Callaway Paradym Irons - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Welcome our 4 Testers for the Callaway Paradym Irons!

Callaway Paradym 

@funkyjudge
@Javs

Callaway Paradym X
@Golf2Much
@MattWillGolf

We are extremely excited to have these 4 as testers with 2 having never tested before! 

A big congratulations on being selected and no pressure on having one of the biggest tests we have had here on the Forum!
 

[Golf2Much]

Paradym X Irons - Official MGS Forum Review by Golf2Much

Introduction (April 6, 2023)

This has been an incredible MyGolfSpy last couple of days.  First, I received my “500” forum ranking.  That was followed by winning Season 1 of the MGS Championship Tour.   Last, but not least, I was selected as a Callaway Paradym X irons reviewer.  I still find it all hard to believe!

I was born and raised in Rochester, New York.  After graduating with degrees in Plastics Engineering (yes, I know, “The Graduate”) I returned home and had a 27-year technology, business development and management career at Xerox.   In 2007 I left Xerox, moved to Key West, Florida and have enjoyed island living ever since. 

Since retiring, I’m living up to my display name, Golf2Much!  Last year I played over 130 rounds of golf with all but 2 on my home course.  My index currently is 11.4, but within the last year it was as low as 9.2.   

When I’m not playing, I’m still busy with golf. I’m the Vice President of the Lower Keys Golf Association which raises money to support local junior golf and high school golf teams.  I also maintain the local GHIN system. If that wasn’t enough, about six months ago I became a Florida State Golf Association/USGA course rater. 

My home course is the Rees Jones designed Key West Golf Club.  The classic layout has narrow fairways, small greens with false fronts and penalty areas, water or mangroves on each hole.   The course demands driving and approach shot accuracy to score.

My playing style is easy to describe:  I’m the golfer I used to hate when I was young!   On par fours I drive the ball 170-190, come up short of the green with a fairway wood second shot, chip on and one putt for par.   The shots gained numbers against my handicap peer group below highlights exactly what I’m talking about. 

Seeing those numbers, you can almost hear “hey you kids, get off my lawn!”

Some of the above shortfalls are due to being 66 years old and having enough physical limitations that many wonder how I can even play golf at all!   I’m expecting a few more yards out from my new Ping G430 Max driver, so my focus has turned to my iron approach shots.

I currently play Ping G30 irons with Fujikura EXS 60i R2-Flex shafts that I bought the used seven years ago.  My data suggests that maybe it might be time to upgrade!

Enter the Paradym X’s.   Callaway refers to them as player type, game improvement irons with “distance and forgiveness.”  Given my situation, they seemed a perfect fit. 

I use the Shot Scope H40 and tags for shot tracking, so I will be providing comparable data between both sets.   I'll be sharing some of that baseline G30 shot tracking and performance data leading up to my review and why the Paradym X's might be a game changer for me.  My expectation is to use that data as the basis for whether the Paradym X's stay in my bag.  Even as a lifelong Ping iron player, if the Paradym X's out perform they will stay in my bag!

The last new set of irons I owned were Callaway Big Berthas back in the mid 1990’s.  Now almost 30 years later I have the pleasure of trying their latest irons.  I can’t wait to put the Paradym X’s in play and share my findings with you!

Link to my Paradym X iron fitting:  

Unboxing (April 14, 2014)

Before I dive into the unboxing of the Paradym X’s, I have to give kudos to Callaway.  Their ability to quickly turn around my custom order was impressive.  Within a week of getting my specifications, Callaway built the custom clubs, shipped them from their Mexico facility, and delivered them to my door at the Southernmost end of US1.    

 

The clubs came very well protected in the box.  There were cardboard dividers at each end and in the middle to prevent clubs rattling during shipping.   The middle divider did a great job isolating the clubs at the bottom and top of the box.  Each iron head came shrink wrapped and inside a bubble wrap sleeve.   Altogether, the irons themselves were protected and very well secured.

    

Included in the box was the expected packing slip and a nice summary of the custom certified iron build specifications.  This will be filed away in a safe place.

As I started carefully unwrapping each iron, I realized that (other than my wedges) I’ve never owned a set of forged irons.   With one unwrapped, I stood back and was impressed how good the overall iron looked.  The iron's polished finish went well with the black Aldila shaft with silver and blue highlights and the Golf Pride CP2 Pro Wrap grip which has the white and blue accents. 

All I could think about is a paraphrased Billy Crystal Saturday Night Live line:  “It’s much better to look good than to play good..and you look marvelous!”

  

The back of the club has a simple and uncluttered look.  Certainly, different than the Ping hollowed out back I’ve been accustomed to.  Don’t let that simple look fool you.  Reading the Callaway’s Paradym X’s description, behind that simple back is a lot of embedded technology to enhance launch conditions and improve forgiveness.  At first I was a little worried about the polished look reflecting too much sun off the club at address.  But I noticed the less reflective finish on the club face continued over the topline of the iron which should make any reflection less of a distraction.  

As I said above, they looked marvelous! 

At first glance, the Paradym X’s club head seemed to be a bit more compact than previous irons I’ve owned.  When I place the Paradym X’s next to the Ping G30’s I realized the overall differences were not that big as I had thought.

  

Both clubs had somewhat comparable top line widths.  Not too thin to question their forgiveness and not too thick to be a distraction.  The amount of offset appeared to be roughly the same.  Checking the published specifications for both showed the Paradym X 7 iron has 4.83 mm (0.19”) of offset, only 0.25 mm (0.01”) less than the Ping G30 7 iron.   Overall, very close what I'm currently playing.

    

The G30’s has a marginally longer face, wider sole and stands a little taller especially at the club’s toe.  The groove portion of the Paradym X’s face is not as wide as the Ping G30.  What overall impact that will ultimately have will remain to be seen.

  

The clubs’ specification comparison also showed stronger Paradym X lofts.  The chart below highlights the differences.

The stronger Paradym X’s loft difference should have an impact on the overall distance of the Paradym X’s.  Callaway suggests that their frame construction, thin forged 455 face and tungsten weighting yields higher launch conditions and greater forgiveness.   I’ll likely need those higher launch conditions to help me hold my home course’s small, well protected greens!

Overall, was impressed with Callaway’s fast turnaround on my custom order, how well the clubs were packaged and the overall look of the Paradym X’s.  It’s forged shinny finish and more rounded edges seemed to give the impression it was significantly smaller than it really was.   The comparable top line and offset gave me confidence looking down on the club that I've hit this before.  I’ll have to see if the slightly shorter head length and less grooved hitting area on the face will impact my ability to consistently hit quality shots. The combination of Paradym X head, Aldila graphite shaft and CP2 Pro Wrap grips combine to make one beautiful looking club.  I can only hope they performs as well as they look!

Once unboxed, I performed the accession of the Callaway Paradym X to my bag.  As I began inserting the clubs, I realized I had an extra iron that I didn’t account for:  the approach wedge.  Given the Paradym X loft gapping and that I rely on my approach and short game to score, the AW had to remain in the bag.  Reviewing my Shot Scope performance data, it was easy to conclude that the 3 wood would be the odd club out.  Since the first of the year, I hit the 3 wood less than 8% of my fairway wood shots and the performance distance between the three and five woods is less than 10 yards.   No brainer!

Finally, in search of a second opinion, I asked my beagle Scout what she thought of the new Paradym X irons.  From the picture, you can see wasn’t too happy that I woke her up from her nap.

 

Final Review:

I’d like to thank MyGolfSpy and Callaway for the opportunity to review the Paradym X irons.  It’s an honor and a privilege to provide my feedback on these irons.

First Impressions (19 out of 20)

From the shots gained graphic above illustrated the need to improve my approach game from 100-150 yards in, I viewed the Paradym X irons as a potential game changer, especially if Callaway’s claims held true. 

Callaway claims that the Paradym X are a game improvement iron with “forged performance with enhanced distance in a more forgiving shape.”  The forged 455 face is optimized for more speed, higher launch, and increased spin consistency.  These characteristics are critical to hitting and holding my home course’s small greens.  The forged face and urethane microsphere insert are intended to yield an ultra-soft feel and premium sound.  The tungsten weights enhance launch conditions and improved speed on mishits.

I deducted two points for my initial apprehension of playing forged irons after having cast heads my whole adult life.  I added one point back for Callaway’s quick response in getting these well packaged, custom clubs to me at the end of the earth in Key West in a week.

Together, these features seemed perfect for my area of need.  If they performed half as good as they looked, the Paradym X irons could be a winner!

      

Aesthetics (10 out of 10)

The Paradym X’s are some of the best-looking irons I’ve ever seen.  The Paradym X’s wider topline and more offset than its sister Paradym irons helped convey a feeling of confidence and forgiveness for this Ping G30 player.  I thought the shiny chrome-like finish might be a distraction.  However, Callaway continued the matted finish up the face and over the topline eliminating any glare.  The back of the club badging and tungsten weights are simple giving it a clean look.  There’s no way to knowing how much innovation lurks behind the unassuming exterior.   

