About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the irons which I purchased with my own money in April of 2022.

My take

The Callaway Apex iron is ideal for any low to mid-handicap player who is comfortable with playing forged head irons that prioritize forgiveness. My favorite part about the iron is its look at address, which adds comfort for me to start my swing.

About the club I tested

• Model: 2021 Callaway Apex Single Iron
• Loft setting: 8 iron
• Shaft type: True Temper Elevate 95g
• Shaft flex: Stiff

About me

• Average score: 75-82
• Handicap: 4
• Experience: 7 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Left-Handed
• Typical ball flight: High
• Golf ball used: Taylormade TP5X
• Club swing speed: 105-110 mph (8 iron)

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: April 2022
• Days tested: 3 weeks
• Where I’ve used it: Mostly on the range and Blue Fox Run Golf Course.
• Weather and wind conditions: Sunny conditions, windy, and calm. All different grass cuts and terrain.

How it performs

What I was looking for

At the time, I was hitting my irons poorly which made me start to look for a more forgiving iron than what I had. The Apex gave me comfort to swing with and confidence while testing that got my ball striking back on track and helped me hit my more advanced irons better.

Why I chose this club

The Callaway Apex Irons have always been on my radar. I have been a fan of the look from above and the sleek top line of these irons. After only viewing them online for too long, I decided to test them. For me, the Apex was basically the first and only option I considered testing. I was seeking a forged head and forgiveness and those two things led me to this club.

What I love about it

• Distance: I was comfortable hitting this club shorter or longer than a normal swing depending on wind conditions. An issue I encountered is that shots out of the rough sometimes had a small jump off the face (unpredictable distance longer than usual shots).
• Forgiveness: For a forged iron, the forgiveness was definitely more than I expected. My misses towards the toe of the club and high on the club face were still close to normal yardages.
• Feel: The best-struck shots felt great, just like other forged irons. I love the consistency of a forged iron and, although you can be punished more for a mishit (for example, any shot towards the toe of the face was not a good hit), the shots that are struck well feel like I barely even made contact with the golf ball.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Standing over this club looks great and gives me the comfort I need to start a swing. Looks great with a small forward press too (where you move your hands forward to deloft the club).
• Launch Angle: The launch was ideal and consistent with my game. I was surprised by how consistent the launch angle was when hitting out of either the fairway or rough.
• Spin: Shots from the fairway had no problem spinning enough to stop where I wanted on the green.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Sound: Unless off the tee on a par 3, this iron did not sound as satisfying as my current irons (Mizuno). It sounded slightly dead on any non-perfect contact swings.
• Workability: I hit a few cut swings that faded really well with a great ball flight, but when hitting out of long grass or long rough, the iron was a little quick to grab and led to a pull.
• Grip Feel: Given that the club I tested was not brand new, the grip was slightly worn and I would have preferred an upgraded grip.

Best shot with this club

I had been waiting for this par 3 since my round started, knowing the yardage would be favorable while testing the Callaway Apex 8-iron. The hole played at 159 yards on this particular day into an island green. Usually, I would have thrown the ball down but decided to tee it up to cover all testing areas. I swung smoothly around 90% and immediately called after it to sit. The ball flight was high and right at the pin, but with a back pin, I did not want to reach the back bunker. To my surprise, the ball sat at about 4 feet beyond the pin from stopping after one hop. I was impressed by the amount of spin I put on it with a smooth and comfortable swing.

Value for the money vs. other options

For those who are looking for irons on a budget, these irons are a tough purchase. With that being said, all forged irons come at a higher price. For those who are seeking an iron upgrade and are on the fence about getting forged vs cast, definitely try this iron out. The price compares to other forged irons well and gives a similar feel while being comfortable to hit.

Final verdict

The 2021 Callaway Apex iron carries great versatility for an iron. With a forged head, it brings great consistency while also having forgiveness out of fairways, rough, and sand. For those who are looking for a forged iron without an incredibly scary top view, this club has that comfort.