Review: Callaway Elyte irons – the best looking game improvement irons?

Think of a forgiving iron. 

You’re probably thinking of something bulky, chunky and not all that easy on the eye, right?

The Callaway Elyte irons are going to change all that.

They are, quite simply, the total package, combining performance and looks in a way that promises to shake up the game-improvement category forever.

There are two to choose from – the Elyte and the Elyte X – and both tick plenty of boxes. Let’s dive in… 

First impressions

So, about those aesthetics. The premium chrome finish is classic, clean and looks fantastic both on the shelf and in the bag.

There is a bit of offset, which I don’t mind, but when the club is behind the ball, it looks absolutely superb.

The Tech

Of course, looking great is only part of it. They need to perform great, too. Luckily, there’s a ton of tech hidden underneath the stunning body, which you would expect from Callaway.

The Callaway Elyte irons feature a new Speed Frame construction, which has patented urethane microspheres to deliver exceptional sound and feel. This, as you might guess, delivers great ball speed, which in turn promotes great distance. 

The new Ai10x face which features in the Elyte driver and fairway woods also makes an appearance in the irons, producing exceptionally fast ball speeds, tight dispersion, and optimised launch all across the face. 

An all-new tri-sole design features three distinct sections to ensure fast and smooth turf interaction. A sharper leading edge, along with trailing edge relief, allows for efficient entry and exit, while the mid-section offers enhanced forgiveness for improved consistency.  

The Elyte X is a dedicated game improvement iron that has a larger profile and cavity-back construction to provide maximum forgiveness courtesy of increased offset, a wider sole, and a thicker topline.

The Elyte, meanwhile, is a players’ distance iron, offering a slightly smaller shape, while delivering fast ball speeds and tight dispersion, giving better control on approach shots.

The bunkered Verdict

First things first, these look amazing.

I hate using the word ‘premium’. I feel like it’s overused in golf club reviews. But in this case, it’s so true.

The performance goes hand-in-hand with the looks. The speed, distance, forgiveness and stability make these easy to launch, particularly in the Elyte X.

The Elyte, the core model for these irons, delivers consistency in speed, as well as consistency in dispersion. We put these irons up against last year’s equivalent from Callaway – the Paradym Ai Smoke – and we found real and significant gains. The grouping, in particular, was tighter, which means you can expect to hit more greens.

Something tells me these are going to be very, very popular this year.. 

RRP: £167 per club Steel, £175 per club Graphite

Available: 21 February, 2025

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More from the latest Callaway Elyte Range

Review: Callaway Elyte driver – the best yet from Callaway?

Review: Callaway Elyte fairway woods

Review: Callaway Elyte hybrids