Tested: Callaway’s tour-inspired Apex utility wood

Callaway Apex UW Review

Callaway is a brand that pushes the boundaries.

Remember, this is the company that also owns Topgolf, Odyssey, TravisMathew apparel, OGIO and outdoors stalwart Jack Wolfskin.

The original Apex name may have been acquired from Ben Hogan Golf, when it snapped up the ailing clubmaker in 2003, but it still represents precision, innovation and excellence. This new crossover hybrid hits this sweetspot.

We tested the Callaway Apex UW (Utility Wood) at the Wynyard Club on its Wellington Course, practice range and Foresight GC2 Quad launch monitor.

Callaway looked to the Tour for inspiration when developing its Apex UW.

Phil Mickelson was involved in its development and joined other Callaway staff players in creating a club that looks and flies like a fairway wood with the versatility and precision of a hybrid.

The Apex UW is simple, compact and stylish, if a little plain. The larger profile is more fairway than hybrid at address.

We tested it in a Hzrdus RDX smoke 70g shaft, 6.0 (stiff) with a grey Lamkin grip.

It looks old-school but carries a lot of tech under the hood. The soleplate has a composite carbon-like appearance and the clubface is Callaway’s Forged Flash Face SS21.

Tungsten weights (18g per club) are fixed behind two Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades, set in a neutral forward position, close to the face. This creates a neutral CG (centre of gravity) profile for higher launch, steeper angle of descent and better stop going into greens.

Out on the links, the Callaway Apex UW was longer than expected.

These gains held up into wind, across and downwind and bear out Callaway’s claim that the Apex UW is a realistic replacement for a fairway wood.

It sat flush to the turf with minimal offset which will appeal to traditionalists.

Launch monitor testing for Apex UW produced tightly grouped shots around the centre line with more misses right than left, which is unusual for a hybrid style as their head design usually encourages a draw shape.

Callaway says the Apex UW delivered 17% tighter dispersion in testing, our launch monitor test results support that.

Callaway also claim the Apex UW neutralises draw bias and straightens out flight, again our testing backed that up.

On the range and out on the course, if I turned one over right to left, the flight didn’t dip left nearly as much as it does with my current hybrid.

Then, Apex UW performed well in all the situations that hybrids are perfect for, out of the rough, off tighter – in this case muddy lies – and for chipping from aprons or tightly mown greenside areas. It was easier to use in these situations than a fairway wood would be.

Callaway Apex UW is an exciting multi-purpose product that will appeal to stronger players and those low handicap golfers looking to switch out of a 2-iron and into a hybrid that can play like a fairway wood.

The Callaway Apex UW had an original RRP of £299 and is available at retail now.