50 Words or Less
The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid produces exceptional ball speed thanks to Ai Smart Face and the Tungsten Speed Cartridge. Easy, mid-high launch with mid-low spin mean lots of very long shots. Good forgiveness.
Introduction
With the booming popularity of high-lofted fairway woods, hybrids seem to have lost their shine. But while they may not be getting headlines, hybrids remain one of the best options for recreational players aiming to find the green from long distance. The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid, using the same AI-based technology seen in the company’s drivers and fairway woods, seeks to prove that point with great ball speed and distance.
Looks
The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid is billed as having a “larger overall profile,” but it’s at most average in size. Comparing the Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid to last year’s Paradym hybrid, Callaway has switched to a matte crown. The shape is more refined, removing some of the bulk in the heel. The face height is a touch above average which instills confidence when facing tough lies in the rough.
In the bag, the Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid has a bold look, mixing several colors and textures. The branding remains modest in size with the focus on the blue Tungsten Speed Cartridge in the center of the sole.
Sound & Feel
Striking premium balls with the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid produces a very light, quick impact sound. The exact tone is hard to pin down. It’s not quite a “tink,” but there’s too much metallic character for it to be a “click.” Regardless of how you verbalize the sound, it communicates speed.
The feel of impact is similarly quick, but the face doesn’t feel too thin. This club definitely favors a speedy feel over strength, but it’s not too extreme in that direction.
Feedback on strike quality is average both through the hands and ears. The character of the sound changes slightly on mishits, and you can feel the impact location if you’re paying attention.
Performance
While I didn’t test last year’s Paradym hybrid [find Matt Meeker’s review HERE], I have tested numerous Callaway hybrids over the last few years. They’ve set a very high bar for ball speed, and the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid cleared it. My testing notes say, “1.4+ guaranteed,” referring to smash factor. Callaway’s Ai Smart Face continues to impress in all its applications, from drivers to fairway woods to hybrids and irons.
Callaway rates the Paradym Ai Smoke as “high” launching. For me, this club launches easily, but mid to mid-high. This pairs well with the mid-low spin to create a lot of distance. While it’s not a pure bomber hybrid, I would rate this as more focused on distance than precision. If you want to go extreme chasing distance, check out the Callaway Super Hybrid HERE.
One interesting change from the Paradym hybrid is on the sole. The Ai Smoke hybrid ditches the Cutwave Sole in favor of “more pronounced sole camber” in the pursuit of better turf interaction. I didn’t find the camber to be extreme, but the Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid did get through rough lies fairly easily.
Finally, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid line is fairly expansive, including three different models. Per Callaway, the standard version, which is what I tested for this review, is meant for players with average and above speed looking for more distance and tighter dispersion. The Paradym Ai Smoke HL hybrid is built to create more height for players with average speed. Last, the Paradym Ai Smoke Max Fast is designed to help slower swingers create more speed and higher ball flight. The latter two models also feature larger profiles for more forgiveness.
Conclusion
The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid makes a strong case for sticking with hybrids over fairway woods thanks to its combination of ball speed and distance. Whether you need to replace a long iron or an unreliable wood, this is a quality option for the player with average or greater swing speed.
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Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Hybrid Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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