Equipment

2021 Callaway X Forged CB, UT, and Apex MB irons launched

Published

3 years ago

Oct 13, 2020

John Wunder

Callaway Golf introduces the new 2021 X Forged CB, UT, and Apex MB irons.

The players iron category is the one where technology isn’t the big-ticket item in the conversation. Tour players and top amateurs alike prefer reliability over distance and forgiveness. Look into a good number of our tour pictures, and you will see countless bags with a one-piece forged cavity or muscleback irons.

Over the past four-to-five years, many OEMs have tried to integrate new tech into those irons (i.e. PXG Gen 3 T, TaylorMade P760, and Titleist AP/T100). All of these are multi-material players irons that were designed for the tour and have performed extremely well for a good number of players (Spieth, Jason Day, Zach Johnson, etc).

So what could make that idea better? The above examples all perform to the highest standard on tour and in the retail space…

Well, according to the team at Callaway, the ability to fine-tune for every player was the best place to start. 2021 callaway x forged irons

More photos and discussion in the forums.

2021 Callaway X Forged CB

2021-callaway-x-forged-cb

The Goal: To build a tour performance iron that offers the reliability of a one-piece forging while adding technology to offer enhanced forgiveness and the ability to fine-tune each player to exact, optimized specifications.

The Tech Story: The new 2021 Callaway X Forged CB is constructed from a forged 1025 carbon steel chassis and incorporates a multi-material weighting system to manipulate head weights without effecting exact CG placement.

2021-callaway-x-forged-cb

Beginning with the body, the housing of the hollow body design has the addition of external tungsten (standard at 17 grams) weighting system that can go up or down in weight depending on the needs of the player. The idea being that now Callaway has the opportunity to fine-tune swing weight without adding weight to the inside of the hosel, which is a common practice. The issue with that is it can adjust the CG of the golf club, resulting in inconsistencies throughout the set.

With head-specific MIM internal weight out towards the toe, Callaway was able to not only ensure the CG is dead nuts where it needs to be, but it also gives engineers the ability to tailor each weight (density and shape) specific to each head. In the past, internal weights were stock across the set, which can alter the consistency of the head. In this case, each head weight is dialed and cut specifically to match each clubhead.

With a hollow body design (although not taking it as far as the players distance category) there is a level of speed mitigation that is needed to help the best players in the world not hit it too far. Yes, that statement is correct. At the tour level, control, workability, and consistency will always hold a much higher priority than distance. With the 17-4 Tour Tuned faceplate, Callaway focused on adding perhaps a very small percentage of speed off the face but more to optimize the occasional mis-hit than anything else.

2021-callaway-x-forged-cb-1

What you have now is a face that will offer maybe two percent more speed off the face and an iron that is five percent more forgiving. In real terms, that’s maybe a couple of yards more distance out of the middle and 4-5 yards more carry on a center heel or toe strike. That’s it. Doesn’t sound like much, but for better players, the combination represents the difference between carrying a bunker or hitting it four feet closer to your intended target.

At the elite level, it’s in that nuance that makes or breaks an iron.

Optics/Feel

The shaping still holds consistent with the 2018 X Forged line—slightly longer blade length than its Apex CB sibling, thin top line, and medium-to-narrow sole. Turf interaction and a softer-than-normal feel were the benchmarks that make the ’18 X Forged popular. However, the 2021 version took it a bit further with a squarer leading edge and a bit more bounce based on Tour feedback. The overall impact experience will be a bit “crisper” based on early testing with Callaway staffer Kevin Kisner.

Tour Response

“Very positive,” according to tour manager Jacob Davidson. “We have multiple staff players testing and/or putting them in play including Na, Kisner, Gooch, Garnett, and a few others.” … “Players are liking the meatier feel at impact and the added forgiveness all while keeping to what they can expect from an X Forged profile.”

