Callaway Rogue ST Max Vs Callaway Paradym Irons Comparison Overview

Callaway has been on a roll as of late. Last year, they revived the much-adored Rogue series of golf clubs.

And this year, they are enticing golfers yet again with the new Paradym line.

If you are in the market for a new set of irons or just a couple of new ones to add to your bag, you would do well to start your shopping with Callaway. And to make your life a bit easier, we have composed the following comparison overview of the Callaway Paradym and Rogue ST Max irons.

Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Overview

“There are actually a couple of similarities between the Rogue ST max and the Callaway Paradym irons.”

For one thing, Callaway decided to use 450 grade steel for the faces of both the Rogue ST Max and Paradym irons. In the case of the Rogue ST Max irons, this construction makes for a very responsive and hot face. The consistency is also remarkable in these irons.

Spin rates were almost predictably progressive throughout the set and repeatable distances were on point. The Rogue ST Max irons also feature 62 grams of tungsten weighting in the long irons. This makes for impressive apex height and forgiveness – especially on low-face misses.

And as you can imagine with a name that includes the work “Max” in it, the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons have fairly chunky heads.

Callaway Paradym Irons Overview

“The Callaway Paradym irons also sport 450 grade steel faces.”

But in this case, the steel is forged. So what you end up with is a set of irons that have a very soft feel and ones that are remarkably workable. But the Callaway Paradym irons aren’t all about finesse. The long irons have a forged hollow-body design which makes them missiles on the fairway.

Both the offset and the sole width are noticeably smaller in the Callaway Paradym irons compared to the ST Max irons. They also produce a lower launch but have the same amazing consistency as the ST Max irons.

“So if you’re a high handicapper who’s game could benefit from higher launching and more forgiving irons, the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons would be the best choice for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for better accuracy and workability around the pin, the Callaway Paradym irons are the better option.”

Callaway Rogue ST Irons First Impressions

The first thing we noticed about the Callaway Rogue ST irons is that they felt incredibly stable on full swings.

While high handicappers may not fully appreciate that benefit at first, it will certainly spoil them as they get better.

The large head sizes of the Max models will be a bit off-putting for lower handicappers; but that is what the Pro line is for.

All of the Max models have a wide sole that you can see from point of address.

Again this will look more comforting in the eyes of a beginner or high handicapper. Our testers also noted the near-effortless launch of almost all the irons in the set.

Key Tech

The clubs are packing all the latest technology too:

We’ve now got urethane microspheres up to the 6th groove which helps give a smoother feel and nicer sound.

A.I Optimized flash face to give a solid connection anywhere on the face and optimization for launch, spin and distance.

The Tungsten weighting is in the extremities of the head and allows for the sweet spot to cover more of the face, up to 260% more Tungsten than the Mavrik irons.

Callaway Paradym Irons First Impressions

The first thing to notice about the Paradym irons is the attractive design which looks great in the bag and will have plenty of shelf appeal in 2023.

They have a player’s profile at address and are built to get the maximum distance possible.

The stronger lofts add about 5 to 10 yards to each and the feel explosive on impact.

The price point is quite high but the premium forged steel face does make up for this to a certain extent.

The irons come in 2 flavors:

Callaway Paradym Irons:

For low to mid-handicappers looking for distance, easy launch, stopping power, and workability.

Paradym X Irons – Perfect for Mid Handicappers looking for distance, easy launch, and forgiveness.

The irons have a rounded shape that we expect from Callaway and the paradigm shift occurs within the clubs and not on the outside.

The 455 premium steel face was reserved for only hybrids, woods and drivers up to now. With the advances in A.i design, they are now available in the irons.

The Paradym irons will be for consistent strikers even though they are forgiving on mishits. This is down to the compact blade which had us missing left and right a bit too often.

We found the Paradym X to be better suited to our game and they are quite long, adding 5 to 10 extra yards from what we would expect.

They get progressively more workable as you get to the shorter irons and the pre-worn leading edge allows the ball to get good air time more easily.

With the premium price point, we wouldn’t be rushing out to get these irons unless you are due an upgrade and they are the best clubs for you after fitting.

The hollow body players distance iron market is quite competitive.

Callaway Rogue ST Selling Points

Up to 62 grams of tungsten weighting
450 grade steel faces
Pronounced soles
A.I. designed Flash Face Cup design
Layers of urethane
Strong lofts

Callaway Paradym Iron Selling Points

455 Steel Forged Face Cup
Hollow Bodied With Plenty Of Tungsten Weighting
Pre Worn Leading Edge
X Version for more forgiveness
Attractive design
Urethane Microspheres to absorb impact
Powerful sound and feel

Who are the Callaway Rogue ST Irons for?

The Callaway Rogue ST irons are mostly for high handicappers. The three different Max models are certainly for beginner to intermediate players while the Pro model would be better for single-digit handicappers.

But don’t get the wrong idea. The three Callaway Rogue ST Max irons aren’t as beginner-friendly when compared to some other irons. Just like we explained when we compared them to the Big Bertha’s, the Callaway Rogue ST irons are just a bit more refined than your average distance/game-improvement irons.

While most of the Callaway Rogue ST iron family is focused on upping the ball speed of high handicap players, the Pro model has a lot to offer more skilled players. Speaking of the different Callaway Rogue ST models…

The Callaway Rogue ST Iron Family

Callaway Rogue ST Max

The Rogue ST Max irons have the heaviest tungsten weight (62 grams) of any other Rogue ST iron. The head is not quite as big as the other Max models so it sits somewhere between the Rogue ST Pro and the other two Rogue ST Max models.

Callaway Rogue ST Max OS

If you need a little bit of draw bias in your irons, the pronounced offset of the Max OS irons will be helpful for you. Compared to the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons, the Max OS’s also have slightly stronger lofts. As a result the Max OS irons are more forgiving out near the toe.

Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite

As you can imagine, the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite model is almost identical to the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS model. The key differences are lighter shafts and lighter swing weights.

The Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite irons also have the lightest tungsten weights (46 grams in the longest iron) and produce the highest launch angles thanks to an incredibly wide sole.

Launch is also helped with stronger lofts compared to the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS irons and the fact that these irons come standard in only graphite shafts should reiterate the emphasis on light weight and easier swinging.

Callaway Rogue ST Pro

The Callaway Rogue ST Pro irons are the most unique of the bunch. They feature the smallest head sizes and muscle backs. They also have a hollow body design. The spirit of the Rogue irons is still alive even in the Pro models though.

For instance, the Callaway Rogue ST Pro irons feature split weighting in the toe and heel to increase MOI and improve ball speeds on shots away from the sweet spot. So while they offer better spin dynamics, they are still pretty forgiving.

Ball speed is still there in the long irons as well – you’ll just have to be a lot more accurate.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 90/100

Forgiveness: 93/100

Feel & Control: 91/100

Overall Score: 92/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Who Are The Callaway Paradym Irons For?

These are perfect for golfers looking for distance and workability who are due an upgrade, have a decent budget and are suited to the clubs through a fitting.

The Paradym irons are not the most forgiving due to the compact blade but they are long, get the ball in the air and have decent stopping power for relatively low spin rates.

The X version will suit higher handicap players who want distance and forgiveness with some ball flight control thrown in.

They are a premium set of irons and have a premium price point.

The powerful will be great for a golfer with a higher swing speed who wants to work the ball with a draw or a fade.

The looks and the power feel were the most impressive for us and they do add distance, but again, this is more down to the stronger lofts and they dont add much from the Rogue St series.

For us, they are mainly for Callaway Affectionados who don’t mind spending more for premium quality.