This is our review of the best Callaway irons for beginners, mid-handicappers, and players in 2024.
I’m an avid golfer, an 8ish handicap on my way to a 2 (been a 5.6) and frequent tester of golf clubs and equipment since 2015.
Callaway has a solid selection of great irons for every category of golfer and more than one option in many cases. I’ve listed my favorites here.
In this review, we discuss the pros and cons of each set, and we give our recommendations.
Our Top 3 Recommendations for 2024
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Best Player Distance
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Best Game Improvement
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Best Player
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Primary Rating:
4.8
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Primary Rating:
4.8
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Primary Rating:
4.7
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N/A
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N/A
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~$215/club new
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Superb Sound & Feel
- Easy Distance & Plenty Forgiving
- Long irons a breeze to hit
- Launch Easily with High Trajectory
- A little pricey
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
- Easy Launch & High Trajectory
- A little pricey
- Launch well, accurate, & consistent
- No harshness on mishits
- Great looking
- Pricey
- Lack distance
Top Callaways for 2024
- Callaway Apex i200 Irons (New Editor’s Pick – Player Distance)
- Callaway Apex i300 Irons (New Editor’s Pick – Game Improvement)
- Callaway Rogue ST Pro Irons (Editor’s Pick & Best Value – Player Distance Irons)
- Callaway Paradym Irons (Superb Player Distance Irons)
- Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons (Best for 10ish – 15ish handicaps)
- 2024 Callaway Apex CB Irons (Best for Elite ball strikers)
- 2024 Callaway Apex Pro Irons (0 – 9ish Handicaps)
- 2024 Callaway Apex MB Irons (Best for PGA Tour Players)
- Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons (Best For Beginners or High Handicappers)
Iron Reviews
Callaway Apex i200 (Editor’s Pick – Player Distance)
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Easy Distance & Plenty Forgiving
- Long irons a breeze to hit
- Launch Easily with High Trajectory
- A little pricey
Brand new to the list and our new #1 Recommendation for Callaway player distance irons.
What we like:
- Stellar sound and feel.
- Loads of distance and forgiveness.
- Excellent out of the rough.
- Hittable long irons.
- Launch the ball quickly and fly high and straight.
What we don’t like:
- I prefer smaller, sleeker clubheads, but I’m nitpicking.
I figured the Apex i200s would be good irons with the same “clicky” sound and feel from all of last year’s Apex lineup.
Wrong.
The i200s perform exceptionally well and Callaway massively improved sound and feel. It’s now soft, solid, and refined. Among the best in the game at this point.
Customer Reviews:
- 4 reviews as I write this. All 5-star and all say they would recommend the i200s to a friend.
Bottom line: Callaway nailed it.
Recommendation: Put the i200s on your list to try if you’re in the market for a great player distance iron set.
Callaway Apex i300 (Editor’s Pick – Best Game Improvement Irons)
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
- Easy Launch & High Trajectory
- A little pricey
Another new addition to our list and our new #1 Recommendation for Callaway game improvement irons.
What we like:
- Stellar sound and feel.
- Loads of distance and forgiveness.
- Excellent out of the rough.
- Hittable long irons.
- Launch the ball quickly and fly high and straight.
What we don’t like:
- Nada – they hit the mark for their target audience.
Like the i200s, I figured the i300s would be good irons and have the same “clicky” sound and feel from all of last year’s Apex lineup.
Again, wrong.
The i300s performed exceptionally well for me. I especially appreciated them out of the rough. They launched the ball on nearly the same high trajectory as from the fairway and they held the greens beautifully.
This was an unexpected bonus and will be much appreciated by their target audience – mid and high handicappers.
Customer Reviews:
- None yet.
Bottom line: Callaway nailed it.
Recommendation: Put them on your list to test if you’re in the market. You won’t regret it.
Callaway Rogue ST Pro Irons (Oldie but a goodie)
- Easy launch & Explosive distance
- Superb feel & Just enough forgiveness
- Flight & Work the ball easily
- Incredible price
- None
The Callaway Rogue ST Pros are former #1 recommendations for best player distance irons from Callaway. We like them for better low handicaps.
What we like:
- They look the part – Compact, with a thin topline and sole and minimal offset.
- Exceptionally easy to hit well.
- Can play any shot.
- Great pricing for player irons.
What we don’t like:
- Not much.
I’ve owned, played, and tested Callaway irons for years. So, it’s kinda hard to surprise me. The Rogue ST Pros did just that.
