Equipment

New Callaway Apex 19 Irons, Apex Pro 19 Irons, and Apex 19 Hybrids launched

Published

5 years ago

Jan 4, 2019

This month sees the release of the new Callaway Apex 19 Hybrid, Callaway Apex 19 Irons, and Callaway Apex Pro 19 Irons. All the new Callaway iron models hit the retail market on January 25.

Callaway Apex 19 Irons, Callaway Apex Pro 19 Irons

Callaway-Apex-19-Irons-Cavity

The new Apex 19 and Apex Pro 19 irons feature a forged 1025 carbon steel body combined for the first time with Callaway’s urethane microspheres. The carbon steel body aims to provide players with a softer feel, while the urethane microspheres consist of over one million tiny air pockets which are designed to absorb any unwanted vibration at impact, without slowing down the face.

Both new sets of new Callaway irons will also contain Callaway’s 360 Face Cup, which employs a shallow, flexible rim around the perimeter of the face that flexes and releases at impact with the aim of providing faster ball speed for consistent distance on center hits and off-center hits. While with the shorter irons, Callaway’s VFT face promises to enhance spin control to allow for more aggressive shot-making.

Callaway-Apex-19-irons-topline

Callaway has infused an average of 50 grams of tungsten into each iron for greater precision in locating each club’s center of gravity, while maintaining the flexibility of the Face Cup, which aims at promoting optimum launch, ball flight, and pinpoint control throughout the set.

The Apex 19 irons come with a platinum chrome finish and feature a new True Temper Elevate 95 Shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip. While the Apex Pro 19 irons feature a straighter leading edge, higher toe, thin top line, and a smooth hosel transition for a Tour Performance shape.

The company describes the Apex Pro as “our first ever forged Tour performance iron
with advanced distance technologies…the iron for better players who want all the
benefits of a Tour-level design without sacrificing ball speed or distance.”

Callaway-Apex-Pro-19-cavity

In comparison to the Apex 19, the Pro features a straighter leading edge, higher toe, thinner top line, and smoother hosel transition. In other words, the look pros prefer.

The Apex 19 and Apex Pro 19 irons hit the market on January 25. The Apex Pro 19 irons will set you back $1,399, while for the Apex 19 irons, the steel irons come with a price tag of $1,399, while the graphite irons cost $1,499.

Callaway Apex 19 Hybrid

Callaway-Apex-19-Hybrid-Sole

For the very first time, Callaway Golf has introduced its Jailbreak Technology into a players hybrid.

The new Apex 19 Hybrid contains two steel Jailbreak bars which stiffen the body, placing more impact load on the face, with the aim of achieving faster ball speed and distance. The club also contains a Forged Face Cup made from Carpenter 455 Steel which is also designed for increasing ball speed.

The latest hybrid from Callaway comes in a dark PVD finish and comes equipped with a True Temper Catalyst Shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip.

The new Apex 19 Hybrid will be available to buy from January 25, and costs $269.99

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

6 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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