Callaway legitimately revolutionized irons when they first introduced the APEX lineup way back in 2014, the blending of forgiveness and all-out performance had never been done like that before. Not only that, but with each subsequent release the accolades have grown as has the amount of tech the company continues to pour into them.
What that has led to is an incredible amount of anticipation each time we edge closer to the unveil of the next iteration. Well, the Callaway Apex 21 lineup is coming, and it’s bringing a new friend with it.

The New Apex Family
Callaway has taken full advantage of the two-year lifecycle of the Apex lineup to not just bring forth two irons worthy of the family name, but they have brought a third to the party as well. Yes, a third.
This go-round the Apex and Apex Pro will be joined by their little-big brother, the DCB (deep cavity blade) which they believe makes their lineup reach more players than any other generation before it. But more on that very soon.
The Apex irons continue to be the crème de la crème of the Callaway iron umbrella, and with that it is no surprise that they continue to feature the best of all their iron technology developed over the years and rolled into each new version. This is after all the iron series that defined forged irons meeting true forgiveness and playability, literally blurring the lines of classification like never before.
This year the goal was to stretch the tech even more to hit an even broader player profile, while also in their minds not just retaining but increasing their hold as the “#1 Irons in Golf”. Performance and consistency of performance is the goal, and by implementing things like Flash Face Cup, Tungsten Energy Core, and Urethane Microspheres in all three irons, they definitely look poised to accomplish that.
Callaway Apex 21 Irons
It’s only right to start with the flagship iron, right? The Apex 21 is being hailed as a “21st Century Forging” by Callaway, and continues to be a shape and size that will fit the eye of a broad range of golfers. The shaping continues to let them put forgiveness into the iron, but without getting too big nor losing the shot-making potential that has endeared the line to so many over each release.

The goal was to further entrench the Apex as offering leading distance, launch, speed, feel, and most importantly consistency in all of those aspects. To do that they have implemented a “Big Three” of tech, if you will.
First, A.I. Flash Face Cup is here, and it is the first time that Callaway has implemented AI into a forged iron. It was a natural progression given the success A.I. has allowed them in the past couple of years, but it took a lot to implement it into these three sets of irons. This means more distance, but also with more forgiveness all while maintaining spin numbers better than previous iterations. It is also worth noting once again, each iron has a unique face design, both loft for loft as well as compared to the other two Apex sets.

Added to that is a “Massive” tungsten core with a unique split application system low in the iron with heel, toe, and center sections. The unique split placement allows for the increased MOI blended with a lower CG. In all, there is 5-times the Tungsten compared to the Apex 19 irons, ranging from 34g to 64g in the 3-9 while only 14 in the PW and AW to tune in the desired flight through the set. Rounding it out, the 1025 Carbon Steel with Urethane Microsphere technology that continues to be revolutionary compared to anything else on the market for performance and feel.

Callaway is claiming higher peak ball speed compared to the Apex 19, but more importantly the “sweet spot” is much larger and more centered as well as lower than previously which matches where most golfers tend to miss much better. The set will play off a 30.5° 7-iron and 43° PW, but Callaway notes that the A.I. design is allowing them to generate and retain more spin loft for loft than previously possible.
The Apex 21 will be available in 3-AW and paired with all new premium shafts in True Temper Elevate ETS 95’s (R, S) for steel and UST Mamiya Recoil Dart 75’s (L, R, S) for graphite. They are rounded out with Golf Pride Z-Grip Soft for the stock grip options.
Callaway Apex Pro 21 Irons
The Apex Pro irons have long thrived on being a unicorn of sorts, making a more players style iron impressively more playable for a wider range of golfers. Since they have been infinitely successful, Callaway did the only natural thing, they totally and completely redesigned them from the ground up. These are not like any Apex Pro before. Truly.
Welcome the Apex lineup to the age of the hollow body design.

The Pro’s are now a forged hollow body design that Callaway calls a player’s performance iron. For golfers from scratch to single digits who want performance mixed with forgiveness, this may be the ticket, fitting between the Apex 21 and the X-Forged CB.

Hollow is popular right now, but Callaway believes they have done it differently. They liked the hollow body design because it affords more stiffness in the rear of the club but allows a lot to be done internally with the application of the aforementioned A.I. Flash Face Cup, 1025 Carbon Steel with Urethane Microspheres, as well as a massiveamount of Tungsten.