The Paradym X impact sounds has more of a muted “clicking” sound.  I found that the lack of feedback is feedback in itself.  When I know I hit the Paradym X's well, I don't feel a thing.  There’s a crisp feel, no vibration and faint "clicking" sound at impact for good shots.   On mishits, there’s only a slight increase in vibration and sound.

The Numbers (9 out of 10)

To get a handle of the numbers I conducted a few exercises to assess the Paradym X performance with respect to my G30s.  Here are the MGS links to them: 

·         Paradym X Versus Ping G30 Five, Seven and Nine Irons:  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/58484-2023-mgs-forum-member-test-callaway-paradym-irons/?do=findComment&comment=913711

·         Paradym X Irons Only Round:  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/58484-2023-mgs-forum-member-test-callaway-paradym-irons/?do=findComment&comment=920620

·         Paradym X Versus Ping G30 Driving Range: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/58484-2023-mgs-forum-member-test-callaway-paradym-irons/?do=findComment&comment=922527

·         Paradym X Chipping:  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/58484-2023-mgs-forum-member-test-callaway-paradym-irons/?do=findComment&comment=917700

Taken all together, here’s how the numbers panned out:

Accuracy:  In each case, I found the Paradym X’s to be marginally more accurate than my Ping G30’s.  The Paradym X’s tended to start straight at the target and stay there.  During the driving range test with “experienced” range balls, the Paradym X nine and seven irons exhibited three yards less distance and lateral dispersion when compared with the G30’s. 

 

Chipping with the Paradym X approach wedges proved to be as accurate as my existing wedges.

Distance:  I consistently found the Paradym X’s anywhere between 5 to 11 yards longer than the G30s.  With range balls and almost identical club head speeds, the average Paradym X ball speeds were 4-5 mph greater than the Ping G30’s contributing to the longer distance.

Trajectory:  With the stronger lofts, I found the Paradym X’s had a lower 2-3 degree lower overall trajectory than the corresponding G30 iron. 

Forgiveness:  The Paradym X’s exhibited marginally better forgiveness.  Good and fair Paradym X iron shots tended to showed less distance and lateral dispersion. 

Control:  Since correcting some of my swing issues, I feel more confident that the Paradym X’s will go where I aim.  With my G30’s, I tended to straight/slight fade shape.  For the Paradym X’s, it mostly straight/slight draw. 

Workability:  The ability to work the ball on demand is beyond my skill set! 

On-Course (17 out of 20):

The 5-11 yard longer iron shots held true through my on-course experiences.  The graph below plots each iron and the relative distances I got from each during the review period.   

If you overlay each the distances for each against the loft for each respective iron, you can see that the overall distances for similar lofts were somewhat comparable (see table below).  For me comparable lofts yielded comparable distances.

The shots gained from approach shots marginally improved 0.25 shot gained with the Paradym X irons with a majority coming from the Paradym X’s 100-150 yards in.

  

The greens in regulation improved roughly 10% (27 to 30%), the number of short approach shots dropped almost 15% and the number of iron shots past the green doubled to 6%. 

  

The Paradym X irons exhibited a 13% improvement in average proximity (60 to 52 feet), with a majority of the improvement in the 15–45-foot range.   

All taken together, the Paradym X irons proved to be more accurate hitting the greens than my Ping G30’s.

  

How does all of this relate to scoring?  There was a 0.1 stroke gained per hole improvement seen with the Paradym X irons than the Ping G30’s (0.9 versus 0.8 respectively).  My biggest take away from this data was a 33% drop in the double bogeys from 18% to 13% with the Paradym X irons.

How did my Paradym X’s iron experience compare to Callaway’s promotional claims?  The 455 forged face and frame did provide a 3-5 mph increased ball speed and greater distance.  The improved stability yielded more consistent distance on a variety of shots and a narrower shot dispersion.  The face and microsphere insert did help provide an improved feel and sound. The more consistent distances on good and marginal shots supports Callaway’s claim of improved speed on mishits.

I found the Paradym X irons had a lower launch angle (not higher) and generated less overall spin which contradicted some of Callaway’s claims. 

Overall, the Paradym X iron results met a majority of Callaway’s claims.

The Good, the Bad and the Inbetween (18 out of 20)

The “good” starts with Callaway’s quick turnaround for custom ordered clubs. 

The Callaway Paradym X irons look great.  The shiny chrome-like finish and the simple badging on the back make it a sight to behold.   The thicker topline and offset similar to my Pings implied forgiveness and inspired confidence.   

I ended up getting 5 to 11 yards longer hits with the Paradym X irons.  I saw some improvement in the area where I needed help:  hitting more greens from 100-150 yards in.  The Paradym X irons consistently hit the ball closer to the pins and exhibited less lateral and distance dispersion with both good and marginal hits. 

The “inbetween” included the fact that the distance gained seemed to be more related to the Paradym X’s stronger lofts.  I deducted point for that.  Right now, it’s too early to tell if my observed lower overall trajectory will ultimately be good or bad for my game at my home course.  I deducted one point for the lower trajectory.

I have nothing bad to say about the Paradym X irons!

 

Play It or Trade it?  (17 out of 20)

The arrival of the new irons coincided with of some poor swing mechanics.  Early on it was hard to separate the “archer” from the “arrow!”  Since then, I’ve seen some improvement in my swing and the corresponding improved performance the Paradym X’s bring.   I deducted a point for that uncertainty leading to an “incomplete” grade.

I also need more time to work out if the lower overall trajectory is a true benefit or liability on my small greens.   For that reason, I had to deduct a couple of points. 

For now, they are staying in the bag until I exorcise my swing demons and resolve the positives and negatives of the lower overall trajectory.

Conclusion

As someone who has played Ping cast head irons pretty much their entire adult life (original Ping Eye 2’s through G30’s) any apprehension I had hitting forged player irons quickly disappeared after hitting the new Paradym X irons.  Callaway has a winner here.

Aesthetically, the Paradym X’s are a beautiful iron.  The shiny chrome like finish, clean and rounded lines as well as the understated back (which hides all the innovation) make for an attractive iron. 

The Paradym X’s thicker topline, more offset, wider sole and the slightly larger head size gave me confidence I could hit these irons. 

On the course, the Paradym X’s did not disappoint.   Collected shot data indicated the Paradym X’s were 5-11 yards longer and more accurate than the G30’s which resulted in more greens in regulation, fewer short iron approach shots and improved proximity to the pin.    My Paradym X iron results validated a majority of Callaway’s performance claims.

For now, the Callaway Paradym X irons are staying in my bag while I improve my swing and get more acquainted with my new trusted friends! 

Final Score (90 out of 100)

 

[MattWillGolf]

Introduction

I would like to thank My Golf Spy and Callaway Golf for the opportunity to be a tester for the Paradym X Irons. This is my third testing opportunity for the Forum: I previously tested the Evnroll ER11v putter and the Shot Scope Pro LX+.  I have been an off and on golfer since my mid-20s, after getting out of the Army in the late 80s. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and grew up across the street from Sharp Park Golf Course (an Alister MacKenzie design) in Pacifica, CA but I never played the game as a kid. I once came home from school to find a broken bedroom window and a golf ball on my bed. The first course I ever played a full 18 holes on though was Harding Park, host to the 2020 PGA Championship. Speaking of the PGA Championship, I am excited to be attending my first major, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY this year. I have Saturday tickets. I hope to run into some fellow spies.

My professional life started in the U.S. Army where I was trained to maintain and repair medical equipment. Upon my discharge from the U.S. Army, I joined a medical imaging equipment manufacturer where I worked for 31 years specializing in Cardiovascular X-Ray. That company had moved me all over the U.S. My first move took me from California to Connecticut for several years. Work then moved back across country to the Seattle area. In 2018, my wife and I moved cross country once again to be closer to family, this time to Central New York, just outside of Syracuse. In 2019 my job changed and joined the ranks of semi-retirement which now allows me more regular golf, weather permitting as I am fair weather golfer. At the end of April, I will be joining the ranks of the fully retired. We have one son, a former Navy FMF Corpsman who is now in nursing school in California. We are also excited to have a daughter in law join our family next February.

My current home course is Radisson Greens in Baldwinsville, NY. It is an 18-hole par 72 course at 6360 yards from the white tees. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. I have a Monday through Thursday membership there and I get out a couple of times a week. The course is very challenging, but I love the layout. It is tree lined and tight in spots with water that I have a real skill in finding.

I play golf because I enjoy being out walking the course and if good scores come then it is a bonus. I also am an equipment junkie. Not that I have the budget to truly act upon this addiction, but I do enjoy the design and aesthetics of golf equipment. And if I ever won the lottery, I’d become a putter collector.

On the equipment front, my first set of clubs was a Wilson box set with wooden woods. At lot has changed in the equipment world since then. My Ping G400 Max was the first time I was fitted for a club, and I have yet to find a reason to change it. I have two sets of irons that I switch between depending on course conditions. They are Ping G25 irons (I won these through work) and a set of PXG 0211 irons. I play the Pings in the wet conditions we have at the start of the season then switch to the PXGs as the course dries out. I have a PXG 0341 3 wood, a PXG 0211 3 Hybrid and the 4 iron in my set was swapped out for a Ping G410 Crossover #4. My current sand wedge is a Callaway Mack Daddy CB 54°/14°. It was a My Golf Spy review and Most Wanted win that led me to trying Evnroll putters. I ended up with a mallet putter for the first time when I purchased the ER7. I was initially attracted to the idea of a higher MOI putter but really like the feel and consistency of the roll the ER7 gave me. I tested the Evnroll ER11v putter and gamed that for a bit but switched back to the ER7 due the “feel”.

