First Look: Callaway Apex 21 Irons

First time out with the DCBs yesterday after picking them up the day before. So only had time to hit a few balls on the range with the clubs (in fact, only hit PW, 9 iron and 7 iron). Was hitting them great on the range, but need to spend more time with them, especially the longer irons. The driver wasn't working really well, so I wish I had more testing of these clubs from the middle of the fairway. But I hit some of my best iron shots this year with the DCBs. Solid contact, nice flight, felt great. And no thinned shots. So much better for me than the Z585s I traded in. More to come, but so far so good.
 
I really like the Apex Pros - they're a great looking club, and the feel on the short irons is incredible. That said, they do require perhaps some more ball striking than I have had as of late. I've hit some toe balls that I didn't think were that bad that came up way short. I'm reassessing my bag a bit and wondering if a combo set - or honestly, as good as the other irons in the line look - the sweet spot combo set would be a good idea.
 
I just want to say, since adjusting the lies up a degree at recommendation of the local Callaway rep, I have finally broken 80, and done so multiple times. I’m hitting more greens, and feeling so confident.
If there’s a better iron in December, I can’t wait!
 
Got out for a practice nine, then nine for league with the reshafted mixed combo set. Going to the Modus 120s from the MMT 95s is a significant difference in feel. Took me a few swings to get my tempo where it needed to be, but once I did it was like I've been playing these irons for years. Hit a couple of toasty shots into greens with the scoring irons. Only had a chance to hit one 5I. Smoked it but was a dead push of a draw lie that left me in the greenside trap in two on a par 5. Still need a little work, but was able to turn in a good low number in league. Pretty happy with this setup right now.
 
Anyone here got STD Apex bent weak, I've tried looking at the wunder irons but really want a good address picture before I purchase
 
I kind of want the apex pro 3 iron now. I now I really shouldn’t but I’m tempted. This is based solely on how well the 4 iron has been working.
 
I kind of want the apex pro 3 iron now. I now I really shouldn’t but I’m tempted. This is based solely on how well the 4 iron has been working.
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It's a lot like the 4.



But better.. :p
 
Putting the Pros in to their first competitive environment tomorrow. Hopefully they (and my swing) hold up!
 
Interesting vid on Ian's (TXG) '21 WITB today. Went back to his tc-201, but on course data showed his gapping was off on the long end. Needed more from the 4i in something that still compact and looks good with his miuras.

So what did he do? Put together an Apex Pro 4i that got about 12 yards more carry because it's SPICY. And I'm starting to think he steals his ideas from us! Good video. I love me a spicy 4i in the bag. :giggle:
 
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Had a Callaway iron fitting this evening. As much as I loved the Apex, I actually preferred the forgiveness of the DCB. My miss is usually toe side and the DCB really mitigated that miss. I could easily play the Apex, but checking my ego, DCB was the winner. Also going from DG shafts, was fitted into Elevate 95. A pretty big difference in weight, but felt great with excellent results.
Interested in the newer Callaways, after having the CF 16's for a while now. How are the DCB's holding up and can you feel the forged feel in the DCB's?.. while fitting, did you also try the apex cf 21's and what were your thoughts?
 
Got 9 in last night. Got myself in good position off the tee setting up a nice variety of second shots. I have the 5 and 6 in DCB. The 6 was just great and is so easy to hit. And the transition into the standard 7 from DCB 6 is just seamless The standard Apex 7 - AW are really coming together for me and put me in position for two very makeable birdie putts which I made. I had the combo set in the Apex 19's with the Pro 8 - AW. When I hit the pros good I hit them great and the feel of a well struck Pro was addicting and unlike any iron I have ever hit but I just didn't consistently strike them well enough and my misses were punished. The standard Apex 21's have been much better for me. The one Pro 19 that was great and consistent particularly around the green was the AW and I actually considered keeping it. I didn't and went with the standard 21 AW. Glad I did because it is just so good and I've never been better around the green with a wedge. Just great irons.
How are you finding the standard apex 21s? did you try the dcb's vs the standards and if so what did you think?..
i currently game the standard apex cf 16's and just love the solid feel of the forged clubs. So as i'm now considering getting newer clubs, i'm wondering if i should go with the more forgiving dcbs or the standard cf21's. Hopefully the standard 21s are easier to hit and more forgivng compared to the standard apex cf 16s
 
