The 2023 Callaway lineup is highlighted by all things Paradym. Drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and, of course, irons. On the heels of its Rogue ST series, Callaway came into this year packing a punch with two Paradym iron models that are geared toward players of all handicaps. I had the opportunity to go through a custom fitting where I could see and touch all this new Callaway technology and was surprised not only by the Paradym’s performance but also by my numbers as they correlated with shaft selection.
Let’s take a look and see how the new Callaway Paradym iron models fit you and if they could be what your bag is missing this season.
Paradym OverviewThe standard Paradym iron is categorized as a player’s distance iron. This category is still relatively new in terms of golf equipment having only been “a thing” for less than a decade or so. The category caters to the player that is accomplished enough to want a slightly smaller profile head and a little extra spin without fear of sacrificing some forgiveness. All of that goes along with distance that mirrors a higher handicap iron.
The Paradym model hits on all aspects in that it has a refined player-preferred shape, it’s forged, and it produces serious distance. It has a hollow-body design like any top-tier iron model and a mid-sole width so it cuts through rough without looking like a shovel. Its Forged 455 Face is A.I. designed, which in itself shows the innovative steps in Callaway’s process with this lineup.
Callaway recommends the Paradym irons for anyone between a handicap of 4 and 12. Irons are available from 4 to GW. The stock steel shaft is the True Temper Elevate 95 MPH and the stock graphite shaft is the Project X HZRDUS GEN 4 Silver 65 and 75 HB/IR.
Paradym X OverviewIf the Paradym is intended for a lower handicap than what you carry, the Paradym X should fit like a glove. Everything about the standard Paradym is carried over in the “X” model. The A.I. Designed Forged 455 Face, hollow-body speed frame, dual tungsten weighting, and even the design. The Paradym X, however, is categorized as a game-improvement iron which means you will likely see better results in distance and forgiveness.
Compared to the Paradym’s 7-iron loft of 29 degrees, the Paradym X is slightly stronger at 27.5 degrees. So if you’re looking to pick up some yardage that you’ve lost, this should be the model you look to. Forgiveness is a huge bump over the Paradym due to the less-compact head, wider sole, and offset to help fight those nasty slices.
The stock steel shaft for the Paradym X is the True Temper Elevate 85 MPH and the stock graphite is also the Project X HZRDUS GEN 4 Silver 65 and 75 HB/IR.
My ExperienceHeading into my fitting I had done a bit of research on both the Paradym and Paradym X models and all but came to two conclusions before even picking up a club. For one, the stock True Temper Elevate shafts weren’t going to be a good fit for me based on weight alone. Secondly, there would be no question I would fit into the standard Paradym. Here’s why I was grossly wrong on the first, and only partially wrong on the second.
Callaway Paradym iron with tungsten weight
My first swings of the day were with the Paradym X. My first handful of shots were crisp, center-cut, and effortless. I was immediately impressed with Callaway’s design team in that the offset didn’t come off as a true game improvement iron and the integrity of the sleek design was kept intact. As I got loosened up, the dispersion with the Paradym X stayed tight. The stronger loft in the 7-iron had me getting that club to about 180 yards, which is a big 7-iron for me. The feel, sound, and direction were the big standouts for me. Eventually, after about 30 balls, I began to see my spin rates drop a bit and I felt that I had maxed the Pardym X out, so to speak. Make no mistake though, a mid-handicap player would see tremendous gains with the Paradym X. Loft, distance, and accuracy are all automatic.
When I moved into the standard Paradym I wanted to concentrate on what my distances and spin rates were like compared to the Paradym X. As I mentioned, I had reservations based on the shaft as I was coming from a N.S Modus3 which has a weight of 106 g and the Elevate is 11 grams lighter.
I was proven wrong on the very first Paradym swing, and it only got better from there. The 7-iron was consistently near 180 yards despite it being 1.5 degrees weaker than the Paradym X. To go along with distance, my spin rates approached 7,000 RPM which meant I would be able to not only gain distance over my current set but also hold greens. Both were largely affected by me swinging the Elevate shaft which was lighter, yes, but it enabled me to take full advantage of the technology in the head of the club. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t sacrifice a slight amount of forgiveness between the Paradym and Paradym X, that’s just the nature of each model. The extra juice and backspin numbers, however, buried any dispersion worries on my part.
I would ultimately end up ordering my set of Paradym irons as a 4- GW (52 degrees) with the True Temper Elevate 95 shafts in stiff flex. -½” to accommodate my 5 '7” frame and a half-degree flat because I like to keep my hands low. Take my money, Callaway.
If you would like to learn more about the new Paradym lineup or to find where you can get custom fit, please visit
CallawayGolf.com