  

I am also a member of the “Pushcart Mafia” with a Clicgear 3.5+ pushcart. This is probably the single best golf accessory item I have ever owned. The Grooveit Brush ranks a very close second.

This will be my first experience with Callaway irons. The Paradym X irons fit firmly in the game improvement category and as a high handicap golfer they should fit into my game. This is what drove me to put my name on the list of test candidates. In what I have read about these irons at their release the lofts are much stronger than any irons I have gamed to date. The 7 iron loft for example sits in between the 5 and 6 irons of my Ping G25 irons. I don’t really anticipate getting caught up in the number on the club in comparison with my Ping irons but will have to keep in mind the lofts. I am concerned about the build of the set as there will be a hole in my bag with regards to not having a wedge in the 50°degree range.

I won’t have access to a Trackman or any similar device to provide measurements. But I will install the tags from my Shot Scope Pro LX+ to see how these irons perform on the course. Most of the testing will occur on course. I will be looking at ball flight and accuracy. I would like to see higher ball flights and more forgiveness. Based on my readings, these clubs should offer me both of those things. And should I get those from these irons, these clubs will remain in my bag. The bottom line will be, am I hitting more greens and more fairways.

4/5/2023

The Fitting

I visited the Turning Stone Golf Sportsplex for my Paradym X iron fitting. Turning Stone Golf Course is in Verona, NY. The Turning Stone Atunyote Course hosted the Turning Stone Resort Championship four times. Notable winners include Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar.

My fitting experience is limited. I was fitted for my Ping driver and measured for Ping irons. As I learned there is difference between fitting and measuring. My Ping iron fitting was for a Green Dot in the Ping world which is 2 degrees upright. So this was what I considered my starting point.

I met my fitter Pat. I informed him that I wanted to be fit for Callaway Paradym X irons as I was selected to test them for the My Golf Spy Forum. He has never heard of My Golf Spy. But the person I scheduled the fitting with had and was excited when I showed up for the fitting. We then headed to the indoor range at Turning Stone. He had me take a few warmup swings with my 7-iron. He quickly stated, “That club is too short for you, you will need to go 1 inch longer”. Admittedly as a high handicapper I was a bit nervous to be fit and watched in such an open environment. Pat used humor and some tips to settle me down. The fitting fee was $100 as I wasn’t buying the irons from them. The “lesson” from Pat made the fee a real value.

After the warmup we headed over to the club area to configure the iron to be tested. Pat selected a Paradym X 7 iron head, 2 degrees upright. I let him know that I was limited to stock Callaway offerings, and he selected three shafts to try. Two steel shafts, an Elevate MPH 85 gram and an Elevate MPH 95 gram. He also selected the HZRDUS Silver 65. All the shafts were Regular flex and plus 1 inch. Pat stated up front that he didn’t think the graphite shaft would be right for me. And the fitting subsequently bore this out.

With my swing dialed in after the help from Pat, I started hitting golf balls. Everything was being monitored by a Trackman. This was my first experience with a Trackman. I have to say it's pretty cool. We started with the 95-gram shaft which I hit it pretty well and the best in terms of total distance was 165 yards. He then had me try 85-gram shaft which performed even better topping out at 171 yards. With the steel shafts I had a nice high ball flight that was between straight and a fade. Pat then had me try the graphite shaft. I was hitting them almost as far, but the shots were going left in a draw that Pat was afraid could turn into a hook. He felt I was more consistent the steel shafts. So, steel it is.

My final configuration is Paradym X irons, 5 through AW at 2 degrees upright. The shaft are True Temper Elevate MPH 85 grams, regular flex plus 1 inch. For the grips I chose Golf Pride - Z Grip CHEV Black (50g) with one extra wrap. The 7-iron session topped out at 171 yards total distance with 78.7 MPH swing speed.

 

I’m pretty excited to get the clubs now. I was very happy with my fitting experience with Pat. I even took his card and will set up some lessons with him in the future.

4/12/2023

Out For Delivery 

I just received notification that the Paradym X irons are out for delivery. Testing will be started soon.

 

The Unboxing

The Paradym X irons arrived today. The turnaround time from order to delivery was impressive. From order to delivery took 6 days.

 

The clubs arrived safely and nicely boxed with dividers between the clubs and bubble wrap sleeves on the heads. Nicer than some unboxings I’ve seen but just a shade below how PXG packs their irons. The heads are in foam blocks and the shafts are in foam dividers. The box was labeled with my build instructions, a nice touch. These irons look even better in person than they do in pictures. They feel super solid, and I can’t wait to get them out on the course.

 

Prior to loading them in my bag, I installed the Shot Scope tags for the H4 GPS. I will then have to learn the new distances with these irons.

 

 

The lofts are much stronger than my gamers. I’ve included their specs for reference. The Paradym X irons are configured 5 – AW. With the lofts as follows:

Paradym X                                                           PXG 0211 Gen. 1                                 Ping G410

5 Iron – 21.5°                                                      5 Iron - 24°                                           Crossover 4 23°

6 Iron – 24.5°                                                      6 Iron - 27°

7 Iron – 27.5°                                                      7 Iron - 31°

8 Iron – 31.5°                                                      8 Iron - 35°

9 Iron - 36°                                                          9 Iron - 40°

PW - 41°                                                               PW - 45°

AW - 46°                                                               GW - 50°

GW - 51°

 

This is the first time I have ever been fitted for irons. I was previously measured for Ping irons as being a Green Dot, which in the Ping world is 2°. This will be my first-time playing irons with shafts that are 1 inch longer. I am also curious as to how I will get along without a 50° wedge replacement. My initial thoughts on the set make up when selected for this test because of the lofts was a set configured 6 – GW but that wasn’t an option. Part of this test will include an evaluation as to whether I really need that Gap wedge. Should these become my gamers and the test reveals the need, I think I would go ahead and order a 51° Paradym X GW to round out the set.

I look to taking them out to the course tomorrow. 

4/24/2023

To create are more representative comparison against what I would carry in my bag I ordered a Paradym X GW in my specs today. In my mind I have been ignoring the number of the club and matching club for club based on loft. The Paradym X 5 iron (21.5°) has replaced the Ping G410 Crossover 4 (23°) in my bag. 

5/19/2023

 

Callaway Paradym X Irons – Official MGS Forum Review by Matt Gomez

I want to open by thanking My Golf Spy and Callaway Golf for this wonderful opportunity. I am still blown away at my selection for this testing experience.

First Impressions (20 out of 20)

I feel the need to establish upfront that I do really appreciate aesthetics in design and in golf equipment. I am big fan of BB and F Co ferrules. I sent my PXG 0211 irons to forum member Jim McCleery of McGolf Custom Golf to install a set of ferrules. I was blown away during the unboxing of the Paradym X irons. The pictures I had seen posted online at the release of these irons do not do justice to just how good looking these irons look in person.

My high handicap pointed me towards the more forgiving offering in the Paradym Iron lineup, so I was eager to learn about the technology behind the Paradym X Irons. Callaway describes the irons as utilizing an all-new Hollow Body design that features “Speed Frame” construction for added stiffness to the body in order to support the high strength “Forged 455 Face Cup”.  A.I. designed face technology is applied to a high strength Forged 455 face for distance and feel. These irons use Urethane Microspheres to improve feel and sound. Up to 79g of external and internal tungsten weights are placed precisely to enhance launch conditions and improve speed on mishits.

Aesthetics (10 out of 10)

The blue and gunmetal grey badging with the silver and gold text just blend so well with the bright chrome finish of the irons. In general, I do prefer a more satin finish to my irons, but this combination seems to work rather elegantly. My initial thoughts were that the chrome may be too shiny on the course. More on that later. In this category of irons, I have these to look much better than other game improvement irons on the market. These irons have shelf appeal over the Ping G430, the TaylorMade Stealth and any of Callaway’s previous game improvement irons.

A well struck shot rewards you with a nice crisp sound and a really nice feel. Even on less than perfect shots the sound is still quite good and the feel is not harsh at all but you can feel the difference when compared to a well struck shot. Even on less than perfect shots I have found these irons to be more forgiving than my gamers. Shots are less offline. These irons sound and feel better than my PXG 0211 irons and especially so with less than perfect shots. These clubs have more offset than the Paradym irons, but offset has never been something I’ve ever taken notice of. The topline is quite thick but once again that isn’t something that has ever been an issue for me. I like the size of the irons as they give me confidence when putting them down behind the ball. I think if someone handed me a Miura iron, I’d probably be sweating the fact that I’d actually make decent contact with the ball.

