Callaway Paradym Drivers - 2023 Forum Review

[azstu324]

5 hours ago, Invader Zim 315 said:

11/15, that is one heck of a day driving the golf ball for us mere mortals!! That’s amazing stuff, Stu!

Ha ha thanks! I did kinda feel like Bruce Wayne in his Superman fighting suit.. mortal but with some really high tech superpowers

[russtopherb]

1 hour ago, azstu324 said:

Ha ha thanks! I did kinda feel like Bruce Wayne in his Superman fighting suit.. mortal but with some really high tech superpowers

[cksurfdude]

Another brief playing update...

Did not play 9 holes very well overall, but at least most of the driver shots were reasonable:

1. blocked right into the rough but still ok distance and playable (ie had a shot to the green)
2. hooked left a few paces into the rough but good distance and playable
3. pulled left just into the rough but good distance and playable
(#4 is a Par 3; #5 is a short par 4 downhill tee shot I used 4H)
6. just trying too hard on a long Par 4 where you have to carry a hill and I sliiiiced it... 
(#7 short Par 3)
8. This is an interesting tee shot on the #1 handicap hole - from the white tees I usually have no problem carrying the crest of a hill to get to the fairway, but .. the landing area gets squeezed by two decent size fairway bunkers on either side .. and not a very solid strike yet I still hit the fairway right side about 220 out
(#9 another short par 4 i hit 4H again)

So let's call it 4/5 ok-ish driver shots .. huge progress vs last year or even earlier this season!

[GolfSpy_APH]

Dont get me wrong I do love my Ping G430 LST, but the Paradym is still screaming at me to give another go. So incredibly torn and been enjoyable to follow along so far!

[CFreddie]

5 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Dont get me wrong I do love my Ping G430 LST, but the Paradym is still screaming at me to give another go. So incredibly torn and been enjoyable to follow along so far!

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Just now, CFreddie said:

 

I would probably have to sell a kid to have both!

[Mark Baker]

Wasn't a fan of the paradym, tested all the drivers looking to upgrade from the TaylorMade R9, found the stealth 2 far more responsive for my swing, followed closely by the ping G430

[Javs]

Just now, Mark Baker said:

Wasn't a fan of the paradym, tested all the drivers looking to upgrade from the TaylorMade R9, found the stealth 2 far more responsive for my swing, followed closely by the ping G430

Equipment isn’t one size fits all that is for sure. That’s why a good testing and fitting will often save one from disappointment. We can all give the best advice or reviews in the world, but if the club doesn’t fit your swing it won’t work! 

[azstu324]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I would probably have to sell a kid to have both!

Totally worth it! 

[GolfSpy_BOS]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I would probably have to sell a kid to have both!

Isn’t that the purpose of having more than one?!

[skraeling]

11 hours ago, Mark Baker said:

Wasn't a fan of the paradym, tested all the drivers looking to upgrade from the TaylorMade R9, found the stealth 2 far more responsive for my swing, followed closely by the ping G430

I cant hit my neighbors stealth to save my life.  Granted hes got it customized to him.

[Invader Zim 315]

18 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Dont get me wrong I do love my Ping G430 LST, but the Paradym is still screaming at me to give another go. So incredibly torn and been enjoyable to follow along so far!

join us, join us, join usssss

[cksurfdude]

Hello all -- my final review is posted and can be found at...

* YOU HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN A BIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE SECTION FOR "TESTING ON THE RANGE"

(..couldn't get an "internal anchor" to work inside the post...)

Any questions on anything, or any comments good or bad, please lemme know!

[Invader Zim 315]

What's Up, Y'all?

My Final Review is also up for viewing.

A quick thank you to the MGS Team @GolfSpy BOS and @GolfSpy_APHas well as the folks at Callaway for letting me take part in my very first testing opportunity, I had a blast.  Also a thank you to @azstu324 @cksurfdude and @StrokerAce for the camaraderie and friendship throughout the test.  A phenomenal group of guys and I look forward to keeping in touch.

Cheers everyone.
-Ryan

[StrokerAce]

A great time and thanks @Invader Zim 315 for taking me along for the ride Ryan. Hopefully we're able to meet up and play Bethpage some time! It's definitely on my bucket list and I'm ready to make the midnight run.

Also a shout out to my other testers Chuck @cksurfdude and Stu @azstu324 . We all made a great team on this one!

Final review is ready for your enjoyment - 

 

[Invader Zim 315]

3 hours ago, cksurfdude said:

Hello all -- my final review is posted and can be found at...

* YOU HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN A BIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE SECTION FOR "TESTING ON THE RANGE"

(..couldn't get an "internal anchor" to work inside the post...)

Any questions on anything, or any comments good or bad, please lemme know!

Awesome stuff Chuck. Was a blast to follow along your journey - now just time to meet up out in LI and let the Paradyms battle!

48 minutes ago, StrokerAce said:

A great time and thanks @Invader Zim 315 for taking me along for the ride Ryan. Hopefully we're able to meet up and play Bethpage some time! It's definitely on my bucket list and I'm ready to make the midnight run.

Also a shout out to my other testers Chuck @cksurfdude and Stu @azstu324 . We all made a great team on this one!

Final review is ready for your enjoyment - 

 

We’ll do Black then turn right around and play up in your neck of the woods! Being a PC alum, I miss those Northeast tracks

[azstu324]

Final is up!