2021 Callaway X Forged Forged CB specs

External weighting options for fitters and builders only: Light 12 G, standar 17 G, heavy 22 G

Loft/Lie/Offset

3: 20/60/.135
4: 23/60.5/.130
5: 26/61/.125
6: 29/61.5/.115
7: 33/62/.110
8: 37/62.5/.105
9: 41/63/.095
PW: 45/63.5/.090
W: 50/63.5/.085

Stock steel shafts: Project X IO

R (105G) S (110G) X (115G)

Stock graphite shafts: Mitsubishi MMT

R (85G) S (95G) X (105G, Custom Only)

Grips: Golf Pride Z

Pricing/Availability

$200/club
Pre-sale: 10/22
Retail: 10/29

More photos and discussion in the forums.

2021 Callaway Apex MB

2021-callaway-apex-mb-irons-1

The Goal: Tunability in a muscle back iron. The best players in the world require precision all while maintaining consistency set to set. Callaway wanted to offer this at the highest level.

The Story: The new 2021 Callaway Apex MB is forged from 1025 carbon steel with a classic shape that is similar to the 2018 but with a slightly narrower sole and less offset. 20V grooves ensure optimal spin control in and out of the rough. The chrome-plated 2018 version now has been “brushed” to reduce glare, which is becoming a more popular option.

2021-callaway-apex-mb-irons-1

External tungsten weighting (standard at eight grams) in a muscle back iron isn’t the newest idea ever, but with new technology and a better understanding of precise CG locations, Callaway wanted now to be able to maintain the exact DNA of players set regardless of a grip change, shaft change, etc.

Sounds like a trivial reason to base a new iron on, but in the case of the PGA Tour, it’s not trivial at all. Under normal circumstances, when a player loves a set but wants to make a tweak here or there, it can alter CG and swing weight rather quickly. For example, if a player makes a change into a new grip, it most often leads to a swing weight change resulting in the tour reps either having to add weight to the hosel to match swing weight, add lead tape (awesome) or build a brand new set.

The new Callaway Apex MB gives builders and players the ability to simply use the removable back weight to get the spec back to square skipping common steps and ensuring consistency.

2021-callaway-apex-mb-irons-1

Optics

From a shaping perspective, the new 2021 Callaway Apex MB has a few tweaks from its predecessor—slight offset reduction, brushed satin finish, a slight reduction in the top line, modified height in the toe, and the obvious weighting port in the back.

As mentioned in my article about the TaylorMade P7MB, it’s never the goal to completely reimagine a muscle back iron rather maintain predictability, add small tweaks for optics and turf interaction all while maybe adding in 1 or 2 percent of forgiveness, launch, or speed. That’s it.

2021-callaway-apex-mb-irons-1

Tour Response: Since the early prototype was released in late 2019 to a small number of players, the curiosity around the new 2021 Callaway Apex MB has been active. Players were excited to get their hands on them, and since seeding began, players have been switching them in rather quickly. If anything players are loving the fact that the DNA of a Callaway blade is there as well as in some cases increased launch and a bit more forgiveness.

Young Callaway staffer Akshay Bhatia had this to say

“The shaping and feel of these new irons are unbelievable. Center strikes are exactly what you want to feel and I’m loving how they get through the turf. They are simply the best feeling irons I have ever put in the bag.”

2021-callaway-apex-mb-irons-1

2021 Callaway Apex MB specs

External weighting options for fitters and builders only (light 4G, standard 8G, heavy 8G)

Loft/Lie/Offset

3: 20.5/60/.115
4: 23/60.5/.110
5: 26/61/.105
6: 30/61.5/.095
7: 34/62/.090
8: 38/62.5/.080
9: 42/63/.070
PW: 46/63.25/.065
W: 50/63.5/.055

Stock steel shaft: Project X IO

R (105G) S (110G) X (115G)

Stock graphite shaft: Mitsubishi MMT

R (85G) S (95G) X (105G, Custom Only)

Grips: Golf Pride Z

Pricing/Availability

$185/steel, $200/graphite
Pre-sale: 10/22
Retail 10/29

More photos and discussion in the forums.

2021 Callaway X Forged Forged UT

The Goal: To pack all of Callaway’s key technology into one “players” utility iron.

The Tech Story: The new 2021 Callaway X Forged UT was designed to offer better players all of the game improvement tech Callaway offers and pack it into a utility iron that flows nicely from the top of the bag into the rest of the set. The 1025 carbon steel hollow body design has the same external and internal weighting features as the CB as well as incorporating Callaway’s patented Flash Face Technology for high launch and ball speeds across the face.

