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The 2026 Callaway Apex UW is the latest iteration of a utility club with legendary status. Classic looks, epic performance, for low and mid-handicappers alike.
Introduction
For many players, dialing in the clubs between driver and irons is a tough code to crack. 5W? 7W? Hybrid? Utility? For many, the Callaway Apex UW Utility Wood became the answer to that question beginning with its initial release in 2021 [review HERE]. Since then, the company has made subtle changes to its winning formula and now we have the third release in the 2026 Callaway Apex UW. Read on to find out what’s new and how it performed for me on course.
Looks
The look of the Callaway Apex UW has changed very little from its initial iteration. A side by side photo in Matt’s review of the 2024 version shows how little the look changed from version 1 to version 2 [review HERE]. The 2026 version looks very similar in terms of shaping and retains the glossy black crown and bonded hosel. The main differences are the addition of the small ‘Apex’ word mark on the heel side of the crown as well as a raised section running parallel to the face serving as an alignment aid of sorts.
In terms of size, it straddles the line between large hybrid and small fairway wood. To me, it looks more like a 7 wood than a hybrid. If you’re used to looking at some of the larger hybrids, in terms of footprint from front to back, it may look more like a hybrid to you.
Overall, I’d characterize the look of the 2026 Callaway Apex UW as pure and clean. It sets up square to my eye. The simplicity of the glossy black crown is accentuated by its bonded hosel. From Callaway’s perspective, why mess with a good thing?
Sound & Feel
The sound of impact is typical for a modern fairway wood: a relatively quiet mid-pitch ‘clink.’ The sound will become a bit deeper and more flat and hollow sounding the further you move away from the sweet spot, but it takes a really bad strike to make this club sound anything other than great.
Feel-wise, the 2026 Callaway Apex UW Utility Wood is one of those clubs where a flushed strike feels almost impossibly light. It’s an incredible sensation to see a ball screaming through the air on a towering trajectory while feeling so little impact through the hands.
Much like the sound, that feeling does change, and you’ll get more reverberations through the hands, the further you stray from the face. Overall, I found the combination of sound, feel, and results with this club make it addictive to hit in a way that I haven’t experienced all that often.
Performance
The newest iteration of the Callaway Apex UW Utility Wood is an absolute beast. The ball explodes off the face and launches in that perfect window where it’s going to stay in the air but not balloon up and lose distance. I tested the 21 degree version, and it consistently produced towering shots with very little movement from side to side. If I tried to get it moving one way or the other, the club responded.
New tech for 2026 includes Tungsten Speed Wave, a 41 gram wave-shaped weight positioned in the forward portion of the sole intended to keep CG low and forward, aiding in launch and ball speed, especially on balls struck lower on the face. The sole has also been redesigned with a “stepped” design, intended to reduce friction with the turf through impact so maximum speed is maintained.
It’s always hard to quantify the impact of these kinds of technologies. It’s clear that the Apex UW has been a very good club since its initial release. But my experience with the club suggests that it’s very plausible that both the sole design and the new weighting system are adding incremental performance improvements to the club.
Another change is in the stock shaft. While the 2024 version featured the Mitsubishi MMT, the 2026 Callaway Apex UW Utility Wood features the Mitsubishi Tensei Blue. For me, the Tensei Blue feels a bit more active, especially in the tip section. For that reason, I found this club to be easy to get turning over right to left. Overall, I prefer the MMT, but shafts are personal and your mileage may vary. It is still a good ‘all-rounder’ and will be a decent fit for many players’ swings.
I can’t compare this club to the previous two generations because this is the first opportunity I’ve had to spend time with an Apex UW. However, everything I had previously heard about the Apex UW is exactly what I found during my testing. It performs great off the tee, off the fairway, or from a decent lie in the rough. It has excellent launch characteristics and is a pleasure to hit.
Ultimately, I want this spot in my bag to have a bit more of a compact footprint so I’m going to stick with the hybrid I have in the bag, but I could easily see myself turning to this club in the future. It truly does everything you could want from a club like this.
Conclusion
The 2026 Callaway Apex UW carries the legacy of its predecessors forward, making subtle changes to an existing, winning formula. Easy to look at, a pleasure to hit. Players looking to make a change at the top of the bag between their driver and irons should give it a look.
Buy the 2026 Callaway Apex UW HERE
2026 Callaway Apex UW Utility Wood Price & Specs
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8 Comments
I have the prior version of this and I can’t fathom what would need to happen for it to leave my bag.
Nice review. I’ve been meaning to test this club specifically against my current hybrid and even 5W that’s in the bag. I love both however I have been questioning how consistent my 5W really is. When I hit pure it’s fine. Percentages tell a different story though. Seems like many at my club feel the same with their fairway woods. If I could pull the yardage but better consistency/dispersion with this club against my 5W it’s going in the bag. Seems like an easier club to hit with the firepower behind it. Will test soon! Thank you.
no senior lite flex ordered?
23 degrees means what? it’s like a 7 wood loft? thank you
21* would be more 7wd. 23 would be more like a 9wd.
Nice Review! I had the first version in 19* and never really got comfortable with it. The PX RDX Smoke Black wasn’t my cup of tea, but even after changing shafts, it still didn’t really fit. Then I tried the 2nd version in 21* and absolutely loved it. It fit the gap I was looking to fill perfectly. I swore I wasn’t going to change up, but when I saw this new version in store, I couldn’t help myself. I haven’t had much time with it yet, but so far so good. I was thinking the same regarding the stock shaft, but again I need more time. It gives me exactly what I want between my 5wd and my 4 hybrid.
I recently added the 2024 UW. It is amazing. You need to try this club out.
Had OG UW 19..then second..this one i just traded in for Elyte 7 wood. Flight is more lower than 7 wood and it feels amazing. True Power with control.
This seems like the Cleveland Hy-wood (which I have and love) but with slightly stronger lofts