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

My take

The Callaway Paradym Single Iron is an excellent player's distance iron. In my opinion, it sits between the Apex and the Rogue ST Max in Callaway’s library. A great club if one is looking for some forgiveness in a smaller, thinner iron.

About the club set I tested

• Model: 2023 Callaway Paradym Iron
• Loft setting: 7
• Shaft type: Steel
• Shaft flex: Stiff

About me

• Average score: 76
• Handicap: 3.1
• Experience: 26 years of golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Typical ball flight: High
• Golf ball used: Chrome Soft LS
• Club swing speed: 97 mph with 7 iron

Test conditions

• When I tested the club: January 2023
• Days tested: 3
• Where I’ve used it: Top Golf at the Callaway Launch Event
• Weather and wind conditions: Cool and rainy

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for this 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 by Callaway and Curated. We wanted to see how it 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 it

• Distance: It is as long as any player’s distance club on the market. My distance is the same, if not longer, which is made possible due to the new speed frame designed by A.I.
• Forgiveness: The forgiveness is 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 of a blade or true forged irons; but for a cast iron, the feel is superior.
• Sound: The sound was as expected for a player's distance iron. 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 this iron.
• Shaft Feel and Performance: It comes with the True Temper Elevate 95 shaft. I would personally go with the X100 from Dynamic Gold. 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.
• Launch Angle: When launched in the window, the ball did not balloon. I was very happy with how it launched and carried. A lot has to do, like I mentioned above, with the tungsten weighing.
• Spin: The spin is great. Unfortunately, due to the weather, we did not see this club released on any greens, but I was impressed with its ability to hold its lines, even when hit off-center. Each face is uniquely optimized for increased spin consistency.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Workability: It is 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 iron is good-looking when I set it 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 in mind from during the testing phase, but I had 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 irons are 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 also better options this season in my opinion.