50 Words or Less
The Callaway Apex hybrid is a perfect hybrid for better players. Hot and forgiving with a neutral CoG and great look.
Introduction
Finding a hybrid can be a challenge, especially for better players. The hybrids that are forgiving and hot tend to be draw biased, making hooks a constant worry. Hybrids that are neutral or fade biased are often only a little more forgiving than long irons. The Callaway Apex hybrid fills that void in the market by pairing forgiveness and distance with the neutral CoG that good players demand.
Looks
The look of the Callaway Apex hybrid is really going to appeal to the above average player. It’s a little longer from heel to toe, more like an iron, but it’s still fairly short from front to back. The matte black crown is free of alignment aids, and the face is fairly tall – perfect for dealing with tricky lies in the rough. Most importantly, the Apex sets up perfectly square with no offset.
Sound & Feel
While the look of the Apex is iron-like, the sound of the Callaway Apex hybrid is reminiscent of a fairway wood. At impact, you hear a crisp, slightly metallic sound with medium volume. The sound combined with the feel of the ball jumping off the face, makes it seem like every shot is going to travel a mile.
During the swing, the Apex provides a good sense of where the club head is without being head-heavy.
Performance
Hot, forgiving, and truly workable. Those are the hallmarks of the Callaway Apex hybrid.
Callaway says that the Forged Face Cup made of Carpenter 455 Steel is designed to make center his faster and and off-center hits faster, too. This was exactly what I saw in my launch monitor testing: balls speeds on pure strikes were very high, but mishits had plenty of speed, too. Not only is the ball speed high, but the Apex launches the ball high and easily, even on thin shots. This all equates to greater distance plus more forgiveness.
Long and forgiving, however, is not new. There are a lot of long, forgiving hybrids. What makes the Apex different is the neutral center of gravity. Many good players have abandoned hybrids because most are very draw biased, which, in the hands of a good player, can mean lots of hooked shots. With the Apex, however, it’s easy to work the ball right and left, or simply hit it straight.
The Callaway Apex hybrid is available in four lofts: 18, 20, 23, and 26 degrees, with the Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Black as the stock shaft. In regular and light flex, the Kuro Kage weighs in at 69 and 66 grams, respectively, but that jumps up to 82 grams in stiff flex.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for validation of my idea that the Callaway Apex hybrid is unique in the way it appeals to better players, you need look no further than the PGA Tour. Within weeks of its arrival, it was the most played model on Tour. As more and more players get the chance to see what it can do, you can expect to see it in plenty of bags at your local course, as well.
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He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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18 Comments
I hit a natural fade is that why I stink hitting Hybrids.
Thanks,Rob.
Rob,
No, if anything, players who hit fades have more options with hybrids because their swing neutralizes the draw-bias of most hybrids.
Best,
Matt
How would you compare the performance and playability of the Callaway Apex hybrids with the Adams Tight Lies hybrids?
Ken,
The Tight Lies might be a bit more forgiving, but its more draw biased than the Apex.
Best,
Matt
If you were to choose, Apex or the Titleist H2 hybrids?
Ryan,
I would recommend getting fit, but for me, Apex is far better.
-Matt
How do adjuzt the callaway big bertha hybird? And what do the symbols stand for?
+ and – is for loft. N and D are for Neutral and Draw settings on the lie angle.
-Matt
Nice Review Matt. I just picked up my 20 degree last weekend on a whim and LOVE it on the range so far. It feels like an iron with a stable shaft and good weight in the head. The trajectory is more of a penetrating ballflight that slowly ascends much like a well struck long iron (at least in my case). This replaced my 07 TM Burner which I was playing when I wasn’t nearly as good a player and needed a 200-215 yd club that was easier to get up in the air. I’m picking up the 23 degree shortly I love this club so much. Perfect compliments to my MB Smokes
The Best hybrids in the market today..by far…I got fitted for my my 20 and 23 degree and results are amazing
How would you say it compares to the Alpha 815 in terms of launch, forgiveness, etc?
Kurren,
With the caveat that I haven’t tested them head to head, I’d say that the Alpha 815 is marginally higher launching and more forgiving.
Best,
Matt
I play Miura blades and I suppose I fall in the better player category I still found these hybrids to be “draw biased” vrs my 3 iron tournament blade. I had them bent 2* flat and put in a rogue 125 MSI tour x stiff shaft (pulled and cut from my old driver) and this is now my easiest club to hit and work! I have easily owned 20+ hybrids that never lasted more than a few rounds due to a “pure” shot hooking 15 yards or more missing greens and fairways! Finally I have a hybrid in my bag that I can trust. But the true ” better player ” may have to adjust lie angle and consider different shafts. For reference I play to a plus handicap and my 6 iron carry is 172 on trackman.
Enjoying your website
You note several times…”for better players…” what exactly is a better player? You mean a scratch player? I am a handicap 16 – is that a “better player” ? I am on the market for a hybrid
Gottfried,
My “better player” is a single digit handicap or better.
Best,
Matt
All your reviews on the Max clubs you address to men with low handicaps. Which Callaway Max hybrid for a senior women with a high handicap is best? I’m looking for a forgiving club that hits ball longer and accurate.
Patricia,
The Rogue ST Max hybrid or the Max OS hybrid are both very forgiving.
-Matt