Taylormade SIM2 Vs Callaway Paradym Irons Comparison Overview

Fans of the Taylormade SIM2 irons (and there are plenty of them out there) are rabid defenders of the idea that these are some of the best game improvement irons ever created.

But the SIM2 irons came out quite a long time ago and a lot of technology has advanced since then.

We wanted to see how the Taylormade SIM2 irons would fare against a more recent set of irons: the Callaway Paradym irons. We tested them side-by-side to give you an idea of which would be better for your bag.

Taylormade SIM2 Irons Overview

“The now iconic Speed Bridge adorns the backs of these irons which works to stabilize the face and head.”

The faces of the SIM2 irons have been milled to be incredibly thin. On top of that, they sport the Speed Pocket which is essentially a channel etched into the lower portion of the face. So the Speed Bridge is actually pretty necessary to support the highly-altered face.

The SIM2 irons generated really good ball speed for our testers – when they made contact with the sweet spot. When they didn’t, flight was erratic and distance was definitely lost to wide shot dispersion. That being said, we can see why the SIM2 irons are often heralded as the best GI irons in the game.

The sweet spot is honestly hard to miss with the inverted cone design. Consistency was certainly lacking though.

Callaway Paradym Irons Overview

“The Callaway Paradym irons are forged and have very strong loft profiles.”

The heads of these irons are also pretty compact to the point that some of our high handicap testers were struggling with them. Our better testers were having a field day though. The hollow body design makes the long irons play like missiles while the forged 455 steel construction allows for acute spin and distance control in the short irons.

Shot dispersion was definitely tighter as well. The Callaway Paradym irons produce a low, piecing launch and they have up to 67 grams of tungsten to lower the CG. So there is at least some game improvement capability here.

“We can safely say that the SIM2 irons are the better game improvement irons. They have a massive sweet spot and launch rather easily. The Callaway Paradym irons are the better overall irons though. Better players will love the accuracy and soft feel.”

Sim 2 Irons – First Impressions

Immediately noticeable on these irons is that they look pretty similar to the Sim Max irons but the Cap Back technology does stand out as being more solid.

We weren’t expected much difference in performance either and turned out to be true as well, the Sim 2 Max are slightly longer and lower launching than their predecessor which shows an incremental improvement but nothing overly major to write home about.

The echo dampener and cap back does make these irons feel a good bit smoother in the shorter irons and you can really get a good command of the ball with the forged feeling face.

Thru slot and ICT technology ensure the sweet spot is large and playable and that is another feature that we enjoyed about these clubs.

Overall the clubs do mark an improvement over the Sim Max in terms of distance, feel and control and we recommend giving these clubs a shot before committing to a purchase, because the Sim Max are still competitive and may be available for a keener price.

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.

Taylormade Sim 2 Max Irons – Selling Points

Artificial Intelligence Used In Weight Placement
Massive Sweet Spot
Cap Back Is Excellent For Feel
Echo Dampener Increases Consistency
Straight Biased shots without much offset
Some Of The Leading Irons On The Market

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 Sim 2 Irons For

Because these irons offer so much, literally any golfer can get good performance from them although they are going to be a perfect fit for Beginners, High Handicappers and Mid Handicappers.

Lower handicap players and pros might look to the consistency and enhanced workability of some players irons but these are still going to be easily usable by any player.

Taylormade Sim 2 Family Of Irons

The Sim 2 Max also comes in the Sim 2 Max OS which is more forgiving and has a higher loft.

The Sim 2 follows on from the Sim Irons and offers slight improves in all aspects of the game.

Distance: 96/100

Accuracy: 95/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Feel And Control: 92/100

Overall Score: 96/100

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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.