 

[Invader Zim 315]

6 hours ago, azstu324 said:

Final is up!

 

West Coast time Stu! Loved reading your stuff

[Javs]

Thank you to the testers for great reviews!

[rkj427]

Awesome reviews by these testers!

Thank you ALL for your valuable comments both the things you liked and those you didn't.

[azstu324]

On 5/23/2023 at 12:52 AM, Invader Zim 315 said:

Has my overall game subsequently followed and improved since commencing this test? Also yup.

I'm telling ya, a fantastic byproduct of these tests is the overall improvement of our individual games. It's a beautiful thing

[cksurfdude]

20 minutes ago, azstu324 said:

I'm telling ya, a fantastic byproduct of these tests is the overall improvement of our individual games. It's a beautiful thing

Hey I'm glad you mentioned that .. 'cuz it's EXACTLY how I feel about testing & reviewing for the forum!!

Having the opportunity to do a test really forces you to focus on that aspect of your game; really pay attention to wtf you're doing out there .. and then later try to translate all of it into an intelligble review post.

..which you other three dudes did really excellently (mine looks so nerdy but that's a bit of who I am ) .. truly enjoyed going thru those other reviews!!!

 

[azstu324]

6 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

mine looks so nerdy but that's a bit of who I am

Brada I've been saying this my whole life.. 

If you're not a nerd, dork, geek about something.. you're just not that interesting. I live in the nerd zone about a lot of things and wouldn't have it any other way. 

[vandyland]

On 7/4/2023 at 10:35 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

I have had ferrule creep on almost every Callaway driver I've owned. No idea why and never on any others. 

Very late to this but I have a Callaway Rogue ST Max hybrid that just started ferrule creeping (it is about 5 months old) as well. The good news it does not impact playing (yet) but it is always a little scary to see since I have had a clubhead fly off on me once. The other good news is that the Callaway hybrid is NUCLEAR long. Can't really complain about that except when I am playing it to go 220 and it flies 235. 

[Caddie1966]

On 5/23/2023 at 2:51 AM, cksurfdude said:

First things first: this is obviously a huge test that will hopefully get a whole lot of people looking in, so I want to sincerely thank MGS and the Forum Mods for selecting and entrusting me with this .. and of course Callaway Golf (aka Modern Golf Brands) for making this possible .. thank you!!

- - - -

Callaway Paradym X driver
Official MGS Forum Member Review
by cksurfdude (May-July, 2023)

 

Player Profile

Married, retired and in my late 60s, I didn’t begin golfing until in my 50s. I grew up sailboat racing in the Summers and skiing in the Winters. Was not really into traditional sports in school but did do a little cross country running in junior high and gymnastics in high school. Since then I’ve gotten into surfing, windsurfing and more recently standup paddle surfing .. hence the username. 

So when I started golfing .. at the urging of a close friend who helped get me going .. looking at the ball just lying on the ground was a bit of a foreign concept to me!

Fast forward to now where I call myself an average recreational, bogey golfer - eg. I typically score in the low 90s or on those not-so-good golfing days high 90s (or the other side of 100). Last several 9 hole rounds were at 46-47. Don’t maintain an official handicap but based on charts found online and strokes gained vs peer levels I estimate it’s between maybe 18 to approx 20.

Of course, I aspire to play regularly in the 80s … the past few seasons with dedicated practice, lessons, more on course time and then more practice time I feel I’m getting closer and closer. 

This is me last Winter at my club from their Insta…

(... just happened to be walking by the pro shop on my way to the restroom from the range and the head pro and membership director ran out asked if I could help them with content for their social media feed .. so I didn’t actually _achieve_ anything golfing-wise, just happened to be in the haha wrong place at the wrong time…)

 

My Game

One thing that’s held me back from scoring better is getting off the tee .. I end up in trouble (hellloooo trees!) too often and have to punch out … this recent SG snapshot from ShotScope really illustrates the highs and lows of my current game…

(Note: stats vs 20 HCP group over last 15 rounds)

I work on my short game (except bunkers - my club doesn’t have a practice bunker) and putting a lot; then this year I’ve spent more time on irons, especially 7i as I’ve been demoing different brands, plus have put in more time and effort working with the driver (as the SG chart above, ummm, "suggests" I should!).

At just under 5’ 7” about 155 lbs I’m not overpowering any golf courses but instead am constantly looking to improve my swing technique, along with my application of course management strategies - and of course sharpen my mental game!!

There are a lot of great and inspiring golf quotes, and I kinda like these …

...and 

I try to practice and/or play at least three times a week; wintertime will practice in my garage or at the range on nicer days. The club I belong to will have the course open over the Winter if conditions permit, so I’m able to get a few 9 hole rounds in. Other days at home I’ll be swinging one of my swing trainers or putting in the basement.

 

My Tee Shots

My most common miss with my current driver is blocking (or pushing, maybe) the ball offline, with the occasional slice when I try too hard … and then there’s also a once in a while low pull hook. Distances off the tee avg between 200 - 220 mostly because of hitting off-center and/or into trouble, but happily though the past few rounds I’ve started to improve on that!

(..ok it ain’t pretty but there it is…)

Also note "Clubs: All" includes a Bertha Mini 1.5 (15 degree) that I've used off the tee all those times in the past that I've avoided hitting driver... 