The Numbers (10 out of 10)

It took a bit to get acquainted with these irons as the lofts are definitely stronger. That being said, I don’t want to compare 6-iron to 6-iron for example but would rather compare degrees of loft to my regular gamers. Speaking of the 6-iron. According to Shot Scope I can get 170 yards out of the Paradym X 6-iron. In my regular set the 24° 5-iron was my 160-yard club. I was seeing about 10 yards of distance gain for comparable lofts.

 

 

Generally speaking, these clubs are 8 -10 yards longer than my 0211 irons when compared loft for loft. The trajectory is much higher, especially at the short end of the bag. Mishits with the Paradym X irons are not as punishing as my 0211 irons. I really can’t comment on workability as that has never been part of my golf game. These irons are the closest things I have gamed to be called “point and shoot”. I look for forgiveness in my clubs and these irons deliver that more consistently than any irons I have ever gamed. My misses tend to be towards the toe and these don’t severely punish that miss. As I have mentioned, I did not keep the 5-iron in my bag, I was much too inconsistent with that club.

On-Course (20 out of 20)

I found these clubs to perform well for me on the course. It was especially noticeable at the short end of the bag. These clubs just plain get the ball launched. I get greater height at longer distances with these irons. It is readily apparent from the 8-iron through to the Gap Wedge. The only negative for me is the 5-iron. I just can’t seem to get that club to get the ball in the air. Another area of concern for me was just how shiny these irons are, but when you put them down to get the ball it is not a distraction at all as the forged face has a dull satiny appearance. Another area that these clubs performed really well at was with turf interaction. I found they didn’t get hung up in thick rough. My 0211 irons would regularly get caught and the face would open up which put me in more trouble more often than not. These irons did not do that. One thing that didn’t carry out to the course from my fitting was the distance I saw from the 7-iron which according to Trackman was 171 yards with a swing speed of 78.7 mph. LOL. My on course experience with the Paradym X 7-iron was 160 yards.

The Good, the bad, the in between (18 out of 20)

This is the first set of irons I was fit for and would advise getting fit for these irons as well. But with a caveat on set make up. For this review we were given limited ability to select the set makeup. My set make was for 5-iron through Approach wedge. I was very conscious of the lofts of these irons and if given a broader choice I would have chosen 6-iron through Gap Wedge. During this test I purchased the 51° Gap Wedge to add to the bag which narrowed the gap to my Sand Wedge

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20)

Play it? 100%. These will remain in my bag for a long time to come. These irons honestly exceeded expectations. I thought I was happy with my current irons, but the Paradym X irons just performed for me. Even mishits went straighter and longer than with my previous irons. I did a test with the 5-iron but soon discovered that it did not suit my game. At 21.5° I struggled to get it up in the air. The 5-iron will be replaced with my Ping G410 Crossover at 23°. It may not seem like much difference but on the course, I do see a real difference as don’t struggle to get the G410 in the air.

Conclusion

If you are a higher handicap golfer and are looking for a set of irons to make the game much more enjoyable than I would strongly recommend, getting fit for a set of Callaway Paradym X irons. They look and feel really good. They are extremely forgiving and long. They launch the ball higher than any iron I have ever gamed. But be honest with yourself as to the makeup of your set. Pay attention to the lofts. For my game, my set is 6-iron through Gap Wedge. To steal from that golf classic, these irons can turn you into the Dalai Lama. “Big hitter the Lama.” – Carl Spackler

Final Score (98 out of 100)

[funkyjudge]

INTRODUCTION:  

On this forum most know me as “funkyjudge” (it’s a nickname given to me by my former boss and later business partner of 11+ years; don’t ask, it’s not that interesting how he came up with that nickname). As a few forum members who were regulars at the original Golf Equipment Aficianados (4GEA.com, where I was a moderator) know, my real name is Doug and I have been a golf equipment “junkie” for at least 35 years.  I am currently 74 years old and have been playing this great game of golf for about four decades.

I live in Bucks County, PA (about 25 miles northeast of Philadelphia, and 10 miles from Trenton, NJ, but I grew up in Western NY State (near Buffalo), and lived in NY City from the late 1970s through the early 1980s.  My “home” golf course is Makefield Hghlands Golf Club in Yardley, PA, and I play for their “Challenge Cup” team that plays matches against other clubs in the area (PA and NJ).  I also play for teams at two other golf courses in Eastern PA and Central NJ.

In a former life (1990s to early 2000s), I worked for Golfsmith International. I started out working in the golf retail division, and spent four years training clubfitters and club repair technicians who worked at the various Golfsmith superstores. During this time, I also worked in the Golfsmith equipment trailer (a/k/a “tour van”) at various stops on the PGA and Senior PGA Tours, plus at a few men’s and women’s major golf tournaments.  Following my days with Golfsmith, I went on to represent several OEM golf club and component manufacturers and although I am now semi-retired, I still hold the title of Fitter/Dealer with a few manufacturers (mostly high-end shaft companies), and do a limited amount of clubfitting and club building in my semi-retirement.

I am a bit better than a bogey golfer, with a current USGA Handicap Index that varies from 14-16 depending on the time of year and how much competitive golf I am playing (that Index actually dropped as low as an 11 in the last couple of years). I was once a single-digit handicapper, with an index as low as 6.5 to 8 from my 40s through about age 60.

Speaking of competitive golf, I play in several competitive golf leagues - including the statewide New Jersey Senior Men’s Golf League (my team has won three state championships in the 8+ years that I have played on the team). I also play on the John Caliendo Winter Golf Tour, which has been in existence for 54 years, and which currently has more than 150 members, including close to 40 PGA Professionals and several NCAA golf coaches. Not all of the competitive golf that I play is limited to senior golfers, as many events include golfers from 20-something years old to age 80+.

When I am not playing golf, I play music with two bands, and still do some recording sessions. I have written or co-written songs that have appeared on the “albums” of rock-and-roll and modern country artists, and I also play jazz, funk, R&B and blues music.  My main instrument is bass guitar, but I also play a variety of brass instruments (I played trombone and baritone horn in my college jazz ensemble).  In addition, I am a vocalist.  My wife and I also enjoy travel, both to play golf and to do non-golf things together, and we have visited more than 35 states domestically, most of Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, and much of continental Europe.

My work history, in addition to the time that I worked for Golfsmith, was in the construction industry (management of a $1.5 billion international commercial construction company) and in the print and electronic media industry, including working for a magazine and website that served the private golf resort and country club industry.

I am very thankful for this opportunity to test the Callaway Paradym Irons, and look forward to providing thorough and valuable feedback on these irons to the mygolfspy.com community!

 

MY EXPECTTIONS FOR THIS TEST:

First and foremost, I am looking to fairly evaluate the performance of the new Paradym irons. Since I have specified my tester set with as near to identical specifications as I have in my 2021 Cobra King Forged Tec X irons (lengths, lie angles, shaft weight and flex), I should easily be able to evaluate the irons on an equal basis regarding performance.  These irons also have a similar construction to the custom-fitted set of Tour Edge Exotics C721 irons that I have been playing for nearly three years prior to receiving the Cobra irons from a fitter friend of mine about six weeks ago.

The timing of this test could not have been any better for me for a few reasons;

1. Our golf season is ramping-up into high gear with all leagues and competitions underway as of April 1.
2. My annual Myrtle Beach golf trip takes place from April 27 - May 4 this year, so I will have plenty of opportunities to play 18 to 36 holes per day with the irons.
3. My golf swing (or at least my iron swing) is in especially good shape right now, thanks to a full winter outdoor golfing schedule, plus playing in two indoor winter leagues on golf simulators.

WHAT WOULD CAUSE ME TO KEEP THESE IRONS IN MY BAG AS MY #1 SET?:

If these irons perform better than the Cobras, they will definitely make it into my bag on as "permanent" a basis as any clubs can have with me.  I go into this test with no lofty expectations, but I also enter the process with a completely open mind and will give the Paradym irons every opportunity to make it into the #1 position for me!

 

UNBOXING, IN-BAG PHOTOS, COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS:

Clubs arrived within the last hour; notifications from both Callaway and UPS, plus UPS tracking information and updates were both timely and accurate. Here’s a few photos.  In addition, I am adding photos showing the clubs in my bag, along with my observations and impressions based not only on the unboxing, but also on the measurements that I took on the clubs and frequency measurements on the HZRDUS Silver 75-S shafts:

Observations —

Callaway did a great job in assembling these irons to my requested specifications (1/2 to 1 degree flat, standard length in the 7 iron through AW, but 38” vs 38.25” in the 5 iron and 37.5” vs 37.625” for the 6 iron).  All irons are D1 swingweight, which is a bit light for me and is probably a factor in the stiffer than expected frequency numbers on these shafts — more on that later.

Packaging was extremely secure and well-supported/padded; better than I have seen from several other equipment manufacturers, who shall remain anonymous.

