Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons & Hybrids Review
- Staff
- #1,302
Quick outdoor range session tonight and I hit the Ai Smoke 4h next to the Paradym X 4h and I got the sense of a bit of a flatter ball flight which was what I was looking for. Still plenty of height, but looked like it was coming out a bit lower and hitting that height more downrange. If that's the case, it will be a winner for me.
I need to get outdoors so badly, and have a round scheduled tomorrow, but figure it is set to get rained out.
I want to hit irons on a course again dammit! After the lessons I need to see if I can make it translate on course, hopefully keep the dramatically improved ball flight we finally uncovered!
I want to hit irons on a course again dammit! After the lessons I need to see if I can make it translate on course, hopefully keep the dramatically improved ball flight we finally uncovered!
Think I’m getting the feel for this bad boy. #5 Ai 
Did you have a hybrid in the bag before the Ai Smoke? How does it gap for you?Think I’m getting the feel for this bad boy. #5 Ai
Had a RogueST but did not get along with it. I am still adjusting gap's up, my 6i Ai smoke is right in line with it. Need something in between my 5w. Still on the fence on the shaft 5.5 it works but sometimes late when I want to jump on it.
Back to the irons- the 7i!
What I want
If the 8i is my go to workhorse, the 7i for me is a par 3 tee off or approach shot. My game generally isn’t where I would expect to attack a green with a 7i - I’m looking for a high launch ball into the center of the green avoiding trouble. I have enough variance generally in my swing I’d rather use this club to put me in a position to have a putter in my hand (even if it’s a long putt).
I want distance wise something around 150-155 here. I expect a bit more rollout and a bit less spin
What I got
A solid club. The 7i works for me. It’s very similar to the Paradym 7i, maybe a touch higher spinning on approach shots, but completely workable
I clubbed up here as it was going into the wind but this shot was still going 150 - precisely what I want
Lost distance here - I chunked it a bit. Still, on the dance floor and can save par!
Solid shot here but missed the green a bit and flubbed a chip. Still, this approach was a blind uphill shot to an elevated green
All in all, solid iron in its spot and I know with confidence I can get my distance target. Still working on some swing consistency here though!
What I want
If the 8i is my go to workhorse, the 7i for me is a par 3 tee off or approach shot. My game generally isn’t where I would expect to attack a green with a 7i - I’m looking for a high launch ball into the center of the green avoiding trouble. I have enough variance generally in my swing I’d rather use this club to put me in a position to have a putter in my hand (even if it’s a long putt).
I want distance wise something around 150-155 here. I expect a bit more rollout and a bit less spin
What I got
A solid club. The 7i works for me. It’s very similar to the Paradym 7i, maybe a touch higher spinning on approach shots, but completely workable
I clubbed up here as it was going into the wind but this shot was still going 150 - precisely what I want
Lost distance here - I chunked it a bit. Still, on the dance floor and can save par!
Solid shot here but missed the green a bit and flubbed a chip. Still, this approach was a blind uphill shot to an elevated green
All in all, solid iron in its spot and I know with confidence I can get my distance target. Still working on some swing consistency here though!
- Staff
- #1,308
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.
- Staff
- #1,310
Well I realized today how little I hit the 180-185 club.
I only hit the Ai-Smoke 5H once on the course today, and hit a weak chunky leaker, short. The pin was 185 yards, and I was like perfect, I just got a club for this… Not what I imagined on the range.
I hit it really well on the range, and the toe miss still went what I was expecting, more to come. But not the greatest start.
I only hit the Ai-Smoke 5H once on the course today, and hit a weak chunky leaker, short. The pin was 185 yards, and I was like perfect, I just got a club for this… Not what I imagined on the range.
I hit it really well on the range, and the toe miss still went what I was expecting, more to come. But not the greatest start.
I took full advantage of the forgiveness in the Ai Smoke irons. Long par three with a very hard pin. 203 to pin on upper back tier.
Needed 190 to safely reach middle of the greens…albeit down a level or two.
I pulled my 5i and set my target on the middle. I hit it way out on the toe. But managed to still make it 187 and one the middle of the putting surface.
Thanks Ai Smoke!!!
Needed 190 to safely reach middle of the greens…albeit down a level or two.
I pulled my 5i and set my target on the middle. I hit it way out on the toe. But managed to still make it 187 and one the middle of the putting surface.
Thanks Ai Smoke!!!
I am seriously considering a set of AI Smoke irons but have been wondering if the extra 0.5 inch length in the mid irons will be an issue.
Have you managed to adjust to the Smoke irons extra length? Does it matter?
.
I typically play a 1/4 inch long anyway, so these worked for me well. I did have the shorter irons extended a little bit
I only have the Ai Smoke 4i in my bag. It's bent weak to flow better with my Apex Pro CB set. I cannot stress enough how much fun the 4i is. I mainly use it for another tee option. It replaced a UT and I have not looked back since I added it. It's forgiving, has a good shape to it, and is an absolute rocket.
I’ll be honest. Until you typed that, I never noticed. They feel and swing and contact like my old Paradyms. Had no idea they were slightly longer.
So I guess there was zero adjustment period at all
6i review time!
What I want
6i is the other workhorse in my bag like 8i. For whatever reason I tend to struggle with a 5i but a 6i? Flush central, baby! It’s like what the Cowboys fan base feels like after game 9 every season…
What I got
Oh, yes. Please keep this dna of the club forever Callaway!
A little fat shot. Still 155 so I’ll take it. I lost 4 yds on this chunky monkey
I did say Flush City right? (sorry not sorry Cowboys fans). Maybe a bit too much boom in this stick! Nah, who are we kidding
What I want
6i is the other workhorse in my bag like 8i. For whatever reason I tend to struggle with a 5i but a 6i? Flush central, baby! It’s like what the Cowboys fan base feels like after game 9 every season…
What I got
Oh, yes. Please keep this dna of the club forever Callaway!