The Flash Face cup is unique to this specific set as well as club for club within the set. When blended with the “Tungsten Energy Core” which has placed 53g to 90g in the 3-7 of the set you have an iron design primed for more speed, more forgiveness, and more spin consistency. Callaway also believes that thanks to the huge amount of Urethane Microspheres both low and higher in the club, and their ability to collapse and rebound without sacrificing energy transfer, they have produced a hollow body with feel like a one-piece forging. Now that is something that will perk up some ears.

The Apex Pro 21 will be available in 3-AW and the set plays off of a 33° 7-iron and 45° PW. Additionally, the premium stock shaft offerings are the all-new True Temper Elevate ETS 115 (R, S, X) in steel as well as the Mitsubishi MMT (R – 85, S – 95, TX – 105) in graphite and paired with the Golf Pride Z-Grip.
Callaway Apex DCB Irons
Rounding out the Callaway Apex 21 irons lineup, the new kid on the block, the Apex DCB.

DCB stands for “Deep Cavity Blade” and the name says it all, this is an even more forgiving forged iron that Callaway wanted to create in order to allow golfers who need a wider sole, longer blade length, and a bit more offset a way to still be part of the Apex family.

All of the above traits meet up with the A.I. Flash Face Cup, 1025 Carbon Steel with Urethane Microspheres, and Tungsten Energy Core just like the other two irons in the lineup, simply in a more forgiving and easier launching package. Though they feature a progressively large sole than the rest of the Apex offerings, they look a lot like the Apex 21’s and visually blend well enough to make a golfer happy when looking down at the clubs.

