Callaway Apex 19 and Apex Pro 19 Irons

[MH]

I have the combo set & really wish the 7 iron was the pro but overall happy with them over 2 sim sessions. Winter sim league starts next week so looking forward to getting used to these prior to spring

 

[BlueHen2006]

Golf simulator tomorrow!! Can’t wait to swing these puppies again!!

 

[GraniteRoost]

Serious question ☝

In a classic case of doing things impulsively and backward, I late-night dialed a set of Smoke Pro 5-PW with Catalyst 100 from CPO. One of those latent, unplanned but seems like a fantastic idea when the right set shows up on CPO type purchases. The thought is to give them a run against Ben Hogan PTx Pro with Recoils, to further my experience and tinkers with graphite iron shafts.

Now, they have not arrived yet, so I stopped by the golf store today and put together an Apex Pro with Catalyst 100 7i to hit. I chose their floor model Z-Forged 7i, which is identical to my gamer set from last season with Modus 120, as a comparison. Here is what happened after 10 good shots and 3 throwaways with each:

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I battled myself to a draw. Now what? I will add my PTx Pro is in the mix also @ ~175 carry and higher spin, about 6500rpm. And, my Apex MB are @ 175 & 6000ish, near identical to both Z-Forged and Apex Pro. As sweet as these may be, I am honestly thinking about sending them right back to Callaway, as I am not sure they are offering me anything not already in the arsenal. Feel and looks are lovely, but so too with Srixon and Ben Hogan. What would you do?

A successful outcome if nothing else, is that I seem to get on fairly well with Catalyst 100. File that away under lighter shaft experiments. Maybe I'll send these back and put a set of Catalyst 100 in my Apex MB

No one wants to talk me into out out of Smoke Pros? Bumping for Sunday banter ... Paging the Grandaddy guys and @NoShanks - what would your Grandaddy fitter say regarding the decision to stay blades (i.e. Apex MB or Z-Forged) or go more forgiveness with Apex Pro, as you recently traveled this path?

 

[NoShanks]

Serious question ☝


No one wants to talk me into out out of Smoke Pros? Bumping for Sunday banter ... Paging the Grandaddy guys and @NoShanks - what would your Grandaddy fitter say regarding the decision to stay blades (i.e. Apex MB or Z-Forged) or go more forgiveness with Apex Pro, as you recently traveled this path?

I think it depends on what you prefer honestly. I wanted something compact and looks good at address. I’ve gamed z-forged for half a season then mizuno mp20 for a few rounds then the apex mb. Turf interaction didn’t work too well for me on the z forged.

mizuno and apex mb are super close with mizuno being a touch softer but perform identical to me. I prefer the look of the apex mb at address.

I told the fitter what I was gaming and we tried the apex pros and had good numbers with them. Then the MB’s and had good numbers with them and I was hitting great contact with them that he suggested I play them especially for what I’m looking for.

you can’t go wrong with apex pros for the forgiveness. I have them in 4 and 5 iron and love them. If you are torn you could do a combo set to get best of both worlds. But again it comes down to what you prefer. There isn’t much tech in musclebacks and is generally the same across other OEMs and you’ll get more consistent yardages and better predictability.

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

Serious question ☝


No one wants to talk me into out out of Smoke Pros? Bumping for Sunday banter ... Paging the Grandaddy guys and @NoShanks - what would your Grandaddy fitter say regarding the decision to stay blades (i.e. Apex MB or Z-Forged) or go more forgiveness with Apex Pro, as you recently traveled this path?

I have the smoke non pros and love them. All 3 options you have are great.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Serious question ☝


No one wants to talk me into out out of Smoke Pros? Bumping for Sunday banter ... Paging the Grandaddy guys and @NoShanks - what would your Grandaddy fitter say regarding the decision to stay blades (i.e. Apex MB or Z-Forged) or go more forgiveness with Apex Pro, as you recently traveled this path?

I feel like the Pros offer everything a blade offers, but with more raw speed. Maybe a little lower spin compared to some blades, but I had more spin with Pro 19s than Z forged.

 

[GraniteRoost]

I appreciate the thoughts guys. There is no question the Apex Pro look great in hand, and are fun to hit. Hmmmm....

 

[GraniteRoost]

The Smoke Pro's arrived today, and they are headed back to Callaway. The "like new" set has some chatter and chipping of the PVD on the back edge of the cavities from shipping/other, and I am not real impressed with the wear. The DBM finish on my Hogans is miles better. These would have been fun no doubt, but My Catalyst 100 thoughts will be redirected.

 

[Alez367]

The Smoke Pro's arrived today, and they are headed back to Callaway. The "like new" set has some chatter and chipping of the PVD on the back edge of the cavities from shipping/other, and I am not real impressed with the wear. The DBM finish on my Hogans is miles better. These would have been fun no doubt, but My Catalyst 100 thoughts will be redirected.

Any photos you can post of them and the wear?

 

[GraniteRoost]

Any photos you can post of them and the wear?

I’m being picky here, these are Like New Smoke Pros... this is the 5i the first one I unwrapped with a couple chips already. Seems like the back edge attracts damage. PW and 9i similar but not quite as bad yet. I stopped there.

EDIT - the chip under the F in Forged is a chip, and there is another of same size on the point of the cavity under the G. Not my best job capturing it.



Hogan DBM after two rounds and ShipStix

 

[RobDMB]

Are the heads on steel shafted and graphite shafted CF19's the same? Or are they differing weights? For example, could I pick up a set of graphite shafted CF19s and reshaft them with steel shafts without the weight being off?

