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.
They aren’t close
View attachment 8987690
Agree! I was expecting more so it’s a very nice surprise this AM.
there is a lot going on in them but feel and performance will be fun to see.
Beautiful. Appreciate that. That Apex Pro is looking so sleek. Love it.
They wouldn’t put the Apex name on anything if it doesn’t deliver in feel and feedback. They’ve long been adamant about that.
Shocking that the pics that were leaked weren’t totally right, eh
As for the text, I guess I just don’t see how it’s off putting or busy, especially after reading how much tungsten is in them, makes sense to make it known.
Beasts. Truly. Check out the MMT review on the homepage.
Called it.
I’m merely speculating, but I just have to believe they wouldn’t put the Apex Pro label on something that didn’t feel like a one piece forging. They wouldn’t do that to me, I mean us, right?
Yes, you’ll be able to standardize. They’ll also blend them as you see fit on those options as they’re not at least initially Tommy knowledge going to offer them as a stock option as they are the Apex/Pro combo which has the different topping for the Pro’s
They would not. As mentioned in the article, there’s a prime emphasis on feel.
And none of those other hollow body irons have Urethane Microspheres
How was the spin loft for loft vs the Mavs. Significantly more spin?
We backing off of our deal yet?
The big story that you’ll see on these, as @Jman mentioned and talked through in his review, is the use of AI for the face design now making its way to the irons, first time in the forged set ( Mavrik also had the first implementation of a AI design face ). What does this mean for you, me, and the average internet golfer? Pretty simple. The sweet spot is no long a ‘spot’. Think of it more of a ‘sweet area’. The ability to take what made the Epic Flash and Mavrik line of driver faces so good does a similar thing here. It expands the area that you will see similar ball speed, spin and launch conditions to more than a mythical 1 mm by 1 mm spot of the face that only @Canadan can hit over and over. I don’t know about you, but more room on the face to get the same result is good no matter who you are.
The second big item I took away was the use of tungsten and microspheres to really push the extremes of weighting and feel. The use of 3 different weight pads in the bottom of the iron with the middle pad moving with the angle of the face and the launch window wanted is a big deal. For the Apex Line, less weight but lower on the face on the long irons promotes length, lower spin but higher launch for that nice long iron flight window. For the mid irons as the face angle increases, the tow/heel weights stay where they are and get heavier but center weight starts moving towards center of the face ( moving the CG location ) to promote more consistent spin and energy transfer as launch angle isn’t as important and you want to avoid the ballooning 9 iron shot. Once you get to the low clubs ( PW and AW in the Apex, 8i through AW in the Pro ), the tungsten gets reduced and the focus is on placement to maximize the spin control and launch conditions for those scoring clubs. The use of microspheres keep that low face weight concept intact but still allows energy to transfer across the club head and according to Callaway, really adds to the feel at impact. Nothing here I don’t like as it takes the concept of design by intent for each club to the next level.
Third item that really struck me was in the Pro’s. Switching to a hollow body for a lower handicap/players iron is a big move. A move that raised a lot of questions with me given what we traditionally thing of hollow body irons: Easy launch, lots of energy but less feel and less spin with a very distinct sound. Usually not what I would think of a players iron. To me solid chunks of iron/steel with infused tech to promote workability. Hollow body doesn’t scream that to me ( not that I am in the industry of course ). But it seems they have done it. How? Good question. Thanks for playing along. In a word, magic. The magic of design and thoughtful intelligent use of materials and location design. The approach of using strategically located even more tungsten than in the Apex’s is design to offset the spin loss of using hollow body while gaining the energy transfer to make the Pro’s able to keep up with the Apex on distance and solve the ever lasting trade off: workable softer irons and lose distance VS more techy cavity back style distance irons but lose feel and workability. I, like many of you, fall on both sides of that line. My last 3 sets of irons have bounced back and forth between a players iron and a players distance iron. So if the Pro’s deliver on the promise of distance similar to a players distance iron but with the workability and feel of a traditional players iron, then its a winner.
The DCB is a really interesting new item as well but I am going to leave talking about those to my Grandmama brothers as a couple of them saw those and I think I saw the drool hanging out of their mouths when we talked through those items. No doubt they will hit a lot of THP’ers sweet spot.
Ok. I lied. 4 things. Can you say Combo Sets? I knew you could. This release, Callaway has already pre configured combo sets in areas they feel are going to be the best blend spots. @Jman already mentioned the different options, but what was fascinating to me is how Callaway is going about it. They aren’t simply pulling irons off the shelf, slamming them in a box, and then shipping them out. There are manufacturing and tooling changes that happened to make the combos happen which implies more than just a marketing spin and more about truly committing to making combos a real option to fine tune your individual game.
