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2024 Callaway Apex irons: New Apex MB, Apex CB, Apex Pro, Apex UT irons launched

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As evidenced by the line’s performance in Best Irons, Callaway had a winner on its hands with its 2021 Apex iron family. Thus, engineers faced what is arguably the best problem to have in golf club design: How to find areas for improvement in a winning design without “losing” in other areas.

Brian Williams, VP of Callaway R&D, spoke to this:

“We really have been on a journey for multiple years working with some of the world’s best players, getting feedback from them the whole way on things that we could do really in pursuit of perfection – how we can take a great product line and make it even better.”

“It’s us being calibrated with these players to be able to understand and see the things that they see. Their ability to perceive even the slightest change in designs is truly unbelievable and so we’ve been able to saddle up alongside some of these players on this journey that we’ve been talking about, the specificity that we use on these designs is next level.”

To see how the company navigated the paradigm (no pun intended), let’s dig in to the designs.

2024 Callaway Apex MB irons

Callaway’s “modern tour blade” was developed in collaboration with tour professionals and is designed to deliver efficient turf interaction (thanks to Dynamic Sole Design), optimum workability, and a classic feel in a one-piece, 1025 carbon steel forging. Callaway engineers designed the Apex MB line with progressive CG throughout the set — lower in the long irons for higher launch, higher in the short irons for a more penetrating trajectory.

As mentioned, the Dynamic Sole Design integrates “dual chamfer” (multi-angle) leading and trailing edges for efficient turf interaction.

Regarding the sole design, Williams said:

“This is the outcome of extensive work – I think we did 7 or 8 versions of this sole until we
had it perfected. We saw this Tour validated feedback where even when we had the slightest
thing off, they could pick it up and tell us how to fix it. We really changed that leading edge, the sharper leading edge, and this trailing edge chamfer for us gives a little bit of relief – it glides through the turf. All these versions have a similar approach, and we’ve worked on getting our balance to be very centralized – so we call it Dynamic Bounce, it’s variable as you move from heel to toe, and we have some additional toe relief. A player with very high speed they can have the toe down on impact, and that’s a way that we’ve really worked on the bounce.”

2024 Callaway Apex CB irons

Callaway touts an all-new forged construction in its 2024 Apex CB irons and its associated feel and workability. Forged from 1025 carbon steel in a five-step process, Apex CB ‘24 irons also feature MIM weighting in the toe and similar progressive CG and Dynamic Sole Design to the Apex MB irons.

2024 Callaway Apex Pro irons

Multi-material forged construction plus Callaway’s patented urethane microspheres create a new level of feel in the Pro series of Apex irons, according to the company. For the first time in an Apex iron, hollow body construction joins a 1025 forged carbon steel body.

Callaway touts an all-new progressive face design that delivers both increased distance and more precise distance control across the lineup. Long irons feature a forged 455 face cup for enhanced distance control, short irons have a 1025 forged face plate for enhanced control. Again, Dynamic Sole Design is featured with this iron.

2024 Callaway Apex UT irons

Callaway targets distance and versatility with the 455 forged face cup powered 2024 Apex UT irons. All the notable party guests are here as well: Dynamic Sole Design, urethane micropsheres, multi-material forged construction. Also worth pointing out: The new Apex UT is slightly more compact than the previous generation with a slightly shallower face.

Created for combo-ing

As with the previous generation of Callaway Apex irons, Callaway is again emphasizing combo set possibilities with 2024 Apex irons.

Discussing combo sets, Williams said, “We have the same weight across the entire family, and that opens a lot of opportunities for us. It’s a difficult challenge to develop a set with perfect gapping, and when you want to allow players to mix and match that’s a next-level complexity to solve. The team has worked on that, and I think we have something that’s incredible when you can just about swap any of these irons out.”

2024 Callaway Apex irons: Pricing, specs, availability

  • Pre-sale: 8/18
  • At retail: 9/8
  • Stock grip: Golf Pride Z-Grip Firm
  • Stock shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid (Steel), Mitsubishi MMT (Graphite)
  • Pricing: Apex Pro, Apex CB, Apex MB: $215/iron
  • Apex UT: $275/iron

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11 Comments

11 Comments

  1. Pingback: Best irons in golf of 2024: Best blades – My WordPress

  2. Pingback: Best irons in golf of 2024: The shotmakers – GolfWRX

  3. Pingback: Callaway Apex Pro, Apex CB, Apex MB combo irons – Club Junkie Reviews – GolfWRX

  4. Pingback: Callaway Apex Pro, Apex CB, Apex MB Combo Irons - Club Junkie Reviews - Fly Pin High

  5. Bill Smith

    Aug 2, 2023 at 4:15 pm

    The original Hogan Apex blades were a thing of beauty.

