About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the iron set, which I tested for one day in January of 2023.

My take

Overall, the Callaway Paradym Iron Set is very good. They are player's distance irons and, in my opinion, sit between the Apex and the Rogue ST Max in Callaway’s library. Great clubs if someone is looking for some forgiveness in a smaller, thinner iron.

About the club set I tested

• Model: 2023 Callaway Paradym Iron
• Loft setting: 4-PW
• Shaft type: Steel
• Shaft flex: Stiff

About me

• Average score: 76
• Handicap: 3.1
• Experience: 26 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Typical ball flight: High
• Golf ball used: Chrome Soft LS
• Club swing speed: 100mph with 6 iron

Test conditions

• When I tested the club: January 2023
• Days tested: 1
• Where I’ve used it: Top Golf at the Callaway Launch Event
• Weather and wind conditions: Cool and rainy

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was looking for these to be a competitor to the TaylorMade P790, which has long been my favorite player’s distance iron, and was looking for an option to top it.

Why I chose to test this club set

I was asked to test this club set by Callaway and Curated. We wanted to see what these clubs were like and how they felt and performed so we could report back to our readers. While I would not be looking to add this set to my bag, I think it is a legitimate option for something between a game improvement and a player distance iron.

What I love about them

• Distance: These are as long as any player’s distance club on the market. My distance was the same, if not longer, in every club, which was made possible due to the new speed frame designed by A.I.
• Forgiveness: Forgiveness was pretty good. I was hoping for dispersion to be better, but that was a high expectation. Several shots did not leave their line and held off from being really bad, thanks to the improved launch with Callaway’s dual tungsten weighting.
• Feel: These are not forged, so they won’t have that soft butter feel for a blade or true forged irons, but for cast iron, the feel is very good.
• Sound: Sounds were as expected for a player's distance irons. The good shots with compression gave me that “steam being released from a pressure cooker” sound. Nothing too remarkable or negative to say here. Very standard for the irons themselves. The sound would not deter me from buying the irons.
• Shaft Feel: They come with the True Temper Elevate 95 shaft. I would personally go with the X100 from Dynamic God. But the Elevate is a good shaft for someone who needs a lighter shaft in regular or stiff flex. Callaway has a wide variety of shafts that will fit every swing and speed. We can find a shaft that works best for anyone's game.
• Shaft Performance: Same as “Shaft Feel.”
• Launch Angle: This was very good. When launched in the window, the ball did not balloon. I was very happy with how these launched and carried. A lot has to do, like I mentioned above, with the tungsten weighing.
• Spin: Spin was great. Unfortunately, due to the weather, we did not see these released on any greens, but I was impressed with their ability to hold their lines even when hit off-center. Each face is uniquely optimized for increased spin consistency.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Workability: They were harder to work left and right. I felt this was due to the head size. The P790 is more workable.
• Adjustability: One can custom order these with adjustments, but they do not come with an adjustable hosel.
• Aesthetic Appeal: While the irons are good-looking when I set them behind the ball, the design on the back cap is not my favorite. It took a while for the driver to grow on me, and now I love the look of it, but the irons have not followed suit.
• Grip Feel: I would not use the standard grip on these myself. I do not wear a glove, and they felt like they would slip/wear out easily. To Callaway’s credit, they have several grip options, though many are an upcharge.

Best shot with this club

Hard to have one shot during the testing phase, but I hit several 7 irons go 180. This is huge for me and shows how the technology of these irons is expanding distance over their predecessor. I thought the Rogue ST Max was flat and the new face cup in the Paradym really delivers on distance.

Value for the money vs. other options

This is my biggest downside of the Callaway Paradym Iron Set. The 4-PW set is more expensive than the TaylorMade P790, Mizuno 225, and Srixon ZX5 II, which are, in my opinion, the best irons this season in their class. The Srixon and Mizuno are forged and have a much better feel. One won't lose out much in distance with these sets as well. The P790, while not fully forged, offers a better experience. The small head, which has a better player look and speed foam, delivers very close distance.

Final verdict

While these are a good option for the player who loves Callaway and is looking for a player distance iron, I believe the Apex by Callaway is still better due to the soft forged feel and construction. The TaylorMade P790, Mizuno 225, and Srixon ZX5 II irons are even better.

These clubs are featured in the Best Callaway Irons. Check it out for more recommendations and reviews.