Equipment
Callaway (finally) launches new Apex MB and X Forged irons
It’s been a long time coming for the release of Callaway’s new Apex Muscleback (MB) irons to the public. It was all the way back in January of this year when we first spotted Apex MB irons. Patrick Reed was testing the irons, and Rory McIlroy — before he joined TaylorMade’s staff — was testing a raw, prototype version of the clubs. Since then, the new Apex MB irons have popped up in the bags of other tour players, most notably Danny Lee (full set) and Phil Mickelson (8-PW).
Finally, Callaway has officially launched the Apex MB irons.
Along with the Apex MB irons, Callaway has also announced that it’s releasing another highly anticipated set of irons that are made for better players: the new X Forged, which we’ve only recently spotted in the bags of Phil Mickelson (3, 5-7) and Sang-Moon Bae (full set).
Callaway’s X Forged irons — first released in 2007, then in 2009, and not again until 2013 — are on a lengthy release rotation, far from the company’s Apex line that gets a new model at least every two years. The X Forged name, possibly due to that few-and-far-between release schedule, has garnered a cult-like appreciation from better players over the years, so this new release of X Forged irons will certainly be significant for those long-time fans.
Find out below what’s new and improved about the Apex MB and the X Forged irons compared to their predecessors, and see what GolfWRX members are saying here.
Callaway Apex MB ($1,299.99)
Callaway’s Apex MB irons are the product of direct feedback from the company’s Tour staffers, according to Luke Williams, Director of Product and Brand Management at Callaway. Forged from 1025 Carbon Steel, the irons are unapologetically made for the best players in the world, and they’re designed with the needs and wishes of Tour players in mind.
These blade irons have the shortest blade lengths, the thinnest soles and the smallest overall heads in the vast line of Callaway irons. They’re designed for maximum workability, for tour-desired turf interaction, and to cut through the thick rough that tour players face week-in and week-out.
With what Williams calls “classic lofts,” the irons are designed for players who know their distances and place more importance on consistent distances than hitting the ball farther. That means the clubs have weaker lofts than any of the other irons in Callaway’s lineup, and the single-piece forgings are not juiced with distance-enhancing technologies.
These irons, which are made with “20V” grooves and “optimized CG (center of gravity),” are for players who strike the center of the club consistently, and who want complete control over spin and trajectory.
Callaway’s Apex MB irons (2-PW, AW), with a Chrome finish, will sell for $1,299.99 starting on November 3 in both right- and left-handed options.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the irons in our forums.
Callaway X Forged ($1,299.99)
While the new X Forged irons are also designed for Tour players and better amateurs, these irons aren’t “as intimidating” as the Apex Muscleback irons, according to Williams. That’s because, although they’re also single-piece forgings, the blade lengths are slightly longer, the overall head shapes are slightly larger, and they are cavity-back irons made for a bit more forgiveness.
Like the Apex MB irons, the soles of the X Forged irons are built for the turf interaction that’s desired by Tour players, and the head profiles are tour-inspired. The lofts are slightly stronger throughout the set than the Apex MB, but are still weaker than the game-improvement style irons in Callaway’s stable. That means better players will see the ball launch in the “desired window,” according to Williams.
The X Forged irons are “triple net forged,” according to Callaway, and they have progressive CGs with 20V grooves on the face.
Sets of X Forged irons (3-PW) will hit stores on November 3 in both right- and left-handed options, and they will also sell for $1,299.99.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the irons in our forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Stephen Finley
Nov 7, 2017 at 11:12 pm
MB: just friggin’ _woof_.
Mat
Nov 7, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Looks like OEMs are starting to settle into 33/37/41/45 for the long haul on 7/8/9/P.
Scott
Oct 23, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Wonder how the X Forged will compare against mizzen jpx 900 forged? I really like the feel I have with my mizzies but I’ve always loved Callaway
Tom Duckworth
Oct 20, 2017 at 6:03 am
The new X Forged clubs look way better than the older ones much more put together on the back side. First set of Callaways I have like the looks of in some time. The blades are OK a blade is a blade I guess. I think I like the MP-18s better but I would think they would play just the same as any other blade iron.
OB
Oct 20, 2017 at 9:54 am
If they “look way better” then they must be better because the look of your WITB is half the game.
AB
Oct 19, 2017 at 10:59 pm
TM came out with their fake ‘forged’ P790s…. and now Cally with their mystery forgings. What’s happening?
jgpl001
Oct 18, 2017 at 5:02 pm
Both look really good
MB’s so like the mp69’s, unreal..
