The Callaway Apex Pro 19 are their premium better player irons for those who want a little more distance technology than you get with the Callaway X-Forged 2018 irons.
Both models are forged cavity backs so you are going to get the precise feel, but the face design of the Apex Pro 19 is different in the 3 to 7 irons.
It uses a 360 Face Cup where the edges of the face wrap around the body in order to make it a little faster. Callaway say that this is the first time that they have used it in an iron aimed at the elite player.
This should help on off-centre hits too, but given the size of the head the effect may not be as great as with more mid-sized irons.
Inside each head is around 50g of tungsten that is moulded into the head to get the CG location in the right position, something that you see a lot these days in these types of irons.
In the 3 to 7 irons it is positioned lower in the toe to help retain ball speed on off centre hits. In the shorter irons the weight changes to a flatter plate higher in the toe to account for the different face construction and higher strike position at impact.
Also on the inside behind the face is Callaway's Urethane Microsphere material that uses little air pockets to mask unwanted vibrations and improve the sound and feel.
For both these internal features, it is quite impressive that Callaway has managed to fit them into such a compact head.
Compared to the Apex CF 19 irons the Apex Pro 19 have a similar blade length, but with less offset and a thinner top line.
This is reflective of the smaller cavity back that the Apex Pro has, so therefore the lofts are 2° to 3° weaker than the standard Apex in order to get the right launch.
The feel from the Apex Pro 19 shorter irons was firm, as you might expect from a forged, blade style club, but it still felt great if you got it right, so the feedback is good.
As you go up the set, the offset increases a little and from the 6-iron upwards, they maybe sounded a little more hollow as more of the tech kicked in, but nothing to put you off.
The style is still the same rounded shape as the previous Apex models around the rear of the sole, but it is maybe a bit more subtle than before, so I think that is also an improvement.
You can get the Apex and Apex Pro as a combo set if you prefer. However rather than just pick half of each set off the shelf, the Apex 19 Combo set has a different set of cambers and lofts in order to blend the two head styles together, so it is good to see a bit of thought going into that.
Callaway Apex Pro 19 Irons Verdict
Overall the Apex are a quality set of irons, but their market may be a little limited to certain single figure players.
Those who prioritise feel and shot making might prefer the aforementioned Callaway X-Forged 2018 irons as they also £200 cheaper.
The forgiveness of the Apex Pro 19 is not bad, but if you are slipping up the handicap scale and want a forged, blade style head with more margin for error then the Apex CF 19 iron will offer more bang for your buck.