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REVIEW: Callaway Apex Irons

Adam Fonseca

Everybody knows that Callaway Golf has been an industry leader in golf equipment for decades. While they are usually best known for making incredible drivers providing you more distance off the tee, their new Apex irons put Callaway squarely into the forefront of high quality iron sets. I’ll admit that I’m a little late to the party when it comes to testing the Callaway Apex irons (they were released back in December 2013), but sometimes good things come to those who wait. After just one driving range session testing these clubs, I can safely say the Callaway Apex irons are the best clubs I have ever tried. Period.

FIRST, The Boring Technical Stuff

Made with what Callaway is calling an “ultra hot face”, the Apex irons launch your golf ball in a penetrating ball flight that gets up into the air quickly without ballooning. These clubs were built for distance and forgiveness while packaged nicely into a forged clubhead that low-handicap players will appreciate. Each iron’s loft is also a tad stronger than standard, which again nods toward the “distance iron” category.

apex lofts

The Apex’s also feature a cavity back clubhead with a little extra meat directly behind and beneath the sweet spot. This aides in both forgiveness and getting the ball airborne. Me likey.

Feel and Appearance

The Callaway Apex irons look like a player’s club that isn’t afraid to show it’s forgiving qualities. The clubhead is slightly larger than what you see in most blades; however the top-line is still thinner than other game improvement irons. The black engraved Callaway logo looks great against the polished steel clubhead exterior. There is minimal (if any) offset in the irons, which should appeal to better players.

apex top

As far as feel, these irons cut through the turf like a hot knife through butter. The golf ball explodes off the face with a soft feel at impact and a sound that forged club-lovers will drool over.

Performance and Forgiveness

Did I mention these clubs were built for distance? I was amazed at how far I was hitting these clubs, especially when compared to my cast blades. The Callaway Apex 6-iron, for example, flew 175 yards on average, which is a huge distance for me with that club.

What was most impressive to me, however, were the clubs’ forgiveness. I literally could not hit a bad shot with these irons. I tried shots off the toe, the heel, and low on the clubface. No matter where I made contact, I saw minimal loss in distance. It was absolutely amazing.

Why you should but these clubs

To put it simply, the Callaway Apex irons will improve your game if you are a mid- to low-handicap golfer looking for more forgiveness and distance in your iron play. Higher-handicap players can also benefit from the distance boost they’ll experience from these irons

Why you should not buy these clubs

Honestly, I can’t think of a reason other than the price tag. At $1100 retail, the Callaway Apex’s are a bit on the pricey side. But if you are serious about your game and want a set of clubs to last you for a number of years, the Callaway Apex irons should be on your short list.