Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons Review

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons Key Features:

• Ai Smart Face: optimises iron performance using swing data from thousands of real golfers
• Hollow-body construction: delivers a streamlined design that packs one hell of a punch
• Dynamic Sole Design: pre-worn leading edge with variable bounce that cuts through the turf with efficiency

Callaway's new Paradym Ai Smoke irons come in three different models: the Ai Smoke, Ai Smoke HL and the Ai Smoke Max Fast. In this review, we will be focusing on the standard Ai Smoke irons.

Designed to suit golfers with average to high swing speeds, looking to maximise distance and improve dispersion, these irons feature a newly designed Ai smart face, which has been engineered using machine learning and real shot data from thousands of players. 

Complimenting the new Ai smart face, these irons also feature a hollow body construction, pre-worn leading edges, and 1/4 inch longer shafts in the long to mid irons. 

All of these innovative new features are designed to improve performance across the board. To see if these irons could follow through on Callaway's claims, we took them out for a spin on the course before collecting all the necessary data at Custom Golf Works in Woking.

Let's get into it. 

Player Level

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons Looks and Feel

Game improvement irons are typically characterised by fairly bulky head designs with large amounts of offset, but when we first laid these irons behind the ball, we were instantly struck by how sleek the profile of the head is. 

The long blade length and refined topline combine to create quite a slender-looking iron, which, from address, is one of the best looking in the category. 

While these irons certainly fit in the game improvement category, from the top down, you could easily mistake them for players' distance irons. 

Flip the club over, and the back of the head features a real mixture of textures and colours, with two panels, one light grey and one dark, bisected by a black strip that features a smokey texture similar to what is found on Callaway's woods and drivers. 

The head also features bright blue branding, which we believe slightly cheapens the overall look of the irons.

While we aren't huge fans of how these irons look in hand, when sat behind the ball, they are undoubtedly one of the best looking in the category.

In terms of feel and sound, these irons are spectacular, providing a really premium feel at impact you typically only receive from a forged design. 

The sound produced at impact is also incredibly satisfying, and while these irons do feature a hollow body construction, you would never guess it from the acoustics. 

Both solid and stable throughout the strike, you really get a feeling of good compression when struck from the middle of the face. 

All in all, these irons tick a lot of boxes in the looks and feel department, and while we aren't entirely convinced by the aesthetics, the acoustics and feel on offer more than make up for it. 

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons Performance and Forgiveness

As you can see from the table above, in the hands of our resident tester, Alex Lodge, these irons were potent weapons. 

They produced ferocious speed and distance while also providing excellent levels of forgiveness from across the face.

Thanks to Callaway's new Ai Smart Face, the drop-off in performance from poor shots is minimal compared to other irons in the game improvement category, and that should be a key consideration for mid to high-handicap golfers. 

While distance from the middle of the clubface is important, it's the squiffy ones from the toe or heel where beginner golfers will really see gains with these irons.  

During testing, we hit some pretty shocking shots on the simulator, and while there was a drop-off in distance and spin, we found the ball was retaining speed remarkably well, which in turn prevented the ball from straying too far from the target. 

Another feature these irons possess that really impressed us is the pre-worn leading edge. This design feature produced excellent turf interaction and prevented the head from digging in too much, especially when considering the soft and wet conditions we were testing in. 

The blade glided through the turf easily, delivering some healthy divots for our efforts.

All in all, we really can't fault the performance we experienced with these irons. Both on course and indoors, they impressed time and time again, providing optimal numbers across the board. 

If we did have to pick one small negative from our experience, it would be the fact that our apex was a little low, which led to excessive rollout, but that is an issue that could certainly be resolved in a custom fitting. 

Should you buy the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Irons?

If you're a mid to high-handicap golfer who wants to benefit from all of the performance characteristics of game improvement irons but also desires premium feel and sound, then these irons could be just what you're looking for. 

As always, we highly recommend going for a custom fitting if you are in the market for a new set of irons, and if you do book yourself in, we would highly recommend the Paradym Ai Smoke range be right at the top of your list to try.

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