The Apex DCB will be available in 4-AW and playing off of a 30° 7-Iron and a 43° PW with the set being practically the same as the Apex 21 other than the long irons. Premium shaft offerings for the DCB are True Temper Elevate ETS 85 (R, S) as well as UST Mamiya Recoil Dart 65 (L, R, S) and finished with the Golf Pride Z-Grip Soft.
Combo Time!
Some of you were reading along and wondering, so this is for you…
YES, Callaway will be offering a combo sets for the Apex 21 lineup.
The main option will be the same we saw last time around blending the Apex 21 3-7 with Apex Pro 21 8-AW through the use of unique tooling in the Pro’s to make the set flow as seamlessly as possible. However, they are fully anticipating the possibility of other combo’s created by the consumer or during fittings with the “Apex Sweet Spot” having DCB 4-5 and Apex 21 6-AW, the “Apex Triple Play” with DCB 4-5, Apex 21 6-9, and Apex Pro 21 9-AW, as well as the “Apex Player” featuring Apex Pro 21 3-7 and Callaway Apex MB 8-AW.
The Details
The Callaway Apex 21 irons lineup will begin fitting on 1/28/21 and have a retail date of 2/11/21. Pricing will be $185 per club for steel and $200 per club in graphite.
Be sure to keep an eye on THP for a lot more to come on the entire Apex 21 lineup.
My view might be different here in FL?
I have an extra room…
Well it’s come to the end of the year for me up in MT. My first full year with a bag of clubs completely fitted for me.
I went in to this year a bit worried. I was going to have the freaking Apex TCBs in my bag. The same set of irons Jon Rahm uses. For someone who ended last season and towards the beginning of this season over double my low HC from last year, that’s a bit intimidating.
Same as the driver, the irons started off a bit slower for me. But as I started to learn, it had to do with a huge swing flaw that needed correcting. It took about two and a half months to fix (and still pops up very seldomly). But once it was fixed, I never looked back. The feel, the consistency in distance and the looks are literally everything I could want in a set of irons…up to a point.
It wasn’t all rainbows once I got my swing under control. I’m personally just not strong enough with long irons (see 5 and 6) to have these be a viable option. There isn’t enough forgiveness when I need it most. I would regularly pull the 5 and/or 6 on two of the longer par 3s we have and almost always come up short. It got to a point where my 7i was going farther than both my 5 and 6 because I was just that much more consistent with my 7. I eventually made the full time switch back to my Apex pros in the 5 and 6 iron slot. But the 7 through PW….
Magic. Seriously. I’ve never been more enamored with a set of irons before. Literally the only complaint I have is that they still hurt when I thin one
For real, I don’t have any complaints. No they aren’t super forgiving but I feel like that’s a well known thing. They make you work for it and when you do, they do EXACTLY what you want from them.
At the end of this season, I was throwing dart after dart after dart. Being that confident with an iron shot is just something I haven’t had in awhile. It was an uphill battle for me mentally after how I ended my season last year, how I played in December and even how I started it this year. But knowing these will be in the bag for awhile longer has me more ready than ever for next season. At least until whatever DNevs was talking about on the bus last year come out ?
Hell of a deal indeed!!
Interested in your thoughts after a few rounds on this switch, I too play the CF19s with Recoils. I didn’t think there was much change from the 19s to 21s to make a switch, like I did from the 16s to 19s. Plus I wonder what’s coming.
Hope to get a few rounds yet this year. Might take them to my dads today and try out on the sim. I just couldn’t pass them up with the 50% trade in bonus and 30% off.
I was pretty close to pulling the trigger on a similar set. Enjoy them!
I did the same last season and glad I did for the same reasons. Liked them so much I just upgraded to a set of the black ones!
And they can handle being in the bag awhile longer. They’re crazy durable compared to some others. I’ve enjoyed putting mine back in the rotation more recently. Good stuff man. Been cool to follow your journey with them.
Pairing them with the MMT 95S shafts has been a great choice too.
The 130X won’t be noodle. The tip will seem flexy compared to the butt, but it’s much more stout. More like a KBS. Tour V-ish maybe. That’s what I always think of when I swing it.
Not gonna lie I didn’t think anything from the Apex line was going to be an option for me. I thought for sure whatever new line was coming (Rogue ST Max) in the game improvement line was going to get pushed my way, so when I swung the DCB’s and my fitter said – yeah these are good for you. I was as shocked as I could. I tried the Rogue ST line, but the DCB’s just felt better overall.
These things were consistent for me all year and towards the end of the season my iron game was probably better than it’s been in years. There was an adjustment period, but once I got comfortable the longer irons even shined for me. Not a typical thing when it comes to irons. I know I was losing a little distance – when I played the Rogue ST 4 iron it was bombing it, but I couldn’t always control it the way I wanted.
None of that was an issue with the DCB’s. I love the Apex line, the looks, the feel everything about them and I’m so ecstatic that I got to game these this past year. They won’t be going anywhere next year (barring some sort of miracle).
Paired with the Recoil Dart shafts these things are weapons in my bag for the foreseeable future.
Motion seconded!
Lol
I wouldn’t even begin to know how to buy an individual iron. I guess I could from Callaway website for the next month or so.
I dont see the combo set on their website anymore. A couple options on CPO but none of them fit what i need. Gonna stay on the hunt
Thanks for the reminder. I need to get lofts and lie angles checked again before the season starts.
They don’t do that anymore. I ordered mine 2° flat which in past years was red and they are also black.
is it common for irons to bend themselves like that? How much time went between your last adjustment and now?
Normal turf less likely but can. I’ve see. Irons be off from guys who hit off mats or indoors a lot
I got these nearly two years ago when they came out. My J40s did the same thing. I played those things off and on for years. I remember my 7i was two degrees weak and like a degree and a half flat. I hit a lot of balls when I want to work things out. Like Trevino says, the answers are in the dirt. Sometimes that dirt is under a mat.
My local shop will probably have in a 7i which I might try and hit next time I’m up at the range. I will also discuss it with my Pro at my next lesson.
Any thoughts on here from guys/girls that have played both GI type irons and moved to Apex Pros or have mixed sets with Apex Pros?
Thanks
A
2021 Apex Pro looks to be officially sold out for the year. If you don’t have an open order, and want these, better find a retailer with them in stock, as you can no longer order these on Callawaygolf.com
That is not what I wanted to hear. I know they are at the end of their cycle but I was hoping to get fit for these and put em in the bag until their replacements are announced. Definitely throws a little wrench in my gears. Thanks for the heads up!
I’ll be fascinated to see the replacement as the 21s were well done.
I was wondering if my combo set was one of the last around, as it wasn’t up on the site a while ago.
Yep. I went from the Apex Pro 21 to Apex 21. Only way these are getting kicked out of the bag is if I get into the Morgan Cup or the Srixon Experience.