For tour players, this is the section of the iron set where versatility is very welcome. Whether it’s hitting a low fairway finder or hitting it straight up in the air, the Callaway X Forged UT gives them every option all while not creating any drama and optically working into the rest of the set. It’s not uncommon for Callaway staffers to put the UT in play in the 2, 3, and 4-iron, so having the ability to tune them to fit each player’s goal is a huge part of this. Some players use a UT as a bridge from irons to woods, and some use them as legitimate replacements for longer irons to add forgiveness and provide some launch and steeper landing angles.

With the 2021 Callaway X Forged UT, Callaway techs can dial in the UT without altering the CG at all, which is the benchmark of launch, tunability, and consistency.

Optics: The 2018 X Forged UT had a shape that the Tour staff adored, so no major changes—the goal here was to keep the look familiar and add the new Callaway tech to dial players in.

Specs: Length/Lie/Offset

External weighting options for fitters and builders only (Light 12G, STD 17G, Heavy 22G)

18: 39.5/60/.090
21: 39/60.5/.085
24: 38.5/61/.080

Stock steel shaft: Project X U

R (105G) S (110G) X (110G, Custom Only)

Stock graphite shaft: Project X Hzurdus Smoke HY

R (80G) S (81G) X (81G, Custom Only)

Grips: Golf Pride Z

Pricing/Availability

$250/club
Retail: 10/29

Overall remarks

I think what Callaway is doing here is very wise more than anything. Being able to nail a very specific spec for better players is important. The company has always made a sharp-looking players iron and they didn’t try something starkly different here, beyond the added tech.

This is an emotional category based on trust. Callaway knows this and responded with a way for the custom team to ensure even more trust for the player regardless of any alterations one would make (shafts, grips etc). How many times have you had a set of awesome irons that you needed to reshaft and the new combo loses that bit of magic? With the new Callaway X Forged CB and Apex MB you can have your cake and eat it too. I like it.

More photos and discussion in the forums.

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Equipment

Voting is live: 2023 GolfWRX Members Choice presented by 2nd Swing!

Published

4 hours ago

Jul 10, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

We’re proud to partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2023! 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

The bedrock of GolfWRX.com is the community of passionate and knowledgable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, or is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology and gear.

On that note, we just launched our 2023 GolfWRX Members Choice awards, and the polls are now open.

We want to hear from you, not just with a vote but with your comments too!

Please vote in the Members Choice categories below!

And don’t forget to comment with the reasoning for your choice!

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Equipment

GolfWRXers put the Full Swing KIT’s accuracy to the test

Published

6 hours ago

Jul 10, 2023

GolfWRX Staff

Last month, four GolfWRX forum members traveled to The Grand Golf Club at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California, to test the Full Swing KIT launch monitor and to see how it stacks up against other launch monitors. If you’re not familiar with the Full Swing KIT, development began when Tiger Woods requested a launch monitor he could trust on the range as much as he trusted his Full Swing simulator in his own home. Later, the KIT earned Tiger’s seal of approval and has been seen with him at every tournament he’s played in since its release.

Check out the video below to see if the KIT can earn the seal of approval from our four WRXers — @zap311, @double or triple?, @hatrick11, and @SwingBlues — just like it did from Tiger Woods himself.

GolfWRX members on the KIT’s accuracy

zap311: “The Full Swing team seems obsessed with accuracy when it comes to the KIT – The team talked about how this product officially shipped about 18 months ago and they are already on firmware release #20. They said they are regularly releasing updates (overnight via WiFi) to continuously improve accuracy and performance. That is pretty awesome and it’s nice to hear that they are not a company that “ships it” and moves to the next thing. I think they are on the right track since I saw virtually no differences in the data when testing vs. GCQuad and Trackman today.”

double or triple?: “In some cases the difference was less than half a degree on launch and less than 50 rpms on spin.”

hatrick11: “The differences were statistically nonexistent. I think it’s hard to believe for a lot of people when you think about the huge price disparity, but I can’t state enough how close the Full Swing was to trackman every single time, for each of us.”