  6. Billy

    Aug 1, 2023 at 2:56 pm

    Is the Pro replacing the normal Apex then?

  7. H

    Aug 1, 2023 at 11:41 am

    So is it 23 or 24? LMAO

  8. Jer

    Aug 1, 2023 at 10:19 am

    Will they be releasing Apex and Apex dcb’s soon ??

  9. Boomer

    Aug 1, 2023 at 9:50 am

    The Pro looked promising until the picture of the top-line. Hopefully it looks thinner in person than in pictures.

    • Stephen

      Aug 1, 2023 at 1:41 pm

      Play the CB then

    • mtjrpro

      Aug 2, 2023 at 8:12 pm

      Was thinking the same, even the CB looks thinner at the top than the pro.

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Equipment

Accra launches new GX wood and hybrid shafts

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Accra Golf shafts have long been synonymous with fitting, and the new GX line of driver, fairway, and hybrid shafts continues that legacy.

Since 2004, Accra has been making high-end performance golf shafts that use the latest in materials and design philosophy. Their group of around 350 fitters are some of the best and most highly ranked in the world. While you might see other brands on professional tours more often, there are plenty of touring pros using Accra products and winning.

Accra’s new GX line of shafts is designed to offer a consistent and accurate shaft to a wide range of players. The GX line consists of 3 different shafts in driver, fairway, and hybrid designs.

The Accra GX shafts are designed for fitters to dial in golfers to the perfect shaft for their swing. Accra included a ton of technology into the GX line including their S3 profiling, DyMatch, and Constant Flex technology. DyMatch has been Accra’s quest to ensure that all shafts in a family feel and perform similar from driver to hybrid or iron shaft. Typically shafts get stiffer as they go up in weight, but Accra’s Constant Flex keeps the flex of the shafts consistent so fitters and golfers can dial in the weight that the golfer need without have to work around a stiffer or softer flex. Accra worked with Cool Clubs to build out its S3 Shaft Profiling system that not only allows a quick and easy EI profile of any shaft, it helps with quality control to ensure shafts come out of production exactly as they were designed.

Accra GX Red 300 Series

GX Red is lowest launching and spinning option in the GX line. Driver shafts have fewer options with just the 360 and 370 models that come in at 63 and 71 grams. The GX Red is made for faster swinging, or stronger, players who require a stiff (M4) or x-stiff (M5) shaft for their swing. Fairway and hybrid models are also on the higher weight side with the fairway clocking in at 80g and 90g for the hybrid. Accra designed this series with one of the stiffest tip sections of any Accra shaft in the current line, and while it is built to control launch and spin, the Red 300 Series will still offer that smooth feel.

Accra GX Green 100 Series

If your swing usually works best with mid-launch and spin, then the GX Green 200 series might be the right shaft for you. Offered in more weight and flex options, you can get a GX Green in 52 grams and all the way up to 70 grams in regular, stiff, and x-stiff flexes. GX Green will give the player a smooth feel and transition from the handle down to the tip section while still providing great stability and consistency. Accra also focused on the energy transfer of this shaft, and golfers can see some increased ball speed compared to other shafts.

Accra GX Blue 200 Series

While the GX Blue 100 Series is the highest launching and spinning option in the GX lineup, it will still give golfers the control and consistency they need. Starting off at 40g, the GX Blue series puts an emphasis on lighter weight to allow players to swing the club faster, promoting more distance. Accra touts the stability of the GX 140 Blue driver shaft by stating that some long driver competitors have put it in play to try and gain every MPH they can. Matching fairway and hybrid shafts are both on the lighter side at around 60g for the fairway and 65g for the hybrid depending on the flex.

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Equipment

Best irons in golf of 2024: Best blades

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In our effort to assemble the 2024 best irons, we have again compiled an expert panel of fitters to help you find out which of the 2024 irons is best for your game.

Ultimately the best way to find your personal best iron set is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.

We are in the era of not just maximizing distance but also minimizing the penalty of common misses for each player — this applies to irons just as much as it does with any other club in the bag. And of course, proper set makeup and gapping is essential. This is why, now more than ever, custom fitting is essential to help you see results on every swing you make.

We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you by offering recommendations for your individual iron set wants and needs with insight and feedback from the people who work every single day to help golfers get peak performance out of their equipment.