For example, the Apex / Apex Pro combo set is something that has been spinning in my brain nonstop for a week now. But its not just 4 or 5 Apex irons and 4 Apex Pros slammed together. Apex use parallel tip shafts. Apex Pros use taper tip. Well that’s a conundrum. Does that mean we have to select different shafts? No, no. Callaway, as part of the combo set, retools the Apex Pros in the set accept the same parallel tip shafts and slightly tweaks the lofts to blend better with the Apex making these a true set, not just mixing and matching. That being said, if you want to do of your own mixing and matching and tune your own set, that’s still an option so you get the best of both worlds. However, this attention to detail really goes to show Callaway’s commitment to giving an option for every player’s game across their lineup.
For all due disclosure, I have not hit any of these yet but I have a fitting scheduled for 1/29 to take what I’ve learned from the tech details and see how they really feel in the hands and see the performance. I played the Apex 14’s for a good 5 years and almost went with Apex 19’s a year ago ( Titliest T200’s just narrowly beat them out of the bag ) so I am no stranger to the Apex line but I am most excited for this years release.
And we get to hit them in a few days my man!
Can. Not. Wait!
I can’t comment on that without more data. I have a feeling the THP Showcase will offer some real world and live insight though.
Good stuff dude!
FWIW, this isn’t the first time they’ve put FF into irons, as the Mavrik irons all had it utilized, but it is the first time they’ve put it into a forged iron.
Well that’s super duper. I’ve been spending money based partly on your reviews for, like, 8 years now. Jerk.
Mentioned in the article on the standard combo that they’re doing the same as last go round with the pro’s having unique tooling in the combos to make them flow seamlessly.
THP has a detailed review on the MMT plus there is I recall a very detailed review long term of the MMT TX from a low HC player on another golf site and he has made the switch to them. Improved dispersion and easier on the body.
which they did so damn well the last time around.
I am not exactly sure how they plan on Making the Apex 21 and Apex Pro Combo work, however.
Looking at the lofts on their site (I know loft isn’t EVERYTHING), but this is a HUGE gap here.
From 7 to 8 Iron is a 6.5 Degree Gap
Thanks buddy. What I love hearing the most with the hollow body pros was the attention to keeping the spin right and not letting them creep into knuckle territory at all
Was a truly perfect flow.
That’s my reaction. Wow those look great.
I made no such deal.
As was the case last time. The pros for the combo set will be made with unique tooling to help make that flow. They’re not the same
Lofts as the standard Pro’s.
You did.
The standard has a 43* pw, thats a bug jump to most gap wedges at 50 or 52*, but I understand its about the distance produced by the club, not the loft. But if a 43* pw only goes 115 yds or so, people may not like that in itself
Nevermind, answered above
Indeed it was. It definitely has me intrigued. If only I were trying to upgrade my irons this year…
Good catch. And true.
yeah it really was. I was hesitant about going that direction, but I’m so glad I did.
Again, like last time the Apex/Pro combo using unique tooling for the Pros to make it flow, it’s not just the standard Pro head bent.
is it just me or does the blade length of the pro seem to fall somewhere between the 770 and 790?
Very well written and explained!!! Will be interesting to hear some thoughts after you have hit these.
Lofts are tweaked a bit to close some of the gaps.
If so…..that is an interesting thing for all levels of golfers to consider in the various lines provided. Great looking sticksfor sure and the AI factor mixed with the tungsten is intriguing.
Holy ****. ?
This is quality information. Thank you for taking the time to get your thoughts to the forum.
Lofts and tooling
While I wasn’t in the market for irons since I love my CF19s, I can’t help but swing and compare when I get the chance.
Reading AI flash face and 5x more tungsten than the CF19 is eye opening. I need all the help I can get on mishits, not to mention a larger sweet spot.
Did you check out the end of the article?
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.
Variable Tungsten weighting with a purpose throughout the set. So basically, Callaway has made everyone a blended iron set without it being a blended iron set lmao – That is fantastic.
Give me all the tungsten. ALL THE TUNGSTEN!
Its genuinely comparing Apples to Oranges. Callaway has different irons in the players category as well, with the X Forged set.
One thing I can say for certain though, they sound nothing like the P Series lineup, which people either hate or are okay with. There isnt much in between.