Why Callaway Elyte fairway woods could spell the end to your years of golf struggles 

Callaway Elyte fairway woods

Callaway’s Elyte fairway woods aim to solve two of the biggest struggles golfers face. Here’s everything you need to know about the five (yes, FIVE) tech-packed models for 2025. 

Callaway’s Paradym and Paradym Ai Smoke models have been among the best fairway woods over the past couple of years with the brand taking No.1 spot for market share across the global tours but that comes with a pressure to keep fending off the vast and impressive competition. As with their new drivers, Callaway’s R&D wizards were set a clear target for their 2025 woods line – to take them from good to elite. To do that, they’ve focused on two key areas where golfers struggle. 

In the driver line, that meant closing the long-standing gap that sees golfers having to choose between speed or forgiveness. In the fairways, it’s been about making life easier for everyone in products that are versatile and easy to hit. 

“We focused on two key areas where golfers tend to struggle the most,” Zack Oakley, Callaway’s Senior Product Marketing Manager tells us. “Misses low on the face is one of those, especially if you’re hitting off the deck. Hitting it thin happens. And then just making solid contact in general can be a challenge for a lot of players when it comes to fairway woods so we’ve added two technologies to address that.” 

When you lead the market share for a category, any slip in standards will be punished by your rivals, so it’s little wonder Callaway’s experts put as much focus into the fairway woods as they do their headline-grabbing drivers. You can find out more about the big dogs and the rest of the Elyte range at the links below: 

• Everything you need to know about the Elyte drivers 

• Everything you need to know about the Elyte hybrids 

• Everything you need to know about the Elyte irons 

But let’s dive into the fairway woods and the new technologies, before we take a look at each model’s specs and differences. 

Wave goodbye to low speed 

The Tungsten Speed Wave is one of the new technologies Oakley was referring to. In simple terms, it’s 35g of floating tungsten that has been positioned low and forwards in the head without placing any constraint on the flex of the uber-forgiving Ai10x face (which we’ll come onto later). 

When it comes to fairway woods golfers tend miss low on the face, especially off the short stuff, so creating more speed from the that area was a key for improvement.

 “This a really exciting technology and a great job from our woods team in developing this,” Brian Williams, Vice President R&D tells us. “We’ve used almost double the tungsten that we had in Ai Smoke, 35 grams, and we’ve removed it from the sole which takes away any stiffening effect it can have so it’s allowing for more deflection low on the face while maintaining a very low and very forward center of gravity, making it excellent for ball speed and for spin. We’ve seen some pretty exciting test results from this.  

“I can’t wait for folks to get out there and see the ball speed low on the face. We’re seeing ball speeds as low as 200,000 below the impact line that are just about as fast as if you hit it at center.” 

Step into solid strikes 

While the Speed Wave will ensure more speed on those low misses, ultimately, we don’t want to be hitting it from that area at all, so Callaway’s other big fairway woods technology is designed to reduce those strikes. 

While working with Callaway’s Tour staff on the Apex UW (Utility Wood) line released in 2024, the R&D team came up with the Step Sole design, which you’ll now find in Elyte fairways.  

“What we saw in Apex UW was that less sole contact area was allowing players to get the leading edge down into the turf without any bouncing or skipping back up, so we took the same approach with the fairway,” Williams says. “There’s 57% less sole contact area on this fairway to allow golfers to get that face down into the turf without that bounce or skip back up, and that improves the impact location. We’re seeing a 25% reduction in low center impacts.” 

Effectively introducing Step Sole into Elyte fairways has allowed Callaway to get the club’s center of gravity below the ball’s center of gravity, making it easier to produce more centered strikes. In turn that should create higher launch, lower spin and more speed through the ball. From my initial testing, and having used Apex UW during the 2024 season, it feels as though the club nestles down behind the ball, even on tight lies. 

“That product (Apex UW), was perhaps not as broadly mass appealing as the Elyte fairway wood will be, but there was a cult following who absolutely love it, myself included, and you never want to pull that club out of the bag,” Oakley adds. “I think one of the real reasons why is because it’s so easy to hit and so easy to hit squarely, so bringing that Step Sole design into the Elyte product run will be a home run.” 

A changing face 

Callaway’s boffins placed their trust in computers again when it came to creating their most advanced fairway woods face to date – Ai10x. It’s named as such because Elyte’s face has ten times more control points than Paradym Ai Smoke’s Ai Smart Face and “no dead spots”. 

The Ai10x tech is incorporated within Callaway’s high-strength C300 maraging steel face, but what does all that mean for you? Exceptionally fast ball speeds, tighter dispersion, and optimized launch wherever you hit it. 

“This is where we really feel we have a competitive advantage in the way we’re using Ai,” Oakley tells us. “Ai is thrown around like a buzzword, but it’s an integral part of all our processes and it is what’s allowing us to not pay as much attention to a number like MOI and focus on getting the real number, dispersion. That’s where we feel we’re making big strides ahead of the competition. 

“(For 2025) we had more swing data than last time which is really increasing the amount of forgiveness we can produce.” 

