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.
I don’t think you need “tungsten” on the pro, but that’s a minor gripe. Hopefully they’ve nailed the feel because for me personally I’ve never gotten along with a hollow body iron from a feel/sound perspective.
The Pro’s with MMT shafts are definitely on my shopping list and having played the ‘19 Apex Pros the past year and loved their performance, the ‘21 version sounds like they are packed with a significant upgrade. ‘21 is going to be expensive ?.
I love the looks of these, and this triple play very much intrigues me.
Oh, and sign me up for the "Apex Sweet Spot" combo please!! Love the naming conventions for the combos, brings some fun to these blended sets.
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Some in hands of the Pros.
They nailed the looks department for sure. I personally would like to not have "tungsten" on it, but I am sure that is a minority opinion.
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Looking forward to getting them in hand and hitting them.
Although the Grandmama didn’t happen this year, @Muchmore18 , @xThor , @93civiccpe , and I were honored to get a guided tour of this Apex release by the folks who drove the development of them.
Each of us came away in amazement on what went into these and we I’ll put our thoughts up. They really are something special. More from me on this to come…
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I have seen the picture around, can’t really comment on them other than to see X Forged isn’t in that photo.
The true ho move is to get the irons and let your game catch up later
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Excited to hear more information from you guys! That had to have been an incredible conversation!
Thanks. I was curious since the TCB has the "Apex" name on it unlike the X-Forged.
This is the way
With AI acoustics, I bet they nailed the feel. Looks like “tungsten” is not on the scoring irons, so maybe go combo set.
Wow, the TCB is one sharp looking iron.
Someone talk to me about MMT shafts – TX 115s beasts or not?
Those are the clubs that are already out right?
Pretty firm feeling and that is stout, but you put a strong move on the ball.
Which of these were redacted 2.0?
I think the weight is probably more important the the flex for me. I’ve got so many moving parts it doesn’t take much to derail the freight train lol.
In 2020 I was fitted into a full set of Mavrik irons, and had the best competitive golf year I’ve ever played.
What Callaway has done here, is take everything that I loved about that 2014 set, and made it better. Way better. While I cannot speak to performance, I will speak to the excitement. This is going to make waves! And not just since the face has waves (seriously how cool is it that AI has put waves in the face to make it better?!).
If you asked me a month ago what irons I would be playing in 2021, I’d have 100% no doubt told you Mavrik. They are that good. But today, having the nostalgia factor of the Apex name, some just wicked cool technology, and the options here; permission was granted by the wife to game a set of Apex this year.
I’ve signed up for a fitting on Feb 6th already, but hoping components come in sooner for my fitter. I am heavily heavily interested in the triple play combo, not just because it looks pretty, or sounds awesome, but because Callaway really thought about it. I love the intentionality that went into the combo sets.
It looks like the irons Jon Rahm and Xander are playing.
Query for you on the combo sets. The irons come with different shafts in them, so for the Apex Triple Play or something, would you be able to standardize on a particular shaft from one of the 3 standard irons and have them across the set? How would that change the performance characteristics for the iron?
I really like all 3 of them. The Pro’s were close to perfect in appearance, could have done without the word tungsten on them but that’s a very minor thing. Still are very drool worthy.
Im actually most interested in the DCB. I’ve always wished the Apex line were a little longer heel to toe and sounds like these ones will be, while retaining Apex feel and performance.
Yes. For the combo sets, they make some changes in tooling to allow for the same shaft across the clubs. For instance, in the Apex/Apex Pro combo, they do a little magic on the Apex Pros to accept a parallel tip shaft so that shaft choice can be consistent across the set.
I have a picture earlier in the thread of the soles of each and it kind of shows that.
The DCB will be a heck of a sleeper here and I know @JDax had a chance to try them out and loved them.