Review: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods review

Selecting a fairway wood can be difficult, especially with the amount of choice on offer at the moment. However, the new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods have four different head options, meaning you’re guaranteed to find something that suits you.

The First Look

At first glance, you’ll notice the carbon crowns have more of a raw finish compared to the original Paradym. There’s also slightly different head shape sizes and the soles feature different weighting and new colouring. The new face also features the text ‘Ai Smart Face’, which tells you how this new face was designed.

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Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway review

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway review

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway review

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway review

The Tech

The new Ai Smart Face has been designed using data from 250,000 swings. The data from these was put into a supercomputer, which then suggested the best possible shape for the club face.

The Ai Smart Face is designed to optimise launch and spin, creating several sweet spots across the face. This gives you better speed and distance across the face on mishits. There are differences across each head.

The Triple Diamond (TD) has a steel sole and forward-weight screw in a more compact head shape. This club, like the original Paradym, is aimed at those looking for workability over forgiveness in their fairway wood.

The Max, Max D and Max Fast all have a carbon chassis that has been refined to promote enhanced weight redistribution. 24g of total weight has been repositioned throughout the head. 12g is placed low-forward to enhance launch and spin, and 12g rearward for increased forgiveness.

“The new Paradym Ai Smoke fairway represents a quantum leap forward in Callaway’s Ai journey. This new family of fairway woods feature the most sophisticated face in Callaway history, the Ai Smart Face. This face uses real player data and advanced machine learning to create a series of sweet spots all over the face.”

The bunkered Verdict

I’ve struggled to get on with fairway woods in the past, however I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke clubs are to hit. The TD is the more compact head option, so it’s going to be more suited to lower handicappers and consistent ball strikers. It gives a brilliant penetrating ball flight and the acoustics are crisp and solid; it goes like a bullet. If you don’t strike it properly, you can feel it, but you don’t drop off in distance too much with the Ai Smart Face. You can also adjust the settings if you’re looking to shape the ball or dial in your ball flight.

The Max, Max D and Max Fast fairways deliver that maximum forgiveness in a really nice-looking head which is larger than the Triple Diamond but still very inviting at address.

Personally, I loved the MAX. It’s easy to get in the air, it is super forgiving and with the tungsten weight low and forward, you get superb distance and consistency. It is quite workable and a lot of fun to hit and you have the adjustability to give yourself the ideal shape of shot for you.

The Max D, I was also really impressed with, as it’s really easy to hit. You’re probably thinking that since it has a draw bias it’s going to be offset, but it’s not. It actually has a more upright lie angle and a neutral face at address which delivers a brilliant forgiving option. Personally, as someone who tends to draw the ball, I found it went left because of the lie angle and the draw bias. But, if you are a higher handicapper that wants to control a slice, this is a great option to consider.

The Max Fast is brilliant because it basically does what it says on the tin. It’s fast, but it’s designed for the slower swing speeds to get the club through the ball faster. It’s a lighter weight design delivering the same forgiveness and launch with draw bias as the Max D. The overall lighter components, a bonded hosel and upgraded Winn Dri Tac grips, gives the players with slower swing speeds what they need.

Keep an eye on the bunkered YouTube channel for more on the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods. In the meantime, here’s my review of the driver:

The Details

RRP: £379
Pre-sale: January 12
On sale: January 26

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke range

• Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke drivers review

• Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrids review

• Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke irons review

• Callaway Chrome Tour golf ball review

If you liked my Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods review, make sure you check out the bunkered YouTube channel!