About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the iron which I purchased with my own money in April of 2021.

My take

I’m finding myself busier than I have been in the past, which means less golf. The Callaway Apex Pro 2021 iron is geared toward the more advanced player seeking some forgiveness, which appeals to me given the lack of practice. The performance combined with the forged hollow body design is exactly what I am looking for and is extremely appealing to the eye.

About the club I own/tested

• Model: Callaway Apex Pro 2021
• Loft setting: Standard
• Shaft type: KBS $-Taper 130
• Shaft flex: Extra Stiff

About me

• Average score: 72
• Handicap: 0
• Experience: 25 years
• Right/Left-Handed: Left-Handed
• Typical ball flight: High Draw
• Golf ball used: TaylorMade TP5X
• Club swing speed: 90mph (7 iron)

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: April 2021
• Days tested: 100+
• Where I’ve used it: St. George's Golf & Country Club (site of this week’s RBC Canadian Open for the PGA Tour), driving range, and simulator
• Weather and wind conditions: All Weather Conditions

How it performs

What I was looking for

I’m playing less golf and wanted an iron that would offer some forgiveness on slightly off-center hits while still allowing me to work the ball.

Why I chose this club

I was in a position where I could test all of the top forged irons on the market. I narrowed my search down to the TaylorMade P770 and the Callaway Apex Pro. With that said, when I factored in the forgiveness, feel, and workability, the decision was easy - I had to go with the Apex Pro.

What I love about it

• Distance: Callaway has introduced its A.I. designed Flash Face Cup for the first time ever in a forged iron. This technology has helped me gain yardage and led to hitting less lofted clubs on approach shots.
• Forgiveness: When I first picked up this club, I wasn’t expecting much in the forgiveness department, given its sleek, thin look. After a few off-center hits, I was astonished to see how accurate my results were!
• Feel: The Callaway Apex Pro 2021 feels exactly how I would expect a forged iron to feel. The golf ball is soft off the clubface, and when the club interacts with the turf, the divot is exactly what I expect to see.
• Workability: I was able to work the ball left to right, right to left, high and low on command. Extremely happy with the workability.
• Shaft Performance: I swing the club fast and steeper than most golfers. The KBS $-Taper has enabled me to keep the ball on line with the spin I expect, helping me achieve the results I want.
• Aesthetic Appeal: This is without question the best-looking forged hollow body-designed iron I’ve seen in my life.
• Launch Angle: I see the ball launching at a desirable height leading to approach shots that land softly on the putting surface.
• Spin: This combination of the club head and shaft provides me with the optimal spin rate on a consistent basis, leading to predictable results.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Sound: Not that it’s necessarily an issue, but the sound doesn’t match up with a forged iron that isn’t a hollow body. With that said, I certainly don’t care about the sound when the results are as good as they are in other departments.
• Shaft Feel: Much like the sound, the feel of the shaft leaves something to be desired, but it provides me with such predictability that the feel is a moot point at the end of the day.

Best shot with this club

In one of my first rounds with the Callaway Apex Pro 2021, I found myself on a 180-yard par 3. We were slightly downwind, so I selected one less club than I normally would. The ball flight was perfect, and the shot never left the flag, the only issue being it ended up an inch from what would have been the first ace of my life!

Value for the money vs. other options

When compared to other hollow-bodied forged irons such as the TaylorMade P770 and Cobra King Forged Tec, these Callaway Apex Pro 2021 irons are slightly more expensive, but I firmly believe the performance justifies the minimal price increase. A large part of what makes an iron valuable to me is consistent performance, and that's exactly what I’ve come to expect with the Apex Pro 2021 iron.

Final verdict

The Callaway Apex Pro 2021 irons have absolutely been one of the best investments that I’ve made. I’m still able to work the ball like I’ve come to expect out of a forged iron and pick up additional yards and forgiveness in the process. It will be difficult for me to pick up any different iron going forward.