You want options in a forged iron combo set? Callaway’s flagship Apex line-up kicks the door down with three new models, bumping the franchise out to a record six irons!
The new Apex Ai200 and Apex Ai300 irons are slanted towards the game improvement end of the performance spectrum, while the stellar new Ti Fusion model is somewhat of a unicorn.
It’s a buzz-worthy release that demands attention, but will any of the new Apex irons suit your game?
Time to find out!
THE CALLAWAY APEX LINE-UP
Before we dig into the nitty gritty of the new additions to the Apex iron line-up, it’s worth explaining the Apex MO to better understand where the range begins and ends.
Callaway’s Apex line is a forged offering made for combo set play, although each model functions legitimately as a single set. The current Apex line-up of MB, CB and Pro irons is aimed at better players: Apex MB is a muscleback blade; Apex CB is a compact cavity-back; and the Apex Pro is a compact, hollow-bodied player’s iron. All three models largely stick to their lanes, with little overlap in their performance profiles. The three new additions to the Apex range offer similar siloed performance. However, the emphasis is on game improvement rather than elite performance. Six different sticks in the Apex range may sound like a lot, but it makes perfect sense when mixing-and-matching two, three or even four models into a combo set. At one end you’ve got ultra-precise, better player’s irons; and now, at the opposite end, you’ve got larger heads, wider soles, and more speed and forgiveness for players who require extra assistance.
Ultimately, the three new models instil the Apex franchise with greater playability and a smoother and more intuitive transition between models.
Ai SMART FACE
You’ve probably heard of Callaway’s Ai Smart Face technology by now. It was a cornerstone technology in the Paradym Ai Smoke driver and iron range, so forgive us if you have grown tired of hearing about it. But it is a vital component of the three new Apex irons.
Callaway has gone all-in on using A.I. as a design tool. One of its primary benefits, among other things, is its capacity to optimise face design to create a unique performance profile. And that’s where it comes to the fore in the Ti Fusion, Ai200 and Ai300 irons. Why, you ask? Because each iron has a specific job within the Apex performance matrix. Data skimmed from actual golfers (consent provided, of course) powered Callaway’s A.I. algorithm. Face orientation, swing speed, club path and delivery and were just a few of the inputs A.I. exploited to calibrate face designs to suit a performance trait/player type.
In the new Apex irons, A.I. has created individual face designs that generally benefit players with slower swing speeds, and/or a strike pattern that is closer to a cluster bomb than a sniper round. Hence, the Ai Smart Faces on the Ti Fusion, Ai300 and Ai200 irons all play fundamentally different to each other, as well as the Apex MB, CB and Pro irons.
THE THREE NEW CALLAWAY APEX IRON MODELS
The Ti Fusion is a marquee new Apex model that promises an extravaganza of speed and feel, while the Ai200 and Ai300 are high-achieving updates of previous Apex models.
CALLAWAY APEX Ti FUSION IRONS
The Apex Ti Fusion is a bit of a unicorn. It is also the black sheep of the Apex family. Quite literally.
Every other iron in the Apex franchise is fitted with a face forged from 455 carbon steel. The Ti Fusion, however, explores a road less travelled. For readers familiar with the periodic table of elements, Ti is the chemical symbol for titanium. It’s a super-strong metal that golf club manufacturers love to work with, mainly because it can be made into super-thin driver faces. Super thin and super strong also happens to be super flexible, which is great for creating extra fizz off the driver face. So, when an iron face is made from the same material as a driver face, the only logical outcome is some significant whooshka.
And that’s precisely what Callaway have achieved with the new Apex Ti Fusion iron.
Welded to a forged steel body, the titanium face offers incredible speed from every area of the face, along with a giant-sized sweet spot that offers an astonishing amount of forgiveness. But the springy titanium face isn’t the only reason the Ti Fusion is a unicorn. You see, Callaway have made the hollow-bodied, two-piece iron feel as pure as a muscleback blade.
And that’s no coincidence. The Ti Fusion iron is the only Apex model to be fitted with Callaway’s patented urethane microspheres. Positioned directly behind the titanium face, the microspheres serve as a support structure that enables the titanium face to flex and rebound efficiently. But that’s not all: they absorb vibration in the face and clubhead to replicate the pure of feel of an Apex MB or CB iron. The titanium face/microspheres combination offers a truly unique performance profile, but you’re probably wondering where the Ti Fusion fits in the Apex matrix. Conceivably, it would occupy the space in between the Apex Pro and Apex Ai200, mainly because it could be described it as a player’s-distance iron. But that label really doesn’t wash well given its unique blade-like feel. The answer, it seems, is up to you.
Unlike the rest of the Apex family, Ti Fusion irons come in a striking black finish called DLC, or Diamond-Like Coating. It’s more durable than the PVD most black iron releases are finished with. While the rest of the Apex family is chrome, the darker finish seems entirely appropriate to differentiate the Ti Fusion and highlight its unique qualities.
CALLAWAY APEX Ai200 IRONS
While the Ti Fusion arguably takes up a fair amount of oxygen, the Apex Ai200 iron should not be ignored.
The Ai200 is a two-piece, hollow-bodied player’s-distance iron with a forged 455 face cup. It takes over from the standard Apex iron in the previous Apex ’21 line-up. Featuring a longer blade length, thicker topline and more offset than the Apex Pro, the Ai200 seems the antithesis to a better players’ iron. However, Ai200 long irons will get a lot of play in any Apex combo set.
Under the hood is a MIMd tungsten motherload that is tuned for each individual iron, generating a precise, consistent launch window. Does it create high-launching long irons and more controlled, lower-launching short irons? You betcha. The Ai200 also features a new dynamic sole design, with a higher and sharper leading edge geared for crisp turf interaction, while relief out of the rear of the sole helps the iron exit the turf more efficiently.
CALLAWAY APEX Ai300 IRONS
The Ai300 iron takes the reins from the previous Apex DCB iron, but it has been reimagined for players who need a higher launch, more spin and forgiveness.
It’s a sizeable iron and the big and forgiving cavity back design suggests game improvement. But it’s truly one of the most visually appealing game improvement irons around and sporting the black Apex badge on the rear of the head, it somehow aligns seamlessly with the rest of the Apex line-up. The Apex Ai300’s forged 455 face cup offers speed and distance while the MIMd tungsten slotted into the head optimises launch and spin throughout the set. The irons also feature the same sole design as the Ai200 irons.
THE CALLAWAY APEX FAMILY
Apex MB: elite muscleback blade
Apex CB: elite cavity back
Apex Pro: compact player’s-distance iron
Apex Ti Fusion: lightweight player’s-distance iron
Apex Ai200: more forgiving player’s-distance iron
Apex Ai300: game improvement iron
CALLAWAY APEX Ti FUSION, Ai200 AND Ai300 SPECIFICATIONS
Australian Release Date: August 23, 2024
Hand: RH/LH
Grip: Golf Pride Z-Grip
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 100; Mitsubishi Chemical MMT (graphite); UST Mamiya Recoil (graphite)
Callaway Apex Ti Fusion Iron Lofts: 3: 19°, 4: 21°, 5: 23.5°, 6: 26.5°, 7: 30.5°, 8: 34.5°, 9: 38.5°, PW: 43°, AW: 48°
Callaway Apex Ai200 Iron Lofts: 4: 21°, 5: 23°, 6: 26°, 7: 30°, 8: 34°, 9: 38°, PW: 43°, AW: 48°
Callaway Apex Ai300 Iron Lofts: 4: 21°, 5: 23°, 6: 26°, 7: 30°, 8: 34°, 9: 38°, PW: 43°, AW: 48