Now, regarding those shafts — HZRDUS shafts have a history and reputation for being stiffer than many other shafts of a similar weight and flex designation from other manufacturers, and these 75 gram graphite shafts are no exception to that trend. They frequency at about 40% stiffer than other similarly-weighted graphite iron shafts, including KBS Tour Graphite Iron (TGI) 80-S shafts. The D1 swingweights on these irons may have something to do with this phenomenon, as the “industry standard” for measuring a shaft’s butt frequency is a D3 swingweight at “standard length” (eg - 38” long 5-iron). I suspect that adding a few strategically-placed strips of lead tape to the backs of these iron heads would make the irons play to a “standard stiff flex” for mid weight graphite iron shafts, but I definitely would not do that for the duration of the testing period, because not many people who buy these irons will have that option available to them, and I want to test the irons as they were built.

Overall, these are very good-looking irons, with just enough offset and a medium topline width (neither too thin, nor too thick). They have a very similar profile and size to the Tour Edge Exotics C721 irons that I played from January, 2021 until about 4 weeks ago, so I feel comfortable with the Paradym irons right out of the box. 

I was going to keep the Paradym irons out of my bag until I had an opportunity for a launch monitor test and evaluation plus one range session, but because I feel comfortable with the look and specs of this set of irons, they are staying in my bag and I will play them in tournaments tomorrow and on Saturday.

(more to follow; stay tuned)

 

 

Callaway Paradym X Irons – Official MGS Forum Review by Doug Mael (funkyjudge):

I also wish to thank both Callaway Golf and MyGolfSpy for providing this fantastic opportunity to test and play the new Paradym Irons; it has been both a blast and a great learning experience!

Just a brief refresher - As stated in my initial comments, I am currently a 15-handicapper (my USGA Handicap Index is exactly 15.0), and I am 74+ years old.  I played to a single-digit or a 10 handicap as recently as five years ago, but still I had some apprehensive thoughts regarding whether I am still a good enough golfer to game the standard Paradym iron model.  Those apprehensions were quickly put to rest within the first range session and round that I played with these irons.  If you have been following my many updates throughout the nearly (15) 18-hole rounds and (5) 9-hole rounds that I have played with these irons, you will see that I have shot rounds of 78, 84 and 80 while using the Paradyms, and my handicap index has dropped more than a full stroke since this test began.  To be fair, I have shot a few rounds in the 90s while using these irons, but very little of those higher scores had anything to do with the irons, with the exception of some iron shots that I hit over the greens or well past the pins to which I was playing (more on that later in this final review).

Virtually all testing of these irons was done on-course, following an initial "shake down cruise" at an all-grass practice range at the club (Makefield Highlands Golf Club in Yardley, PA), where I am a member and where I play about 1/3 of my competitive golf.  I am a Professional Clubfitter, and as such I not only have two personal launch monitors, but also have access to four $100,000+ launch monitors and simulators at Baylinks Golf in Newtown, PA, where I do much of my clubfitting work.  I did collect data both outdoors (at Makefield Highlands) and indoors (at Baylinks Golf) immediately after receiving the Paradym Irons.  In addition, I measured all aspects of these irons on my various gauges and frequency analyzing equipment prior to my first round with the clubs.  NOTE: All specifications as received out-of-the-box from Callaway were spot-on, or within 1/2*, and all swingweights and club lengths were 100% dead-on!

First Impressions: (19 out of 20)

As I said in the final paragraph above, I was greatly impressed with the quality and looks of these clubs, as well as the attention to detail in assembling the clubs to my slightly non-standard specifications.  The job that Callaway did in packing the clubs was also excellent (not quite a PXG or Sub 70 job of packaging, but far better than I have seen from many OEM golf club manufacturers.  There are photographs of the unboxing and the clubs in my Vessel golf bag on day one after receiving them within this post in my April 4, 2023 Initial Impressions, and there are more to come in this section of the Official Review.

Callaway Golf says the following about the Paradym Irons: "Distance irons are obviously long, but discerning players also want an exceptionally high level of feel. So why not have both in one club?"  I have found this to be 100% true in the case of the standard version of these Paradym Irons, and there will be more on this subject when I get to the portion of this Final Review entitled "The Numbers", as well as in the "On-Course" section.  Meanwhile, here are a couple of "beauty shots" of the irons in my bag (taken yesterday), as well as a couple different views of the 7-iron:

 

Aesthetics: (9 out of 10) 

As you can see from the photos above, and as you'll see in other photos which will follow, the Paradym Irons are certainly a thing of beauty.  I am not a fan of colors (other than black) in the cavity or on badging on golf irons, and that is where my one point deduction came from here.  However, they are good-looking clubs, and the blue section plus the three-section badging on the back of these irons would not prevent me from continuing to play the Paradym Irons.  I have played a variety of different Tour Edge Exotics "Player's Distance" irons, as well as Cobra's latest version of the King Forged Tec X irons in recent years, and I find those irons to have a slightly "cleaner" look, but the Forged Tec X irons are far too bulky and have more offset and a thicker topline than I prefer.  But, to be fair, the Forged Tec X is more of a direct competitor to the Paradym X model, so that's not a true "apples-to-apples" comparison!  Here's a few more views of the Paradym 7-iron behind the ball in my front yard's "rough", plus one without a ball from the top, and one showing the sole width; I think you'll agree that these have a contemporary "player's distance profile":

 

The sound from these irons is a solid "THWACK" when you strike the ball cleanly, and the feel is quite soft (not as soft as my Tour Edge Exotics C721s or some PXG irons that I have had the opportunity to hit, but very nice, nonetheless).  When you miss the sweet spot by any significant amount, you'll certainly feel that you have missed it, particularly on thin (or even slightly thin) shots, but to me this is what irons are supposed to do!  You shouldn't feel that you have hit a perfect shot when clearly you have not hit one.  I didn't feel in any way that the differences in feel from well-struck to poorly-struck shots affected my performance; in fact, I think that this helped me to hit (or strive to hit) better golf shots.

 

The Numbers: (8 out of 10)

I played these Paradym Irons in a real variety of playing conditions, in 35* F. and in 86* F. temperatures, in little to no wind, and in 25-35 MPH winds with gusts of more than 40 MPH.  Thus, I had ample opportunities to hit a variety of shot types, including lots of punches and knock-down shots into those strong wind gusts.  On one of my bad driving days, I decided to play nothing but irons on the back nine, and I teed-off with the Paradym 5-iron on all par-5 and par-4 holes, plus one 189 yard par-3.  Therefore, I have lots of data to go by in on-course playing conditions, which I will discuss in this section. Before I get to that discussion, just a few words about the data that I collected from my indoor and outdoor launch monitor sessions - I found trajectory with these irons (I have the Project X HZRDUS Gen 4 Silver 75-S shafts in mine) to be high, and I can stop shots on most greens with no problem.  I did encounter some rock-hard greens on two courses that I played during this testing period, and no shot, even one that reaches a 120-foot apex as mine do, will stop quickly on those types of greens!  Spin rates with the Paradym Irons is a bit lower than I would expect (I generally expect to see backspin numbers within 85-90% of 1000 x the iron number for today's stronger-lofted irons; in other words, a 7-iron should generate about 6,000 RPM of spin, a 5-iron close to 4,000 RPM, and a PW about 8,500-9,000 RPM).  These Paradym Irons were falling short of those numbers by about 500 RPM in each club.

Distance is VERY good with these irons, and that actually created a dilemma for me that took most of the testing period to sort-out. If you have read my in-progress reviews and reports throughout the testing period, you'll notice that I have hit many iron shots over greens or to the back of greens with front pin positions with these irons. I adjusted as I went along, but still had the occasional "flyer" or unusually-long iron shot, right up through this past week.  Here's the most recent example from just a few days ago: On a 185-yard+ par 3 hole, I pulled the 6-iron because I know that over the green on this hole is the worst possible place to be.  We had no significant wind behind us or into us, and yet I still hit the ball close to 10 yards over the back of the green.  I just DO NOT hit 190+ yard 6-irons unless there is LOTS of wind behind us.  This shot was an extremely well-struck 6-iron, but still I shouldn't have hit it 195 yards in the air!  This alone is the reason that the Paradym Irons didn't get a 10 of 10 from me in this category.

Control (other than occasional distance control issues), is great with the Paradyms, and workability is OK -- but workability isn't really something that you should expect in great abundance with this type of iron design.

I discussed forgiveness earlier in this Final Review; just a quick recap: You aren't going to get a lot of forgiveness when you miss the sweet spot by a significant amount; however, the Paradym Irons are plenty forgiving on small misses.

Here's a chart that I put together that compares the Paradyms in terms of loft and distance vs. the two iron models that I have played most recently prior to receiving these irons for testing early last month:

IRON LOFTS AND DISTANCES

                 Callaway Paradym        Cobra Forged Tec X      T. E. Exotics C721

5-iron       23* - 180 to 188 yds.      21* - N/A                        23* - 170 to 178 yds.

6-iron       26* - 165 to 175 yds.      24* - 170 to 175 yds.      26.5* - 160 to 165 yds.

7-iron       29* - 152 to 158 yds.      27* - 155 to 163 yds.      30* - 148 to 153 yds.

8-iron       33* - 138 to 145 yds.      31.5* - 140 to 148 yds.    34* - 132 to 140 yds.

9-iron       37* - 122 to 130 yds.      36.5* - 122 to 128 yds.    39* - 115 to 122 yds.

PW           42* - 114 to 120 yds.       42* - 112 to 118 yds.      44* -107 to 112 yds.

