Why Callaway Apex Irons Stand Out & Which Set Fits You

Callaway Apex irons have a decades-long reputation for helping the very best players get the most out of their game, but here are two surprising facts about Apex irons. 

Callaway’s line of Apex irons actually predates Callaway itself. 

And, Apex irons aren’t just for the world’s best ball-strikers. In fact, with seven current varieties, there’s a great set of Apex irons for every player, from multiple-time major champions to aspirational high-handicap players.

So let’s check out what makes Callaway Apex irons stand out and how to find the best set of Apex irons for your game.

The Apex Ai300 is the game improvement iron in the Apex family. While it shares the player-preferred size and shape with the Ai200, it has more offset and stronger lofts, which help boost forgiveness and distance, two things that higher-handicap players can appreciate. 

In fact, the Ai300 has as much distance and forgiveness of any Apex iron, with the least amount of workability. In other words, they fly the straightest, another element that most mid-to-high handicappers crave.

Like many other irons in the Apex line, the Ai300 features Ai Smart Face for a larger sweet spot, and Callaway’s dynamic sole design for improved turf interaction.

On the outside, the Apex Ai200 is similar to the Apex Ai300, but there are a few key differences that make the Ai200 a Players Distance iron as opposed to the game improvement Ai300.

First, the lofts are ever-so-slightly weaker in the Ai200. At 30-degrees in the 7-iron, they’re still on the stronger side, just not quite as strong. The Ai200 also features noticeably less offset. Sure, there is still healthy offset on these irons, enough to help the clubface square and offer some forgiveness, but not the dosage you’ll find in the game-improvement Ai300 irons. 

The end result is a long and forgiving iron in a player-preferred shape. That makes the Apex Ai200 irons an excellent choice for a huge group of players. Better players who appreciate the consistency and forgiveness of a players distance iron can benefit from Ai200 just as much as aspirational mid-to-higher-handicap players with improving skills and a desire to play serious equipment.

The Apex Ti Fusion irons are the most unique set of Callaway Apex irons, perhaps ever. The titanium face helps create exceptional ball speeds and distance, yet the sophisticated shape appeals to better players. That makes the Apex Ti Fusion irons functional for a wide range of players, similar to the aforementioned Apex Ai200 irons.

The lofts are still on the stronger side, which also assists with distance, and they offer less offset than Apex Ai200 irons. Apex Ti Fusion is just as long and forgiving, yet more workable.

Players considering adding the attractive Ti Fusion irons to the bag based on looks alone should be warned that the dark finish will wear as the irons are used, but that doesn’t impact performance, and the Ti Fusion’s grooves are actually more durable than most irons.

The Apex Pro is where the Callaway Apex line starts to get more serious. We wouldn’t judge aspirational 10-handicappers for being tempted to put these in the bag, but we would offer those players a fair warning that these irons care more about workability and precision than they do forgiveness. 

A thin topline and more traditional lofts – a 33-degree 7-iron and 45-degree pitching wedge – demonstrate the business-like approach of the Apex Pro irons. Still, they’re more forgiving and fly straighter than the rest of the tour-level Apex irons we’re going to talk about. 

In other words, the Apex Pro irons could work for some better mid-handicap players, as well as some of the best players in the world. 

That also makes them a good candidate for part of a combo set, where mid-handicap players could put them at the top of the set with Apex Ai200 irons, for example, at the bottom, whereas better players could put these at the bottom of the set with something even more sleek, like the Apex MB at the top.

If you have no problem finding the sweet spot consistently, check out the Callaway Apex CB irons. These cavity backs feature the traditional lofts that produce the precision many better players love, and allow for the workability to dial in whatever shot shape and trajectory the golf course requires. Just don’t expect to retain all of your ball speed when your strike ventures too far towards the toe or heel.

The Apex TCB '24 – Tour Cavity Back – is Callaway’s most-played iron on the PGA Tour. That should tell you the type of player that these irons are designed for. 

The dynamic sole design found on all Apex irons helps clean contact from a variety of lies. 

If distance and forgiveness are of no concern, and you need maximum workability, virtually no offset, and beautiful looking and feeling irons, these might be for you.

One look says it all. The Callaway Apex MB irons aren’t for the faint of heart. In fact, Callaway designed the Apex MB irons for the very best of the best ball-strikers, rewarding that precision with satisfying feel, world-class workability, and a classic blade aesthetic.

The Apex MB irons feature a progressive center of gravity, meaning the CG is progressively higher in the club face as the set moves to the shorter irons. That optimizes launch and trajectory and spin so each iron delivers peak performance.