It’s the modern age-old argument. Can you buy a better golf game through technology? After all, how much more distance do you really need? Is this year’s driver better than last year’s?

In the case of the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke driver, that answer seems to be indeed, yes, it is. And I say that having tested dozens of drivers over my 30 years as a golf writer and golfer, having developed my own skepticism over the years, preferring better technique -- e.i., go take some lessons -- over the latest and greatest.

When it comes to drivers, most golfers are simply looking for more distance. But with the Callaway Ai Smoke Driver, it's not necessarily distance we’re talking about here. After all, the major manufacturers like Callaway, PING, Titleist, TaylorMade, and Cobra, have been delivering on that front for real golfers for quite some time now. And the United States Golf Association does set a limit on certain parameters that govern distance. Most notably, the face cannot exceed .830 COR (coefficient of restitution, which is how much energy is transferred from the clubface to the ball), meaning the springlike effect of the face has a limit. For years, these drivers have been right up against that.

What makes the Paradym Ai Smoke driver different is something perhaps more important -- its forgiveness. And by developing the most sophisticated face the company has ever produced, the Ai Smoke driver does seem to be Callaway's most forgiving to date, and it's certainly one of the most user-friendly drivers on the market today.

Billed by Callaway as the world's first Ai smart driver, this was achieved by using AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning to create sweet spots all over the face. The driver’s Ai Smart Face's micro deflections create multiple sweet spots activated upon impact to help optimize launch and spin on off-center hits. Translation: you can hit this driver all over the face and still get really good results for the most part. With that said, of course, if you come into the ball outside-in with a wide-open clubface, like any driver, it’s not going to help that much. But unless you’re a tour pro -- even if you’re a fairly good player -- you’re probably going to hit it all over the face. And with many older drivers, those mishits, even if your path is fairly consistent, will cost you significant distance and accuracy.

I recently had the opportunity to put the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke driver to the test and it comes in four models.

1. The MAX Driver (maximum forgiveness), which they say is suited for every level of player with adjustable perimeter weighting
2. The MAX D Driver has a high MOI (Moment of Inertia) and wider profile to provide more shot-shape correction.
3. Triple Diamond Model is for better players, who might like to work the ball a bit more off the tee.
4. MAX Fast is a more lightweight option to promote more swing speed to players who need a little more help with that.

I tested the Ai Smoke MAX Driver with 10.5 degrees of loft, both in a neutral to fade bias as well as a draw bias. This MAX Driver was equipped with a regular flex 55 gram Mitsubishi Blue stock shaft. I hit dozens of shots with it, and here’s what I found using a simulator to measure my shots:

On average, I hit the ball around 260 yards with the Paradym Ai Smoke Driver. It produced a nice ball flight with a good amount of carry. I’m in my early 60s, so yes, I’ll take that every time.

Of the three dozen shots I measured, all but three were within 30 yards of each other, right and left of the target. My shortest drive was 249 yards total. My longest was 271 yards. But here was the kicker: my lowest ball speed was 139 mph; my fastest was 143. And I was definitely hitting it on different parts of the face. My carry distance ranged from 232 yards to 252 yards. And the launch conditions were also very consistent, between 13 and 17 degrees.

No doubt, the one that went 270-plus total yards was hit toward the center. But the one that went 249 yards felt like it was right on the heel, yet it was a middle of the fairway shot with very little curvature. In fact, taking out the three outliers, the dispersion was mostly due to pushing or pulling. There was hardly any curve at all on any of the shots. My biggest sidespin was 558 left with the draw configuration, and I hit at least five shots with less than 50 revolutions of sidespin. Translation: The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Driver goes straight -- at least for me, it did.

I also tested it against my gamer, which was fitted for me. The Paradym Ai Smoke Driver was on average around eight yards longer in total distance. Carry was also a little longer. The Ai Smoke was definitely more forgiving on off-center hits. And I like my gamer. But this is definitely a step up.

A big part of performance is also how a driver feels and looks. Does it instill confidence? It definitely did that for me on all fronts. Looking down at the pleasantly shaped smoke gray head, which features a lighter, stronger carbon chassis, gave me a feeling of confidence. The way it felt at impact was satisfying too. The Paradym Ai MAX produced a solid feel, reinforced by shot after shot taking off toward the target. 

Of course, all this comes with a price, a rather hefty one that’s standard for drivers of this caliber -- $600. So the question is, of course, is it worth it? That’s hard to answer. If you’ve got a lot of disposable income or you haven’t replaced you driver in four or five years or longer -- yes, I would say it is. Can it make a difference in your score? If it enables you hit a couple more fairways during the round, absolutely. 

Stay in the Swing with GolfPass!

Get exclusive tips from the pros, in-depth course reviews, the latest gear updates, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe