Expert Comparison: TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons vs Callaway Apex 21 Irons

Published on 02/14/2024 · 7 min readCompare TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons and Callaway Apex 21 Irons. Get expert insight below!
Andrew Abbott, Golf Expert
Ellis G, Golf Expert
Nick Warren, Golf Expert
Contributed By Golf Expert Andrew Abbott, Ellis G, Nick Warren, Jonathan Belanger, Joshua Curmi and others

VS

 

Side by side comparison

Runner up
TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons
Top pick!
Callaway Apex 21 Irons
Price
$899.97
25% off
from:$549.97
30% off
User rating
4.82(444)
4.73(146)
The Curated Take

Best for mid-low handicap golfers seeking workability and launch efficiency.

Best for golfers seeking consistent, predictable results and great distances.

Shaft name
KBS Tour Steel
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Iron Set Type
Iron Set
Iron Set
Player type
Players distance
Players distance

In the world of golf, the TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons and the Callaway Apex 21 Irons are two heavy hitters. Both are designed for low to mid-handicap golfers, offering a blend of distance, forgiveness, and workability. The P770 Irons are perfect for golfers looking for a forgiving distance iron packed into a smaller head with more workability. They offer consistent distance, even on mishits, and are more forgiving than blade-style irons. On the other hand, the Apex 21 Irons are known for their clean, classic, almost blade-like look, but with enough forgiveness for mishits. They are great for a higher handicapper looking to improve scores and gain distance, or for a low handicapper who needs a bit more forgiveness. Both sets of irons are packed with technology and offer a great feel, sound, and aesthetic appeal. However, they differ in terms of workability, forgiveness, and feel. The final verdict? It depends on your personal preferences and golfing style.

The TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons are a golfer's dream come true. They are designed for low-handicap golfers who crave a forgiving distance iron that's packed into a smaller head with more workability. These irons are a great upgrade from the P790s, offering the same distance benefits in a smaller, more consistent head.

The P770s are known for their distance. They travel very long each time, and they always go the same distance—even on mishits. These irons travel just as far as many of the game improvement irons while offered in a smaller, more workable head shape.

In terms of forgiveness, these irons provide a lot of forgiveness compared to blade-style irons. They are much more forgiving than a P7MC or MB, but they are not nearly as forgiving as the P790. This iron is perfect for single-digit handicappers who still want some forgiveness while playing a smaller club-head size with more workability.

The P770s also have a great feel. It feels like the ball is springing off the clubface. Though on toe strikes, the club feels very dull and dead. But on center strikes, it’s fantastic. The club sounds very firm and compact, like it sounds when tour professionals hit the golf ball. The sound of these clubs makes you feel like a professional golfer and makes you love hitting balls and practicing because of how good they sound.

The P770s have a sleek, small head shape as well as a shiny design to show off these irons’ simplistic style. From the back side, they look just like a TaylorMade blade iron. They launch really high, especially in the long irons, which is great for being able to hold the ball on the green.

The TaylorMade P770 irons are great for mid to low-handicappers who want a blend of game improvement and workability. These irons help shape shots for both draws and fades, as well as offer added forgiveness for off-center strikes.

Andrew Abbott
Golf Expert

The Callaway Apex 21 Irons are a fantastic choice for golfers who want a clean, classic, almost blade-like look, but with enough forgiveness for mishits. These irons are great for a higher handicapper looking to improve scores and gain distance, or for a low handicapper who needs a bit more forgiveness.

The Apex 21s are known for their distance. They are long irons, and for many golfers, the extra distance took some getting used to. Each club hits about 10 yards further than the previous set, so golfers have to rethink many of their approach shots into greens and tee shots on par 3s.

In terms of forgiveness, mishits definitely lose distance, but the dispersion is excellent - balls that aren’t well-struck tend to stay on-line longer and in play more often. The miss is an over-draw and these clubs have helped to reign in that miss.

The Apex 21s also have a great feel. These irons produce lots of feel, more than you would expect for irons in this category. Sweet-spot strikes feel great, but you will feel slight mishits in your hands. The sound of flush shots with good contact is great.

The Apex 21s have a clean appearance at address and in the bag. The top line isn’t too thick, and the slight offset isn’t overly aggressive. They have white, Pure Mid-sized grips which were added as a custom option - they remain tacky and perform well in all conditions tested (hot, cool, rainy, dry).

