Striking long irons well, particularly from the ground is a challenge almost all amateur golfers face, so adding one of the best golf hybrids to your bag is one of the easiest ways to improve your performance when attacking greens from distance. The Callaway Elyte X hybrid has been designed to compete with the most forgiving hybrids on the market but to see if it can live up to this expectation, I put it through its paces both indoors at the Foresight Sports HQ using a GCQuad Launch Monitor before taking it onto the course and seeing how it coped hitting different shots from various lies.
The first thing you notice when setting the Elyte X hybrid down behind the ball is the sheer size of the head. This larger head has been designed to inspire confidence at address and almost looks as though it’s a hybrid/fairway wood crossover style club, similar to the Apex UW. As is the case with most forgiving hybrid models, the Elyte X hybrid has been designed to be semi-draw-bias and interestingly has a slightly taller face than the standard Elyte hybrid.
Straight away during my testing, I could see how this taller face would affect the spin rate and how it was going to differ to the other hybrid model in the Elyte lineup. The Elyte X hybrid is designed to promote a high launch with low spin, making it perfect for those seeking a little extra distance in this area of the bag, or as I found out, a perfect replacement for hitting the driver off the tee on narrow holes. Despite being designed as the more forgiving model of the two hybrids in the range, I felt the Elyte X didn’t perform quite as well from the fairway and especially from the rough. The taller face felt a little harder to slide through the thick wet rough I tested it in and although the ball did come out on every occasion, it was chasing towards the green rather than flying through the air.
While on average the ball speed was identical between the two Elyte hybrid models, It was the X that nudged it when it came to carry and total distance. This is down to the fact it spun on average at 3467rpm - around 400rpm less than the standard version with only slightly less launch. The effect of the new Ai10x face was evident as there was hardly any drop-off in ball speed, regardless of strike location. My fastest ball speed during my testing session was 150mph and my lowest was just 147mph, despite a very low and towards the heel strike.
Despite already being slightly more draw-bias than the regular Elyte hybrid, there is still the option of the interchangeable weights on the sole where the heavier weight can be positioned towards the heel to help promote even more of a drawing ball flight. When switching these over in testing I found I almost couldn’t miss on the right side of the golf course, so if you suffer from a slice, this hybrid may be of interest to you.
The two models felt very similar through impact, both producing a fairly firm but lively sensation and a slightly higher-pitched acoustic compared to other hybrid models on the market. While this may be to some people's taste, I prefer a more muted, thud-like sound that is synonymous with TaylorMade golf clubs like the Qi10 hybrid released last year.
If you’re looking for that ‘go-to’ club from the tee or a longer hybrid option that offers generous forgiveness, the Elyte X hybrid may just be what you’ve been looking for. The high launch, low spin nature results in good distance return although if you regularly find yourself using a hybrid from the rough, you may find more success using the regular Elyte hybrid.
The Callaway Elyte X hybrid will be available to purchase online and in recognized retailers on January 31st and will retail at $299/£299.
