Callaway’s Ai Smoke TD (Triple Diamond) is Callaway’s players’ model in their new Ai Smoke range of fairway woods. NCG puts it to the test. Read on to find out more in our Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood review….
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NCG SUMMARY
Callaway have made a player’s fairway wood with great looks and technology. It flies lower and spins less than the rest of their Ai Smoke fairway wood range while delivering some impressive distance.
Its more compact head shape won’t be for everyone, but I found the forgiveness impressive for this type of club.
PROS
- Great looks
- Particularly good off the tee
- Forgiving across the face
CONS
- A compact head and deeper face will not suit all golfers.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke TD Fairway Wood Review: First Impressions
As with most clubs these days, these look fantastic. The mix of carbon and metal gives a high-tech and attractive appearance. The TD, as expected from a players’ club, has a deeper face and more compact shape. The grooves extend across the face, and the club is said to favour a more neutral or fade-biased shot. It has a steel sole and forward-weight screw to provide a more penetrating flight with lower spin.
NCG Verdict
I tried out the 15-degree 3-wood with an adjustable hosel. In it, I had the Denali 6.0 70g shaft. I tested this using a Foresight GC3 launch monitor and compared it to my current 15-degree 3-wood.
Behind the ball, this looks great. Perhaps not quite as inviting as the other fairway woods in Callaway’s new range, but not overly intimidating for a tour-inspired club.
The launch monitor data showed I was a little shorter off the deck than my current three wood, but this is only to be expected as the Callaway TD has a heavier shaft, and I found it a little more difficult to launch than my club.
Similarly, the flight was a bit lower than my usual club and the rest of the Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods. I do not doubt that with the correctly fitted shaft, this would not have been an issue, and I would get fitted for these if I were buying them.
Off the tee was a completely different matter. I absolutely loved this. My destructive shot with a three-wood off the tee is a horrible pull. With the Ai Smoke TD I felt very confident and could let rip without losing the ball to the left.
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Distance is not the main aim with a three-wood off the tee, but my longest hit with this went 15 yards further than my current gamer! My current club has a low profile and is all about the launch, but this has got me thinking about perhaps looking at a more compact player’s club with the appropriate shaft for me.
Off-centre hits were extremely forgiving for this shape and size of club head. I expect this comes down to Callaway utilising their Ai technology to create an Ai Smart Face. Launch and spin is optimised across the face following real player data collection. This advanced machine learning has produced sweet spots around the face, meaning you get maximum distance and forgiveness even when you don’t hit it out of the middle.
From my testing, it is clear that Callaway’s Ai Smoke TD is definitely a “player’s” fairway wood. The deeper club head is not as inviting as many lower-profile clubs available, including the others in the Ai Smoke range. Nevertheless, with the correct shaft, I would seriously consider putting this in my bag.
The technology with this club has reached the stage where, even with a more compact head, there is quite impressive forgiveness, and I also benefitted from some high ball speeds resulting in more distance. As with all clubs, I highly recommend getting fitted to ensure the best shaft for your swing.
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Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £379 / $349.99
Shafts: Project X Denali Black | 70 G (STF | X-STF) | D4 & 80G (STF | X-STF) | D5
MCA Tensei AV Blue | 60 G (STF) | D3
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 50G
Right-handed Lofts: 15°, 18° & 21°
Left-handed Lofts: 15° & 18°
Length: 43.25″ (3) Lie: 56° (3) Volume: 172cc (3)
More information: Callaway UK / Callaway US
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