 

 

Testing Methods and Goals

OK, so given all that background I have a feeling I fit squarely within the target demographic that Callaway has in mind for the X version of their Paradym driver.

One small difference being I haven’t technically lost distance as I’ve aged - since I never had it (hahaha lol) - but I *am* looking primarily for a forgiving driver head that can help me get the ball into play more often. And hey if the ball also happens to land and rollout further from the tee box well then that’ll be a nice bonus!

Currently I play the PXG Gen 5 0811XF driver, 10.5 head (adjusted +1) with a Project X Evenflow Riptide CB shaft (50g / 5.0 flex) at 45.5 inches at approx D1.5-2.0 swingweight (according to my basic balance beam swingweight scale). I was not fitted for this driver but have been through several club fittings before.

* So my goals for this test are pretty clear cut…
#1. Can the Paradym X help me get the ball into, or just off, the fairway more often?
.. and …
2. Will the Paradym X help me hit the ball further, especially carry distance?

* Plus my own more subjective goal…
3. Does the Paradym X feel good to me, and do I enjoy hitting it?

Evaluation will be based on a combination of (subjective) watching ball flights at the range and in play on the course, plus (objective) comparing distance and dispersion performance between the two drivers from ShotScope shot tracking data.

--> e.g. will an update of the ShotScope tee shot data plot above look (any? much?) better??

I do have access to a launch monitor at my club, but (don’t like hitting indoors, and..) unless the two drivers seem to be yielding pretty close results I honestly don’t get hung up on the discrete optimization numbers - where I’ll improve more is by continuing to develop my swing technique!

==========================================================

(- if I get a little chatty in this section I just want prospective buyers to have all the info I found out in this process!)

 

The Fitting

The process actually started with a demo at my club; the pro shop has a Callaway fitting cart and they let me take a driver to the range to get a preliminary feel for a few different shafts. I’d looked up (of course!) on the Callaway website which of the stock and no upcharge shafts available to us that I’d be interested in…

PLEASE NOTE: all info copied from OEMs websites and presented as-is with the understanding there are currently no standards in the industry for measuring the stated values.

The ones listed in bold are the ones I wanted to try; out of those the pro shop had …

• Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40 / R
• Project X Cypher Black 40 / 5.0
• Callaway RCH 45 / R

..and here are my field notes from that first demo…

As you can see I really liked the kick from the Aldila .. and I hit my best shot with it! .. but for me and what I think I need right now is something with a more stable profile.

 

An important note to prospective buyers:
If you were to just click "Order" from the website the default shaft for the X model is the Project X HZRDUS Gen4 Silver 50 - which is probably a great shaft but I know from past experience that the HZRDUS line is not the best bend profile for me, and that their 5.5 flex is just a little too stout for me in a driver. *Moral of the story = do a demo or get a fitting, if possible!

 

• Sidebar: I had read through with great interest @azstu324 thread on “Shaft Hack - The Otto Phlex Journey” (https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/53310-shaft-hack-the-otto-phlex-journey/) .. and decided to experiment myself. I ordered a Grafalloy Pro Launch Blue 45g/A flex from GolfWorks with a PXG tip and plugged it in. Had some success with it and while I no longer game this shaft I am firmly convinced that a lighter and flexier shaft definitely helped me to start hitting the driver better and with more confidence. In the future I plan on revisiting this. 

OK…
.. on to the actual fitting …

 

 

Pete’s Golf on Long Island, NY is a consistently top-ranked independent club fitter; very highly recommended to anyone in the area! I met with Sonny Burgo who’s helped me out before with putters …

(..had a shot of Sonny in his studio but I cannot get it to upload in the correct orientation?!?)

We started out with some discussion about the forum and this test/review; where I’m at with the driver and my game; how he likes to approach a fitting, etc. He was actually a bit disappointed that he was constrained to (a) not being able to select from any club head, and (b) only being able to select from a short list of stock shafts (showed him my list). Promised him I’d keep him updated on the test, and that I’d be back again in the future!

So our fitting goals became…

1. Determine best head loft
2. Determine best fit shaft from my list
3. Determine best “Cog Type”

 

COG TYPE

The what-what??

 Another very important note to prospective buyers:
If you were to just click “Buy” on the Callaway website, leaving the default options, you’d be getting a driver head with a 60 degree lie angle. For those who know the specs of their clubs, you’ll see this is a more “upright” lie vs most other drivers at about 59-58 degrees (eg. “flatter”). Presumably part of the reasoning for this is to help encourage draw bias spin on contact.

 

If I hadn’t been looking under custom options for the complete list of available shafts, I might not have even known about this… 

 

But based on having read a lot of stuff within these forums, I had some idea of what it meant; plus I had my fellow testers to ask questions of and @azstu324 came back with this…

* Comment - this or some other clear explanation should be right on the main product page, or at least have a prominent link to the separate page in Johnny Wunder’s blog where Stu found that chart.