AW           47* - 103 to 110 yds.       48* - 100 to 108 yds.      49* - 98 to 105 yds.

 

On-Course: (20 out of 20)

I am not sure whether the 2 points that I deducted in "The Numbers" should have been deducted there or here, but I am not going to double-ding these irons, because the performance that I got from them was generally excellent.  In the areas such as performance under pressure, and being able to execute shots when they counted most, these irons were stellar -- in fact, this was probably their strongest suit! I was happy with my ability to hit approach shots close to some difficult pins and win several closest-to-pin prizes on my recent Myrtle Beach trip.  I have also been able to pull-off some remarkable approach shots in my two-man better ball tournament, where I shot 78 and in my travel golf leagues.  The shots that I flew past pins or over greens were already factored in when I dinged the Paradym Irons by two points above; otherwise, they have been remarkably-good performers!

Did they help improve my scores?  Does a 16.8 handicap drop to a 15.0 and does that golfer shoot three scores of 78 - 84 within a 6-week period?  I think the fact that I can answer "yes" to both of those questions says it all here.

 

The Good, the Bad, and the In-between: (18 out of 20)

I've posted a lot about the good (distance, sound and feel, plus generally great looks), and a little about what I find at least mildly annoying (busy looks in the three-section "badge" on the back of the irons, and to me the blue color accent looks a bit "tacky").  Here's a few more factors:

Good: Other golfers do notice these irons, and they ask a lot of questions about them (maybe the blue is doing it's intended job here, after all); Most others who comment on the clubs like their looks (again, maybe it's just me who doesn't like the blue and the three-piece badge)

Bad: I don't know why there seem to be the occasional "flyer" from the rough, plus extra-hot shots from off the tee and on tightly-mown fairways, but it has happened to me more than it has in nearly three years when playing my two sets of irons mentioned earlier and shown in the chart embedded above in "The Numbers" section.

 

Play It (them) or Trade It (them)?: (18 out of 20)

I think that I will probably keep these irons in my bag, but I am not 100% sure, due to the factors that I have detailed above (mostly, the "flyer" issue).  They generally look great, they perform well and feel fantastic (sound is very good, too!).  I would rate them up there with my Tour Edge Exotics C721 irons, and they give me several more yards than the C721s, particularly in the shorter irons. One thing that I am definitely going to do now that the "official" testing period has ended is bend the lie angles another 1/2* to 1* flatter (they came at 1/2* flat, but since almost all of my misses seem to be left with the Paradym Irons, it looks like they need to be flattened a bit more).

I think that the standard version of the Paradym Irons, as I have been testing, are best-suited for good ball-strikers.  However, this is not to say that a low to mid-teens handicapper cannot have great success with these irons, as I am living proof.

 

Conclusion:

If you read nothing else here (and I know MGS fanatics too well to think that you will just jump to the conclusion, but still there may be a few who do that), know this:  The Paradym Irons are terrific clubs; they perform exceptionally well, look pretty darned good (some say that they are "beautiful"), sound and feel great, and should appeal to better golfers -- maybe not scratch guys like chisag, but very good golfers would probably do exceedingly well with these irons in their bags!

 

Final Score:  92 out of 100

Those who know me, who have had me as a professor at Drexel University or an instructor at NYU, or who were ever graded by me in the hundreds of clubmaking and clubfitting classes that I have taught as a Golfsmith instructor, will know that 92 out of 100 is a pretty danged good grade from me.  These are solid irons and getting a 92 from me means that they are in the top 10% of all irons, which makes them a great choice for you decent ball-strikers!

 

POST-REVIEW UPDATE:

After playing the Paradym Irons exclusively for more than six weeks, and more than 19 total rounds of golf (fifteen 18-hole rounds, and at least eight 9-hole rounds), I thought that I would put my Cobra King Forged Tec X irons back in my bag on Monday, and see if my iron play would be just as good with those irons -- it wasn't!  I hit some good shots with the Cobras, but excellent contact didn't feel nearly as good as with the Paradyms.  In addition, my distances were just a bit "off" with the Cobras .... mostly short of expectations by about 5-10 yards.  I started trying to hit the ball harder, which certainly did give me some longer carry distances, but virtually every one of these shots was a dead-pull.

Back in my bag went the Paradym Irons for my travel league match (18 holes) yesterday.  The feel was SOOOOOO much better than with the Cobras, and for the most part I got the carry distances that I expected with every iron, with one exception (more about that in just a minute). In addition, chipping with everything from the 8i through the AW was superb with these irons, where chipping has never been the Cobra Forger Tec X irons' strong suit!  Now, for that one exception: I pulled the 7-iron for my tee shot on a par-3 hole that was slightly uphill and had a pin in the rear third of the green and tucked behind a bunker.  We calculated that it was 155 - 157 yards to the center of the green and my playing partner shot the flag at 168 yards (remember, it was also slightly uphill). There is a pond to the right of that bunker, but it ends at the front third of the green, so it is only about 148 - 152 yards to carry the pond (only about four paces or 12 feet from the putting surface).  The green slopes right-to-left, especially in the rear half of the green, so if you carry the right-hand bunker your ball will roll toward the center of the green. I hit a really solid tee shot that carried over this front/greenside bunker quite easily and was thinking "that shot is going to end up close to the hole".  We never found my ball, and my teammate/playing partner first said, "It must have taken a crazy bounce into the pond".  We didn't see a ball at the edge of the pond, and the water gets murky/muddy about 3 or 4 feet from the edge.  Finally, we came to the conclusion that I probably did hit the green but bounced off the back into the really bad "junk" (swampy, reed-filled marshland behind the green), so I took my penalty drop back there and scrambled to an up-and-down bogey.

Other than the mysterious 7-iron shot described above, where my ball was never found, I got exactly what I expected with the Paradyms yesterday, hitting the first two greens (long par-4 that calls for a layup shot off the tee because of a water hazard all the way across the fairway at 220-230 yards off the tee that requires a 285+ yard carry at a minimum to reach the other side, and a 508-yard par-5) with my 5-iron on both holes.  These two shots were both between 188-194 yards, and I was pin-high on hole #1 and about 30' short with a slightly uphill putt on hole #2.  I hit approach shots where I was planning on putting them, in other words below the hole for uphill putts, on almost every hole, and only missed 2 or 3 greens (and not by much) other than the lost ball on that par-3 that I described in the paragraph above.

Yes, the Paradym Irons are now staying in my bag!

I HAVE FIGURED OUT THE "HOT DISTANCE" ISSUE!

Watching this video, I came to the realization that all of the "super hot" distances that I have been getting with the Paradym Irons came from shots where I was hitting the ball dead out of the middle of the face --

If you watch until near the end of this video, you will see the differences between hitting the ball slightly off-center (heel and toe), massively off-center (heel and toe) and absolutely dead-center on the face.  The tester hit thin shots and shots that were slightly thin, in addition to the heel and toe shots and the dead-center hit(s), all with a Paradym 6-iron, and the balls hit dead-center with a square face went 12 yards farther than his average of "otherwise good" shots, and up to 23 yards longer than the average toe hits. It is clear to me that those "hot" and "flyer" shots that I was hitting must have been absolutely pure strikes in the center of the sweet spot, because this is almost exactly what I was seeing. He also hit shots with a clubhead speed in the low-mid 80s, which is exactly my clubhead speed range with a middle iron, as well as shots with his normal 95 MPH 6-iron speed, and the shots hit at 82 to 84.9 MPH with that Paradym 6-iron almost identically matched my experiences with these irons.

Mystery solved!

 

2nd POST-REVIEW UPDATE: 

Last Thursday, I played another travel league match using the Paradym irons, and last night I played nine holes in my regular Monday evening recreational league. Results were mixed -- fantastic results last Thursday, including several shots that I stuck really close to the pins (within 8-10 feet), helping me to shoot a net 68 (with my 15 handicap, that's a rarity in itself), and more importantly to beat my opponent handily by a score of 3-0. I won both nines by 3 holes and beat an opponent that I was giving 6 strokes.

Last night was quite a different story, and I knew that it would be after hitting less than 10 balls from my small bucket while warming up on the range. I was hitting the ball all over the clubfaces -- high, low, toe and even a heelward shot (not a shank, but about 1/2' to 3/4" toward the hosel from the center of the face).  I am going to chalk this up to the fact that I did a pretty extensive workout yesterday and no matter how much post-workout and pre-round stretching I did, I felt very "tight".  Note to self: This has happened twice now, so other than stretching no more workouts on golf days!

I still love the Paradym irons, and even contacted Callaway Golf and had them build me a custom Paradym X 4-iron to go with the 5-AW set of Paradyms.

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by funkyjudge
More updates, provided photos and fixed typos

[Javs]

Introduction (4/5/23):

First off, I would like to thank My Golf Spy and Callaway Golf for the opportunity to be a tester for the Paradym Irons. This was a great opportunity and I hope to provide some helpful testing results to all my fellow forum members.

