When it comes to choosing a new set of irons, there's not many brands that offer more options than Callaway, and that has been extended further with their latest update to the Apex range.
Both the Apex Ai200 and Apex Ai300 use the benefits of AI technology, as the name suggests, to provide even greater levels of performance and forgiveness for mid and high handicappers.
Who Are They Aimed At?
Apex irons have had a pretty broad appeal ever since they were first introduced by Callaway because they usually offer a number of different models to cater to a wide range of golfers. This is no different now, with the Apex TCB being used by Jon Rahm, all the way up to these new Ai300 Irons which are the most forgiving Apex game-improvement irons.
They're designed for high-handicap golfers who want something large and friendly-looking down by the ball, which can make it easier for them to launch the ball consistently and potentially gain a bit of extra distance too.
Having said that, I'm not sure whether I'd actually recommend them to many golfers - you'll have to read on to the end to find out why...
The Tech
The Apex Ai300 irons feature a larger profile than the Ai200 and are designed to blend both performance and forgiveness. A cavity-back designed combines with a forged 455 face cup to deliver plenty of power across the face along with an improved feel.
The Apex irons use Callaway's AI Smart Face which we have seen in their gear for the last couple of years. This uses real golfer swing date, combined with AI, to generate a face which optimises speed and spin consistency, for better dispersion on approach shots into the green.
There aren't many game improvement irons these days which don't feature extra weighting of some sort in the head, and these are no different. Callaway have included MIM weighting, which is strategically positioned in each head to optimise CG, providing the best launch for each iron.
Finally, a Dynamic Sole Design works to improve turf interaction, giving golfers better forgiveness through the turf at impact.
Callaway Apex Ai300 Irons Review
Looks
Callaway's Apex irons always look pretty good to me and this latest range is no different - they've retained all of the typical hallmarks of an Apex irons but with a slightly updated logo and back plate which looks smart in my opinion.
There's a very clear offset at address, noticeably more than the Apex Ai200, which might give golfers a little bit of extra confidence if they are fighting a slice or looking for a bit of extra launch.
You also get a generous topline and blade length, which will also be reassuring to golfers who might tend to use all of the face when striking their irons, rather than just the sweet spot...
Feel
Callaway say that they have focused on turf interaction in the new Apex Ai irons and it did feel like the thicker sole was helping to keep things moving even if you catch it a little heavy.
As you'd expect from an iron this size you get a pretty solid sound and feel at impact, with the ball springing off the face nicely which adds to the feelings of forgiveness and easy launch that these irons offer.
Performance
These irons are relatively strong in terms of loft as you might imagine for a distance iron, with a 7 iron coming in at 29 degrees, and as I results I found it pretty easy to achieve good distances with these irons - particularly with the shorter irons which definitely felt 'hot'.
The offset look of the head produced a pretty consistent draw bias which took a little while to get used to, but it was repeatable and will be reassuring for golfers who struggle with a slice because it should straighten out the ball flight a bit.
The thick sole and easy launch also meant that these irons performed really well out of the thick rough, which could be a bonus for high-handicap golfers who may be prone to missing more fairways and can also lack the speed to advance the ball from longer grass. I found it was really easy to get the ball out and moving towards the green, which could save golfers lots of shots.
The Numbers
I tested these irons on the Trackman at Hukd Golf and the numbers pretty much backed up what I was seeing on the course.
I was seeing good ball speeds and distances across the set, and it felt like a really strong ball flight that was pretty consistent too, with most of my shots missing just left of the target thanks to that draw bias design.
Spin rates were relatively low, as I'd expect with this makeup of iron and strong lofts, and for golfers who lack a bit of swing speed this could really help them to gain a bit more distance.
Callaway Apex Ai300 Irons Verdict
Without doubt the Ai300s are a good set of irons, but to be honest I'm not sure how many golfers I could actually recommend them to.
I think the Apex Ai200 are such a great option, which would cater for the majority of mid-to-high handicappers, that I don't think there's actually many people who would see a huge difference between those and the Ai300.
When you also take into account that Callaway offer Paradym AI Smoke and AI Smoke HL irons too, I don't think the Apex Ai300 will give you anything extra in terms of performance, even if they do look and feel a better than the Paradym models.
The Apex line is Callaway's most premium offering, so the price tag of just under £1400 for a 7-iron set probably shouldn't surprise me but it is pretty high, particularly when you consider that Mizuno offer their JPX925 Hot Metal irons for around £350 cheaper.
Having said that, if you want to be part of the Apex crew and you're looking for ultimate forgiveness, they might be worth the money to you.
Would I Use Them?
If I was looking for a set of irons which provided easy launch, distance and forgiveness I would probably go with the Apex Ai200 irons first, and would recommend them to other first too.
The Apex Ai300 irons are still a very good option, but I don't think they are necessary for most unless you're really struggling to launch the ball or want a much larger profile of iron.
Callaway Apex Ai300 Irons Pros and Cons
STAR RATING: 4
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Callaway Apex Ai200 Irons Review
Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal Irons Review