Best irons of 2024: The process

The best fitters in the world see all the options available in the marketplace, analyze their performance traits, and pull from that internal database of knowledge and experience like a supercomputer when they are working with a golfer.

It’s essentially a huge decision tree derived from experience and boiled down to a starting point of options—and it has nothing to do with a handicap!

Modern iron sets are designed into player categories that overlap the outdated “what’s your handicap?” model, and at GolfWRX we believe it was important to go beyond handicap and ask specific questions about the most crucial performance elements fitters are looking at.

These are the best iron categories we have developed to help you determine which category is most important for your swing and game.

Best irons of 2024: The categories

2024 Best irons: Best blades

This is by far the most straightforward category because it is defined by a single style of club — the blade AKA the muscle back or MB for short. Although modern variations offer a lot more playability than they did decades ago, blades are still defined by their workability, compact shaping, and lower ball flight. If you are looking for the ultimate test or just prefer something in the more traditional vein, these are for you.

Mizuno Pro 241

Their story: Grain Flow Forged HD in Hiroshima, Japan, Mizuno Pro 241 irons feature better turf interaction than their predecessors thanks to increased bounce (while maintaining the same sole camber). Additionally, the 241 irons feature more centered mass than Mizuno Pro 221 for enhanced feedback. Also contributing to enhanced feedback: Mizuno’s signature soft copper underlay. The topline has been thinned and short irons are more compact.

Fitter comments:

  • “Mizuno has made some of the best blades for over 35 years and the 241 holds up with the rest.”
  • “These are the staple in the blade market options. These just keep getting better and better each generation.”
  • “From a feel and feedback, Mizuno always hits the mark.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece. 

Titleist 620MB

Their story: The 620 MB offers ideal turf interaction throughout the set thanks to more camber and a tweaked leading edge. In addition to the sole tweaks, the blade length is progressive from the longest iron to the shortest and the transition is so smooth that unless you set clubs next to each other, it’s quite difficult to notice. The final design element is the face height progression which transitions from more shallow to tall in the pitching wedge to offer the greatest control over ball flight.

Fitter comments:

  • “Exactly what one would expect from a Titleist blade, great feel, incredible control and precision.”
  • “Nothing feels as good as a Titleist blade when hit in the middle.”
  • “Classic as classic gets for the player who wants that.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Srixon Z-Forged II

What Srixon says: “Z-Forged II is a traditional muscle back blade Iron designed in close collaboration with Srixon tour pros. Z-Forged II Irons offer crisp feel, maximum control, and pinpoint workability.”

Fitter comments: 

  • “The easiest blade to hit on the market. The longer heal-to-toe blade length inspires confidence to a player who wants to play a blade, but also wants forgiveness.”
  • “Most forgiving blade. Long blade length and V-Sole, with buttery soft feel. First gen looked better in the bag, but this performs better with the updated sole design.”
  • “Incredible feel, the dual sole creates great turf interaction and clean strikes from all lies.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Ping Blueprint T

Their story: The Blueprint T, designed for skilled golfers who prioritize workability, is a single-piece, 8620 carbon steel forging. Its muscle-back design concentrates mass behind the impact zone for a pleasing sound and feel with workability. A shorter heel-face height and narrow soles is designed for a distraction-free appearance at address and consistent turf interaction. Precision-milled grooves and a high-density toe screw provide precise swingweight control.

Fitter comments:

  • “These things are beautiful and clean looking. You don’t see much going on the outside of the iron. Small compact and very hard to hit.”
  • “By far the best blade made.”
  • “Great follow up to last year’s Blueprint that took off after being a proto club. New category opened up for Ping because of prior success. Refining the issues with blades with maintaining the classic look and lofts.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Callaway Apex MB

Their story: Callaway’s “modern tour blade” was developed in collaboration with tour professionals and is designed to deliver efficient turf interaction (thanks to Dynamic Sole Design), optimum workability, and a classic feel in a one-piece, 1025 carbon steel forging. Callaway engineers designed the Apex MB line with progressive CG throughout the set — lower in the long irons for higher launch, higher in the short irons for a more penetrating trajectory.

From the fitters:

  • “The weight…in the back positions the center of gravity directly behind the ball to give the player precision and control over the launch and shape of shots.”
  • “Easier to elevate than the previous generation, the new weight system offers a touch more forgiveness as well while still delivering similar feel.”
  • “A nice blade and a good option from Callaway.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Best irons of 2024: Meet the fitters

RELATED: Best driver 2024

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Whats in the Bag

Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters

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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches)

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4) Buy here, TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Buy here.
Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only Cord

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.

Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

 

The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

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