I am known as Javs on the site. I selected this because my last active duty assignment overseas was Task Force Javelins. My professional life was 42 years combined service in the military. Of that, 27 years were active duty. My active duty career ended when I was wounded in action in Iraq. However, I was extremely lucky and was offered a government civilian position as a Deputy Operations Officer for a training command. After spending 15 years in that very rewarding position I decided to fully retire. My professional life provided the opportunity to travel around the globe and experience things one only dreams of as a kid. Those years were some of the best and at times some of the worst, but almost always exciting and new. 

Currently my wife and I reside in Georgetown, Texas. We live in a 55 plus retirement community. This place is an adult candy-land! We are a golf cart friendly community. Soon this resort will be sporting its 4th gym and each of them has an indoor and outdoor pool. Additionally, there are walking trails, more clubs and activities that prevent even the most active person from ever getting bored. However, my personal favorite part is the three golf courses and all the new golfing friends! 

Golf Background:
My first exposure to this great game of golf was as a young 8 year old. I started as a caddie for my Dad. He is the one who taught me the game and all the rules coupled with proper etiquette. At 13, I started caddying at a local country club and making decent money for a kid. In high school, I played on the golf team and we won our conference championship. I started on varsity all 4 years. I played decent competitive junior golf. Had the opportunity for a few golf scholarships, but chose to enlist in the military. When I joined the military playing golf was often placed on the shelf. I did have an opportunity a few times of playing in the all armed forces tournaments. While I would make the cut, I never could beat those Air Force guys that seemed to play for a living!

After retiring last May, golf is a higher priority and the love for the game has returned. Due to lack of play my handicap index was a 12 when we first moved here. Now I am a 5 index; however, (depending on the tees we play) my course handicap is lower. I have played on the VGA, our Men’s Club Events and play at least four times a week here. I am very competitive and really enjoy our local group money games. My goal for the next few years is to get my handicap to a plus and win the club championship.

As someone pretty serious about their game, I can also be labeled a golf and equipment junkie. A caveat here is: I have been loyal and attached to PXG since their beginning. The main reason I was attracted to PXG was the Hero’s Program. I can get all their clubs, balls, clothes and accessories at very reasonable prices. A look at my current irons:

Testing and Fitting:

While researching and testing the Callaway Paradym my approach was a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. Let’s call it a possible paradigm shift in my equipment. I approached this testing with a complete open mind. If these perform as advertised they can make it into the bag. That said, the bar was high to replace my PXG irons. So, my testing parameters were to compare and contrast the Callaway Paradym’s against my PXG Gen 5 P’s.

For the fitting, I submitted my fitting specs from my most recent PXG iron fitting. I am requesting 2 degrees flat cut down 1/4 inch. True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 shafts in stiff. Topped off with Golf Pride Multi-compound grips.

I was extremely excited to conduct this test. The Callaway site states: “Paradym Irons combine our A.I. Designed Forged 455 Face with the all-new Speed Frame. They’re designed for golfers who are looking for a players’ distance iron with a refined shape and premium forging”. Hey, that’s me! Their other claim: “Industry-leading A.I. face technology is applied to a high-strength Forged 455 face, creating our most powerful forged iron face ever. Each face is uniquely optimized for more speed, higher launch, and increased spin consistency”. Well that is a big claim! However, I did notice that the lofts in these irons are crazy strong! 
#5 23°, 6 26°, 7 29°, 8 33°, 9 37°, PW 42°, AW 47°, GW 52°. How can they not be longer? But can they be more accurate?

So, to sum this up we had huge expectations for these Callaway Paradym player’s distance irons. Did they meet the hype???? Stay tuned sports fans because we are going to find out!

Unpacking and Appearance First Impressions (4/12/2023):

So, while packing for an upcoming trip an unexpected ring of the door bell. Well it seems Santa came early!

First Impressions Grade (20 out of 20):

I can’t believe that our custom orders arrived so quickly. This is bonus points when a company gets your custom ordered new sticks to you in less than a week. Thank you My Golf Spy and Callaway Golf! All packing stopped and let the unpacking begin.

I must say that Callaway packed the clubs nice and secure for the journey. I appreciated not only the normal packing list, but they added a certified card verifying the custom fitting requirements. This gives you the warm and fuzzy that these sticks are made for you!

So, how do they look out of the box? Callaway states: “INTRODUCING PARADYM IRONS A FIRST IN FORGING Our Paradym Irons combine our A.I. Designed Forged 455 Face with the all-new Speed Frame. They’re designed for golfers who are looking for a players’ distance iron with a refined shape and premium forging”. 
Well there it is stamped “Forged 455”.  Callaway further explains: “Industry-leading A.I. face technology is applied to a high-strength Forged 455 face, creating our most powerful forged iron face ever. Each face is uniquely optimized for more speed, higher launch, and increased spin consistency”. To me that means the face is forged using some really advanced technology. The result should be a thin face that rockets the ball higher and longer. Here a look at the face. Next, Callaway adds: “The all-new Hollow Body design features Speed Frame construction for added stiffness to the body and support for the high-strength Forged 455 Face Cup”. They further explain the design with: “Up to 67g of external and internal tungsten weights are placed precisely to enhance launch conditions and improve speed on mishits. This increase in forgiveness is the difference between hitting the green and coming up short”. Basically, these are players distance clubs and they are designed for speed. Lastly Callaway claims: “The Paradym iron features a players look in a forgiving package. A pre-worn leading edge is designed to cut through the turf more efficiently for even more forgiveness”. There they are: 5 iron to A wedge. The build:

Golf Pride New Decade Grips

True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue S400 Shafts.

Let’s get a look at these next to my PXG Gen 5 P’s to see the slight appearance differences.

My first impression is these clubs look great. They are different than what I am used to looking down at address. However, still a nice looking club. Looking down the PXG top line seemed slightly thinner.

The Paradym irons were shinny compared to the more matted PXG metal. Some people might not like the chrome look; however, I got used to the shinny appearance and did not find it a distraction in the bright sun.

 

The Paradym irons have a more rounded and slightly shorter face. 

Some quick measurement comparisons: The length of the Paradym sole was 3.75 inches compared to 4 inches for PXG Gen 5 P. However, both irons were 1 inch wide on the sole. From the top of the toe to the sole both faces were 2.25 inches. Paradym came in at 3.25 inches for the face from toe to hosel. The PXG measured slightly longer across the face. Additionally, the Paradym irons even cut down .25 inch are still .25 longer than the PXG’s. 

Aesthetics Grade (9 out of 10):

I deducted one point on aesthetics due to personal preference. I prefer the matted PXG metal over the shinny chrome appearance. Additionally, I like a thin top line. However, I was able to easily get used to the look of the Paradym's. 

Callaway states that the Paradym irons are: “designed for golfers who are looking for a players’ distance iron with a refined shape and premium forging”. My first impression is that these clubs are screaming to be hit long! As I offered in the introduction, the lofts in the test irons are crazy strong! #5 23°, 6 26°, 7 29°, 8 33°, 9 37°, PW 42°, AW 47°. How can they not be longer? But can they be more accurate? Next up will be my first impressions in a practice setting at the range. I plan to compare and contrast next to my PXG’s. I ordered a Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor to assist with the data. I returned from my trip and the real fun was about to begin!

Practice and Testing Session (4/28/23): 

Setting up the first practice and testing session. Used a Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor and laser range finder with slope to assist with the data. The conditions were mid-70’s and very windy. The turf was soft and wet from days of rain. The negative factor was that I was using range balls of various quality. 

For the testing portion I hit balls using my PXG Gen 5 P irons against the Callaway Paradym irons. The clubs used were: GW-AW, PW, 8i and 7i. 

After several testing sessions the final results were: The PXG Gen 5 P GW 49 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 105 yards with a long of 117 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 96 percent. 
The Callaway Paradym iron AW 47 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 119 yards with a long of 128 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 91 percent. Miss tendency was to the left.  
Assessment: Callaway Paradym AW was longer on average by 14 yards. However, lagged behind the PXG Gen 5 P in 5 percent accuracy. However, this was offset during a drill I conducted (12 balls to a target at 88 yards hitting half shots choked down on the club). Once dialed in, I found the Callaway AW easy to hit low, high and at the target. Distance was easy to control. Turf interaction was smooth. Caveat it took a little time to dial in the Callaway Paradym irons.

The PW’s from both sets showed similar results. The PXG Gen 5 P 44 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 126 yards with a long of 133 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 95 percent.
The Callaway Paradym PW 42 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 134 yards with a long of 142 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 90 percent. Miss tendency was again to the left. 

Assessment: Callaway Paradym AW was longer on average by 8 yards. However, lagged behind the PXG Gen 5 P in 5 percent accuracy. Caveat: the Callaway Paradym irons were stronger by 2 degrees and equaled my PXG Gen 5 P 9i in distance. 

The 8i test from both sets: PXG Gen 5 P 34 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 145 yards with a long of 162 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 89 percent. 
Callaway Paradym 33 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 161 yards with a long of 173 yards. Shot shape was straight  and accuracy of 86 percent. Miss tendency was again left. I found it easier to move the Callaway Paradym with a slight draw. Again turf interaction was very good. 
Assessment: Callaway Paradym 8i was longer on average by 16 yards and only slightly lagged behind the PXG Gen 5 P in accuracy. Caveat: this is where the range balls started to influence the data. A normal 8i under game conditions with my normal ball is 156. So, I expect the Callaway clubs to be longer on the course. 