Ok ok back to the fitting…

 

We started with, and quickly decided to keep, the 10.5 head. The shafts tested…

• Aldila Ascent PL Blue 50 / R
  • Felt nice, smooth with a nice kick in the tip but peak height was not what I’d seen on the range with the 40/R and dispersion was not too great, either.
• Project X Cypher Black was n/a
  • Sonny said this was last year’s shaft for the Rogue and he didn’t have them anymore in the shop (went back to the OEM).
• Mitsubishi Kai’Li Blue 50 / R
  • Solid was the first word that came to mind; height and carry were reasonable and dispersion was definitely improved over the Ascent.
• Also n/a was the Kai’Li Red
  • If you look back at my shaft list above the Red is described (by the OEM) as “High” launch, with a Low kickpoint, while the Blue is “Mid” launch with a High kickpoint. Interesting difference and I was kinda curious to try it.
• Ascent 40 / R
  • A chance to repeat my initial range test did not work out as well .. started losing some balls in both directions .. oh well…

So between my list and Sonny’s in store stock, the Kai’Li Blue it is!

 

Back to the COG TYPE - based on where I was making contact - most often towards the heel, which is opposite my more common out on the toe miss(!), the FLAT cog is the way to go.

(Please ignore the very UNimpressive numbers above at the top of the screen!!)

 

Final Order:

• 10.5 head with hosel set at +1/N
  (.. Sonny mentioned I could opt for the 12 head and turn it down 1 degree, which would open the face slightly, but decided to stick to the 10.5 I’m accustomed to.)
• Kai’Li Blue 50 / R
• FLAT cog - which makes the lie 59.25 degrees
• 45.5” length (-¼”)
• Swing Weight D2 (as it turns out this is the stock SW)

==========================================================

 

• Now we get into the scoring sections of the review; this first section has a max of 20 / 100 points.

Unboxing and First Impressions

My driver arrived with the box mostly intact and undamaged, save for one small ding along one edge…

As you can see it was pretty shallow and didn’t really protrude into the box. Also note any damage to the club would be the responsibility of the delivery carrier, in this case UPS.

 

OK, as we open up the box we see…

https://youtu.be/K77BPAl1UJc

 

Comments:

• Lack of any kind of protective padding inside the box. This seemed unusual as other Callaway clubs I’ve received in the past either had pieces of heavy kraft paper stuffed in and around the shaft, and/or a different style of box that had an extra flap on one long side that was folded in to add protection and rigidity. Some other OEMs use pieces of foam cut to the inner dimensions of the box with a hole to fit the shaft through, so it’s “suspended” away from the sides of the box. I will note the box otherwise is heavy corrugated cardboard and pretty rigid.
  • -2 pts.
     

• Box is barely longer than the assembled driver plus the installed headcover - one of the other testers received a box that had been compressed from the ends and I’d have been worried about structural damage to the shaft.
  • -2 pts.
     
• “Customs” build sheet in the box - there are SIXTEEN discrete items listed and all were filled in EXCEPT .. “Cog Type” (see section above for explanation of what this is). This is a case of the documentation not keeping up with the shipped product; I had to refer back to the Cog Type chart and confirm with my fellow testers that I had, indeed, received the requested “Flat” cog - instead by an extra red line on the hosel. No, this item was not specified on the packing list either.
  • -2 pts.
     
• No torque wrench - someone else on the forum found out that this is a part of Callaway’s global sustainability initiative .. which is great, really! .. but do you not expect a high end driver consumer to want to adjust the hosel? (..fyi I just happen to have a few from previous Callaway clubs)
  • An option should be added to the product page / ordering process for “Hosel Wrench: Don't Include (default) | Include (+nominal fee)”. This also explains why on -our- orders we needed to specify the hosel settings (e.g. +1/N) .. which had seemed strange to me then.
  • -2 pts.
     
• Add’l. -2 pts for lack of explanation of Cog Type on product/ordering page!!

Score so far: -10 pts.

- If that scoring seems harsh keep in mind this is a high end product and it should be all about the presentation and attention to details!

---
 

Looks

Yes, ok, this is one very sharp-looking driver head!! Things that stood out to me include…

• Tall (or, deep) face is very appropriate for a, let's call it, GI type driver head.

..prominent marketing in case you somehow didn’t know Callaway uses AI to help design their Flash Face.

 

• Wrap-around face cup extends further back along the crown and the sole. On the sole, at least on this model haven’t seen the others, they opted to hide the bottom prongs of the JailBreak internal structure .. I think this gives the club a cleaner look.

- you can also see the blue carbon weave pattern

 

• The blue plus the gold- (or brass?) tone accents on the sole - along with a color-matched weight in the tail - give a pleasant and imo quality appearance. Not too busy; not too much marketing fluff.

 

• Elongated profile - this head is longer front-to-back vs the other models for added MOI; but with the extended face cup plus the tail structure to support the weight (black insets at back corners) it doesn’t appear .. to me .. to be overly long. Still not compact and pear shaped, but not bad. I also like the extended face cup on top to help frame the face, plus not show any idiot marks (what? me?? never!!!) or bag chatter from other clubs going in and out.
• Also Note - all my non OEM headcovers are very tight getting on and off.

(yes poochie is an excellent club review assistant )

 

• Kai-Li Blue shaft - did they pick this just ‘cuz it coordinates nicely with the Paradym blue? 

(- see Fitting section earlier for more info on .. and why I picked .. this shaft)

 

Headcover -
Well, here it is; you’ve probably already read all sorts of comments about it…

https://youtu.be/Jhf8Lr6YZ3w

On the plus side - it’s thick, slides on and off easily and does appear durable. So yeah it suits its intended function. The color scheme may be a bit better vs Mavrik or Epic, but still just not my style though.

