Callaway Elyte Irons Review

It may be early in the year, but the new Callaway Elyte Irons have already staked their claim as the best game improvement irons of 2025.

Most brands have worked hard over the last few years to improve the looks of their irons in this category. Callaway might just have produced the best looking iron on the market.

Can the performance match the fantastic looks?

Who Is It Aimed At?

The Elyte irons would be perfect for someone who has used smaller irons in the past, but perhaps wants something a little more forgiving without going too chunky.

Conversely, they could also be great for a higher handicap golfer who is improving and wants a blend of forgiveness with a smaller profile.

Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to our channel so that you don’t miss another video!

The Tech

The Elyte irons feature a new Speed Frame Construction. This sees new design elements which allows Callaway to use more of their Urethane Microspheres in the head. The result is said to be an improved sound and feel.

It also encourages faster ball speeds, helping to generate more distance for golfers seeking better performance.

The previous Ai Smart Face has been updated to a new Ai10x Face. This has ten times more control points than the last generation, producing faster ball speeds and better launch and dispersion across the face.

A new tri-sole design feature three different sections, helping to provide fast, smooth turf interaction. A sharper leading and trailing edge shape allow the club to cut through turf more efficiently. The mid section offers added forgiveness to give better results regardless of the lie.

This is the ‘standard’ model in the iron range, suited to golfers who want distance, consistency and control.

Callaway Elyte Irons Review

Looks and Feel

When it comes to looks, the Elyte irons are as good as it gets for a game improvement model.

I used Callaway’s Rogue ST Pro irons for a couple of years, which would fall into the players distance category. The size and profile of the Elyte irons really reminded me of them, as they were compact and sleek.

There are also Elyte X and Elyte HL models which are bulkier, but the standard model looks fantastic.

They feature Callaway’s distinctive round topline and a really nice blade length at address. They’re big enough that they should give you confidence, whilst still looking workable.

The chrome finish of the head and the back cavity is a big improvement on last year’s Paradym Ai Smoke for me.

At impact, the irons felt strong and the ball springs quickly off the face as you’d imagine. They reminded me a little of the Apex Ai200 irons that I tested last year, which were great irons.

Performance

I tested these irons at Hukd Golf and saw good distances, and low spin as I often find with game improvement irons. Having said that I was impressed by the consistency of the numbers, particularly with the 7 iron.

There was a difference of just 4 yards between my shortest and longest carry with the 7 iron. This is extremely impressive, because it suggests you’re not going to get that ‘hot’ shot which flies miles further than most.

The left to right dispersion was also really good too. There was a slight draw bias, but much less pronounced than lots of other game improvement irons. This made it feel really controllable.

With the long and short irons, I started to see a couple more issues.

My spin and peak height were lower than I’d like with the 5 iron. I also saw quite a bit of inconsistency with the ball speed too. This meant that I wasn’t achieving the carry that I’d have liked, even though the top end numbers were great.

I just didn’t see them often enough so I’m not sure whether the gapping would be right at the top end of the bag.

On the course, they felt so easy to use from a variety of different lies which is a good bonus. The shape is perfect as they are big enough to provide confidence, without looking too bulky.

I loved the new tri-sole design, which really helped with turf interaction. I tested out in Spain at La Reserva where you get lots of thick grass and grainy lies.

Essentially, it’s very easy to get the club digging in if you catch it heavy, and can be tricky out of the rough. However the Elyte irons performed really well. Felt like the sole was really helping you out and keeping things moving through the turf.

Callaway Elyte Irons Verdict

The new Elyte irons look fantastic, and the performance out on the course backed that up too.

I tested the new Apex Ai200 and Ai300 irons last year, and I was surprised by how similar the Elyte irons were to the Ai200 irons.

They’re not forged, so you won’t get the same soft feel. But in terms of shape, forgiveness and ball flight, there’s a lot of crossover.

They’re a pretty similar price point to the Ai200 irons, although they’re a lot more expensive than last year’s Paradym Ai Smoke. Having said that, I think they’re a big upgrade for 2025, so it may be worth the extra cash.

Would I Use It?

If I was in the market for a set of game improvement irons, these would definitely be on my list. The combination of forgiveness with sleek, compact looks was great.