Mel Owens is trying to make up for his insensitive comments about age as filming for “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2 gets underway … revealing he apologized to all the ladies on the first night of shooting.

The reality TV star spoke to Glamour for an interview published Friday about a comment he made on a podcast in June, when he said he preferred to date a woman between the ages of 45 and 60 … and, he said he told producers to “try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff.”

The interview sent fans into a frenzy, and they called for his firing from the show … which tipped Owens off to the fact that he’d said something wrong — ’cause he admits until a respected colleague called him on the comments, he didn’t see the big deal.

Mel says he paid for comments on the show, though … the show held a roast, and the women got their licks in — with one comparing him to a Detroit-style pizza.

Owens admits he was shocked by how “brilliant” all these women are … and how active they are in their careers as well.

Ultimately, Owens chalks up his controversial comments to years of not dating … so, his frame of reference is all off about what it means for women to be in their 60s. Mel is 66, BTW.