 

Score so far: still -10 pts.

---

 

Initial test - range session

First things first .. let’s check the swing weight…

Yep! Comes in right at D2 .. which is the default .. and how it was ordered. Get out one of my own Callaway torque wrenches and check the hosel - ok - and the rear weight - ok. Ready to go. A few dry swings out in the backyard .. feels nice!!

 

So my intent here was just to start to get a feel for this driver head plus shaft combo. Warmed up a bit then tee’ed up the “X”. 

• Initial feel:

The Kai’Li Blue 50/R shaft is definitely a more stable profile vs the lighter ones I’d been using (eg. 45/A) - recall my primary objective here is to control dispersion; distance is secondary (for now). So the feel on contact is more, say, firm vs other drivers I’ve played. 

• Initial sound:

Contact seemed more muted than expected; eg. other Callaway woods and hybrids I’ve hit have a louder, more metallic sound. There’s also a distinguishable difference on off-center hits.

- update: a later range session where I brought the PXG along confirmed this; eg. where the PXG has a sharp "report" at impact the X lets you know when you've hit it square but doesn't announce it too loudly.

• Initial performance:

Hit a relatively large amount of balls with it, vs my usual driver practice .. maybe 30 or more (in phases alternating with other clubs). Out of the first about 8 - 10 I did hit two high slices - my most annoying, and common, miss. After that, none! .. although there were a few low-lefts which is my other bad miss.

Also, I was not seeing the launch and peak height I have with lighter shafts, eg. the Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/R - the Kai’Li Blue is a bit heavier and has a high kickpoint so that may be a part of it. In a later test, I’ll try adding +1 to the loft.

Pop off the face on near-center hits was not as spectacular as hoped, but I'm attributing that to my still-evolving swing .. future sessions will tell more as I get a better feel for this club and will  yield even better results.  

 

* Overall initial performance impression:
Optimistically positive; ie. some more time with X and it seems we may become good friends (very good I hope .. TBD of course!).

 

Score so far: still -10 pts.

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Score FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 10 / 20

- deductions all in Unboxing and Product/Order website page.

==========================================================
==========================================================

(-- following are new comments posted 7-16-23 --)

 

Alright, it’s finally time to get into the real meat of this review!!

After several weeks of practice time and course time let’s talk about performance…

 

Testing on the Range (max 10 pts)

Step 1 was simply to get a feel for this club and shaft (note: earlier in this write-up I wrote more about testing different shafts on the range and then going for a club fitting). 

My typical range process with driver (after warm-up with shorter clubs) was to start out gripped down half swings at half speed; check setup and check contact on the face; then ramp up swing length and speed; and finally get to full swings. 

Things I’d work on include…

• Check setup to see where best ball position and tee height seem to be.
• Check aim and alignment and note where most misses are going - a little bit right of target. Some were left, but of all the misses a pretty good %tge were within what’s for me a good dispersion area.
• Check ball flight - good shots generally have a medium trajectory and a slight draw. 
• Test forgiveness by trying to hit low, high, heel, toe on the face to see effect. Now I can’t say I’m that good at hitting those spots on the face on demand (vs hitting there anyway!), but I could tell when a strike is off-center from the sound and feel. 
• Except for extreme misses, e.g. sliced or topped, other off-center misses still went reasonably downrange - albeit with some loss of distance and some increase in offline - but still appeared as if they would be playable on the course.
• Check distance - most shots carried to an area around, or just beyond, a target at a bit over 200 yards; no, not huge, but for me and for old worn range balls it’s ok.
• Check workability - hahaha not this guy. At this point just trying to “get it out there”!

After a few range sessions “getting acquainted” I swapped in another shaft I have from an older Callaway driver (interestingly the hosel adapters are the same fit; Callaway seems to change these over time). Hit a few shots with the Kai’Li Blue, swap in the alternate shaft, hit a few shots, etc. A pattern pretty quickly developed where I’d have two, maybe three, shots with the alternate shaft that carried further vs any with the Kai’Li but .. overall dispersion area, especially left to right, was much larger vs with the Kai’Li.

A few more range sessions using just the Kai’Li Blue shaft was ready to run a three way test - it vs the alternate shaft vs the PXG (0311XF with EvenFlow Riptide CB).

Interestingly the X head + alternate shaft combo and the PXG yielded fairly highly correlated results; that is .. all the good and bad shots with each driver ended up having a very similar shot pattern. And this pattern closely echoed what I’d seen in the first test with the X head + alternate shaft .. a few balls carried further than any with the X + Kai’Li Blue but the overall dispersion with the X + Kai-Li Blue was much better than either of the other two.

• FYI a separate post on these tests with a pic that summarizes some of my testing notes (that a few people seemed to get a laugh out of so why not let more people in on it!) is at… https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59432-2023-mgs-forum-test-callaway-paradym-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=941702

Adjustments made during testing from as-ordered… 

• Set hosel from +1/N to S/N (10.5 head) but quickly went back to +1/N (I need the extra loft for launch).
• Added some lead tape on the head to add +1 SW (measured on my basic balance beam SW scale) … I think I like the feel of it a bit heavier so ordered a 7g tail weight (from billybobsgolf) to swap in for the stock 5g.

