Maybe not. A lot contributes to your handicap. If you feel good about your iron play, they might be right for you. If that's the weakest part of your game, AP1 might be better. Go to a Titleist Thursday and try them both out.

My iron play is pretty solid so I may give them a try. Thanks so much for your comments!

AP1-AP3 is a lot easier than AP1-AP2. Even though I was a 22 going into a fitting, the AP3 with AMT-Red really outperformed my 716 AP1 with 65 g graphites. As Dale mentions, there are multiple factors in a handicap. It is no absolute guide to what club will fit your game best. The performance has carried over to the course. I love them.

The AP3, while not the most forgiving iron in world, is fairly forgiving. 16 handicap, and, I play them, though, I only play 6-gw. Definitely, try before you buy.

I don't think they will be. I am a 7 handicap and I just got a new set of the AP3's and I absolutely love them. They give me just an added bit of help on those pesky off center shots and I've actually seen my scores start to gradually get lower the more comfortable I've got with them. In the end it's all what you like and prefer, I'm with Dale go get fit and find the right clubs for you. Goodluck!

You may find that the clubs bring your handicap down. I bought C16's last year and was playing off 14.5 but within 2 weeks I was down to 12.5. Haven't played for about 2 months though, I'm overseas working, but my scores before I left were treaning downwards.

A proper fitting helps a lot, I found the shafts made a lot of difference.

Bob, the best thing you can do is go and get fit. Take the time with someone and find what club is right for YOU! The ap3 might be a great club for you with the right shaft. It’s an expensive investment but worth every penny. No swing is the same so why buy something off the shelf. Good luck and best of luck. Keep us updated!

I'd echo what a lot of others have said here. Get fitted. Knowing nothing but your handicap, it's hard to recommend; but I can say the AP3 is harder to make curve than the AP2. I bring that up because I haven't seen it written in this thread. A lot depends on what kind of shot you like to hit (because confidence with a bread and butter shot has a lot to do with scoring and hitting it close). If you hit a lot of knockdowns, spin management kind of shots, or if you want to hit it higher or lower on command you might like the AP3. If your primary shot is try to hit it straight, and trajectory and/or spin is not something you think about, than maybe the AP1 with superior forgiveness might be the way to go. The quality of your contact has a lot to do with which iron you choose too. If you struggle to make clean contact, and forgiveness helps you shoot the scores you do, then AP1. If you make consistently good contact, and course management issues keep you from getting better, then AP3 sounds right. I bring these issues up because even getting fit doesn't force you to think about these kinds of scoring issues. How you shoot the scores you do and where your opportunities to improve are has a lot to do with which club would be better for you (IMHO). So to summarize, if you want to hit it high and straight and that's it, AP1. If you want to shape shots, manage spin and trajectory; AP3 . If your contact is more troubling than your distance control; AP1.

By way of personal experience, I just ordered my AP3's replacing my AP2's. My son uses AP1's and we're about the same handicap (4). He's young and strong and hits it a mile. He wants to hit it high and straight. I'm older, craftier and hit it close by working it into pins, controlling spin, knocking it down or floating it back. We both hit it squarely most of the time, but how we make our scoring shots determined which iron suits us. I hope this helps and best of luck finding the perfect club!

I am an 11 and have played 712 CB’s since they came out with KBS Tour Reg 110 gm - 1/4”. When I was fit for the CB’s they tested higher launch and better spin for me than AP2’s. The scoring clubs in that set are the best I have ever hit (8,9,& PW) I had trouble with consistency with the 5&6 irons.

The recent fitting is AP3 AMT Red s300 + 1/2” , 2 degreees flat. I am 5’8” , who would have thought I would play a longer than standard shaft. Its interesting that essentially I am playing a 4-9 iron in the 712 CB spec irons (lie/loft and length) just the numbers on the clubs say 5-P. So far I love them. I have been playing them with the 712 CB PW (48 degree) until my new SM7 48 arrived. I got a 48-10, 54-14, and a 58-04 all Stealth Black same shafts as the AP3’s
Go try them all and keep an open mind. Doesn’t matter what anyone else says or the many club reviewers recommend. Trackman and a knowledgible fitter will tell you much more. Fitting is actually more of an art than science than many believe. I have been building and fitting clubs for decades, but I don’t fit myself