I found them to be incredible clubs in every aspect. I love their looks, I love their play, I love the way they feel.
They’re a few years old now, but I still recommend them highly.
Make no mistake, the Rogue ST Pros are compact player-looking heads. Yet, they are incredibly easy to hit and play. Any shot you got, they can deliver.
Customer Reviews:
- Pages of reviews with ALL giving 5 stars.
- 100% of buyers would recommend the Rogue ST Pro irons to a friend.
Bottom Line: Premium performance at bargain basement pricing.
Recommendation: Give them a test drive at your local golf store or go through Global Golf (like I did). These puppies are still available.
Callaway Paradym Irons
- Easy & Consistent Distance
- Easy to Launch, Shape, or Flight down
- Touch of forgiveness
- Softish and solid feel
- Premium Price
We recommend the Callaway Paradym irons for 5ish – 10ish handicaps looking for player performance irons.
What we like:
- The compact head looks great behind the ball at address.
- They launch easily and carry high without ballooning.
- Good distance. They were about half a club (~7 yards) longer than their loft.
- Thicker topline and sole for added forgiveness and confidence at address.
What we don’t like:
- Clicky sound and feel.
These are the Rogue ST Pros but in a more forgiving package. Namely, the thicker sole and topline for more perimeter weighting. (and some other things)
Customer Reviews:
- 20ish reviews and mostly 5 stars.
- All complaints centered around manufacturer defects, customer support, and durability (the finish dulled or scratched too easily). Oh, and the price.
- 94% of buyers would recommend the Paradyms to a friend.
- I can’t speak to manufacturer defects or the durability of the finish. I’ve only had mine a couple of weeks and they look fine.
Bottom Line: Excellent performance at a premium price.
Recommendation: Great option for the bargain hunter who doesn’t want to sacrifice performance.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons (Former Top Game Improvement Option)
- Good distance, especially noticeable on mishits
- Good forgiveness
- Good sound and feel
- Elevates the ball easily with high trajectory
- No noticeable improvement over prior model - Paradyms
The new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke irons are next on our list.
What we like:
- They launch easily and carry on a high trajectory.
- Solid sound and feel with good impact.
- Good forgiveness.
- Mishits got full distance nearly every time.
- Accurate, consistent, and workable.
What we don’t like:
- Nada – they deliver.
7-iron Launch Monitor Data
Club Speed | Ball Speed | Carry Distance | Vertical Launch | Peak Height | Descent Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
78.5 | 115.8 | 178.1 | 14.8 * | 60.7 ft | 31.9* |
I’ve played three rounds with the Ai Smoke irons, and they get better the more I get used to them. They flew sky-high and far with good contact.
But, they really stood out when I mishit long irons – which is common for me. (I usually hit them a little fat and towards the toe.)
I got every inch of distance on these every time it happened. I wasn’t on the green, but I ended up pin-high repeatedly.
Bottom line – I don’t see any downside to these irons. They perform well and are priced fair.
Recommendation – Solid game improvement irons that perform as advertised. Worth a look if you’re in the market.
2024 Callaway Apex CB Irons
- Launch well, accurate, & consistent
- No harshness on mishits
- Great looking
- Pricey
- Lack distance
We recommend the 2024 Callaway CB irons scratch to 4ish handicaps.
What we like:
- Superb player looks & design.
- Accurate and consistent.
- Soft and solid feel at impact.
- Excellent workability.
What we don’t like:
- Distance drops significantly with minor mishits.
I enjoyed playing these irons and I could learn to get around the course and score with them. But, I came up short of my target a LOT during my 3 rounds with the CBs.
They feel great, launch great, and have a nice trajectory. I hit the long irons well too, which is always a bonus for me when testing irons.
I’m just now willing to give up a club or half a club of distance.
To be fair to the CBs, they’re not made for me. They’re made for tour pros and elite ball strikers that wear out the sweet spot.
Customer Reviews:
- There aren’t any on Callaway’s site yet.
Bottom Line: Probably give these a pass if you aren’t a scratch player with serious ball striking.
2024 Callaway Apex MB Irons
- Superb workability
- Great feel in short irons
- Beautiful clubs
- Extremely demanding - Big distance loss with minor mishits
- Harsh & Clicky long irons
- Pricey
We recommend the 2024 Callaway MB irons for Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffle, Sam Burns, and other elite ball strikers. (We’re not kidding)
What we like:
- Superb player looks & design.
