Callaway Apex Ai200 Iron Review

Callaway are back with an upgrade to the Apex line of irons. The new Apex Ai200 model is a players’ distance iron that aims to be longer and more forgiving than the Apex Pro. So what’s new, and how do they perform? Find out in our Callaway Apex Ai200 iron review.

• RELATED: Callaway Apex Ai300 irons review
• RELATED: Callaway Apex irons: Everything you need to know!

Callaway Apex Ai200 Iron Review: First Impressions

I love how Callaway has brought the style of the rest of the Apex iron line to this range. It is really unusual to have the same styling from blades and CB’s up to players’ distance and game improvement irons but Callaway has done a great job of this with the new Apex Ai200 and Ai300 models.

Despite these being bigger than the Apex CB irons I have been using I like the fact the blade length isn’t too long and there isn’t too much offset. There is however a thicker topline to add confidence to those who want something easier to hit.

NCG Verdict

I initially hit these in St Andrews on the driving range and out on the Eden Golf Course. The thing that first stood out to me when hitting these irons was how soft the sound and feel was for a hollow body iron, thanks to the the Forged 455 Face Cup.

In terms of ball flight, I loved how high these flew and just how easy they felt to hit. It was almost a relief to pull these out on the golf course, especially in the long irons as I knew I didn’t have to put a perfect swing on it to hit a good shot.

When I was back home I headed to the practice ground at Scarcroft Golf Club to get some data with my TrackMan.

Above is my 9-iron data, you can see across the board it is fairly consistent. I generated a great amount of spin here and paired with 46.5 degrees of descent angle these would easily stop quick on the greens. Personally I didn’t see loads of distance gains here but I do find I often struggle for distance with short irons with a wider sole.

With 7-iron the story again was consistency, the data was exactly where I would want it to be in terms of spin, height and carry, and I loved hitting these knowing shot after shot I was getting a very repeatable ball flight despite the strike location being sometimes questionable.

For me, these irons come into their own in the long irons. I am always looking for more ball speed and forgiveness in my 5 and 4-iron and these could be perfect options for players who want to combo set from some of the existing irons into something more forgiving in the long clubs. The 5-iron gave me very consistent data, I usually get around 171 yards carry out of my Apex CB 5-iron, and I saw an easy 8-yard gain here.

I also like the increase in height which would allow me to stop longer irons into the greens quicker and the spin was still at a decent level for a club head with more technology in.

Overall, I really enjoyed testing these irons. I love how Callaway has styled these, as they feel just like the smaller Apex models. For the size of the club, the sound and feel are great thanks to the forged club face. If you are after more distance and forgiveness than was previously available in the Apex line-up, these could be a perfect option for you.

Callaway Apex Ai200 Iron Review: The Details

Available: Pre-order from 15th August, PAR date 23rd August

RRP

Apex Ai200 Steel: £1199 / $999

Apex Ai200 Graphite: £1299 / $999

Shaft

Steel: True temper DG Mid 90 (R, S)

Graphite: UST Mamiya HDC Recoil Dart 80 (A, R, S)

Grip: Golf Pride Z-Grip

Lofts: 21° – 43°

More information: Callaway UK / Callaway US