Callaway have unveiled two new irons which will hit the market in early 2018. The leading manufacturer will launch the Callaway Apex MB Irons and X-Forged Irons.
The two new products offer a variety of options for golfers seeking blades, with the Apex irons being an updated version of the classic muscle backs and the X-Forged a cavity back iron.
In terms of size, the Apex heads are slightly smaller than the X-Forged irons—though this isn’t a significant difference that could sway a purchase decision.
They are not cheap—they’re priced in excess of £1000 for a seven-club set—but it is a high-quality product that is certainly a benefit to golfers with lower handicaps looking to extract even more from their game. They certainly aren’t something to consider for the average golfer.
Callaway Apex MB 2018 Irons
The new Apex iron is an updated version of the 2014 edition of the Callaway irons and fans of the club will notice a slight difference to the design. The new design includes the MB in the name; that is all down to the fact that the 2018 model is very much a muscle back with weighting in the heel and toe of the clubhead, which features a new 20V grooves. That is the biggest design tweak from the four-year-old previous version, which had a centralized muscle. With the increased MOI you will get a little more forgiveness from the 2018 irons, although these blades aren’t about forgiveness—it is all about the feel the 1025 carbon steel irons provide. In this space of the market, the Apex MB will provide competition with the Taylormade 718 MB and Mizuno MP-18 which have been on sale earlier this year. The Apex MB Irons come—as standard—with a 4-iron through to PW. There are also three other clubs that can be added to the bag, a 2-iron, 3-iron and gap wedge.
Callaway X-Forged 2018 Irons
Compared to the Apex MB Irons, the X-Forged Irons are a much more forgiving club—not surprisingly with a cavity back design. The latest version of a club that first emerged in 2009 before an updated design followed in 2013, the X-Forged 2018 edition should help eek out a couple of yards extra than the other new arrival to the Callaway range, the Apex MB. Phil Mickelson has already used the new X-Forged Irons while playing on the PGA TOUR. This iron features triple net forging that helps with control, turf interaction and feel while the 20V groove pattern helps with shot shaping. The standard set of irons comes with 4-iron through to PW, although a 3-iron is also available if required. The X-Forged Irons effectively take the place of the Callaway Apex Pro 16 Irons, which were a cavity back option prior the new muscle back design of the Apex range.
See also: Volvik Vivid Golf Ball Review