Oh, and please note re: launch monitor testing - while I could get access to a Trackman (but don’t like hitting indoors, and) given there was a pretty clear-cut differential observed between the X and the PXG it didn’t seem meaningful for my testing to compare LM numbers.

 

Range testing conclusion:
The X head + Kai’Li Blue shaft are helping me get a higher percentage of tee shots reasonably near to a target area and into “virtual” play vs my current gamer.

 

→ SCORE: 9 / 10

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---

 

Performance on the Course (max 20 pts)

Club arrived June 1st and went to the range that afternoon and the next; first course time was two days later - hit driver 6 times over 9 holes with 1 very good, 4 ok/playable and 1 out to the right .. blame it on operator error. So a pretty promising start - especially vs the way I used to struggle hitting the driver into play at all!

A few days later was the MGS Pinehurst trip and both the PXG and trusty backup Mini Bertha did *not* go on the trip - full commitment to hitting the X - plus I’d decided I would hit it off the tee as often as made sense (which ended being almost every Par 4 and 5). 

The first round (Saturday morning at Mid South Club) was my best of three that trip in both driving off the tee and overall ball striking and scoring; my scorecard notes from that round for 14 driver shots include...

• 10  marks (not middle fairway high long nasty bombs but for me they were "out there" and playable!)
• 2 were out to the right
• 1 was low-left
• 1 was just chunked

So that was an approx 71% “” success rate ... and a huge improvement in my tee shot performance! Unfortunately the next two rounds there didn’t go quite as well…

Back home … I generally play 9 hole rounds, and alternated course time and range time over the next few weeks. 

On the course, I’d generally see about the same results; that is, out of 7 drivers over 9 holes like 2/7 would be hit offline into trouble and require a punch-out or rescue shot, while 5/7 would be good or if in the rough not far into the rough and playable for about the same 71% “success” rate.

Here’s a track of one of my better tee shots on the opening hole…

(yep 240 baby!!)

 

After a few rounds I checked my stats in ShotScope; here are before & after snapshots…

(1) PXG

(2) X

 

So, yeah, check out how my driving stats for fairways vs right rough/trouble have almost completely reversed! This was taken after only a few rounds but happily this same pattern has persisted throughout my testing!!

Although, also note a few more misses left now (%tge-wise) with the X, so I have to be careful of a swing tendency to come down too quickly and pull the ball left (on top of the X’s tendency to impart draw bias).

Something to note that doesn’t show up directly in the stats - thin or topped balls, as long as there’s no forced carry to cover, can still get a decent rollout and put you into position for your next shot (thank you AI Flash Face, I guess!).

 

Another important anecdote to relate - hole #2 at my course is a blind uphill tee shot to a wide enough fairway but with trees on both sides .. where I usually ended up, blocked out, if I made it up the hill and past the front tees at all. Often doubled this hole… First time there with the X decided enough was enough - aimed for the middle, relaxed and did my best to take a relaxed, smooth swing .. bango! .. there goes the ball into the middle of the fairway!! Well that seemed to break the curse and since then have made par a few times, otherwise bogey and nothing worse, on that hole.

 

Course performance conclusions:
Based on my experiences on the course, my observations of my tee shots and the data I’d collected it’s pretty clear that the Paradym X + Kai’Li Blue shaft are helping me get the ball into play much more frequently vs my prior driver. 

* Testing goals #1 (forgiveness) and #2 (improved dispersion) accomplished!

And the big question: is the X giving me more distance off the tee? On average, yes! Hard to see in those before and after screenshots above but my ShotScope performance average is about 14 yards longer vs the PXG. 

* Testing goal #3 achieved!

 

→ SCORE: 19 / 20

---
---

 

The Good, The Bad and The In-Between (max 20 pts)

 

Good:

• Looks - sharp! Sound - pleasant; more muted vs many other drivers; can distinguish center vs off-center strikes. Feel - it’s growing on me.
• Forgiving on mis-hits - ball still gets into play.
• Improved dispersion - hitting more fairways, and most of my mis-hits/missed fairways are only a few paces into the rough and still give me a playable second shot.
• Extra distance - my “performance average” (ShotScope data) drives are about +15 yards better vs my old driver (and hopefully that is continuing to improve as my swing technique, and on-course confidence, both continue to improve).
• Side benefit - have taken the tee shot standby Mini Bertha out of the bag so now have room for another long club that I can use off the fairway or out of light rough, in addition to off the tee if needed.

 

Bad:

• COG Adapter - if not for this forum and this test and my fellow testers, I may not have been aware of the “Flat” option that reduces the lie angle from 60 .. which is more upright than most drivers .. to 59.25 (closer to most drivers; also: why not be able to adjust the lie a full -1.0 degree?).
  ... Note the X head still has a draw bias and the Flat adapter still has “D” settings available.
  ... Also note the info explaining the adapter type options is not even on the product order page .. it’s within a separate sub-site for Johnny Wunder’s equipment blog.
  ... Nor was the cog adapter type installed specified on either the packing list or the enclosed “Customs” build card.
• No hosel wrench - none offered (corporate sustainability initiative).
  ...I happen to have a few from previous Callaway purchases, so no big deal for me.
• But imho it should be mentioned that it’s not included; seems it could be added as an  option on the order page, even for a nominal fee.
• Head cover - mentioned in earlier comments; none of the testers really liked the appearance. Biggest turn off seems to be the shiny vinyl looking raised center stripe.
• Packaging - club was loose inside the box .. no foam holding it in place, no bubble wrap around it, no heavy packing paper crinkled up to help protect the shaft and clubhead during shipment. 
  ... All the testers agreed it was a letdown for what’s perceived as a premium product.
• Sorry to report - this driver does not magically cure a slice (lol).

