Why the callaway apex 19 and apex pro 19 irons could've hosted top gear

It’s always a hard and thankless task replacing a much-loved predecessor – like when Top Gear changed hosts from Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to… those other guys.

The rusted-on Top Gear audience were always going to be hard to please and it could’ve been a similar scenario for the new Callaway Apex 19 irons if they didn't live up to the famous Apex standard of performance.

But unlike the ill-fated Top Gear re-cast, Callaway have managed to make the new Apex 19 irons even better than their predecessors by squeezing a whole lot of their latest tech into a very sleek looking player's iron.

The Apex title has stood the test of time in the slash-and-burn environment of golf club branding and it's been over three years since the last model - the hugely-popular Callaway Apex 16 - was released.

So you're no doubt asking the question on every Apex aficionado's lips: what's changed in the new Apex 19 irons and how do they manage to outperform the irons they are replacing?

Well, first you have to realise something: forged player's irons are the highly-strung creative-types of the golf club world.

Yes, they will produce a spectacular result in the end, but the process to achieve it inevitably relies heavily on three things that the artistic temperament likes to embrace: the feel, sound and visuals of the irons.

So it's really not surprising that the chassis of each Apex 19 iron is forged from a buttery-soft 1025 steel, which gets the added benefit of Callaway's famous microspheres: a small slab of urethane injected with millions of tiny air pockets that sits behind the clubface and improves both feel and sound.

And going purely by appearances, Apex 19 irons paint a pretty picture despite being multi-component forged irons. They retain the head shape of a classic player's iron and are resplendent in a satin chrome finish. But the Apex 19's beauty is more than just skin deep.

Start scratching the surface and you soon find out why the performance of the Apex 19 is so evenly brilliant through the whole set.

The 3-8 irons have been equipped with a 360 Face Cup that maximises speed by allowing the club face to flex more at impact, while the short irons (8-AW) sport a VFT face (variable face thickness), which improves control by increasing spin - vitally important for playing those tricky touch shots.

And the centre of gravity (CG) of each individual Apex 19 is able to be positioned precisely thanks to Callaway's MIM (metal injection moulding) manufacturing process.

Nearly 50g of tungsten is shaped into a complex MIM form to fit neatly inside the head of every individual iron, enhancing the CG throughout the set and leading to even progression of distance gaps and launch characteristics.

Now, if you're thinking 'well, the Apex 19 sounds good but I'd prefer it in a more Tour-inspired head shape and size', Callaway have also released Apex Pro 19 irons.

Featuring all the same technology previously mentioned in the standard Apex 19 irons, the Apex Pro 19 irons have a smaller head shape that makes shaping the ball even more straightforward.

Apex 19 Pro irons also have a thinner top line and less offset than the standard Apex 19 irons, while the CG has been shifted slightly higher to increase spin and further assist shaping the ball.

Finished in a glistening Tour-spec polished chrome, Callaway Apex 19 Pro irons will unquestionably appear in the bags of some of the best players on tour.

But will the Apex 19 and Apex 19 Pro irons suit you?

If you're a low handicapper who prefers the look of a classic forged iron but needs some level of forgiveness, get on board with the standard Apex 19 irons.

However, if your ball striking is in the upper echelon - that's in the 'flusher' range - the Apex Pro 19 will give you a hint more shaping versatility that you can take advantage of. Callaway also offer an Apex combo set that combines the standard Apex 19 long irons with the Apex Pro 19 short irons.

But rather than mashing together two different head styles into one set, Callaway adjust lie angles and lofts to achieve consistent gapping.

To put what the Apex 19 and Apex 19 Pro irons have achieved in perspective, picture this.

If they had been selected as the new hosts of Top Gear, they would've made the show more successful than it ever was previously, no doubt making much funnier gags and engaging in repartee so witty the previous hosts would've been quickly forgotten And on that bombshell, the Callaway Apex 19 irons humbly continue the Apex tradition.