Titleist not only makes the number 1 ball in golf, but they also make some of the best equipment in the sport. This year alone, Titleist staffers have won three Major Championships (The Masters, US Open, The Open) playing a full bag of Titleist equipment. For 2016, the company introduces their new 716 series of irons as well as the 816 series of hybrids.
The new 716 AP1 is the longest, most forgiving Titleist iron ever – it’s a serious distance upgrade. The 716 AP1 irons have an extreme 360º undercut cavity design with a large, thin, unsupported face that delivers speed and launch for more distance. The face is allowed to flex more at impact, creating more ball speed across the club face particularly on mishits.
This is combined with an industry-leading use of high-density tungsten weighting which provides maximum forgiveness. Compared to the 714 AP1’s, the 716 AP1’s have an additional 50% more tungsten which have allowed engineers to keep the size of the irons the same, yet make them more forgiving than their predecessors.
However, the distance does come from some very strong stock loft options. The 716 AP1 PW has 43 degrees of loft, so golfers looking to purchase this set will likely want to include the AP1 “W” wedge (47 degrees) or another wedge to bridge the gaps within their set.
The AP2’s are probably the most popular set of irons from Titleist. The 714 AP2’s were used by Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson to capture three of the four Major Championships in 2015. The new 716 AP2 is Titleist’s most advanced players’ iron, made even better, providing tour-proven distance with forgiveness and solid forged feel.
The new AP2 irons use extreme high density tungsten weighting to position the center of gravity low and perfectly aligned at impact for more speed. An innovative co-forged construction places the high density tungsten low and to the perimeter, increasing MOI for greater forgiveness and consistent distance. Compared to the 714 AP2 irons, 25% more tungsten has been added to the design to improve performance on off-center hits.
The co-forging process refers to the way the tungsten is distributed among the clubhead. Each of the iron heads (3-7) is fitted with a specialized pair of tungsten weights, which are forged into corners of their soles to maximize moment of inertia (MOI).
Overall, the new 716 AP2’s are compact, players’ irons designed for players that want to be able to control of their irons without sacrificing any forgiveness. If it’s good enough for Jordan Spieth, you can definitely put this in the bag too!
New for 2016 is the Titleist 716 T-MB utility irons, precisely engineered using an extreme amount of high density tungsten to deliver an unprecedented combination of high launch, long carry distance and forgiveness in a sleek, muscle back frame.
The 716 T-MB irons feature a hollow-bodied, multi-material chassis. It offers golfers the look of the 716 MB irons with the performance of a game-improvement iron and blade length of the AP2. Because of it’s construction, the T-MB irons will be some of the most expensive on the market. Individual irons (2-5) will be available at retail but full eight-piece sets will be exclusive to Titleist’s Made-Only-To-Order (MOTO) program.
The individual T-MB long irons are meant to replace the company’s 712U irons, a type of utility/driving iron for golfers. So if you’re looking for a set of blade or blade-like irons without sacrificing forgiveness, you should definitely test out the 716 T-MB irons.
The new 816 hybrids from Titleist are aimed at helping golfers fill the gaps between their fairway woods and irons more easily. A 816H1 and 816H2 model is offered for 2016, with the H1 being similar to Titleist’s 915H hybrid with a more rounded profile. The H2 has a pear-shaped head that includes some offset with a slightly larger clubhead compared to the 915Hd that it replaces.
The center of gravity (CG) of both the 816H1 and 816H2 hybrids are fractionally deeper than their predecessors, creating up to a 1-degree higher launch with similar ball speeds and spin rates. Both hybrids will be offered in lofts of 19, 21, 23 and 25 degrees, with the H1 also being released in a 27-degree loft with adjustments being possible through Titleist’s new 1-degree SureFit Tour hosel.
One of the most noticeable changes to the 816 hybrids is the switch from a glossy black crown to a glossy grey crown, which contrasts with the black PVD faces and soles of the hybrids to improve alignment. If you struggle to hit your longer irons high, then getting a hybrid might be the right option for you – make sure to test these when you get the chance.
The 716 CB irons are irons that target a fairly niche market, players that feel the AP2’s are too bulky at address, but who still want more forgiveness than what a traditional blade, like the 716 MB irons. The 716 CB features a thinner top line, shorter blade lengths, less offset and narrower soles.
Like the AP1 and AP2 irons though, Titleist has added tungsten to the design through its co-forging process. Each 716 CB long and mid iron receives its own specially designed set of tungsten weights, which are forged into the corners of the sole to boost moment of inertia (MOI). With the new design, the MOI of the 716 CB matches that of the 714 AP2 irons!
The 716 MB irons are some of the best looking irons we’ve seen this year – and of course they would be as they were created with CAD designs.
The 716 MB irons are meant for golf’s most accomplished players, like Adam Scott. The thin soles give better players the versatility they need to shape shots and control trajectory consistently. These irons are not going to wow golfers with exceptional distance, but what they will do is provide the player with the consistency that they need in tournament golf and a piece of mind of knowing exactly what to expect from the golf club.
Golfers looking at the 716 MB irons are more concerned with looks, feel, versatility and control than they are with distance and forgiveness. These are your traditional, precision, better player irons that we are strive to be able to hit.
Source: Titleist