Find your fit 

Unlike Cobra, where a new 30-combo hosel is the big story in their 2025 DS-Adapt fairways, Callaway are sticking with their tried and tested Optifit system to get you perfectly dialled in. You’ll find Optifit in the lower lofted models of Elyte, Elyte X and Elyte Triple Diamond, with higher lofts and all the Max Fast options using a fixed hosel. Finding the right loft in Elyte definitely won’t be an issue with the core model available up to an 11-wood option (27º), with X and Triple Diamond up to a 7W (21º) and Max Fast up to 9W (25º).  

Optifit consists of an upper and lower cog that rotate independently to give you eight loft and lie combos. It allows you to add up to two degrees of loft or reduce by one – just be aware that delofting will slightly open the clubface. Luckily, for each loft adjustment you can choose between an “N” for neutral or a “D” for draw setting (which could be useful if you do deloft). The “D” setting makes the club face sit slightly upright at address. And don’t be confused by the “S” on the hosel, this just means standard or stated loft – so whatever the number says on the club’s sole. 

There’s also a host of stock shaft options, including the phenomenal new Aretera EC1 Blue in the Triple Diamond and Ti. Be aware that you’ll have to pay $100 if you want it, but that $200 less than it would cost were you to buy it directly from golf’s newest premium shaft brand, which is proving a huge hit with our shafts expert Lewis Daff. 

Color rewind 

Of course, looks form a huge part of everyone’s views on golf clubs, and with Elyte Callaway have gone for a less is more approach with simple clean finishes, colours and graphics across all of the models. The core, X and Max Fast all have a matte crown with the famous Chevron on the topline to aid alignment. There’s a gloss carbon crown and no alignment assistance in the Triple Diamond model at the request of the better players Callaway lean on for feedback. 

There’s also the return of a familiar color on the toe and heel. Callaway’s 2017 Epic line set a new bar for performance with their Jailbreak Technology and with Elyte aiming to do the same the brand have brought back the famous Epic green with subtle splashes. It’s also been used on the  understated but exceptionally stylish headcovers. 

What’s in a name? 

Ok, it’s taken this long, but let’s address the elephant in the room… why must Callaway keep replacing letters with a ‘Y’? We’ve had Paradym and Paradym Ai Smoke for the past two years and now Elyte. But this time it makes much more sense. Back in 1982, Ely Callaway Jr founded the business, and the new range’s name is a nod to the brand creator’s Christian name. It’s a nice touch, even if I did read it as E-lyte, rather than Elyte, upon first sighting at the launch in Spain in October. 

Worth noting 

Interestingly, while Callaway won’t be actively pushing the model, they are keeping 2024’s Ai Smoke fairways in their 2025 line-up. They’re dropping the price considerably and offering fewer custom options in those models, but if you’re budget doesn’t stretch to the $349.99/£349 price tag for Elyte then that’s still a great option. However, much as I love Ai Smoke, my early testing of Elyte suggests you’d do well to find the extra cash. 

Testing the theory 

You’ll find my full in-hand review of the Elyte fairway wood here, but with Callaway making some big claims around the performance of all their new-for-2025 models, it’s only fair to give you a quick summary here. As a player who’s used both Paradym and Paradym Ai Smoke Max fairways as my gamers, in my test time with the Elyte it already feels like a massive improvement on what were excellent models.  

I’ve also had Apex UW in the bag for the past nine months and it’s no surprise they’ve brought the Step Sole design tech across into a more mass-market product, because it is so impressive and encourages the belief that you will be finding the middle rather than thinning your way towards the green. And, even if you don’t quite find the center, Speed Wave seems to do what it says on the tin and provide impressive speed from those low strikes. That’s boosted even more by the uber-forgiving Ai10x face, which in my early experiences, appears desperate to keep my ball in play no matter how hard I try! We’ll be pitting Elyte against all of 2025’s other fairway wood releases, so be sure to check back next month for our data-laden results and to find out how it fairs against offerings from TaylorMade, Ping, Cobra, Titleist, and more. 

Callaway Elyte Fairway Woods: How the models differ and their specs 

Callaway Elyte Fairway Wood 

Launched January 2, 2025 | Pre-sale Jan 17, 2025 (US), Jan 15, 2025 (UK) | On sale Jan 24 (US), Jan 31, 2025 (UK) 

Price $349.99 / £349 

Lofts 3 (15º), 3HL (16.5º), 5 (18º), 7 (21º), HVNWD (20º), 9 (24º), 11 (27º)  

Stock shafts 

• True Temper Project X Denali Charcoal 60g (5.5-R, 6.0-S), 70g (6.0S, 6.5-X) 

• Mitsubishi Chemical Vanquish PL 40G (R2), 50g (R2, R) 

Stock grips 

• Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 (50g). 

Product specs 

Who’s it for and how does the tech differ? 

The core model, with a neutral ball flight and mass appeal. It has a shallow face design and is designed to make getting the ball up into the air as easy as possible. 

Read my full Callaway Elyte fairway wood review.

