H2H: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke vs Ping G430 vs TaylorMade Qi10 vs Titleist TSR 

The new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke is very impressive. There's quite a lot of changes when it comes to technology in this range, particularly with the Ai Smart Face. This bit of technology replaces Jailbreak, something that was ever-present in Callaway drivers for the last decade. That's made possible by Callaway's supercomputer, which has compiled data from 250,000 swings from real golfers and created the Ai Smart Face.

The new face has mini sweet spots for those off-centre strikes, where you’ll find you do not lose distance and in some cases, it can go further. Not only that, but you can expect explosive speeds, forgiveness and impressive consistency. The 360 Carbon Chassis has been redefined and is now lighter saving that weight and being able to reposition it to maximise performance.  It also has a raw carbon gloss finish on the crown which looks very slick at address.

In the Paradym Ai Smoke range, you have a few different head options. With the Triple Diamond, you have the option to adjust the ball flight, with movable weights from the front and back on the sole giving you the lowest spinning and fastest option possible. In the Max, you have a new low weight further forward towards the face and a new adjustable weight track so you can dial in the flight and get more distance. The Max D is the draw bias option, designed to straighten out your ball flight and reduce any tendency you have to slice the ball. The fourth option is the Max Fast, which is lighter in design for slower swing speed players, who need help generating speed and getting the ball in the air.

Overall, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke range is a serious contender for 2024. But what else does this year have to offer?

Ping has added to their successful G430 range with the addition of the G430 Max 10K, bringing this range to a grand total of four clubs.

The G430 range consists of the same low-spinning, forgiving and straighter head designs like the G410 and G425 but with new technologies and refinements. Thanks to this, we are looking at more speed and distance with the same level of forgiveness. When it comes to the tech here, there is the usual suspects like the turbulators, reducing drag for better aerodynamics on the crown. The Variable Face Technology forged face is thinner, which is where you will see faster speeds off the club face across the whole range. The Crabon Fly wrap has been added to LST and Max 10K models which covers the crown and wraps into the heel/toe sections of the skirt. This helps to reposition weight and lower the CG for more ball speed, less spin and higher MOI.

The Max 10K is a shallow 460cc head which has a fixed weight of a whopping 28 grams which has been increased thanks to weight saved by the Carbon Fly Wrap. 
The LST is a more compact head shape with an adjustable 22g tungsten back weight, which influences shot shape with the difference of seven yards between the Draw, Neutral and Fade settings. 
The Max is a 460cc head shape and was the most forgiving of the three options until the Max 10K was introduced. It features a moveable 25g tungsten backweight which influences shot shape with the difference of eight yards between the Draw, Neutral and Fade settings.
There's also the SFT head, which features a 22g moveable tungsten weight, which positions the centre of gravity, to deliver 13 yards of right-to-left in the Draw setting and another seven yards in the Draw+. 

There's no doubt then that the Ping G430 range offers something for everyone, and personally I'm a big fan of what it has to offer, particularly the Max 10K option. There's still two more contenders to come though...

It's no surprise that some of the best players in the world are using TaylorMade's new range of Qi10 drivers, but the models they have in play might come as a little bit of a shock. The Qi10 Max is not only in the bag of Nelly Korda but is also being played by Collin Morikawa and it's the most forgiving model in the range from TaylorMade. However, it just goes to show that even the best players in the world need more forgiveness from time to time. If they need it, then so do we! Having said that, we have three models in the range, the Qi10 LS for low spin, Qi10 for distance and forgiveness and the Qi10 Max for maximum forgiveness. 

The standouts visually in the Qi10 range is the new infinity crown and blue carbon face. The infinity crown is 97% carbon which looks so clean as it sits flush with the face. This has allowed weight to be moved to deliver the best MOI and stability possible in each model. In between the face and crown sits a white stripe which is there to help you with alignment. This is subtle and looks great behind the ball. The blue carbon twist face doesn't jump out at you like the red in previous generations, but still delivers impressive forgiveness and distance. Internally, there is a new ledge design that houses the face in a position that flexes on impact to help maintain and transfer energy for better speed off the face.

More forgiveness, great stability and distance and explosive speed. That certainly sounds good to us.

The Titleist TSR drivers are built on the learnings and the success of the TSi and TS drivers and are even faster, longer and straighter, which is why they are so popular on tour and with everyday golfers. 

The six year speed project has made the TSR range even more aerodynamic than previous models, offering faster club speed for more distance. The TSR range continues with the aerospace grade titanium face which delivers explosive speed with impressive distance. Did we mention these give us great distance off the tee?

The variable face thickness makes the sweet spots even bigger and the mishits even straighter and longer. The TSR3 is designed to be played by consistent ball strikers who want to have control, speed and distance. With the adjustable CG track, you can dial in the ball flight and make small adjustments to suit your preferred flight. The TSR2 is perfect for golfers of all levels and is going to appeal to the widest audience. With great levels of forgiveness and long distance, you have a great combination for straight and powerful drives. The TSR1 is ideal for the slower swing speeds. It's made with a lighter construction and will be perfect to generate faster speeds with ease. Finally, the TSR4 is a more compact shape with weight forward. This is aimed at players who want something that will reduce spin.

With offerings for golfers of all levels in the four head options, there is something for everyone here. I'm certainly a fan of the way these look and they perform great too.