The Callaway Elyte is the Hottest Driver of the Year. But is it Worth it?

The Callaway Elyte has been out for a little while now, and it’s gotten a ton of buzz as one of the hottest drivers of the year.

I’ve been testing it, and this post is all about the results.

But there’s a twist.

Along with reviewing the club, I’m also checking in on my own swing progress. Late last year, I went to San Diego for a lesson with Me and My Golf. The mission? To fix a swing that had gotten pretty ugly.

Since then, I’ve been grinding. Slow practice, small changes, plenty of bad swings mixed in. It’s a work in progress, but I wanted to see if any of it was paying off.

So today I’m comparing my numbers with the Elyte against the data I logged with other drivers a few months earlier. That way I can see what’s changed, both from the new tech and from the work I’ve been putting in.

And from the handful of swings I’ve already taken, let’s just say things seem to be trending in the right direction.

A Quick Shoutout to Golf Galaxy (and a Customer Service Win)

The first Callaway Elyte I got my hands on showed up broken. Snapped shaft. Brand-new driver, totally unusable. Not exactly the start you want.

Luckily, I live near a Dick’s Sporting Goods. I walked in, showed them the busted club, and five minutes later, I walked out with a replacement.

That kind of hassle-free swap is why I like buying through Golf Galaxy and their Dick’s association. If something goes wrong, they’ll take care of you.

And they’re the reason I’m doing this review in the first place. Golf Galaxy gave me some gift cards and told me to grab the gear I thought you’d want to learn about. First up was a couple of L.A.B. putters. Then the TaylorMade Qi10. And now, the Elyte — the one I really wanted to know about.

So, let’s put it to the test.

Working on My Grip, Face, and That Nasty Slice

I started out by hitting 10 drives with the Elyte, and I was pumped right away to see how the numbers stacked up. This session felt different than the ones I’ve done in the past.

Here’s why.

When I worked with Piers and Andy from Me and My Golf, one of the biggest issues they identified was my grip. It was way too weak. That weak setup left the clubface wide open in my backswing, which meant extra loft delivered at impact.

Long story short, I didn’t have much power, and I hit a lot of slices.

The fix was moving toward a more neutral grip and a bit of a right elbow adjustment. That allowed the face to stay square in the backswing. It felt awkward at first (understatement), but it put me in a much better position.

So the goal is simple (yeah, right). Stop the big slice. Start turning the ball left. Add distance. And cut down on spin.

That’s the plan. Can the Callaway Elyte actually help me in my swing transition?

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Carry, Roll, and Ball Speed Gains

One of the first things I changed when I picked up the Elyte was the loft. I went with a 9-degree head instead of the 10.5 degrees I’d been playing.

Why? Launching it high has never been my issue. My problem has been too much spin. Shots that climb, stall out, and fall straight down with no roll.

My hope was that by knocking the loft down, plus making the swing tweaks I’ve been working on, I’d finally get a little roll-out and some extra total distance.

And the numbers back it up.

With the Elyte, my carry distance averages were basically equal to the total distance I was getting with the TaylorMade Qi10 Max and Tour Edge Exotics E725 at the end of 2024. That’s insane. (Watch the video above to see more exact numbers).

And the total distance disparity got even greater. Factoring in roll, I was consistently blowing the ball well past my earlier driver distances.

Then there’s ball speed. With the TaylorMade, I was averaging 133.6 miles per hour. With the Elyte? 140.2. That’s a gain of more than six miles per hour. And in driver numbers, that’s no small thing.

Spin, More Encouraging Distance Numbers, and Signs of Real Progress

Spin rates are where things get interesting.

With the Tour Edge, my average driver spin was right around 4,000 RPMs. Same story with the TaylorMade Qi10 Max.

That’s way too high.

Now with the Callaway Elyte, paired with the swing changes I’ve been working on, I’m seeing an average of 2,266 RPMs. I’ve basically cut my spin in half.

And the payoff shows up in distance.

With the Tour Edge, I was averaging total distances of 219 yards.

Total distance with the Qi10 Max: Also 219 yards.

