", 64 degrees, D1).

These clubs are not for everyone and if you are a newbie, look elsewhere. They are built for mid to low handicappers. These are for more control and playability and it helps you to shape shots if you know how. They should reward your good shots immensely but won't make you pay for bad ones. Purists may not take to these as they look a little busy with the design graphics as purists prefers them plain. If you have a decent swing and quite good at ball striking, is a mid handicapper and aspiring to be better, hit them!

The test of the pudding is in the tasting. When they say these clubs are for aspiring golfers what do they mean? I mean all golfers are aspiring. We show flashes of our true potential some of the times that is why Ely Callaway said that golf is about those occasional good shots for weekday and weekend hackers. The club head is made from 431 stainless steel and smaller than the super game improvement and game improvement clubs. It has forgiveness but the main thing here is "feel". Connected shots are solid and has a soft feel much like playing with forged clubs. Purists and Titleist forged club players may find them a bit chunky.

The AP1 definitely have a thicker top line than most Titleist irons but they are also definitely thinner or at most the same as other brands. The face and top line are matted but the surrounding areas are too shiny for my liking as they can reflect sunlight into your eyes and the shiny sole seems to get scratch lines quite easily. AP1 sets up nicely behind the ball and due to its lesser offset is less jarring to look at. It actually look clean and classy. The silver, black and red trims probably made them attractive. At address, you can't see the perimeter weighting and offset which is a very good thing. They look even better in person than in pictures. There is no magic club in this world that once you set it up will play by itself so you will still need a decent swing. They can punish you if your swing is indecent.

The feel is awesome on well stuck shots but does not kill you on bad ones. However, in my very first application, I have experienced a pronounced "draw" on some of the shots, so an adjustment period may be needed. I find that the heavier shafts help to regulate swing speed and timing. When hit on the screws, these things can be deadly accurate sticks. However, I am not so used to the pitching wedge and gap wedge when playing around the green and would prefer my old 50, 56 & 60 degrees wedges.

If you possess intermediate or advance skills but have no time for practice or play as often as you would like but still want a great club with playability, more forgiveness than a player's type, I would recommend that you hit these clubs.

The grip here is a Titleist Tour Velvet grip. The Tour Velvet grip is a popular one used on Tours. It is made to be firmer than most to enable shot-making if you demand it.

I haven't been acing my game for sometime. The last time I did so admirably was way back in February. While playing the AP1 for the first time and still learning its characteristics, temperament and still adjusting, I did played the second best game this year thus far giving me some hope going forward. Be sure to check this one out if you are looking for a good iron set. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUrdbBrMFn4

I think the look of these clubs will grow on you and believe they look good enough that you can walk down the aisle on a catwalk and strut around with it and you won't feel out of place.

Golf as in life, play as it lies.