The Apex 21s are a great choice for me because they have a clean, classic almost blade-like look, but have enough forgiveness for my mishits. These are great irons for a higher handicapper looking to improve scores and gain distance, or for a low handicapper who needs a bit more forgiveness.

Ellis G
Golf Expert
Best seller

Similarities

Both the TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons and the Callaway Apex 21 Irons are designed for low to mid-handicap golfers, offering a blend of distance, forgiveness, and workability. They both have a sleek, compact design that appeals to golfers who prefer a smaller club-head size.

Both sets of irons are known for their distance. They offer consistent distance, even on mishits, and are more forgiving than blade-style irons. They both have a great feel and sound, with sweet-spot strikes feeling great and sounding firm and compact.

Both the P770 and Apex 21 irons have a clean appearance at address and in the bag. They both have a top line that isn’t too thick, and a slight offset that isn’t overly aggressive. They both launch really high, especially in the long irons, which is great for being able to hold the ball on the green.

Differences and Who They're Good For

While both the TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons and the Callaway Apex 21 Irons are designed for low to mid-handicap golfers, they cater to slightly different personas.

The P770 Irons are perfect for golfers who want a forgiving distance iron packed into a smaller head with more workability. They are more forgiving than a P7MC or MB, but they are not nearly as forgiving as the P790. This iron is perfect for single-digit handicappers who still want some forgiveness while playing a smaller club-head size with more workability.

On the other hand, the Apex 21 Irons are great for a higher handicapper looking to improve scores and gain distance, or for a low handicapper who needs a bit more forgiveness. They are great for golfers who want a clean, classic, almost blade-like look, but with enough forgiveness for mishits.

In terms of differences, the P770 Irons offer more workability compared to the Apex 21 Irons. They are a healthy blend of a blade and game improvement iron, making them perfect for golfers who want a workable iron that still provides some help with distance and forgiveness. On the other hand, the Apex 21 Irons are known for their forgiveness. Mishits definitely lose distance, but the dispersion is excellent - balls that aren’t well-struck tend to stay on-line longer and in play more often.

Analysis on Who’s the Winner

  1. Distance: Both the P770 and Apex 21 irons offer great distance, but the P770 Irons have a slight edge due to their smaller head size and more consistent distance, even on mishits.
  2. Forgiveness: The Apex 21 Irons win in this category. They offer excellent dispersion on mishits, helping to keep balls on-line longer and in play more often.
  3. Workability: The P770 Irons are the clear winner here. They offer a healthy blend of a blade and game improvement iron, making them perfect for golfers who want a workable iron that still provides some help with distance and forgiveness.
  4. Feel: Both sets of irons offer a great feel, but the P770 Irons have a slight edge due to their smaller head size and the feel of the ball springing off the clubface.

Conclusions

In conclusion, both the TaylorMade 2023 P770 Irons and the Callaway Apex 21 Irons are excellent choices for low to mid-handicap golfers. They both offer a blend of distance, forgiveness, and workability, and have a sleek, compact design that appeals to golfers who prefer a smaller club-head size.

The P770 Irons are perfect for golfers who want a forgiving distance iron packed into a smaller head with more workability. They offer consistent distance, even on mishits, and are more forgiving than blade-style irons. On the other hand, the Apex 21 Irons are great for a higher handicapper looking to improve scores and gain distance, or for a low handicapper who needs a bit more forgiveness.

In terms of differences, the P770 Irons offer more workability compared to the Apex 21 Irons. They are a healthy blend of a blade and game improvement iron, making them perfect for golfers who want a workable iron that still provides some help with distance and forgiveness. On the other hand, the Apex 21 Irons are known for their forgiveness. Mishits definitely lose distance, but the dispersion is excellent - balls that aren’t well-struck tend to stay on-line longer and in play more often.

In the end, the choice between the two will come down to personal preference and golfing style. Both sets of irons are packed with technology and offer a great feel, sound, and aesthetic appeal. So, whether you're a low-handicap golfer looking for a forgiving distance iron, or a higher handicapper looking to improve scores and gain distance, both the P770 and Apex 21 irons are worth considering.

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$899.97$1,199.99
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$549.97$714.28
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