In a Mongolian reversal of the typical iron release playbook, Callaway is bringing chrome to a product that launched exclusively in black.

The chrome version after the black … How weird is that?

The new Apex Ti Fusion Plated irons offer the same technology as the original Ti Fusion, just with a premium chrome finish that should appease golfers who aren’t ready to embrace the stealth aesthetic.

While it’s easy to poke a little bit of fun, it’s not quite as simple as it sounds. That is to say that it’s not quite as easy as swapping finishes. Dealing with multi-material construction—specifically titanium—makes chrome plating a significantly more complex proposition than it is with traditional steel irons. Titanium is a reactive material that oxidizes at high temperatures, making traditional chrome plating unreliable. Callaway had to develop a proprietary process with an intermediate layer between the titanium and finish to allow chrome to properly adhere to the titanium components. The company believes the chrome finish will prove more durable than the PVD coating used on the original black version.

It’s also not lost on anyone at Callaway that testing revealed lots of players wanted chrome and not everyone loves the look of black irons.

What is Apex Ti Fusion?

For those who missed the original launch, the Apex Ti Fusion has been described as Callaway’s iron equivalent of a concept car. It’s a hollow-body player’s distance design that occupies an interesting space in the market. While this type of construction has typically been used on something closer to the game-improvement category, Ti Fusion offers a compact shape that’s decidedly more player’s than game-improvement.

The key differentiator is Callaway’s proprietary “brazed titanium” construction process. This allows the company to assemble the various pieces of the Ti Fusion design without the typical pitfalls of conventional multi-material construction, most notably approaches that reduce face deflection, which ultimately means less speed than should be possible.

Callaway says its approach, specifically in how the joints are constructed, allows for maximum deflection across the titanium face. The result is a hollow-body design with tungsten weighting to assist in high launch and increase MOI, combining a steel body with a forged titanium face for high speed with consistent launch and spin rates.

Think of it as leveraging driver face technology in an iron-sized package. Callaway says that with Ti Fusion, you get classic feel and modern power in one package.

Ti Fusion 250: Enter the “aspirational player”

This isn’t just a finish story. Callaway is also introducing a new model in the Apex Ti Fusion family: the Ti Fusion 250, which the company describes as “their most premium iron reimagined for the aspirational player.”

Isn’t that “aspirational player” description delightful? It sounds infinitely better than “for the golfer who isn’t maybe all that good, but would like to be.” Marketing departments earn their keep with language like that.

While the playability of the original Ti Fusion tops out around high single digits, the Ti Fusion 250 extends that reach deeper into double-digit handicaps. Callaway says the original Apex Ti Fusion targets golfers in the 3-9 handicap range, while the Apex Ti Fusion 250 is better suited for those in the 8-14 range. That’s great news for 8 and 9 handicaps—apparently, you’ve got options.

It’s the same core technology packaged in a more forgiving, distance-oriented design. From a design perspective, this means exactly what you’d expect: the Callaway Apex Ti Fusion 250 offers a longer blade length, thicker topline, wider sole and additional offset compared to its more compact sibling. The Ti Fusion 250 also features lofts that are half a degree stronger than the original Ti Fusion through most of the set.

It’s like the original Ti Fusion only bigger, more forgiving and not available in black.

The cost of Innovation

At $350 per iron, both Apex Ti Fusion models position themselves firmly in the ultra-premium segment of the iron market. I suppose that’s the cost of dabbling in multi-material construction that combines steel, tungsten and titanium in a single iron. While that price point might induce sticker shock, it reflects the complexity of manufacturing a product that leverages three different performance materials.

And as I’ve said before, equipment manufacturers seem drawn to the idea of having the most premium product in the marketplace, even if the manifestation of that is often higher prices for golfers.

For golfers seeking the ultimate in iron technology—and who have the budget to match their aspirations—the Apex Ti Fusion family represents Callaway’s most advanced offering in the category.

Availablity and pricing

The Callaway Apex Ti Fusion Plated and Ti Fusion 250 Plated irons are available for pre-sale beginning July 9, with full retail availability starting July 25. Both models are priced at $350 per iron or $2,100 for a six-iron set. Callaway’s decision to bring both products to market over a shorter timeframe aims to make consumers better aware of their options all at once, hopefully eliminating buyer’s remorse or fear of missing out on what might come next.

For more information, visit Callawaygolf.com.

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