Titleist AP3 718 Vs. Callaway Apex Pro Irons Comparison Overview
Player’s irons can be a bit tricky. Some manufacturers try to make player’s irons that feel more like distance irons. Some go the other way and design player’s irons that lean closer to tour-grade irons.
Today we are going to be taking a look at 2 player’s iron sets that have similar designs but cater to different types of players.
Will the Titleist AP3 718 irons or the Callaway Apex Pro irons be better for your game? Find out in the following comparison article.
Callaway Apex Pr Irons Overview
The Callaway Apex Pro’s and the Titleist AP3 718 irons have some common features but you will need to have a pretty well-rounded skill set to get optimal value from the Apex Pro’s.
The Apex Pro’s are the only irons in the Apex family to sport a muscle back design – the others are cavity backs.
Right off the bat, that should tell you that the Callaway Apex Pro irons are not for the feint of heart.
You need a good swing speed and good swing accuracy to get any kind of distance with these irons.
However, the Apex Pro’s have a hollow body design that was meant to allow the face to flex to a high degree.
If you can make consistent contact with a smaller iron head profile then the Apex Pro’s will perform very well in terms of distance.
They also have a smooth, buttery feel thanks to a 1025 forged steel body.
Titleist AP3 718 Irons Overview
Like the Callaway Apex Pro irons, the Titleist AP3 718’s were designed with a hollow body to push ball speed. Unlike the Apex pro’s though, they are more forgiving.
The Titleist AP3 718’s have a moderately compact head design. They actually sit between the AP1 and AP2 irons in terms of head size so they are a good middle ground.
You can expect about the same distance with the Titleist AP3 718’s as with the Apex Pro’s.
With the Titleist AP3 718 irons, it became apparent that Titleist wanted to make a player’s iron that felt and performed more like a distance iron while the Apex Pro irons had more of a pure player’s iron feel.
Overall, we liked the superior forged feel of the Callaway Apex Pro irons. They also provided good short-game accuracy – though it should be noted that the Titleist AP3 718’s were also very accurate around the green.
Titleist AP3 718 Irons
Category: Player’s/Distance Irons
Callaway Apex 21 Pro Irons
Category: Player’s Performance Irons
Titleist AP3 718 Irons First Impressions
We tested the AP3’s second so the lower handicap players in our party were relieved at the sight of the slightly larger heads.
The AP3’s have something of a hybrid cavity back/muscle back design. The undercut in the rear also serves to pop the ball high in the air in both the long and short irons.
The AP3’s were also noticeably more forgiving than the Titleist AP2 718 irons. That’s probably because of perimeter weighting in the heel and toe via tungsten weights.
The AP3’s also have the “L-shaped” face insert that has been included in many other Titleist irons.
The Titleist AP3 irons are slightly more suited to lower handicap players and lack some of the advanced features of the Titleist AP2 718 irons like the co-forged, infused tungsten weighting and carbon steel construction.
Callaway Apex 21 Pro First Impressions
We were really impressed with the sleek “notched” muscle back design of these irons.
This gives them a unique look among muscle back irons and may even make the transition from cavity back to muscle back irons less jarring for some players. What struck us even more is what we saw at the point of address.
The Callaway Apex 21 Pro irons have the lease offset and narrowest sole of any entry into the Apex family. For the better testers in our party this was no problem but for the rest of us, it took some getting used to – and some of us never did.
Still, the feel could not be ignored. On full swings, the The Callaway Apex 21 Pro’s felt soft and buttery. On pitches and short approaches, you get all the detailed feedback you need to inform your shots.
The Callaway Apex 21 Pro irons won’t play as long as standard distance irons if you are a high handicapper but distance should be no problem with these irons if you are a more advanced player.
Titleist AP3 718 Selling Points
- Better for mid handicappers
- Slightly larger profile
- L-shaped face insert
- Good forgiveness on low face shots
- Brushed leading edge
- Good forgiveness
Callaway Apex 21 Pro Selling Points
- Hollow body design
- Urethane microspheres
- Fully forged
- Soft 1025 steel
- Excellent short game control
- Excellent workability
Who are the Titleist AP3 718 Irons for?
The AP3’s would be great for any single digit handicapper who is looking for a bit more feel and help with contact.
While the Titleist AP3 718 irons are a great introduction to the AP family. They are more forgiving than the Titleist AP2 718 irons but provide you with better short game control than the AP1’s.
While not on the same performance level as the Titleist AP2 718 irons, the AP3’s do provide comparable distance in a great looking player’s iron shape.
The Titleist AP Irons
The great thing about the Titleist AP3 irons is that they sit perfectly between the AP1 and AP2 in terms of size.
While the AP2 is certainly the only model that can be considered a tour-grade iron set, the AP3 and AP1 will appeal more to players who have just broken into single digits.
Titleist AP3 718 Irons Final Assessment
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 92/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel & Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 92/100
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Who are the Callaway Apex 21 Pro’s for?
The Callaway Apex 21 Pro irons would be a good choice for single-digit handicap players or mid handicap players looking to break into single-digit territory.
Perhaps the best thing about these irons is the spin control you get on mid to short approaches. From about 150 yards out, you get effortless distance with a surprising amount of shot shaping ability and roll control.
On approaches from about 90 yards out, you get the pop and stop that you need to stick to faster greens. One of the things we liked the most is the relatively easy distance control you get which comes mainly from the 100% forged construction.
For any player looking to get a good combination of launch, distance, feel and short game control, the Callaway Apex 21 Pro would be a very good fit.
The Apex Series from Callaway
The Apex family of irons also includes the standard Apex and the Apex DCB’s. With a moderate sole width and head size, the standard Apex irons are set up more as distance irons. They are not as forgiving as the Apex DCB’s even though they share all the same features.
The Callaway Apex 21 Pro is the only model in the Apex line to feature the “notched” muscle back design. The other two entries look more like cavity back irons which adds to the forgiveness factor.
Distance: 91/100
Forgiveness: 89/100
Feel and Control: 94/100
Value: 92/100
Overall Rating: 96/100
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