 

[Alez367]

Are the heads on steel shafted and graphite shafted CF19's the same? Or are they differing weights? For example, could I pick up a set of graphite shafted CF19s and reshaft them with steel shafts without the weight being off?

paging @DNevsCG. If anyone knows for 100% certainty, he will.

 

[Saintsjeff]

Great Info. I can't wait to give the a swing

 

[HarryPotter]

Are the heads on steel shafted and graphite shafted CF19's the same? Or are they differing weights? For example, could I pick up a set of graphite shafted CF19s and reshaft them with steel shafts without the weight being off?

paging @DNevsCG. If anyone knows for 100% certainty, he will.

I’m quite sure they are the same heads- my combo set for ordered heads only to go into recoils and I can’t imagine they’d have different skus

 

[Alez367]

I’m quite sure they are the same heads- my combo set for ordered heads only to go into recoils and I can’t imagine they’d have different skus

Almost positive they are too but didn’t want to say yes without being 100%. I think only difference would be tip weights used to hit certain SW


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MH]

Had the same issue with CPO, my like new combo set were more dinged up & looked they had a full season of use on them. The pic you posted is no where near like new in my opinion, I would have sent them back as well

 

[Munich77]

I played my first round with these today after picking my set up at club champion. These irons are awesome. They are surprisingly easy to hit and go a mile. Very pleased with these irons. I think they will help me lower my handicap.

 

[CobraX51]

Playing further back I had to use my longer irons more and I was quite happy. I did a decent job judging the wind because it was swirling yesterday. Right to left, headwind, tailwind, left to right, many different directions and only like 3 holes I misjudged the wind, coincidentally all on tailwind which I prefer.

The round started to get going on the 4th hole I had 160 into the wind and opted for the 6i to a front pin. divot was about 5 feet past the flag and rolled another 10 so a nice 15 footer for birdie and walked off with Par.

I hit 5i into some stiff wind but overcooked it, pulling it left but the strike was relatively in the middle/bottom of the face so that was nice. The Par 3s with iron I hit 7i,7i,6i. One GIR and 2 long, once again misjudged the tailwind but hey I'll learn.

Overall from AW to 5i it felt good to swing a variety of irons when usually when I play the whites I don't hit the long irons much. This will be good rotating between the whites and blues depending what the group wants to play.

 

[HarryPotter]

Playing further back I had to use my longer irons more and I was quite happy. I did a decent job judging the wind because it was swirling yesterday. Right to left, headwind, tailwind, left to right, many different directions and only like 3 holes I misjudged the wind, coincidentally all on tailwind which I prefer.

The round started to get going on the 4th hole I had 160 into the wind and opted for the 6i to a front pin. divot was about 5 feet past the flag and rolled another 10 so a nice 15 footer for birdie and walked off with Par.

I hit 5i into some stiff wind but overcooked it, pulling it left but the strike was relatively in the middle/bottom of the face so that was nice. The Par 3s with iron I hit 7i,7i,6i. One GIR and 2 long, once again misjudged the tailwind but hey I'll learn.

Overall from AW to 5i it felt good to swing a variety of irons when usually when I play the whites I don't hit the long irons much. This will be good rotating between the whites and blues depending what the group wants to play.

Great stuff man! These irons are ridiculously good and I’m glad they are working so well for you.

 

[GolfFest]

Pondering a combo set 5-A. I think it is finally time to hit these and see.

 

[ArmyGolf]

I played my first round with these today after picking my set up at club champion. These irons are awesome. They are surprisingly easy to hit and go a mile. Very pleased with these irons. I think they will help me lower my handicap.

Nice! Always fun to see if great performing clubs can truly make a dent in the handicap.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Backup bag got an upgrade!
Smoke Combo set

 

[mikeg_74]

The 5, 6 & 7 irons got a workout today. Early on my swing was producing less than idea results, but mid round I found something. Stood a touch closer to the ball and I stayed down through impact. It led to straighter shots and crisp sound at impact letting me know I compressed the ball. Even @chefkritter noticed the difference at impact and commented on the sound.

this is the first time on a long time that I feel like I’m really close to hitting consistent iron shots and the forgiveness these offer have allowed me to find my iron swing again without penalizing me at all. Now I just need to close that face through impact and I’ll be good.

 

[ArmyGolf]

The 5, 6 & 7 irons got a workout today. Early on my swing was producing less than idea results, but mid round I found something. Stood a touch closer to the ball and I stayed down through impact. It led to straighter shots and crisp sound at impact letting me know I compressed the ball. Even @chefkritter noticed the difference at impact and commented on the sound.

this is the first time on a long time that I feel like I’m really close to hitting consistent iron shots and the forgiveness these offer have allowed me to find my iron swing again without penalizing me at all. Now I just need to close that face through impact and I’ll be good.

Funny you mention that since I recently made the same adjustment to my swing/stance and my iron play is so freaking good since then. Like, good enough that I did some ball testing with a 5 iron today lol.

 

[shanewu]

The 5, 6 & 7 irons got a workout today. Early on my swing was producing less than idea results, but mid round I found something. Stood a touch closer to the ball and I stayed down through impact. It led to straighter shots and crisp sound at impact letting me know I compressed the ball. Even @chefkritter noticed the difference at impact and commented on the sound.

this is the first time on a long time that I feel like I’m really close to hitting consistent iron shots and the forgiveness these offer have allowed me to find my iron swing again without penalizing me at all. Now I just need to close that face through impact and I’ll be good.

Funny you mention that since I recently made the same adjustment to my swing/stance and my iron play is so freaking good since then. Like, good enough that I did some ball testing with a 5 iron today lol.

I’m going to have to try this closer thing tomorrow. ?