Review: Callaway Paradym Irons
Published on 10/08/2023 · 3 min readCurated Golf Experts share their experience with using the Callaway Paradym Irons. Note that experts are not sponsored by any brands; these are their honest opinions.By Curated Experts
Vineet Saksena, John Curtin, Kragen Bradley and Jess P.
16 photos
The Curated Take
5.0/5
The Callaway Paradym Irons are ideal for mid-handicap golfers seeking enhanced distance, forgiveness, and workability. These irons feature high-strength forged faces with tungsten weighting and impressive speed, power, and spin control. They provide a good balance of forgiveness and shot-shaping capability. With a smooth feel and satisfying sound, they're great for those who prioritize feel and sound on impact. The Paradym Irons deliver substantial distance gains and high launch, making them suitable for players looking to boost their performance without transitioning to full-fledged game improvement irons.
Ideal for
- Excellent spin control and the ability to spin balls around doglegs and other fairway designs
- Flies off the face
- Tungsten is built into the head, which allows for a lot of forgiveness
- Feel is very smooth, and the sound is very soft
- Thinner face with fast ball speeds for maximum distance
- Ideal for golfers looking for more speed and higher launch
- High-strength forged clubface
- More spin than the Paradym X model
Not ideal for
- Need a consistent swing
- Minimal offset compared to the Paradym X model
- Mid-sized iron might not appeal to the golfer looking for a thin-bladed style iron
- Strong lofts (29° 7-iron loft) which may cause golfers to reconfigure their bag
Workability
The Callaway Paradym Irons are not the most workable clubs, but they will do the job for most mid-handicappers. They allow for some shot shaping and do it more consistently...Read more
These irons are the first I have owned that give me confidence in my spin control. Whether I curve a dogleg or put a backspin on the ball to keep...Read more
Forgiveness
These irons have tungsten in their forged 455 faces, but they can be more closely compared to player's irons than game improvement irons. The forgiveness is great for single-handicap players...Read more
Combining a forged single-bodied clubhead with a semi-hollow body has given me the most forgiveness of any clubs I have yet to play with. The semi-hollow body wrapped in singly...Read more
Feel
The forged irons have a low center of gravity and a large sweet spot. I don't strike the ball with much power, but I do not need to worry about...Read more
Launch
The Callaway Paradym Irons make the golf balls fly. They launch at a high angle while still spinning at a consistent rate. They feel like great player's irons, but they...Read more
I have seen fewer rainbow arches on my Callaway Paradyms, but I have also been practicing hitting my irons that way. My last iron set couldn't take the flex, but...Read more
Distance
I hit these about 10-15 yards further than my old irons. My Paradyms allow for consistency because I can control spin, giving the distance more workability. These irons are ideal...Read more
The clubs' low center of gravity and the face design have allowed me to hit the ball hard without worrying about putting in too much power and losing my swing....Read more
Expert Reviews of the Callaway Paradym Irons
Kragen Bradley I have had my set of the new Callaway Paradym Irons for a little over two months now. Before, I used the 2021 Callaway Apex. In comparison, they aren’t even in the same league. The forgiveness is out of this world. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the distance, though. My Apex 7-iron was around 185 carry; my Paradym 7-iron sits around 200-205 carry for comparison. The clubhead seems a touch smaller when lining up, but it isn’t the craziest difference. The clubs have an overall excellent feel in my hands and produce, fly, and land how I want them to. I’ve never been more pleased with a set of clubs.
Vineet Saksena The Callaway Paradym Irons are ideal for mid-handicappers (7-12 handicap). These irons have a very smooth feel and a really nice sound, even on mishits. Expect to hit these longer than one's average irons. The technology shift Callaway has introduced this year is excellent for golfers who are steady and fine with staying single handicap. The irons have a slightly thicker top edge but still look aesthetically pleasing. The higher price tag is justified when someone realizes how big of a "Paradym shift," in the words of Callaway, these irons have been made from the Apex irons released in 2021. These are not game improvement-level irons but are on the cusp of being and feeling like a player's iron.Â
Jess P. These premium forged face irons have a lot of forgiveness, great looks and feel, and excellent distance. With every golf ball strike, the speed frame design will immediately give every golfer out there more ball speed and power. They also have more tungsten for a softer feel, quality sound, and a precise weighting system to help launch the ball high, even on off-centered strikes. Their compact head shape and mid-size sole help cut through the grass easily when one misses the fairway on a drive. The Callaway Paradym Irons can deliver the distance every golfer is looking for.
John Curtin I just bought a new set of Callaway Paradym Irons. As someone who has been playing golf for over 15 years and tested and owned many different irons, these Callaways are one of my favorite sets of irons. Callaway spent much time and money researching and developing using AI and analyzing the swing of PGA Professionals to create the new Paradym irons. Callaway used a high-strength Forged 455 face, which they say is the most powerful forged iron face they released. This strength is noticeable immediately on the course with my increased distance, launch, and speed. Each iron also has excellent spin control, allowing me to attempt shots I simply couldn't hit in the past without enough spin control. The semi-hollow body on the clubface makes an excellent sound when I hit the ball in the sweet spot. I recommend these to any avid golfer looking for a new set of irons to upgrade their game.