Callaway Elyte X Fairway Wood 

Launched January 2, 2025 | Pre-sale Jan 17, 2025 (US), Jan 15, 2025 (UK) | On sale Jan 24 (US), Jan 31, 2025 (UK) 

Price $349.99 / £349 

Lofts 3 (15º), 3HL (16.5º), 5 (18º), 7 (21º)  

Stock shafts 

• True Temper Project X Denali Charcoal 60g (5.5-R, 6.0-S), 70g (6.0S, 6.5-X) 

• Mitsubishi Chemical Vanquish PL 40G (R2), 50g (R2, R) 

• Women’s Mitsubishi Chemical Eldio 40g (L) 

Stock grips 

• Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 (50g). 

Product specs 

Who’s it for and how does the tech differ? 

The Elyte X fairway is larger than the core model and designed to boost confidence at address thanks to that bigger footprint behind the ball. As with Elyte, it has the shallower face to make launching it even easier (“effortless” in the words of Callaway), but this has the highest forgiveness of the models and is created with a draw bias.  

Developed through extensive studies and the success of the Apex UW, this sole shape delivers better turf interaction for consistent results.  

Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Fairway Wood 

Launched January 2, 2025 | Pre-sale Jan 17, 2025 (US), Jan 15, 2025 (UK) | On sale Jan 24 (US), Jan 31, 2025 (UK) 

Price $349.99 / £359 

Lofts 3 (15º), 5 (18º), 7 (21º)  

Stock shafts 

• Aretera EC1 Blue 75g (S, X), 85g (S, X) 

• Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Black 75g (S, X), 85g (S, X) 

• True Temper Project X Denali Charcoal 60g (6.0-S) 

Stock grips 

• Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 (50g) 

Product specs 

Who’s it for and how does the tech differ? 

This is the model you’ll likely see in the hands of Tour players and better golfers, although Callaway are keen to highlight that the levels of forgiveness Triple Diamond now offers makes it a great option for a far wider range of abilities. 

The compact shape and deeper face is designed to help players shape shots with ease without any loss of control, while the forward weight screw lowers the spin rate for a more piercing ball flight for even more workability. 

It also features a gloss carbon crown as opposed to the matt finish found in the other models, and a clean topline without any alignment aids, which Callaway’s research shows is preferred by the target market for this model. 

Callaway Elyte Max Fast Fairway Wood 

Launched January 2, 2025 (US only) | Pre-sale Jan 17, 2025 | On sale Jan 24 

Price $349.99 

Lofts 3 (16º), 5 (19º), 7 (22º), 9 (25º)  

Stock shafts 

• Mitsubishi Chemical Vanquish 40g (R2) 

• Women’s Mitsubishi Chemical Eldio 40g (L) 

Stock grips 

• Winn Dritac 2.0 (21g) 

Product specs 

Who’s it for and how does the tech differ? 

Targeting golfers with moderate to slow swing speeds the Elyte Max Fast is a lightweight, forgiving, and easy-to-swing fairway wood with a draw bias that’s currently only available to US customers. It’s designed with lightweight shafts and a lightweight grip with the aim of maximizing clubhead speed for more carry distance. 

Unlike the Max Fast driver, where Callaway have introduced their Optifit hosel for the first time, the fairway wood remains a fixed hosel. 

With this being a US-only model and us being based in the UK, we’re yet to see the Max Fast in person for a full review, but we have requested a sample and will aim to include it in our test of the best lightweight fairway woods for 2025. 

Callaway Elyte Ti Fairway Wood 

Launched January 2, 2025 | Pre-sale Jan 17, 2025 (US), Jan 15, 2025 (UK) | On sale Jan 24 (US), Jan 31, 2025 (UK) 

Price $449.99 / £459 

Lofts 3 (15º), 3HL (16.5º), 5 (18º) 

Stock shafts 

• Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Black 75g (S, X), 85g (S, X) 

• True Temper Project X Denali Charcoal 60g (S) 

• Aretera EC1 Blue 75g (S, X), 85g (S, X) – $100 upcharge 

Stock grips 

• Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 (50g) 

Product specs 

Who’s it for and how does the tech differ? 

A new shape, Elyte Ti blends the footprint of the core model with the deeper face of the Triple Diamond in a titanium construction. Expect stability, low spin, a neutral flight, and, most importantly, a hell of a lot of ball speed. Interchangeable front and back weights ensure you can dial it right in for peak performance. We’re yet to see and test Ti but are expecting good things when it reaches us. 

• Check out our pick of the best fairway woods
• Here’s how we test golf equipment

About the Author

Rob Jerram – Digital Editor

Rob specializes in the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the Ryder Cup, spending large chunks of his days reading about, writing about, and watching the tours each month.

He’s passionate about the equipment used by professional golfers and is also a font of knowledge about golf balls, trolleys, and bags, having tested thousands over the years.

Rob uses a Callaway Paradym driver, TaylorMade M5 5-wood, TaylorMade P790 driving iron, Callaway Paradym irons (4-AW), TaylorMade MG3 wedges (52º, 58º), Odyssey Tri-Hot 5k Double Wide putter, and Callaway Chrome Soft X golf ball.

You can email Rob or get in touch with him on X.