2putttom
Oct 23, 2017 at 1:57 pm
ya ya ya Mizuno has a lock on look a likes.
Kool Aid
Oct 18, 2017 at 12:05 am
No cup face?
finish it
Oct 18, 2017 at 12:04 am
Andrew Tursky is the Assistant Editor at GolfWRX. He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men’s Golf team while earning a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
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….. and he forgot to ask where the forging is done ….lol
Thomas A
Oct 18, 2017 at 2:11 pm
Lol. Like any company is going to admit where their club heads are made.
OB
Oct 20, 2017 at 9:55 am
Then we must assume the forging was done in Bangladesh for ¢¢¢¢¢¢ ….
AB
Oct 19, 2017 at 10:57 pm
If the clubs are expensive forgings by Endo as has been suggested ,without proof, then Cally should proudly declare it.
If not, and the clubs are forged in Bangladesh for a couple of dollare each then I can understand why they would want to keep it secret.
All the forum gearheads are so proud of their Japanese-made clubs and know all about the forging factory in which they are made.
If Cally keeps it a secret then we must suspect the worst… and they are overcharging for inferior forging with their name on the clubs to exploit the gullible golfers.
2putttom
Oct 23, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Virage Tech in western China
OB
Oct 23, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Proof?
Miz
Oct 17, 2017 at 11:26 pm
Who stole my MP-69 designs
MB
Oct 17, 2017 at 9:27 pm
“Classic” lofts they say, yet the 9 iron is at 42, then the PW at 47, and then an AW at 51????? NOT classic at all. lol
Milo
Oct 17, 2017 at 3:17 pm
Meh, no reason to upgrade my 13s, actually been thinking about getting some Maltbys to try out.
etc.
Oct 17, 2017 at 5:50 pm
But the Maltby forged clubs will not feeeel the same as the Cally MBs or X-Forged…. and then there is the staaaatus. Do you really want to bag Maltbys when they have never won a tournament? After all, you are what you own.
Milo
Oct 17, 2017 at 6:50 pm
I probably would of bought the maltby DBM forged if i knew about them when i purchased by 13s. I like the look of the DBM forged. If i needed status i would get PXG irons, haha.
2putttom
Oct 17, 2017 at 10:25 pm
say’s a guy gettin round town on a skate board
Milo
Oct 17, 2017 at 10:56 pm
I don’t get it lol
finish it
Oct 18, 2017 at 12:02 am
says tricycle tom
2putttom
Oct 20, 2017 at 10:25 pm
I do have a Can am
Luke
Oct 17, 2017 at 2:26 pm
Was confirmed that these are forged at the Endo Forging House. The creme de la creme of forging.
LenG
Oct 17, 2017 at 2:52 pm
Anti-MAGA Callaway clubs. No wonder they are so expensive and useless.
Jim T
Oct 17, 2017 at 9:06 pm
I want Tursky to tell us where the clubs were forged and finished. You say “confirmed” but by who? It’s Tursky’s job to be open and transparent in his reporting on a most important question.
2putttom
Oct 17, 2017 at 10:27 pm
ya stepped in what?
finish it
Oct 18, 2017 at 12:00 am
creme de la creme …. slurp
Jerry
Oct 17, 2017 at 12:32 pm
Bounce on both sets?
Jim T
Oct 17, 2017 at 11:32 am
“Forged from 1025 Carbon Steel” ….. “triple net forged” …. “Forged 18” …..
Okay, Tursky, now tell us where were they manufactured, where were they forged?
No mention here or on the WRX main forum. Seems like nobody knows.
Jerry
Oct 17, 2017 at 12:32 pm
Well, odds are it’s got to be China in terms of manufacturing/forging.
LenG
Oct 17, 2017 at 2:49 pm
No MAGA here!
2putttom
Oct 17, 2017 at 10:35 pm
@ Virage Tech a step ahead, a step above.
etc.
Oct 18, 2017 at 10:34 pm
Zinc die cast clubheads?!!
Dat
Oct 17, 2017 at 11:19 am
Take $300 off those prices and MAYBE they will sell.
etc.
Oct 17, 2017 at 5:52 pm
But that $300 is what Cally will pay Tiger for playing their clubs.