 

In-Between:

• My shaft choice - I was fit into the Kai’Li Blue, so went with that, but had really wanted to try the Red version (lower kickpoint / higher launch). I’m generally getting a nice medium trajectory that carries nicely, and do get a higher launch when I hit it solidly. It also appears the Blue is helping me control my dispersion. 

 

→ SCORE: 19 / 20

(Note: point deductions for “Bad” items made in earlier section)

---
---

 

Play It or Trade it? (max 20 pts)

Play it.
(Period.)

Well… For now... Is this the absolute best driver for me? Dunno. Will I be tempted to try something else in the future? Prob. 

My slight hesitation comes from a feeling I have to work a little harder to avoid low-heel strikes on this clubhead.

Yes of course it may be me and my still-evolving swing .. or it may be the shaft or the upright lie angle of the head … so I may tinker with things like shortening the shaft, or adjusting the swing weight or maybe trying a different shaft.

For a player looking for extra forgiveness and some help in generating a draw flight you should look at this club.

* For now the X is in the bag and is helping me get off the tee and put the ball into play!

 

→ SCORE: 19 / 20

---
---

 

→ SCORING SUMMARY:

• First Impressions = 12/20
• Aesthetics plus Look & Feel = 9/10
• Range Testing = 9/10
• On-Course Play = 19/20
• Miscellaneous = 19/20
• Play It or Trade It = 19/20

→ Total Score: 87 / 100

---
---

 

CONCLUSION (TL;DR)

• Me... 67, playing about 12 years, average recreational golfer (score anywhere in the 90s, drives average 220ish to 240 on the good ones) always working on improving my swing and my game. I’ve struggled with driver in years past and didn’t even carry one for a while.
• Interested in the “X” version of the Paradym to see if I could gain… (1) more forgiveness, defined as do off-center strikes still kinda go in the right direction; and (2) a decrease in downrange dispersion; then (3) more distance (on “bad” shots and on average).
• First Impressions - looks, sound and feel all positive. Some negatives concerning.. the website product page could have more info, especially on the cog adapter; a lack of shipping status updates, and lack of protective packaging inside the shipping box.
• Range tests vs a PXG 0311XF - overall definitely in favor of the X (observed and noted ball flights and landing patterns). While there was an occasional center-face strike with the PXG that carried a bit further there were way more shots with the X that landed within a much more consistent area; ie. overall dispersion pattern was much better. Based on my observations LM testing was not needed.
• On-Course results - mirrored my range testing, that is I saw much more forgiveness and more consistent results with the X. This was proved out in ShotScope tee shot data showing many shots had moved from the right rough / trouble into the fairway, plus .. many of the rest that were still missed right were not as far offline (as with the PXG or the old Bertha Mini 15* I’d been using).
  * Additionally my playing average distance is better with the X, too.
• Play It or Trade It → a solid Play It!

*** This driver met all three of my testing goals (forgiveness, dispersion, distance) and is my current gamer. 

--- --- ---

 

Excellent write up and insights.  I enjoyed your writing style and appreciate the detail supplied.  I was unaware of the COG situation and as I consider another driver in the next few months, it will be a point I focus on if I consider the Paradyme as I have all my clubs set up flat.  Nice job. 

[cksurfdude]

3 hours ago, Caddie1966 said:

Excellent write up and insights.  I enjoyed your writing style and appreciate the detail supplied.  I was unaware of the COG situation and as I consider another driver in the next few months, it will be a point I focus on if I consider the Paradyme as I have all my clubs set up flat.  Nice job. 

Thank you, Sir!! Appreciate that, and am happy that at least one bit of all that was useful to someone! 

[StrokerAce]

re: headcover - I know Callaway can do it. I have a Mavrik Sub Zero and they did a fine job with that one.

 

Along with the headcover being swapped out I'm going to modify my grip. I need a more non-tapered version. 
I'll give Callaway credit though - they have a very thorough selection on their website.

Also - Callaway Golf gives all veterans a 15% discount which turns out to be a decent amount of $ on a 600 dollar driver.

[azstu324]

21 minutes ago, StrokerAce said:

re: headcover - I know Callaway can do it. I have a Mavrik Sub Zero and they did a fine job with that one.

 

Along with the headcover being swapped out I'm going to modify my grip. I need a more non-tapered version. 
I'll give Callaway credit though - they have a very thorough selection on their website.

Also - Callaway Golf gives all veterans a 15% discount which turns out to be a decent amount of $ on a 600 dollar driver.

This is one that I was a day late on getting my hands on. Was super bummed that the guy sold it out from under me. Oh well.. they're out there though 

[Caddie1966]

On 5/23/2023 at 2:52 AM, StrokerAce said:

F I N A L  R E V I E W 

Me: multiple drivers over the years, closest to stay was the G410LST
Problem: dispersion was too wide
Were you fit in past: yes, multiple times
Were you fit for this driver: yes, and the shaft+head combo was a surprise (see INTRO post)

I'm not a big hitter, 250-275 is normal for me; I need something that stays in play which I don't lose distance on during mishits.
My miss is mostly heel-side and I rarely strike the ball on the toe. 
 

