Callaway Apex DCB Vs. Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Comparison Overview
The Callaway Apex DCB’s are somewhat anomalous among irons that can be designated as game-improvement clubs. In fact, they are the only irons in the Apex line that can even be considered game-improvement irons.
We call them anomalous because they aren’t built in the typical manner of game-improvement irons. But do premium appointments really mean better performance for mid to high handicappers? To find out, we tested them against the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons.
Callaway Apex DCB Irons Overview
By far, the most stark difference between these two irons sets is the forged construction of the Apex DCB irons.
The Apex DCB irons have become known for having a soft, buttery feel and they did not disappoint on the fairway. These clubs feel amazing but they still give the forgiveness that mid to high handicappers will need.
The Tungsten energy core will help slower swing speed players get the distance they need, the cavity back design effectively increases MOI and the offset will impart a slight draw bias for players struggling against a slice. It should also be noted that the DCB’s have higher lofts than the Callaway Rogue ST Max so they tend to launch higher.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Overview
Even with the lower lofts, the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons still manage to give the Apex DCB’s a run for their money in terms of apex height.
We were really impressed with the launch angles of the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons. The wide soles surely help – even though the 18.5 loft of the Callaway Rogue ST Max 4 iron is considerably lower than the 20 degree 4 iron of the Apex DCB set.
While the feel of the Callaway Apex DCB irons was much better than that of the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons, the Rogue’s played longer. The Rogues were also more forgiving with their larger heads and slightly longer blades.
However, if you are looking for the highest degree of forgiveness and launch, the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS model may be more fitting for you.
While the Callaway Apex DCB’s are the most forgiving, widest soled and largest head sized irons in the Apex family, the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons do distance and forgiveness better. The Apex DCB’s feel nicer but we think mid to high handicappers will benefit more from the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons.
Callaway Rogue ST Irons
Category: Game Improvement – Player’s Performance
Callaway Apex DCB Irons
Category: Game Improvement Irons
Callaway Rogue ST Irons First Impressions
The first thing we noticed about the Callaway Rogue ST irons is that they felt incredibly stable on full swings.
While high handicappers may not fully appreciate that benefit at first, it will certainly spoil them as they get better. The large head sizes of the Max models will be a bit off-putting for lower handicappers; but that is what the Pro line is for.
All of the Max models have a wide sole that you can see from point of address. Again this will look more comforting in the eyes of a beginner or high handicapper. Our testers also noted the near-effortless launch of almost all the irons in the set.
Key Tech
The clubs are packing all the latest technology too:
We’ve now got urethane microspheres up to the 6th groove which helps give a smoother feel and nicer sound.
A.I Optimized flash face to give a solid connection anywhere on the face and optimization for launch, spin and distance.
The Tungsten weighting is in the extremities of the head and allows for the sweet spot to cover more of the face, up to 260% more Tungsten than the Mavrik irons.
Callaway Apex DCB First Impressions
We knew that the Callaway Apex DCB irons targeted mid to high handicappers but they don’t feel like it.
Right from the gate, we were blown away with the feel of these irons. The feel of the forged 1025 carbon steel is amazing. It allows for a solid feel at contact with feedback you would expect from tour-grade irons.
Assisting with the soft feel of these irons is the layer of urethane microspheres included in the head. We also liked that the sole had a substantial footprint.
This will play well with high handicappers at it just looks more comforting at point of address.
The Callaway Apex DCB irons are available with graphite UST Mamiya Recoil Dart shafts and steel True Temper Elevate ETS 85 shafts.
The graphite shafts will certainly be more beneficial for high handicap players so those were the ones we tested.
The 4 and 5 irons are what we tested first and we were impressed with the distance and launch. The set starts with a 4 iron at a considerable 20 degrees of loft then jumps up to 23 degrees in the 5 iron.
The Callaway Apex DCB irons certainly impressed with their feel, distance and launch.
Callaway Rogue ST Selling Points
- Up to 62 grams of tungsten weighting
- 450 grade steel faces
- Pronounced soles
- I. designed Flash Face Cup design
- Layers of urethane
- Strong lofts
Callaway Apex DCB Selling Points
- They feel amazing
- They have a larger head shape than any other Apex iron
- Good amount of offset for beginners and mid handicappers
- Good for both mid and high handicappers
- 50 grams of internal tungsten weighting in the long irons
- Forged design
Who are the Callaway Rogue ST Irons for?
The Callaway Rogue ST irons are mostly for high handicappers. The three different Max models are certainly for beginner to intermediate players while the Pro model would be better for single-digit handicappers.
But don’t get the wrong idea. The three Callaway Rogue ST Max irons aren’t as beginner-friendly when compared to some other irons. Just like we explained when we compared them to the Big Bertha’s, the Callaway Rogue ST irons are just a bit more refined than your average distance/game-improvement irons.
While most of the Callaway Rogue ST iron family is focused on upping the ball speed of high handicap players, the Pro model has a lot to offer more skilled players. Speaking of the different Callaway Rogue ST models…
The Callaway Rogue ST Iron Family
Callaway Rogue ST Max
The Rogue ST Max irons have the heaviest tungsten weight (62 grams) of any other Rogue ST iron. The head is not quite as big as the other Max models so it sits somewhere between the Rogue ST Pro and the other two Rogue ST Max models.
Callaway Rogue ST Max OS
If you need a little bit of draw bias in your irons, the pronounced offset of the Max OS irons will be helpful for you. Compared to the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons, the Max OS’s also have slightly stronger lofts. As a result the Max OS irons are more forgiving out near the toe.
Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite
As you can imagine, the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite model is almost identical to the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS model. The key differences are lighter shafts and lighter swing weights.
The Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite irons also have the lightest tungsten weights (46 grams in the longest iron) and produce the highest launch angles thanks to an incredibly wide sole.
Launch is also helped with stronger lofts compared to the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS irons and the fact that these irons come standard in only graphite shafts should reiterate the emphasis on light weight and easier swinging.
Callaway Rogue ST Pro
The Callaway Rogue ST Pro irons are the most unique of the bunch. They feature the smallest head sizes and muscle backs. They also have a hollow body design. The spirit of the Rogue irons is still alive even in the Pro models though.
For instance, the Callaway Rogue ST Pro irons feature split weighting in the toe and heel to increase MOI and improve ball speeds on shots away from the sweet spot. So while they offer better spin dynamics, they are still pretty forgiving.
Ball speed is still there in the long irons as well – you’ll just have to be a lot more accurate.
Distance: 95/100
Accuracy: 94/100
Forgiveness: 94/100
Feel & Control: 93/100
Overall Score: 96/100
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Who are the Callaway Apex DCB Irons For?
The Callaway Apex DCB irons were designed for players with a handicap of 10 and higher.
The Callaway Apex DCB irons clearly have something to offer both mid and high handicap players. However, for high handicap players, the DCB’s will mostly be beneficial for distance, feel and launch. They don’t offer much help with off-center shots.
The Callaway Apex DCB irons could certainly stand to be a little more forgiving but they would still be a solid choice for beginners ready to break through to the mid handicap range.
Callaway Apex DCB Final Assessment
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 95/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel and Control: 93/100
Overall Score: 94/100
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