With the Elyte? 249 yards!

That’s an extra 30 yards of total distance!

To be fair, it’s not all the club. A lot of this comes down to the grip and face work I’ve been doing. When I get it right, the slice is mostly gone.

It’s still messy on the course. With my irons, almost everything wants to go left and sometimes way left. But even with my 7-iron, the gains are real. I used to carry it 145 to 150 yards. Now, when I put the new move on it, I’m seeing 165 to 170, sometimes even longer.

So yes, consistency is still a problem. Dispersion can be a bit wide. In my initial 10-shot testing, I had one big miss right and another big miss left. But even with that spread, my total driver distance was over 240 yards on every swing. That hasn’t happened in a long time.

It’s not perfect. But it’s progress.

I Can Whole-Heartedly Recommend the Callaway Elyte Driver

I’m genuinely excited to keep putting the Elyte to the test.

Callaway markets this driver as adding “up to seven yards.” Whether or not that’s true, I’m inclined to believe it based on the numbers I’m seeing so far.

To be clear, I think most of my gains are coming from the swing changes I’ve been grinding on. But the club itself has impressed me. The feel is great. The results are encouraging. And even when I miss the center, the ball still carries farther than I’d expect.

Is it as forgiving as those new 10K MOI drivers? Hard for me to say with absolute certainty. I’m not a scratch player. But from what I’ve seen, the Elyte holds its own. It seems nearly as forgiving, while also giving me noticeably more distance.

And that’s been the tradeoff with the 10K clubs. You gain stability but give up a little yardage. With the Elyte, it feels like you’re getting the best of both worlds.

Overall, my consistency and accuracy still need work. But these numbers make it clear that I’m headed in the right direction. And I think the Elyte is helping me get there.

Is the Callaway Elyte Worth $620?

Six hundred bucks is no small ask for a golf club.

And the truth is, you don’t need to spend that much to get a really good driver. There are plenty of last season’s models floating around for half the price that will hold their own. For most golfers, those are still excellent options.

But here’s where the Elyte separates itself. A lot of new releases feel like tiny upgrades. This one feels like a bigger leap. It’s been a noticeable improvement compared to Callaway’s past drivers.

So far, I’m happy with the switch. The 9-degree loft setup fits me better, the club feels consistent, and the numbers show I’m moving in the right direction.

I’ll take it.

There’s still work to do with my swing, but this driver has been a solid part of my improvement.

If budget’s not an issue and you want the latest and best, the Elyte is worth testing. If not, don’t sweat it. Even though it might be the hottest, this isn’t the only great driver available.

September 2025 Update: Yep, Still Fantastic

I originally shot this video and did this full review in March of 2025.

It’s now September, and I wanted to give some quick insight into my long term experience.

Bottom line? The Elyte is the best driver I’ve ever owned and it’s not close.

Again, I should reiterate I’ve worked on some swing changes that are a factor here, but I’ve consistently been hitting the ball 250+ all season – which is something I could only dream about last year.

Shots feel good off the face, and I’ve even broken 80 a couple times this year, which is largely due to reduced penalties off the tee.

Prices on this have gone up a bit this year due to tariffs, but I’d keep an eye on it as we go into the holidays and as new clubs get announced early in 2026. 

Even if this becomes “last year’s” driver, I can assure you, it’s still worth picking up – especially if you can find it at a discount.

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A closer look at Callaway’s new big stick and whether it’s helping me really fix my swing.

9.1 Excellent

The Elyte has quickly become one of the most impressive drivers I've tested. It delivers faster ball speeds, lower spin, and a noticeable jump in total distance. Unless, of course, that's all due to my big swing improvements...

The Good

1. Noticeably higher ball speed (+6 mph in testing)
2. Spin cut nearly in half vs. older drivers
3. Forgiveness without sacrificing distance
4. Feels like a true generational leap for Callaway

The Bad

1. $620 ain't cheap
2. Consistency still depends heavily on swing improvements
3. How much better, really, is it than some of last year's less expensive models?

• Presentation 9
• Performance 9.5
• Price 8
• Personal Affinity 10