Responding to your post. @Golfmasta69 ( forgot to hit reply lol ) i went with the 5 and 6 DCB and standard 7 - AW. I had both the 16’s and 19’s. I found the 19’s to be an improvement overall from the 16’s and i can say the same for the 21’s. I am happy with the current combo and the feel between the standard and DCB’s is similar the only difference being with the DCB longer 5 and 6 they are much easier to hit than the prior standards i had played which is not to say the prior standard 5 and 6’s i played were hard to hit or unforgiving because they werent. I dont hit the 5 offen but at my course the DCB 6 comes into play occasionally on some holes where i need long and straight and the DCB 6 just feels so great and powerful i feel totally confident on that shot. I think i could easily switch out the standard 7 for the DCB 7. So with where my game is now a 13 i think the combo standard DCB and the standards are forgiving and feel great as well. I would consider a combo but i think even straight up DCB would be an excellent choice or 5/6 and possibly 7 DCB with standard 7 or 8 through AW would work as well. No doubt as good as the 16’s were Callaway just finds a way to make great clubs even greater. One last thing standing over the DCB’s to me at least they look no different than the standards and the transition from the DCB 6 to the standard 7 is seamless.
 
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stupid trade in bonus sale this weekend at world wide golf shops was just too good to let pass by. 75% extra trade in value towards Epic or Apex was a steal IMO. Plenty of golfers took advantage of the deal (close to 30-40 sets were bought over the two days). I ordered a full back up set of apex 5-A to compete against my pros/apex set.
 
Responding to your post. @Golfmasta69 ( forgot to hit reply lol ) i went with the 5 and 6 DCB and standard 7 - AW. I had both the 16’s and 19’s. I found the 19’s to be an improvement overall from the 16’s and i can say the same for the 21’s. I am happy with the current combo and the feel between the standard and DCB’s is similar the only difference being with the DCB longer 5 and 6 they are much easier to hit than the prior standards i had played which is not to say the prior standard 5 and 6’s i played were hard to hit or uncorgiving because they werent. I dont hit the 5 offen but at my course the DCB 6 comes into play occasionally on some holes where i need long and straight and the DCB 6 just feels so great and powerful i feel totally confident on that shot. I think i could easily switch out the standard 7 for the DCB 7. So with where my game is now a 13 i think the combo standard DCB and the standards are forgiving and feel great as well. I would comsider a combo but i think even straight up DCB would be an excellent choice or 5/6 and possibly 7 DCB with standard 7 or 8 through AW would work as well. No doubt as good as the 16’s were Callaway just finds a way to make great clubs even greater. One last thing standing over the DCB’s to me at least they look no different than the standards and the transition from the DCB 6 to the standard 7 is seamless.
Thanks for the response.. this is so informative.. I love the forged feel of the 16's but need all the help i can get :).. and it sounds like the choice of the DCBs might do the trick. going for a fitting in about a week, so excited to see them in person for myself but like also that you described the look of the dcbs as no diff from the standard. Many times i found some of these other player improvement clubs as being chunky and sound and feel hard esp in the 7 and lower irons.
Did you go with the stock shaft or something different?
 
stupid trade in bonus sale this weekend at world wide golf shops was just too good to let pass by. 75% extra trade in value towards Epic or Apex was a steal IMO. Plenty of golfers took advantage of the deal (close to 30-40 sets were bought over the two days). I ordered a full back up set of apex 5-A to compete against my pros/apex set.
 
