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What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on the Callaway Elyte irons.
Callaway have introduced new distance irons. Distance irons have historically came up short on control and feel. I had no such problems with the Callawat Elyte irons.
So, how did we find these irons and are they a winner for the club golfer? We went to the La Cala Golf Resort to test the out…
Despite the staggering distances and quick ball speeds, these Callaway Elyte irons still offer fantastic control.
As well as their brilliant performance benefits, these are simply classy looking irons. A step up from the previous Callaway irons in terms of looks, I think these will be quite the secret weapon for many club golfers.
PROS
CONS
Way better looking than the Callaway Paradym and Ai Smoke series. I could take or leave the Paradym club, I think they performed well, but this is a huge step up in terms of aesthetics.
I love that the back is all silver, there is a bit of a texture to it. The irons on the whole look classy and there is a Srixon resemblance to their appearance which isn’t a bad thing.
It has a premium look to it at address. There is a little bit of offset and the topline is a bit thicker but that is to be expected, these are players’ distance irons.
There is a slight glare off the topline that slightly distracting only momentarily which I’d put down to being accustomed to a duller, matte black finish.
What I would say about the Callaway Elyte irons is that they feel like a players’ club. They don’t feel harsh off the face, I actually love the feel of the strike. But the main thing that stands out is how quick it is. When I looked up after hitting a shot the ball was further in the air than my usual flight.
Although the lofts on the irons may be slightly stronger than what I tend to play, I was still getting a playing shot into the green. I was spinning the 7-iron around where I usually hit with my blade irons.
What’s noticeable on the longer irons especially is the fair amount of offset. This helps golfers to draw the ball more which I think is a good thing for most club golfers.
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At address I can actually see the back of the club head, when testing the 5-iron, which means there is a lot of help in this club. The head is a bit bigger in the 7-iron and a little more hollow.
One of the interesting tech stories of these irons is the new sole design. It’s a tiered sole design, there are a couple of different ridges when you look at it closely which is going to help enhance the club’s turf interaction. Fattening your strikes would be as badly punished as the club will still be able to travel through the turf in still hitting good golf shots.
Speed certainly wasn’t an issue. I found the ball flew off the face, even on imperfect strikes. Striking the ball felt clean and soft but you can also tell there is a zip to the club for long carry yardages.
Let’s take a look at the data. First off, I was really happy with the feedback I was getting across the Callaway Elyte iron set. The 7-iron produced excellent ball speed for me and the spin rate was extremely pleasing.
I was seemingly able to achieve top distances despite the club head speed not being overly high.
This may be down to the new face Callaway have designed, where they have incorporated the same technology as in the Elyte driver, the AI 10X face. They’ve made the face variable thickness and have placed a tungsten weight behind to make them more and more powerful, so these irons are super hot and I’m certain you will gain some distance gaming them.
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An average ball speed of 128mph was really impressive. For reference, my blade 7-iron I currently have in play, I expect a ball speed of around 122mph on a good strike. As a result, I gained around 10-15 yards of carry than what I usually record.
The launch of the 5-iron was quite low, which is to be expected from distance irons. Again the data off mishits in the longer irons was also impressive. Reaching 138mph ball speed was completely unexacting. That’s a super hot ball speed for a 5-iron and numbers I would expect more from a 4-iron or even 3-iron.
Overall, I think Callaway deserve huge credit for creating well controlled distance irons. They have been built in a way that allows a wide range of handicappers to use these clubs. A lower handicapper will still have good control over their approach shots and a higher handicapper will see good distances.
Callaway have also done an amazing job in allowing the ball spin from this club head whilst delivering a quick ball speed, which gives us distance and control. The distances were staggering through the set and it isn’t too much of an exaggeration to say the golf balls were going miles.
I loved how tight my front to back dispersions were. There was very little difference between my best strikes and my worst strikes.
If you are interested in a good set of irons that will increase your distances these are definitely worth a try.
Available: Pre-sale form the 15th of January. Retail from the 21st of February.
RRP:
US – 6 piece set at $900
UK – Steel (Per iron) – £167
UK – Graphite (Per iron) – £175
Spec: 4-S
Shaft: True Temper Vector and True Temper Project X Denali Charcoal
Grip: Lamkin Crossline
More information: Callaway UK / Callaway US
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We were fortunate enough to head out to the La Cala Resort in Spain to conduct some of our equipment reviews. A picturesque resort that is located in the Sierra de Mijas, just 30 minutes from Málaga Airport and 20 minutes from Marbella.
The place offers outstanding views of the Andalusian countryside and the Mediterranean Sea as well as three magnificent golf courses. All three were designed by Cabell B. Robinson and it’s a popular choice for players seeking variety, challenge, and stunning scenery. For more information head to La Cala Resort’s website here.
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