“Outside, the data is just really really accurate. I know my numbers and know this particular range very well and the KIT was spot on all day. I also had some very variable quality golf balls in the bucket I hit and there was really only one spin rate in the whole session that had me raising my eyebrows at all.”

SwingBlues: “The GolfWRX Full Swing/WRX Experience showed Full Swing KIT produce numbers the same as the GC Quad (GC4) and the Trackman4. Dollar wise, both LMs are easily north of KIT, so this is HUGE to stand up there with the bigger boys on the Podium. For me, it seems more “apples to apples” to compare KIT to GC3. My own testing validates what we saw at the Experience. It shows critical data points like spin, carry, ball speeds are dead on or almost dead on for 40 yards and up on both GC3 and KIT.”

More on the Full Swing KIT

zap311: “The versatility of viewing data is impressive – Depending on usage, everyone has different preferences for viewing data. You have on-device, phone, tablet, monitor, smartwatch, or audio/headphones. I’m pleased to say that Full Swing covers all of these. You can use the app on iOS devices (they said Android is planned for the future). This includes viewing your last shot on the Apple Watch with a few options and turning on audio playback of your preferred metrics following each shot. I’ll post screenshots of this later. You can also choose between 4 data points or 1 data point on the device itself. It was easy to use the app to customize the top 4. For example, I was able to quickly change from launch angle on irons to swing path on driver.

“The KIT was very easy to use – Once you spend a few minutes learning the app and settings, it is very simple to select a club, line up the target line, and fire away. You don’t have to use a level or a laser to line up. KIT uses the built-in camera to tell you where to line up within the app or on-device screen. I was also able to boot up the KIT in less than a minute and drop it down on the tee box for our on-course trial today. Because of this simplicity, I can see it being more practical to bring to the course…

“The Full Swing team really thought through usability for the KIT. You can see up to four data points on the device’s OLED screen. You can see all 16 data points on your iPhone/iPad along with a video replay of the shot, you can view one primary metric from your Apple Watch, and you can enable audio playback for any of the 16 data points. For me, this was a dream as a full iOS user. One other feature I like is that you can star a particular shot to save it. You can also send shot data + the video recording to your coach if you want.”

double or triple?: “I was able to meet the teaching pro at the range I’m using for testing – PGA teacher/member Ryan Kolk. He and his team have 4 units amongst themselves and use them both personally and with their students during lessons. Ryan spent time dialing in his knowledge of the range balls vs proV1x (gamer) to better understand the FSK and he believes the consistency is there with the FSK and within trackman and GC/Foresight models. His preference is to use FSK while testing shafts and new product before using them in his personal playing bag which as a GolfWRX member is 100% appreciated. For his better students, he believes the information like Face to Path and Club Path that FullSwing Kit offers is great to help them understand what their swing is doing and use that information to better themselves.”

hatrick11: “It’s nice to know I can get super useful practice sessions in at my house, and can do in in ~20 min stints; with two little kids at home I can’t just go out for frequent or lengthy range sessions, so this is super valuable and I think will help me keep my game from degrading and allow me to spend my limited free time enjoying the occasional round with friends. In particular with the KIT, as opposed to the cheaper monitors or the other “mid tiers” like GC3, seeing path and face-to-path data is the key item that makes my practice sessions useful…when I am grooving it my path is almost always between 0-2* out to in, with face control being the main thing I need to work on. When my game goes sideways I start coming more in to out, and combined with face consistency being an ongoing issue, that brings the bad left miss into play. Previously I have struggled getting real use out of net practice, because the feels don’t always match reality. This data and video evidence really helps keep me honest, so it was great to see that I was eventually able to get that piece dialed in with KIT.”

SwingBlues: “One feature I am really starting to like is how easy to see the video of each shot. My buddy was not hitting it well, we went to the video and we could see the takeway was too far to the outside.”

“Using the app, it will display all 16 data points. Below is an example of one of my iron shots. Pretty impressive data captured by KIT. On KIT itself, the launch monitor display can be configured to show a single data point, or it can show a grid of 4 data points where the golfer choose which ones to display!”

Head over to the thread for more comments, reviews, and future updates as our members continue to test the Full Swing KIT. Don’t forget to become a member today for future opportunities like this, plus product member testing and giveaways!

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