Equipment
Titleist 718 AP2 Black and AP3 Black released in limited quantities
Titleist has unveiled new 718 AP2 Black and 718 AP3 Black irons in limited black finish that will be available to purchase from March 1.
Previously only available in a traditional chrome finish, the new Titleist 718 AP2 Black and Titleist 718 AP3 Black irons are finished with a sleek, high polish black PVD coating. The irons feature True Temper AMT Onyx shafts stock. The shafts’ powder coat matte black finish aims to minimize glare (in addition to looking cool). An all-black Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip is standard as well.
Speaking on the move to release the irons in black, Josh Talge, Vice President, Golf Club Marketing said
“One request we heard from both tour players and amateurs, particularly those who have gravitated toward our Jet Black Vokey SM7 wedges, was if they could have these same irons in a darker finish. Our team spent a lot of time making sure the aesthetics were done just right. It’s a look that you just have to see.”
A quick refresher on the two models, below.
Titleist 718 AP3 Black
The 718 AP3 iron is a players distance iron which features a hollow-blade design with high-speed face technology. According to Titleist, the company merged the technology found in their AP1 and AP2 irons to create the AP3, which the company are calling their longest and fastest players iron ever.
Commenting on the AP3, Talge stated
“AP3 truly represents the best of both worlds. We’re giving you the distance and forgiveness of a game improvement iron packed into the look and feel of a player’s iron.”
The set is made up of 4-iron through 48-degree wedge. The AP3 Black irons, which are available for right-handers only, are available to purchase from March 1 and will cost $187.50 per club or $1,499/set of 8.
Titleist 718 AP2 Black
The 718 AP2 iron features a co-forged cavity back design which aims to provide consistent distance and forgiveness, while also delivering excellent feel to all golfers.
Speaking concerning the AP2 iron, Talge had this to say
“AP2 is the most popular tour iron globally because it combines the look and feel tour players demand with the precise distance control they need to consistently hit their target, shot after shot. For everyone else, it’s the tour iron within reach, because it is so forgiving.”
The set is made up of 4-iron through 50-degree wedge. Also available for right-handers only, the irons are available to purchase from March 1 and will cost $187.50 per club or $1,499/set of 8 as well.
See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the irons in the forums.
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- Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
6-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2011 (4-PW)
Shafts: Project X Denali Blue 105 TX (3), Project X 6.5 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F), Callaway Jaws Raw (60-08C)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (56, 60)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Mini DB
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy PistolLock 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s clubs in the forums.
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What are the driver and shaft combinations of the best golfers in the world? For gearheads, it’s an endlessly interesting question — even if we can only ever aspire to play LS heads and 7 TX shafts.
At this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, GolfWRX got in-hand looks at the driver setups of a wealth of players.
Check out some of the most interesting combos below, then head to the GolfWRX forums for the rest, as well as the rest of our galleries from New Orleans.
Rory McIlroy
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alex Fitzpatrick
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Daniel Berger
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Rasmus Hojgaard
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alejandro Tosti
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
James Nicholas
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (8 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Kevin Streelman
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Sang-moon Bae
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9+ @8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Russ Cochran
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke (9 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6 X
Grip: Golf pride MCC Align 
MJ Daffue
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 65 TX
Grip: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord Align
Check our more photos from the Zurich Classic here.
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- Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Utility: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (3), Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 56-10S, 60-06C)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey Ai One Milled Eight T DB
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Hojgaard in the forums.
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Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)
Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
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Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees...
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Joe Dante
Feb 9, 2019 at 12:38 pm
does project x have a black finish iron shaft?
Andy LaCombe
Jan 18, 2019 at 9:46 pm
Damn – I love black irons and just got a set of AP3 irons in the fall 🙁
Steve Cantwell
Jan 18, 2019 at 12:36 pm
While on vacation I rented a set of clubs that had a dark finish. I really liked the look. Aside from the Cheap PVD coating, is there a reason manufactures don’t offer this option more often? Or do they just see it as an opportunity to jack up prices?
Tiger Noods
Jan 17, 2019 at 7:30 pm
I’m more excited by the AMT in onyx…
Ryan
Jan 17, 2019 at 4:10 pm
I don’t understand. If it is known that the PVD will wear off almost immediately, then why use it? Is it that much cheaper?
BIG T
Jan 17, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Its widely known that PVD is cheep and doesnt hold up. So why do people spend the extra few hundred on it???
dat
Jan 17, 2019 at 1:23 pm
PVD? That finish is toast in a few rounds. For that kind of money, I’d expect a DBM finish like the rest of the industry is using.
JP
Jan 17, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Tight!
Chris
Jan 17, 2019 at 11:25 am
Id buy these in a heartbeat…If I had an extra $1,500 laying around haha
Dosh
Jan 17, 2019 at 9:46 am
Why
C
Jan 17, 2019 at 10:42 am
Why not?
Dosh
Jan 17, 2019 at 9:17 pm
Because PVD is shyyyyte??
Gunter Eisenberg
Jan 17, 2019 at 9:37 am
Those things will sell really well but the PVD coating won’t last long. Look at other past black irons using that same coating and you’ll see what I mean.