You won't have any problem hitting the ap2's..I'm a 14 handicap now..hit my 6 about the same and I'm getting ready to get ap2's as well..or perhaps cb's depending on how I hit them.

I am a 7 but a junior  and I am playing the MB's. You can play them two if you're a good ballstriker. Nothing's impossible and the ap2's will be perfect

...And that's back when a 7I is the loft of today's 9I... (Lou, I'm laughing with you, my speed is with yours) [...but I need your short game...]

Since we often buy clubs because we want them as much or more than we need them, would the current Vokey wedges give you more control for your short game, if you are using 18 year old clubs for your short game? Unless you want/need to change the workability or forgiveness of your irons, your current set still has merit. AP2s should work ok. I'd at least try AP1/AP2 and CBs. If you go through a fitting or at least find a fitting day and travel to it, you can get a better idea which one is (really) you. My fitter thought I might still need a super game improvement, but I worked on that game because the AP1 712 was (really) me. Unless you are replacing an entire set, driver, metal woods/hybrids, and wedges offer the best potential for improvement if all of your clubs are over 5 years old.

I couldn't disagree more.  Yes, one should always be fitted prior to making a sizable investment; however, the Titleist fitter recommendation is just that - a recommendation.  Just because it's recommended, it doesn't mean that it's right nor will provide the player the feedback he/she desires.

I too was recommended the AP1s by a Titleist fitter during a demo day at the local range.  The recommendation, in part, was made based on my handicap.  However, while staying firm about shifting to forged "player" clubs, my ball striking ability spoke loudly.  After applying the strike tape to the iron, it was obvious that I consistently hit the sweet-spot of both the CBs as well as the AP2s.  

Taking my view a step further, I am one of the few amateurs who is willing to use a 3-iron.  Being my first time ever swinging a 3-iron, I took it to the range this past weekend.  My experience with my new AP2 3-iron was rather encouraging as I was not only able to get it in the air, I was able to strike it consistently - no toe/heel hits or skulls.

As one poster stated, it's all about your ball-striking ability.  If one can strike the ball consistently on the sweet-spot, one can use almost any iron.  

Handicap, while valuable in some aspects, merely summarizes one's game, it fails to grade players granularly on: course management, driving/putting, irons, fairway hits, adjacent fairway hits, up/downs, troubles shots, short game, etc.

I have a playing partner who is about a 22 handicap but his weak point is short game and hitting a fairway wood.  He can bang a 3 iron all day. 

Following an impressive (in my eyes) first round of golf for the session with my first ever use of forged "Player" irons, I wrote a brief testimonial.  Check it out, it may help answer the question, can us high/mid handicappers handle "Player" clubs.

Having player irons will improve ball striking,  Gives you better feedback on shots.

I'll give a case in point where I did better with forged irons vs GI irons.  In 2006 I purchased a set of GT3 irons - wide bottom GI irons.  I found out that my good old 1967 X31 irons hit better on tight lies. 

On a side note in relation to improving ball striking.... I occasionally take my persimmons out to the driving range.

This pretty much sums up my entire game. The handed down clubs I learned with were cavity backs. I remember not being able to hit the long irons at all.  These days, they're my favorite clubs to hit.  I can rip a 2, 3, and 4 iron like it's my job.  This is my whole dilemma. The rest of my game is so mediocre that it causes me to shoot high scores (and people tell me not to buy players irons since I have a high handicap).  Is someone with good ball-striking abilities ok to get the AP2/CB/MB irons even if the rest of their game is below average?  I want a new matching set because I've never spent the money on new clubs. I've always bought used or stuck w/ the mixed bag.  I hit Cobra SSi and Titleist MB 690  irons right now and just want something better/newer.

This pretty much sums up my entire game. The handed down clubs I learned with were cavity backs. I remember not being able to hit the long irons at all.  These days, they're my favorite clubs to hit.  I can rip a 2, 3, and 4 iron like it's my job.  This is my whole dilemma. The rest of my game is so mediocre that it causes me to shoot high scores (and people tell me not to buy players irons since I have a high handicap).  Is someone with good ball-striking abilities ok to get the AP2/CB/MB irons even if the rest of their game is below average?  I want a new matching set because I've never spent the money on new clubs. I've always bought used or stuck w/ the mixed bag.  I hit Cobra SSi and Titleist MB 690  irons right now and just want something better/newer.

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If you can hit player cavity backs or blades, go for it.  I played However......

My two cents is before dropping a grand on a new set of irons, improve your short game.   I'm a bit of a frugal person myself and am a little bit adamant about spending $400 for a new driver, $250 for a fairway wood or $1000 for a set of irons.  I'm not one to drop $200+ on a putter, either (It cost me $90 for a used White Hot 7H including a fitting and it has cut 2-3 strokes per round on putting; I also played for 2 years with a $25 putter that was more accurate vs a handful of $150 putters at the Navy Exchange).  One issue with the irons is I don't carry anything  longer than a 7 iron (I've used custom and DIY irons between 2006-mid 2011; this is where I learned a bit about fitting). New hybrids and wedges are reasonably inexpensive. I also got some persimmons new from Louisville Golf (Niblick 10W and HL3 34H) as gifts in 2010 (retail value under $150 each) and pretty much tore up the golf course through mid 2011 with them.  If your game isn't broke in certain areas, don't fix it. 

My best ever woods and hybrids have cost less than $100.  I have had a Burner HT Draw driver since beginning of 2011 and have been enjoying some of my best driving ever - it even blew away a couple R11s at a demo day, thereby justifying a reason not to spend $400 on the latest driver.  I also got a Burner 7 wood at the same time and have been tearing up the course with it until recently (just got a 910F 19* used and it has the right shaft and I hit it very well).    I played with a pair of Sumo SQ2 hybrids from mid 2011 till now (just upgraded to Superfast 27H and put my persimmon 34H back in the bag) and the cost for both was under $80 and I developed a reasonable middle game with them.  

I was in your situation many moons ago.   I could hit a persimmon 3 wood close to 300 yards, a 4 iron 200 (1967 vintage no less) but the reason I shot around 95-100 for 18 holes was my short game (especially putting) was horrible.  I shoot around 85 for 18 holes on a par 72 course (despite a so-so middle game until recently and only OK putting) and near par on the exec courses these days (nearly broke par at one but missed 3 short birdie putts by 1" and was +2) and my swing speed is 82-85 mph.  I've had a good short game since 2006 and am probably better than a lot of single digits at it. 

I picked up the AP2's about three weeks ago and absolutely love them.  I use to play ping irons and do not have any complaints about them.  However the AP2's have much more feel and they look so much better.  They give me so much confidence!  I am playing to a 8.3 and I think if you can strike the ball decent you will not have a problem with these clubs

I went for a fitting and ended up hitting the ap1 more constanly than the ap2. I only hit the ap1 6 rion. My pro is going to have me hit the ap1 and ap2 8 iron, and suggested that maybe I should go with a combo set ap1 3-7 and ap2 8-pitching wedge.