Thanks for the response.. this is so informative.. I love the forged feel of the 16's but need all the help i can get :).. and it sounds like the choice of the DCBs might do the trick. going for a fitting in about a week, so excited to see them in person for myself but like also that you described the look of the dcbs as no diff from the standard. Many times i found some of these other player improvement clubs as being chunky and sound and feel hard esp in the 7 and lower irons.
Did you go with the stock shaft or something different?
I went with the stock True Temper Elevate ETS 95 steel. They feel great and am very happy with them and great in the Apex 21's.
 
Thanks for the response.. this is so informative.. I love the forged feel of the 16's but need all the help i can get :).. and it sounds like the choice of the DCBs might do the trick. going for a fitting in about a week, so excited to see them in person for myself but like also that you described the look of the dcbs as no diff from the standard. Many times i found some of these other player improvement clubs as being chunky and sound and feel hard esp in the 7 and lower irons.
Did you go with the stock shaft or something different?

I went from steel shafts in my CF16s to graphite in CF21s. I tried the DCBs and could probably game them with no issues, but decided to stick with the regular Apex. The feeling is pretty nice, but my distance was thrown off my the lighter shafts and stronger lofts. I’m hitting the center of the club face more often now too. I picked up an honest 7-10 yards in the shorter clubs. My longest club is a 6 iron, so take your CF16s and do a side by side. I tried the Pros, but just could not make them work for me.
 
Interested in the newer Callaways, after having the CF 16's for a while now. How are the DCB's holding up and can you feel the forged feel in the DCB's?.. while fitting, did you also try the apex cf 21's and what were your thoughts?
I just ordered the DCB's so have yet to play them...I am excited. I tried all the Apex line and as you might expect, each progression in forgiveness comes with a change in size and thickness. The Pros really felt the best and looks fantastic but were too challenging for my current inconsistent ball striking. The Apex and DCB were much closer in look and feel. That being said, the DCB are surely thicker, louder and a bit firmer to me. I could have been happy ordering regular Apex (or blended set) but shoved my ego out the window and went DCB with Elevate ETS 95 shafts. I just couldn't ignore the forgiveness of DCB's. The shaft also surprised me and can't wait to give them a workout.
 
I am really getting into a comfort zone with the Apex Mixed Como Set. I have 20 or so rounds on them and had immediate success with the Apex but the Pro's just were not scoring as well as I had hoped for. Coming from a full set of 19 Pro's I was surprised that the 21's did not perform great but I stuck it out and they were money today and have been getting better each round. The 8-AW pro irons are not hollow like the longer irons and are easy to flight down when the shot calls for it. I was not getting worried enough to make a change but it feels great to have them perform well and knowing they are a good fit.
 
I am historically not a very good early adapter of new irons. I do go through a lot probably one set every one or two years trying to find the magic bottle. So when I do get a new set of irons it usually takes me three months before I get 100% comfortable especially since almost every time I go through a shaft changes at the same time.

Anyway, fast forward to today I have now had my Callaway 21’ Apex Pro irons with MMT’s 95 stiff shafts for about 50 rounds. I cannot say how much an improvement they are to my game versus the 2019 model. Not only do they look stunning in the bag but they are so darn consistent and the shaft combo was just a perfect fit for me. Over the last 10 games I think the most I’ve been over par for 18 holes is 4 shots. I give a lot of credit to my entire bag but these irons have been gold!
 
I am really getting into a comfort zone with the Apex Mixed Como Set. I have 20 or so rounds on them and had immediate success with the Apex but the Pro's just were not scoring as well as I had hoped for. Coming from a full set of 19 Pro's I was surprised that the 21's did not perform great but I stuck it out and they were money today and have been getting better each round. The 8-AW pro irons are not hollow like the longer irons and are easy to flight down when the shot calls for it. I was not getting worried enough to make a change but it feels great to have them perform well and knowing they are a good fit.

Don't think I have the game for pros throughout, but I love the pro 8-AW! How is the DCB 4I treating you? I'm still waiting on mine. Currently backorderd with Cally saying 8/16-8/20. May call and see if the grip is holding it up. Easy enough change there.
 
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