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What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on the new Callaway Apex MB irons
Callaway have some of the best iron players in the world using their irons, so when they update their Apex Pro line, you know they are going to be better than the last. The Apex MB is the epitome of the player’s iron lineup, offering very little help from the blade on mishits but the most aesthetically pleasing in the bag. So how did we find it? Read the Callaway Apex MB iron review to find out.
Wow, this iron is beautiful. The Callaway Apex MB might just be the best-looking blade on the market right now, taking over from the 21 Apex MB which was probably the best-looking blade iron on the market back then.
If it is control you are looking for then look no further. You are not going to achieve any distance PBs with the Apex MBs with the relatively weak 34 degrees of loft, but with the thin top line and muscle back distance control is made easy.
They are a big investment at £217 per iron but if you are a blade lover these irons will stay in your bag for years.
Unboxing this gift from Callaway was a real treat. I love blades, and they do not come any ‘bladier’ than the new Callaway Apex MB iron. With the thin topline, and the compact blade length, this golf club screams high-level ball striker, and if you are not, then you shouldn’t be holding them.
Behind the ball, they look fantastic. You really feel like you are going to be able to work different ball flights, and I love the dulled chrome finish. The black tungsten weight screw with Apex stamped on it gives you the impression that there is some technology in the head and that it is not just your standard blade. This hasn’t added any unwanted size to the club, so you purists out there can stand down.
NCG Verdict
I’ve been lucky enough to test pretty much all of golf’s new player’s irons this year, and given I’ve never used a set of Callaway irons before, getting my hands on these was a real treat for me. Callaway have perfected the aesthetics of this iron. The blade length is just right, the top line is thin enough, and the sole of the club is also pretty thin. These are the kinds of irons that when your mid handicap pal picks them out of the bag, he shudders with fear. This is absolutely one of the reasons why you should play them.
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The head is made out of one piece of 1025 carbon steel, which is what gives it the buttery soft feel at impact, and this year’s Apex MB irons feature a dynamic sole design which is supposed to help the club cut through the turf easier to maintain speed through the ball and into the ground, which should help make more consistent contact.
One of the new tech advancements since the release of the 2021 Apex MB is the progressive center of gravity the irons now have. The longer irons (3-4-5) have a lower CG to help with launch, whilst the short irons (9-10-11) all have a higher CG, so players can expect help to keep the ball down. This is great as clearly the traditional issue with blade irons is how hard the long irons are to get up in the air, but this is no longer an issue with the Callaway Apex MBs.
The data below isn’t impressive in terms of carry and total distance as I have hit irons this year that get up to 190 yards plus, but it’s the consistency that’s important. The launch angles are pretty tight, the spin is very consistent, there are no surprise long ball speeds, and you just generally get the feeling that you know what is going to happen when you make contact. The player that is considering putting these in the bag are searching for more control and more predictable results, and that is exactly what Callaway Golf offer in these irons.
Something Callaway have been great at in their last few player’s irons lines is how well the irons combo set together, and that is no different in the new Apex Pro line. The Apex MB and CB irons look pretty much identical at address behind the ball, and you could easily go half and half with these to make your long iron game a tad easier. The Apex Pro head is also pretty similar and would offer much more firepower in 3 and 4 iron whilst still looking the part, so you should certainly go for a fitting where you can hit all the long iron heads to build the most optimal set for your game.
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I am a huge fan of these blade irons, and they are right up there with the irons I’ve most enjoyed hitting this year. Callaway have managed to add some tech features to a very small head that will help your game whilst not ruining the purity of the MB. If you are a good ball striker looking for an upgrade, you should definitely be considering these.