Two Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor videos. First is the data on the PXG Gen 5 P 8 iron and second video shows the Callaway Paradym 8 iron. The data can be taken with a grain of salt because of the range balls. The important take away is the same relative launch angle and the Callaway was longer by 21 yards! 

   

The 7i test from both sets: PXG Gen 5 P 30 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 156 yards with a long of 173 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 88 percent. 
Callaway Paradym 29 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Stiff Shaft 2 degrees flat. Average distance 163 yards with a long of 181 yards. Shot shape was straight and accuracy of 86 percent. Miss tendency was again left. The Callaway  Paradym 7i was easy to work and had good turf interaction. This was good since the ground was wet and soft. 
Assessment: Callaway Paradym 7i was longer on average by 7 yards. However, again only slightly lagged behind the PXG Gen 5 P in accuracy. Caveat: with only 1 degree difference in loft the Callaway showed a large distance advantage. 

Practice summary: The Callaway Paradym irons in the testing phase were between 7 and 21 yards longer than the PXG Gen 5 P irons. The Callaway Paradym irons like to fly straight or with a slight draw.

The Numbers Grade (9 out of 10):

I deducted one point on the slight accuracy difference between the Callaway Paradym irons and the PXG Gen 5 P irons. However, did fall behind the PXG irons slightly overall accuracy. This can be contributed to familiarity with the PXG irons. 

On-Course Feedback and Performance Grade (19 out of 20):

If you have been following along with my updates and feedback from each round then you already have this information in your hip pocket. I scored them 19 out of 20 because at times I had trouble with flying greens on well struck shots. However, it was time to take these beauties out for the real deal. Could they perform on the course and earn a spot in my bag????

It was time to get into the meat and potatoes of these clubs. Real pressure and shots that count using my Titleist Left Dash golf balls. I used the Callaway Paradym irons in a number of non-competitive and competitive rounds. The results were that each round was like a living highlight reel! On average the Callaway Paradym irons under game conditions were 10 to 31 yards longer than my PXG Gen 5 P irons. The accuracy improved with each round. I only shot two rounds that I would consider bad, but it was never attributed to the iron play. I had several competitive rounds that were stellar. I used these irons in a local tournament and I tied for 3rd in the first flight. Some of the most impressive results:

First on course iron shot a 128 yard AW to 5 feet! A 178 yard 7 iron from the rough into the wind flew and dropped in at 10 feet. A Par 5 playing 546 hit a drive 336 and a 6 iron the rest of the way to 18 feet to make eagle! Won a closest to the pin with a 149 yard 9 iron to 18 inches. It actually hit the pin! The shot below was a 189 yard 7 iron hooked around a tree and into a cross wind to 13 feet. 

The Good, the Bad, the In-between Grade (18 out of 20):

On the course I found the Callaway Paradym irons were extremely long and sometimes too hot. Turf interaction was crisp, easy and smooth. The sound of the clubs is a medium form of click. The mishits on the toe are somewhat duller. Mishit shots do not loose much if any distance and do not go screaming off line. I found the misses to be more forgiving in the Paradym irons than my PXG's. While designed to be a players distance iron, they can be worked both ways and flighted down. However, I found they prefer to fly with a slight draw. I had to work to cut the ball with these irons. I scored them 18 out of 20. This was attributed to at times having trouble with distance control and flying greens on well struck shots. This was coupled with the fact that these may not be the clubs for someone that likes to work the ball on every shot. 

Play it or Trade it Grade (20 out of 20):

The Callaway Paradym irons have earned a permanent spot in the bag for at least the remainder of the year. The distance gained and only slight loss in accuracy have proved to be a game changer. Hitting 7 irons to tucked pins from 173 to 189 was unheard of for me prior to having these clubs!

Conclusion and Final Grade (96 out of 100):

While researching and testing the Callaway Paradym my approach was a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. Let’s call it a possible paradigm shift in my equipment. I approached this testing with a complete open mind. If these perform as advertised they could make it into my bag. That said, the bar was high to replace my PXG irons. I found the distance gained from the Callaway Paradym irons to be phenomenal. It cannot be overstated how long these irons fly.  The Callaway Paradym irons in the testing phase were between 7 and 21 yards longer than the PXG Gen 5 P irons. These Callaway Paradym irons like to fly straight or with a slight draw. On the course each round was like a living highlight reel! On average the Callaway Paradym irons under game conditions were 10 to 31 yards longer than my PXG Gen 5 P irons. The accuracy improved with each round. Callaway explains the technology as: “Industry-leading A.I. face technology is applied to a high-strength Forged 455 face, creating our most powerful forged iron face ever. Each face is uniquely optimized for more speed, higher launch, and increased spin consistency”. To me that means the face is forged using some really advanced technology. The result should be a thin face that rockets the ball higher and longer. However, while I found the ball jumped off the face, it did not balloon and actually flew more penetrating than I anticipated. Next, Callaway adds: “The all-new Hollow Body design features Speed Frame construction for added stiffness to the body and support for the high-strength Forged 455 Face Cup”. They further explain the design with: “Up to 67g of external and internal tungsten weights are placed precisely to enhance launch conditions and improve speed on mishits. This increase in forgiveness is the difference between hitting the green and coming up short”. Basically, these are players distance clubs and they are designed for speed and hidden forgiveness. The Callaway Paradym irons are for a low to medium handicap looking for an easy to hit players distance iron. These irons are as Callaway states: “designed for golfers who are looking for a players’ distance iron with a refined shape and premium forging”. My final impression is that these clubs have my highest recommendation and are screaming to be hit long! 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Javs
Final Review

[berkeleybob]

Wow! Congrats to the testers! What a great start to the season! 

[Blavin]

Congratulations I was hoping it was me but obviously it wasn’t. Wish y’all the best out of this experience 

[Navart]

57 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Welcome our 4 Testers for the Callaway Paradym Irons!

Callaway Paradym 

@funkyjudge
@Javs

Callaway Paradym X
@Golf2Much
@MattWillGolf

We are extremely excited to have these 4 as testers with 2 having never tested before! 

A big congratulations on being selected and no pressure on having one of the biggest tests we have had here on the Forum!
 

Congrats, y'all! Happy birdie season

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

3 minutes ago, Blavin said:

Congratulations I was hoping it was me but obviously it wasn’t. Wish y’all the best out of this experience 

@Blavin be sure to check out the want to be a tester thread & the FAQ and this will help guide you on how to better your chances. 

Testers are hand picked by the forum staff and we do our best to get new members involved. 

It doesnt take a lot and we still have a lot more Tests coming!

[Blavin]

4 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

@Blavin be sure to check out the want to be a tester thread & the FAQ and this will help guide you on how to better your chances. 

Testers are hand picked by the forum staff and we do our best to get new members involved. 

It doesnt take a lot and we still have a lot more Tests coming!

Okay thank you. I’ll check it out now

[Glenmore5]

Congrats all of you.....looking forward to the reviews for these lovely irons

[RT750]

Congrats, hope your game improves while testing the clubs. I know you will enjoy.

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! What a way to kick off both the golf and testing seasons! I have a feeling this is going to be a good review to follow along with. 

[Nunfa0]

Congrats to all four of you. Have fun putting these rocket launchers through their paces

[GolfSpy AFG]

Congrats testers!

[IndyBonzo]

Congratulations testers!  

[edingc]

Congratulations, all. Have fun!

[EasyPutter]

  Congratulations testers!!!  

Callaway Paradym 

@funkyjudge
@Javs

Callaway Paradym X
@Golf2Much
@MattWillGolf

Looking forward to the whole journey with you and seeing how these clubs work for you 

[Willie T]

Was hoping that maybe this time.  Alas not to be, one day maybe I will have crossed enough t’s and dotted enough i’s (tongue in cheek for being more active on the MGS site) to be duly considered….congrats to the testers.  This will be one I follow for sure. 

[russtopherb]

Congrats all! Looking forward to your reviews. 

[Woody83]

Congratulations to the testers.  Look forward to seeing your reviews.

[Swood1994]

Congrats to the testers! What a big one to be selected for. Looking forward to your write ups on these irons!

[Eric C.]

Congrats to you 4! Enjoy testing and giving us your reviews of these beautiful irons. 

[Triple_Putt]

Awesome, have fun testing you lucky 4, looking forward to the reviews

[Rickp]

Congratulations guys, looking forward to your test results.

[MattF]

Congratulations @funkyjudge @Javs @Golf2Much and @MattWillGolf

[Preeway]

Congrats, gentlemen. Excited to hear about your season with new irons and how they work for you. 

[xOldBenKenobiX]

@funkyjudge
@Javs
@MattWillGolf

@Golf2Much

Congrats testers.

[GolfSpy_BOS]

Congrats to all our testers! I’m looking forward to seeing how these Paradym irons help your game!

[Bucky CC]

Congrats everyone!  It was mentioned in the Edel SMS/SMS Pro thread, but let's get an iron challenge going!