Callaway Elyte X Irons Review

Callaway Elyte X Irons Key Features:

• Speed Frame construction allows additional patented urethane microspheres to deliver exceptional sound and feel
• New Ai10x Face delivers 10x more control points than the Ai Smart Face.
• Tri-sole design features three distinct sections to ensure fast, smooth turf interaction

Callaway has launched three new irons to bring in the new year, all falling under the Elyte banner. The Elyte, Elyte X and Elyte HL, all offer slightly different performance benefits, and in this review, we are going to be focusing on the X irons, which are designed for maximum distance and forgiveness. 

The name Elyte, pays homage to Ely Callaway, the founder of Callaway, and it's also a nod to the brand's push to take performance from great to elite.

The key tech story behind these irons is the new Ai10x face, which Callaway claims has 10x more control points on it compared to the original Ai smart face, as well as a new speed frame construction which allows additional urethane microspheres to be placed in the head to improve sound and feel.

To test out how these irons performed, I took them out on the course, before digging deep into the data at Custom Golf Works. 

Let's get into it. 

Player Level

These irons are very forgiving, strongly lofted, and very powerful, making them an ideal choice for high handicap golfers or beginners. 

Callaway Elyte Looks and Feel

I'm a huge fan of the design of these irons. The simple clean silver aesthetic looks premium and sleek, while the mixed material back design does just enough without looking too busy. 

Game improvement irons don't tend to be real lookers, but I have to hand it to Callaway, these bad boys are top notch. 

In terms of profile, the X irons have a slightly longer blade length and thicker topline than the standard Elyte model.

The added meat behind the ball is confidence inspiring, and despite being slightly larger, they still look great at address. 

Some other irons that the Elyte X are competing against in 2025 look quite clunky at address, but the X model looks very refined in comparison, offering more of a players distance iron profile.

When it comes to feel, Callaway has done another great job with these irons. Despite the hollow construction, thanks to the additional urethane microspheres, the sensation through impact is much deeper and softer than other game improvement irons on the market. 

The premium feel is right up there with the best in the category, if not the best. 

Callaway Elyte X Performance and Forgiveness

As previously mentioned, these irons are built with distance in mind, and that's exactly what they deliver. 

I typically hit a 7-iron about 170 yards, and as you can see from the table above, I was able to consistently carry these irons over 20 yards further. 

It's worth mentioning that the Elyte X 7-iron does come in at 28 degrees of loft, which is quite strong, but even still, a yardage gain of over 20 yards is pretty crazy and testament to the tech that lies within these irons. 

It must be said, that as a result of the weakened lofts, the spin rates I received were a little on the low side, and as a result so was the apex of my ball flight. The resulting shallower ball flight also meant my descent angle was lower than I would ideally like.

With that being said, the lower ball flight was the only issue I could find with these irons. The speed is clear to see and the forgiveness on offer was also outstanding. 

From across the face, these irons do a fantastic job of retaining speed, meaning you should leave yourself closer to the hole even if you do catch one out of the heel or toe, which every amateur will do, some on more occasions than others. 

Should you buy a set of Callaway Elyte X Irons?

If you're a golfer who is looking to add speed and forgiveness to your iron game in 2025, the Elyte X irons are the perfect place to start.

Not only do they perform well, but they are also damn good to look at, so even though you are looking to improve, you won't be staring down a bag of shovels when you next head to the course.