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The following is a comprehensive review of the Callaway Apex Pro irons, a forged better-player offering that earned a gold medal on the Golf Digest 2014 and 2015 Hot Lists.
As the “players” brother to the Callaway Apex iron, the Apex Pro is designed to offer a more compact look, premium feel and superb workability.
Is it worth the buy? What are its weaknesses? Read on to find out what you need to know about the iron to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 4.8/5 (Excellent)
Classification: Better-Player
Pros
- super high quality construction
- wonderfully accurate/consistent/reliable
- very workable and controllable
- versatile out of a variety of lies
- has a premium look and feel
Cons
- quite expensive
- satin finish doesn’t seem to be very durable and wears quickly even with careful handling
- higher handicappers will likely have trouble getting the most out of this club
Best Suited For
The Apex Pro irons are ideal for professionals and low to mid handicaps looking for premium feel, reliability and control in their iron game.
The Apex Pro irons are also great for high handicaps who want to challenge themselves to get better.
Best Places To Buy Online
There are a couple of really good options, and because these irons have been out for many, you can get some pretty amazing discounts (under $400).
If you’re looking to buy a used set, I highly recommend checking out this page on CGPO. They have a fairly large selection with a 90-day buy-back policy, 12-month warranty, and condition guarantee.
Aside from that, the best place to find new and used Apex Pro irons is eBay. You can find some pretty terrific deals there.
Want a high-resolution look at the Apex Pro irons? Click on the composite image at the top of the page and navigate the photos on the left-hand side of the screen.
What are the reviews like?
The Apex Pro irons have a very high average rating on CGPO (4.9/5, 95% recommended) and Global Golf (4.9/5), among other places.
What People Like
- excellent control/workability/consistency
- top-quality construction and feel
- awesome traditional look
- great distance (a definite gain over many other irons)
What People Don’t Like
- some have expressed displeasure with the relatively steep price tag (now reduced)
- some have found that the finish of the irons tends to wear quickly
What are the features?
The features and technologies of the Apex Pro iron can be summarized as follows:
Premium Forged Construction
The Apex Pro iron has a 1025 Carbon Steel head that provides the type of soft and responsive feel demanded by skilled golfers.
Tungsten Weighted Inserts
Tungsten weighted inserts, found in the soles of the long irons (2-5), make the irons easier to hit, improve forgiveness, and produce “Tour-type” launch conditions by lowering the center of gravity (CG).
Wide Grooves
High-performance wide grooves reduce spin, heighten launch, and improve spin control and consistency from all types of lies.
A thin, ultra-hot face delivers faster ball speeds and hence distance.
Stock Info
The KBS Tour V steel stock shaft is “built to maximize energy transfer”; it offers smooth feel and a penetrating ball flight with faster ball speeds.
Specifications for the Apex Pro iron and the KBS Tour V shaft can be found below:
| Name | Loft | Length | Lie | Offset | Steel Swing Weight (R / S X) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 18° | 39.5" | 59.5° | 0.135 | D1 / D2 |
| 3 | 20.5° | 39" | 60° | 0.135 | D1 / D2 |
| 4 | 23° | 38.5" | 60.5° | 0.125 | D1 / D2 |
| 5 | 26° | 38" | 61° | 0.115 | D1 / D2 |
| 6 | 29° | 37.5" | 61.5° | 0.105 | D1 / D2 |
| 7 | 33° | 37" | 62° | 0.100 | D1 / D2 |
| 8 | 37° | 36.5" | 62.5° | 0.095 | D1 / D2 |
| 9 | 41.5° | 36° | 63° | 0.090 | D1 / D2 |
| PW | 46° | 35.75" | 63.5° | 0.085 | D1 / D2 |
| AW | 51° | 35.5" | 63.5° | 0.080 | D1 / D2 |
| Flex | Torque | Shaft Weight (g) | Kickpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | Low | 100 | Progressive |
| Stiff | Low | 110 | Progressive |
| X-Stiff | Low | 120 | Progressive |
How do these irons perform?
Forgiveness
Countless golfers have remarked that the Apex Pro irons are quite forgiving for players irons, and this is what I found during my testing as well.
In particular, mild to moderate mis-hits will maintain a reasonable line and distance. Shots struck low on the face (thin) will produce an impressive carry.
Keep in mind, though, that these irons probably won’t be a game changer for the high-handicapper; they are designed for golfers who can strike the ball solidly with consistency.
Distance
Distance results with the Apex Pro irons are very good, with many people realizing large gains (10-20 yards and upwards) over their previous irons.
Of course, results will vary from person to person, but those who could benefit from a mid-high trajectory with a lower spin rate will likely see the best results.
Reliability
One of the most valuable attributes of the Apex Pro irons are their exceptional consistency, accuracy, realiability and distance control.
Expect similar shots to yield very similar if not almost identical results from just about every lie.
Playability/Trajectory
Typical of a players iron but perhaps even better than you might expect, the Apex Pro irons allow you a ton of control over your ball flight — shape, height and spin can be engineered with relative ease.
Whether you want to hit a runner up the green or land the ball high and soft, it can certainly be done with the Apex Pro irons.
Out of the rough, good swings should get the ball up in the air with plenty of spin. The Apex Pro iron interacts smoothly with the turf.
Typical trajectories tend to be mid-high and penetrating, and therefore perform well in the wind.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
The Apex Pro irons have the clean, compact and elegant look characteristic of most players irons.
Offset is very minimal, the toe is rounded, and the top line is reasonably thin.
It’s a little disappointing that the soft satin finish, which looks beautiful, tends to show noticeable signs of wear after only a few rounds on the course. The back cavity has sticker inserts that also tend to wear over time.
The Sound & Feel
The feel at impact is hot and soft yet solid. Feel is balanced and stable at address and throughout the swing; it’s the quality you would expect from a forged players iron, and Callaway certainly doesn’t fail to deliver here.
Sweet spot strikes sound very crisp and solid.
Feedback is very good; mis-hits are not jarring, but you are definitely able to tell where contact is made on the face.
Where should you buy these irons online?
Click the button and the links in this article to be taken to the best buying destinations.
Conclusion
The Callaway Apex Pro irons remain some of the best players irons available today.
They will not disappoint the more skilled golfer — Tour level, low or mid handicap — looking for the premium feel, control and reliability, as well as some added distance and forgiveness, that they can count on to shoot low rounds.
Even high handicappers can have success with these clubs if they’re willing to really challenge themselves to become a better player.
Do you have any thoughts or questions about the 2014 Apex Pro irons? Let us know in the comment section below!
I just purchased a second hand set of these (4 to PW) for $195 USD with brand new grips. Stoked!
Nice, best of luck with them. Just out of curiosity, where did you buy them?
I have played these irons for over 2 years now. I’ve compared them to ping s55/ titleist 716 ap2/mizzy mp54/anser forged and Cally x forged 13s and 18s along with the apex pro16s. For me the apex pro 14 stands above all.(tested with same shafts)
Nice, Tim. You can’t really know how well an iron is going to perform for you until you make some swings and hit some balls with it.
Precisely, that is why trying different shafts also is, if not more important than the head. Find the head you like to look down on and fit it to the shaft that works for you