A little fat shot. Still 155 so I’ll take it. I lost 4 yds on this chunky monkey
I did say Flush City right? (sorry not sorry Cowboys fans). Maybe a bit too much boom in this stick! Nah, who are we kidding
I’ve actually been really leaning on my 4 hybrid a bit off the tee lately. I generally get about 235 but this week pulled 245 which there were holes you really didn’t need to do more than that due to split fairways and such. Simply could take the risk out with a nice fade into the fairway to a good number. In fact one hole was 256 to the water off the tee and you could’t clear the water off the tee. I accidently grabbed by 4 hybrid which if I had taken the 3 I would have definitely been in the drink but instead had a great set up for going for the green in two over the water.
I just love the way the callaway hybrids setup behind the the ball
Alright…Alright…Alright
In an earlier post I mentioned how I wasn’t getting along with the lighter cypher fifty shafts. After several rounds and many garage sim sessions I went back to the golf shop and tried some new shafts. Going from swing weight of D2 down to D0 was no bueno for me. Ended up in true temper elevate 85 gram. Back to steel shafts. Much better fit for me.
So onto the AI HL irons. First round today with the new shafts and they really delivered. Lots of confidence over the ball today. Launch angle was really good and I held every green I hit. Several with 6i hopped a couple of times and stopped cold. Looking forward to another round tomorrow.
In an earlier post I mentioned how I wasn’t getting along with the lighter cypher fifty shafts. After several rounds and many garage sim sessions I went back to the golf shop and tried some new shafts. Going from swing weight of D2 down to D0 was no bueno for me. Ended up in true temper elevate 85 gram. Back to steel shafts. Much better fit for me.
So onto the AI HL irons. First round today with the new shafts and they really delivered. Lots of confidence over the ball today. Launch angle was really good and I held every green I hit. Several with 6i hopped a couple of times and stopped cold. Looking forward to another round tomorrow.
Swing has been wild recently. Today I went to the range and focused on contact and used the Ai Smoke Hybrid at 22 degrees to get myself back in line. Took just a litle bit but the hooks are gone as well are the massive slices. On the monitor I was able to swing this about 3mph slower than my driver. Using this club as a guide it at least kept me in the fairway on most shots and is so easy to use it helped me fix my driver swing (bandaid I guess)
- Staff
- #1,321
I played two rounds this weekend and only hit the 5H once on the course.
I flared one into the trees on the trees to the right and hit a great punch out with the 5H just short of the green.
I hit it a ton on the range and I’m still impressed with this club.
I flared one into the trees on the trees to the right and hit a great punch out with the 5H just short of the green.
I hit it a ton on the range and I’m still impressed with this club.
I'm hitting my Apex irons pretty well right now, but once I get back from Ballyhack my main priority is getting these irons sorted and back into the bag. Definitely want to cut down the 5-7 irons, and I'm likely going to end up back in graphite of some sort. After playing graphite all weekend it's nice to not have any aches other than being a little worn out from a bunch of golf.
Still out here working on incorporating a lot of new swing things, with the goal of getting the most out of the Ai Smoke Irons that I can. Part of playing with an absolutely terrible grip technique for the past 25+ years was that I was tapped out on what I could do distance/speed wise. I was consistent, but in a fairly mediocre way. Carry/total yardages had dropped over the years, almost like clockwork every year.
The biggest thing since making the changes, is a lot of work on my path and impact positions, and it honestly surprises the heck out of me when I pull off a carry number that is still reasonably on target, but after an absolutely terrible swing. I think I have really overlooked it over the past couple of months, to the point of taking it for granted, how weirdly consistent the distances are with being all over the face of the club.
Our season here has just really started to kick off, but that of course means a lot of wet/windy golf right now. Trying to wait a bit until things dry out a bit to really get out on the course more. Hopefully I will be ready to go once the courses are back to normal!
The biggest thing since making the changes, is a lot of work on my path and impact positions, and it honestly surprises the heck out of me when I pull off a carry number that is still reasonably on target, but after an absolutely terrible swing. I think I have really overlooked it over the past couple of months, to the point of taking it for granted, how weirdly consistent the distances are with being all over the face of the club.
Our season here has just really started to kick off, but that of course means a lot of wet/windy golf right now. Trying to wait a bit until things dry out a bit to really get out on the course more. Hopefully I will be ready to go once the courses are back to normal!
The strongest part of my game right now is getting off the tee. Whether it's the driver, fairway wood, UW, or 4i, it's far and away the best thing I am doing right now. Adding the Ai Smoke 4i has helped solidify the top part of my bag. I have a level of comfort I didn't have with the UT or anything I've had in the bag before, frankly. It just wants to go far and straight.
There are a few holes at my home course where it's absolutely crucial for me to find the fairway and the 4i is the club I need to use based on how far the ball needs to go. It's so reliable--contact and strike don't have to be perfect so it takes some pressure off that shot.
The 4i continues to be a blast to play.
There are a few holes at my home course where it's absolutely crucial for me to find the fairway and the 4i is the club I need to use based on how far the ball needs to go. It's so reliable--contact and strike don't have to be perfect so it takes some pressure off that shot.
The 4i continues to be a blast to play.
Yesterday I leaned on my 3 and 4 AI smoke hybrids off the tee. Quite simply they are fairway finders. The 4 was on it all day and missed one fairway from the tee. It feels absolutely automatic. Truly my safe club. The 3 hybrid has a 250 tee shot on a par 5 that dog legged hard left so hitting anything else more than that was risky. I find myself swinging easy with them because quite simply with the launch you don’t need to go chasing speed on the impact. Incredibly reliable club that feels really easy to hit.