Review Ratings
Averaged between reviewers, view below how all experts voted.
Workability
5/5
Vineet Saksena gave 4 of 5 stars. The Callaway Paradym Irons are not the most workable clubs, but they will do the job for most mid-handicappers. They allow for some shot shaping and do it more consistently than expected for how much forgiveness is added. They are limited shaping-wise, but they will work for most.
John Curtin gave 5 of 5 stars. These irons are the first I have owned that give me confidence in my spin control. Whether I curve a dogleg or put a backspin on the ball to keep my shot near the hole on a fast green, I have never had as much spin control or workability with other clubs.
Forgiveness
5/5
Vineet Saksena gave 5 of 5 stars. These irons have tungsten in their forged 455 faces, but they can be more closely compared to player's irons than game improvement irons. The forgiveness is great for single-handicap players and allows for shaping and distance. Comparing the forgiveness of these irons to other competitors, one will feel much smoother swings and contact with these irons.
John Curtin gave 5 of 5 stars. Combining a forged single-bodied clubhead with a semi-hollow body has given me the most forgiveness of any clubs I have yet to play with. The semi-hollow body wrapped in singly forged steel is ideal for forgiveness.
Feel
5/5
John Curtin gave 5 of 5 stars. The forged irons have a low center of gravity and a large sweet spot. I don't strike the ball with much power, but I do not need to worry about that nearly as much when I use iron sets with low centers of gravity. The weight distribution on these clubs gives me more power on my backswing and even more power and control on my downswing and follow-through.
Launch
5/5
Vineet Saksena gave 5 of 5 stars. The Callaway Paradym Irons make the golf balls fly. They launch at a high angle while still spinning at a consistent rate. They feel like great player's irons, but they give me just enough launch to control the spin a little more than most other game improvement irons.
John Curtin gave 5 of 5 stars. I have seen fewer rainbow arches on my Callaway Paradyms, but I have also been practicing hitting my irons that way. My last iron set couldn't take the flex, but I am now blasting my irons low under wind gusts or tree lines if I am in a sticky spot.
Distance
5/5
Vineet Saksena gave 5 of 5 stars. I hit these about 10-15 yards further than my old irons. My Paradyms allow for consistency because I can control spin, giving the distance more workability. These irons are ideal for senior players who are still mid-handicappers but have lost some power and touch in their game.
John Curtin gave 5 of 5 stars. The clubs' low center of gravity and the face design have allowed me to hit the ball hard without worrying about putting in too much power and losing my swing. I get more distance and control than I ever have.Â
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Vineet Saksena I was out on a course a few weeks ago, and I hit a 7-iron 185 to about five feet from the pin, where it spun back and almost went in.
John Curtin My favorite moment with the new Paradym Irons was easily curving my SuperSoft ball around a dogleg and having enough spin on the ball that although I was on the edge of the green, I spun the ball back 2-3 feet back towards the hole.
Why did you choose this product?
Vineet Saksena After much research about which irons to get, these irons seemed the most effective with the forgiveness I needed as a golfer. The Callaway Paradym Irons are a new generation, in my honest opinion.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Vineet Saksena These are a little more expensive than the competitors, but they are generational irons. Comparing these irons to TaylorMade, they are about $15 more, but they will define what Callaway puts out for the next several years because they have new technology.
John Curtin The Callaway Paradym irons are not light on the budget. One does not get better by buying cheap, poorly-made clubs. Being someone who takes their golf game seriously, the value for the money makes these far and away worth the purchase. Since I started using these irons, I have cut 4-5 strokes off every round I have played.
What do you love about this product?
Vineet Saksena These irons feel like they could be player's irons. They have some forgiveness built in, but shaping shots and controlling spin are very plausible with these irons. Ever since I started hitting them, my iron distances have increased significantly by 10-15 yards for each iron.Â
John Curtin There are several things I love about the Callaway Paradym Irons. However, my favorite aspect about the Paradym irons is the semi-hollow body forged clubface. It makes a great sound when I strike the ball right on. These irons have the largest sweet spot I have ever owned. The milled face and weight distribution keep me from shooting the ball all over the course. The low-weight club keeps my backswing consistent, and I am not wobbling after I strike the ball. These irons offer more distance, speed, launch, and spin control.
I am happy with the launch trajectory. It has been lower arching than my previous irons, allowing me to cut through strong winds, strike the ball hard, and keep it below the tree line if I am in a bad spot. I am not excellent at spinning the ball, but these Paradyms have given me more confidence coming into doglegs and other course designs that require some curvature on a shot.
The milled face also keeps morning dew or water from impacting where the ball goes after I shoot it. My favorite iron in the set is the 9-iron. I get fairway wood-type distance with my 9-iron. I have played on some slow, wet greens, got some backspin on the ball, and brought it back towards the hole.
Vineet Saksena
Golf ExpertJohn Curtin
Golf ExpertKragen Bradley
Golf ExpertJess P.
Golf ExpertShare article:
