For what feels like forever, I have been in search of a club in my bag that fills the dreaded gap between my 4-iron and 3-wood. For years, I have experimented with different clubs to try to fill the void, and while some have managed to do so for short periods, I’ve constantly been on the search for a staple in that area of my bag.
The previous Callaway Apex UW model proved to be extremely popular among tour players and amateur golfers, so when I heard Callaway was launching the new Apex UW 25, I knew I had to get my hands on one and put it through a thorough test. Should it be considered one of the best hybrids or fairway woods on the market, and will it make it into my bag? I took it onto the golf course to find out.
From an aesthetic standpoint, Callaway has absolutely nailed it with the Apex UW 25. Down behind the ball, it looks like a crossover between a large hybrid and a squashed fairway wood, providing a confidence-inspiring look that I immediately loved.
The silver satin face contrasts superbly well against the Traxial carbon gloss black crown and really highlights the loft on the face, giving you the impression you will be able to hit high, towering shots, even when the ball is on tighter cut surfaces.
What I loved most about the Apex UW was its incredible versatility. In the past, I have dabbled with utility irons, particularly when playing links golf or tighter courses where I need an alternative club to the driver to help put the ball in play. I have also experimented with a 5-wood, 7-wood, and even a 9-wood, but while these clubs are ideal if you’re seeking a high ball flight and hitting into the greens on longer holes, I struggled to flight the ball down and keep it under the wind.
It didn’t take long for me to notice how the Apex UW 25 offers the ability to hit those soft-landing approach shots, largely thanks to some clever weight saving in the crown, which lowered the CG and promoted easy launch. However, I was seriously impressed by its ability to hit penetrating bullets from the tee box thanks to its step sole design, which sees the club enter and exit the turf like butter. The Apex UW 25 is more than just a “gap filler” - it’s the definition of a true shot-making club.
From hitting this club out of the rough and off tight fairways, I truly put this club through its paces, and it excelled every time. Using my Foresight Sports GC3 Launch Monitor, I captured some data that you can see in the image below, which was the average of 10 standard swings, using a Titliest Pro V1x Golf ball.
My current 4-iron carries at around 218 yards with my 3-wood flying 268 yards through the air. As you can see, this 21° Callaway Apex UW 25 produced an average carry of 242 yards, acting as the perfect middle ground, when putting what I call my ‘stock’ golf swing on it. The beauty was the ability to create an extra 5 yards of carry when I needed to, and also take about 10 yards off when hitting a ‘spinny’ fade.
While this club did offer the ability to be creative with curvature and trajectory control, one thing I feel that could be improved is the ability to change loft through an adjustable hosel. The Apex UW 25 is available in lofts of 17°, 19°, 21° and 23°, but an adjustable hosel may just allow golfers to precisely dial in a certain distance.
If, like me, you’ve been searching for a solution to bridge the gap towards the top end of your bag, then the Callaway Apex UW 25 is a club I couldn’t recommend enough. It’s provided me with an option that can stay in my bag in different conditions and allows me to access the full library of shots I wish to hit when on the golf course.
The Callaway Apex UW 25 is available online and in golf stores worldwide and comes to retail at $349/£339.