Scott
Oct 17, 2017 at 9:19 am
I’ve always liked Callaway. I’d try the x forged to compare against my miz jpx forged which I’m happy with.
2putttom
Oct 17, 2017 at 10:38 pm
+1
Lance
Oct 18, 2017 at 12:05 pm
2putttom + 1 = 3putttom
2putttom
Oct 18, 2017 at 9:40 pm
thnx
Lance
Oct 20, 2017 at 4:29 pm
yo bin ‘lanced’… wher da sun don shine …. (_*_)
2putttom
Oct 20, 2017 at 10:22 pm
it was a memorable moment
Tim
Oct 17, 2017 at 9:06 am
More Callaway product?!?!??
Ian
Oct 17, 2017 at 8:33 am
Blades have changed little in what the last 30 or 40 years?
So basically zero RnD and they still try sell them for $1300
2putttom
Oct 17, 2017 at 10:37 pm
oh ye of little faith. Google and research and get back to us.
Ian
Oct 18, 2017 at 3:45 am
Lol if you think these will do anything different
LD
Oct 18, 2017 at 9:38 am
Are you seriously stating that there is new “tech” in blades? SMH
Thomas A
Oct 18, 2017 at 2:14 pm
Forging processes have improved to allow for stricter tolerances. So yes, there is “tech” in new blades.
LD
Oct 18, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Forging processes have not improved dramatically in 40+ years. You bought that marketing trash hook, line, and sinker.
2putttom
Oct 18, 2017 at 9:44 pm
” Not only did this 5th forging step improve the density consistency of the raw forgings, which in turn tightened the +/- weight tolerance of the raw forgings, but this additional forging step further reduced the number of internal voids and improved the consistency of the grain structure of the carbon steel. “
etc.
Oct 18, 2017 at 10:14 pm
Tell them about that “soft buttery feel” after the 5th forging step…. which requires more ‘soaking’ in the furnace to keep the forging temperature up….. or do they only do the ‘custom’ forging for the pro’s who endorse the clubs?!!
2putttom
Oct 23, 2017 at 2:06 pm
etc checked in with Mr. Wishon.
Tom Wishon October 20, 2017
The 5th forging step is to hit the head after the flashing is removed one more time with a die that packs the steel more densely and reduces the final flashing to a very small and narrow line of material that is removed very easily from the outer edges of the head. So not only are there fewer and much smaller voids in the grain structure of the steel which makes the raw forgings MUCH more consistent for weight but it also reduces the amount of grinding to clean up the heads to prepare them for machining and plating. That results in more shape consistency of the heads.
LD
Oct 19, 2017 at 6:06 am
They added another die (5th) to the process. Nothing new under the sun. The rest of that statement is marketing gibberish.
2putttom
Oct 19, 2017 at 9:00 pm
etc good question and one to research I’ll ask Mr. Wishon. LD oh wow… do you have some info to share that will support your mood?
Dave
Oct 20, 2017 at 10:01 pm
You know what they could do? Make the chrome and nickel plating thicker so they never get wear spots. That’s about the only thing that could improve the mizunos/endos/etc.
Dj
Oct 17, 2017 at 8:32 am
$1300 for a set of blades? Hard pass
Lance
Oct 20, 2017 at 4:32 pm
But they shave ever so smooth …..lol
ibogeyalot
Oct 17, 2017 at 8:22 am
these companies want people in golf , yet are still charging over 1,000 for clubs! it is insane!
Thomas A
Oct 17, 2017 at 11:01 am
These clubs aren’t exactly aimed at people just being introduced to golf.
Grandpa Gord
Oct 20, 2017 at 4:37 pm
The only people playing golf nowadays is the “baby boomers” born between 1945 and 1966…. because they are retired or near retired and they have all the money and time to play. These expensive clubs are aimed for that market because the next generation, the X-generation, is too poor to play golf. They are squeezing the last $$$$ out of the dwindling golf club market before the Big Collapse takes full effect…. and you better believe it’s happening now.
Carmen Sandiego
Oct 17, 2017 at 8:03 am
I could have sworn they said they were going to release the MB’s in raw finish….Another chrome blade. Hrmph.
Matt Schulze
Oct 17, 2017 at 11:19 pm
There is a raw finish as well.
Sam
Oct 18, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Will they release a raw version? Will that be limited quantities? Where did you hear this? I’m interested in the raw finish set.
etc.
Oct 18, 2017 at 10:16 pm
Trusty rusty irons?