I’ve gone through a number of different irons over the years, and as of writing this, Callaway has been my favorite over the past few seasons. In this post, I’m going to be reviewing the Apex CF16 irons from Callaway and talking about whether or not they’re worth picking up.
Long story short, the CF16 irons are one of my favorite sets to hit. They won’t be the best option for a beginner or high handicap player, but for everyone else, they’ll do an awesome job. They also sounded and felt a lot more solid than some of the others I’ve tested. The consistency was top-notch (which is the biggest thing I look for) and the workability is there. The one thing I’ll say is that they weren’t the longest irons for me, but it wasn’t really a huge deal for me. Overall, I’d highly recommend these irons.
Even though they’re a high-end club with a high-end price I still really liked the CF16’s and didn’t have many negatives to say about them. I’m not a huge fan of the big fat irons they’re making these days but the size of these was perfectly fine which was awesome. If that’s all the info you were looking for then great. But if you want a more detailed review of the irons, be sure to watch the full video or blog post below.
Callaway Apex CF16 Irons Review
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Callaway CF16 First Impressions
Callaway irons have been my FAVORITE CLUBS for a while now in terms of looks, feel, and performance. I had been using Nike and Taylormade irons before but they’re nowhere close in my opinion. I’ve been using the Steelhead XR’s and have loved them and I recently decided to try out the Apex Pro’s and also the CF16’s.
Long story short, I really liked both the sound and feel of these irons after taking a few swings at the store. Right away, I could feel the comfort and balance in these irons. The grip, the weight, and the shaft they come with felt perfect.
Obviously, that’s not going to mean they’ll perform well, but you definitely want something that feels right. Everyone is different though and you might prefer something a bit lighter or a bit heavier (everyone I’ve let try these irons have liked them).
What’s New
The CF stands for Cup Face and it’s taking the technology and design of their fairway woods and putting in into the 3-7 irons. Basically, it’ll allow the face to FLEX MORE at impact and that’ll increase both the ball speed and also the forgiveness (which will be a HUGE help for most). Here’s a demo video:
I’ve always preferred the forged or blade irons over the cavity backs, but I actually really liked how these irons felt after taking a few swings. It almost seemed like they combined the pros of each iron. They won’t be as forgiving as a game-improvement iron and they won’t be as versatile as a blade, but they do really well.
I don’t really know too much about the technology behind it or what exactly “cup face” does but as long as it performs well, I don’t really care about all that.
How Was The Look & Feel
Some of the newer irons these days are a bit too big for my liking (most people like it though) but the CF16’s were nice and compact. The longer irons are a bit bigger and as you move to your shorter irons they get smaller.
I’ve found that most lower handicaps prefer irons like this vs the big chunky ones, and for whatever reason, I like them more myself as well (even though I’m not a low handicap). I like the fact that you can actually feel when you mishit the ball because it’ll give you something to work on.
I’ve found that some of the irons out there almost feel hollow through impact (which I don’t like) but this entire set felt TOP-NOTCH to me. They had a confidence-boosting “click” sound when you struck them well, which was pretty awesome.
How Did The Irons Perform
Out of all the compact forged irons I’ve tested, the CF16’s were near the TOP of the list in terms of forgiveness (from my experience). They weren’t crazy forgiving or anything like that (not enough for higher handicaps) but they were exactly what I was looking for.
For me, the distance wasn’t as far as some of the other clubs (which I was fine with) but the consistency was a lot better. That’s the main thing I’m really looking for and would sacrifice a bit of distance for better accuracy all day long. Also, they were a lot easier to work the ball around with.
The very first time I hit these irons was when I tried one of my buddies. I was about 150 yards out and decided to give his 7 iron a smack. They felt awesome to hold and when I actually made contact, it made that awesome click sound. I thought I was going to be a bit short, but it actually landed within 10 feet of the hole. After that, I was hooked.
Overall, what I look for in an iron is something that feels super solid at impact, is always consistent, and has respectable distance. All 3 of those were checked.
Apex Cf16 Specs
| Cf16 Iron | Loft | Lie | Offset | Length | Swing Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 19 (degree) | 60 | 0.220 | 39 (inches) | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| 4 | 21.5 | 60.50 | 0.220 | 38.50 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| 5 | 24 | 61 | 0.180 | 38 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| 6 | 27 | 61.50 | 0.160 | 37.50 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| 7 | 31 | 62 | 0.150 | 37 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| 8 | 35 | 62.50 | 0.140 | 36.50 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| 9 | 40 | 63 | 0.130 | 36 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| PW | 45 | 63.50 | 0.120 | 35.75 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| AW | 50 | 63.50 | 0.110 | 35.50 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
| SW | 55 | 63.50 | 0.100 | 35.25 | D0 Graphite D2 Steel |
Pros
- The sound and feel of the irons were really SOLID through impact.
- The size was perfect for me and wasn’t too big.
- They were one of the most CONSISTENT irons I’ve tested.
- They had a good amount of workability.
Cons
- The distance wasn’t as long as some of the others.
- They’ve got a high-end price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Callaway Apex CF 16 swing weight?
A. D2.
Q. What’s the Callaway Apex CF16 handicap range?
A. It’s designed for lower handicaps but I still liked them (I’m a mid handicap).
Q. The Callaway Apex CF 16 best price?
A. The cheapest place we could find these irons (at the time of this post) is below.
Comparisons
Q. Callaway Apex CF16 vs Rogue irons?
A. The only difference I could see was the CF16’s were a little softer.
Q. Callaway Apex CF16 vs Titleist AP1?
A. The AP1 irons didn’t perform as well for me and they’re more expensive.
Q. Callaway Apex CF16 vs Taylormade M1?
A. I’d recommend the Apex 100%.
The Breakdown
- Performance score: 9
- Price score: 7
- Comfort & feel score: 10
- Personal score: 9
My Final Thoughts
Overall, If you’re a Callaway fan and are looking for a great looking iron that feels super solid through impact and has great forgiveness, the CF16’s could be a perfect fit for you. I’d only recommend them to someone that’s at least a mid handicap player. They’ll be fine if you aren’t but I think there are better options for that out there.
I’ve tried a lot of the newer irons on the market and a lot of them still can’t compete with the CF16’s (for me). They weren’t perfect but they were near the top of my list for cavity back irons and that’s why I’m recommending them.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
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Last update on 2023-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API