To get you up to speed for my question, a little preamble.
I have not played a 4 iron since 2011 before I got my first set of AP2-712s that November. At that time, never hit a 4i well and felt I would be better off with hybrids in place of longer irons. Actually I struggled a bit with my AP2 5i and switched that out to an AP1 5i. I was about a 12 hdcp then. Over the years my swing has gotten much better, more efficient and certainly a lot more consistent. I now play at a 7-8 handicap. I play a combo set of AP2-716s and AP3-718s, which I hit all very well through the 5i. For awhile, I was playing 3W, 5W, 21* 818H1, then my 5 iron. But due to issues with gapping between my AP2s and AP3s, of which I won't go in to detail here, I have been playing both an AP2 and an AP3 7 iron, giving me one too many clubs. Once we got back in posting season, I had to make a change. I opted to put a new 19* 818H1 into the bag and take out both my 915F 5W and 21* 816 hybrid, thinking I could manage the gap with the new 19H. Nope!
I am hitting the 818H1 19* as long as I was my 5W....or longer. When I try to choke down to take something off (which I kind of thought would be the easy fix), it doesn't necessarily compute in my head and my swings are often less than ideal when I shorten up. Too much to think about, too uneasy over the shot. On full shots with it, I feel like I'm on Tour! Awesome club. Love it. In any case, the gap between my AP3 5 iron and the 19* hybrid is way too big. So I will have to add something in between and deal with dropping one of the two 7 irons by bending my 8i stronger, I guess.
I hit my AP3 5 iron very well now. So, I am confident, with my much better swing than 8 years ago, I can hit a 4 iron nearly as well. I'd rather not carry two hybrids (though a 21 degree 816 or 818H2, with the smaller head does appeal to me a little). After not playing a 4i for many years, I think I would like to ease back into it. At first I thought, something more forgiving would work, like an AP1-718 with a lighter, graphite shaft. But, I hit my AP3 5i well with the AMT Black shafts, so maybe just add the 4i in that set up for consistency.
Most places where I can be fit in my area only have 7 irons to work with. That's no help. Consequently, I'm not sure which path to take. I went to Golf Galaxy yesterday to see if I could hit them both, even without a graphite shaft in the AP1, but they had very little there to demo. They did, however, have a T-MB 718 4i. I put that in my hands and set it in position and felt like, WOW, this looks nice. I wonder how easy it is to hit? Now I have added this 3rd option to my potential 4 iron acquisition..........and am getting a bit confused.
Will a Titleist Thursdays fitter have 4 irons in each iteration to try? Though I'd love to take a trip to Manchester Lane, that ain't happening anytime soon. So what option do I have to try them each, with different shafts and flexes, preferable off turf, not mats?
Any experience you guys have with any of the aforementioned 4 irons (or even 3 irons) and their shafts, relative to your hc might be helpful info for me, so please, your opinions are welcomed.