- Accurate and consistent.
- Soft and solid feel at impact.
- Excellent workability.
What we don’t like:
- Short when we flush them and Distance drops significantly with VERY minor mishits.
- Our tester thought the long irons lacked the soft and solid feel of the short and mid irons.
These are clubs for golfers (tour pros) who have distance to burn and worry only about consistency. Otherwise, you’re gonna be clubbing up a whole lot. Who wants to give up that much distance? No one I know.
My tester, Wes, and I connected on quite a few solid shots only to end up at least a club short. They felt great and it wasn’t obvious from the strike that the ball would be short of the pin – and usually the green – but that’s where it ended up often.
Customer Reviews:
- There aren’t any on Callaway’s site yet.
Bottom Line: You need to be a seriously elite ball striker with your irons. You’re giving up too much distance otherwise.
Recommendation: Pass on these unless you’re a tour player.
2024 Callaway Apex Pro Irons
- Soft & Solid Feel
- Splash of Forgiveness
- Good Distance
- Nice Design
- Pricey
We recommend the Callaway Apex Pro ’24 Irons for 0 – 9ish handicaps.
What we like:
- They’re sleek, elegant, and compact. I’m a fan of the brushed metal finish and the overall design.
- Impact feels soft, solid, and muted.
- Ample distance and a sprinkling of forgiveness.
What we don’t like:
- Price – they ain’t giving these away.
These delivered exactly like I thought they would. They look the part and aren’t intimidating at address for us with higher single-digit handicaps. They launch quickly and high with good contact but aren’t overly punishing on minor mishits.
I think their distance matches their lofts nicely. They’re consistent and accurate. So, no surprise shots landing 10 yards over the green. But, you can step on them if you need another 5 yards or so.
You can play all the shots low handicap irons are supposed to play. You can flight them down, take off distance, and shape them as your skill allows.
Customer Reviews:
- There are four reviews as I write this. 3 people give them 5 stars and one very unhappy customer gives them 1-star. (I don’t agree with the 1-star)
Bottom Line: Great clubs if you like standard lofts and a touch more forgiveness in slightly larger clubheads.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons
- Long & Forgiving
- Easy to elevate
- Not the best Sound & Feel
The Rogue ST Max Pro irons are our former #1 recommendation for beginners and high handicappers.
- Large clubhead screams “forgiveness”.
- Generous sweet spot for more distance over a larger area of the face.
- Mucho help with elevating the ball for better carry and green holding
I’ve had a few sets of Callaway irons and tested a bunch more. The ST Max irons are the definition of forgiveness and distance for the high handicap or beginner golfer. (I think that sentence makes sense)
I struggled to hit them well, honestly. I started by hooking them off the planet, then finally learned how to hit my normal high-tight draw about mid-round. (I play a combo set of blades and compact cavity back player irons.)
I got them on the range the next day and was able to hit quite a few good shots.
What I’m saying is that I’m a low handicapper and a strong iron player. These irons are made for the beginner, not me.
- They are easy to hit high
- The lofts are jacked so they’ll go a long way
- You can hit them all over the face and still get decent results
To be crystal-clear – These are NOT refined tools for good ball strikers.
But, they ARE everything a beginner or high handicap golfer needs in an iron.
Customer Reviews: 95% of reviewers would recommend these irons to a friend.
Bottom Line: Best serves beginners or new golfers needing max forgiveness and max help with their iron game.
Final Verdict
Editor’s Pick Player Distance – Apex i200s.
Editor’s Pick Game Improvement – Apex i300s.
Editor’s Pick Player – Apex CBs
My #1 suggestion is to test before you buy. Either at your local golf store or take advantage of Global Golf’s Utry trial program. I use it and recommend it.
Thanks for checking out our review of the best Callaway irons for beginners, mid-handicappers, and low handicappers in 2024.
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Best Player Distance
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Best Game Improvement
|
Best Player
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Primary Rating:
4.8
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Primary Rating:
4.8
|
Primary Rating:
4.7
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|
N/A
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N/A
|
~$215/club new
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|
Pros:
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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- Superb Sound & Feel
- Easy Distance & Plenty Forgiving
- Long irons a breeze to hit
- Launch Easily with High Trajectory
- A little pricey
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
- Easy Launch & High Trajectory
- A little pricey
- Launch well, accurate, & consistent
- No harshness on mishits
- Great looking
- Pricey
- Lack distance