Like most of you I want:
--distance (consistent no matter where on face I strike)
--forgiveness (don't want off the planet lost balls)
--adjustability (tune this puppy to optimize everything)

From Callaway: "The Paradym driver model provides a refined shape with high MOI and adjustable perimeter weighting. Engineered for players of all skill levels, this club promotes high launch and low spin characteristics along with a neutral ball flight. It’s our best combination of distance, forgiveness, and adjustability."

It sounds like they're checking all my boxes, but let's see if my requirements are met to receive the coveted clown head cover.

Callaway has always had good aesthetics but they knocked it out of the park with this one.
The crown is probably the nicest I have seen. Not overly glossy but not matte and I love the wraparound.

The sole with the marble and combination of finished aluminum looks professional but not gaudy

The color combination of copper/dark blue/silver/black is spot on.

 

I'm a big fan of the shape: traditional, not too much bulge, looks really nice down at the ball, good alignment aid.

Acoustically the sound is crisp without being loud or clicky. Kind of like if you took a leather belt and smacked a table with it.
I recorded 3 drives on an indoor sim to hopefully isolate the sound (swing speed was round 102 for these 3)
<sound is at :12, :36 and :57 if you want to skip ahead>

Feel is solid and if you miss the center it isn't harsh or punitive. You kind of 'know it' from ball flight and experience but there isn't a lot of difference.
In comparison to other drivers I've had - Ping, Titleist, TaylorMade - this one sounds more subtle, which I really like. 

---------------------------------------------

*** Aesthetics (10/10) ***
(note - the headcover is terrible from an aesthetic standpoint but I'm not going to take points away from the club for that. I have a custom headcover and if I didn't, I'd buy one, because this one is ugly and I find it hard to get the club in/out)

---------------------------------------------

I've had 5-6 rounds with it and 5-6 range sessions. 
When I received it I scheduled an indoor trackman sim session and after a few weeks had another one. 

 

In the sim I feel much more comfortable swinging freely, put a fairway in front of me and tell me there's OB and I tense up. I'm a work in progress....

Distance is right up there with other drivers I've used. Not longer by any significant margin and not shorter, however, my off-center hits tend to go further and I think is where the Paradym shines.

(Nearly drove green on Par 4 - that white dot is my ball)

I hit the ball high and the loft on my driver is 9* adjusted down to 8. Somewhere I read you need to swing up with driver and I took it to the extreme.
With the adjustments that the fitter had me make I'm pleased with my trajectory, launch angle and spin rate.

I'd say 85% of my misses are heel side and when I miss the sweet spot ball speed doesn't drop by a lot; my misses I'm surprised with....and when you find the center - .
Forgiveness is as much as I can expect with driver and the only other driver that was as forgiving is the g410 LST.

Accuracy is similar to my gamer but a big difference I see is my dispersion is tighter; I don't have those big blocks or high spinny off the planet slices. #NoMoreLostBalls
How'd they do this?

Surprisingly I was fit into an XS 70g shaft but my SS is 100-105. Just goes to show that #FittingMatters

< ...side note on shaft... 
< the ferrule started sliding up on my original shaft after about 3-4 weeks (tensei blue XS 75g)
< Callaway overnighted me a new one for free and I switched to the Kai'Li' white XS 70g which I was fit into (fitter didn't have the tensei)
< *very* impressed with customer service and the rapid response!

I've never been able to draw driver...with any of them, no matter what I try, so I just don't try to do it. my ball flight is typically a fade - sometimes big, sometimes small.
If I want to try and fade it a lot I feel like I can do that successfully with this driver.

---------------------------------------------

*** 'numbers/statistics' (9/10) ***

---------------------------------------------

Now's the time to make it happen. Can I hit it when it counts?

First - this isn't a magic club; bad swings are punished just like any other club.
However, once you get comfortable and gain some confidence this is as good as any driver I've ever hit.

I play in a competitive league and the tee shots matter even more than during a regular round.
The league course has some narrow (landing zones of 30-40 yards) fairways and dares you to use driver. 
Honestly, I hit driver where I probably shouldn't have and the results were impressive - even when I missed the fairway.
The old adage - hit the ball as far as you can without risking OB has proved true. 
I've had a good number of Driver + Wedge holes and from a pressure standpoint I am not afraid to use the Paradym on many holes at all.

---------------------------------------------

*** on course (10/10) ***

---------------------------------------------

This is a great driver... but be sure you get fit and get the right head. 
If you've been fit in the past you can probably DIY it but make sure you get the right combo.
I can imagine if I got the wrong shaft (weight/flex/etc) and head that I'd be disappointed with this.
It's not cheap so spend a few more bucks to make sure it's the right combo for you...

Is this the best driver? It might not be if I tested all of them but I can't imagine anything would be significantly better. 
Not a fan of the headcover at all - doesn't fit the quality of the driver and I'm taking points off for that.

----------------------------------------------

*** good/bad/ugly (18/20) ***

----------------------------------------------

Did this find a place in my bag; oh yeah. I don't even need a backup at this point. 
I've shot good rounds using it and once I get even more comfortable with it I'm sure I can play even better.

"Worth" is most definitely personal; If you plan to keep it for 3-5 years than it's not a bad deal.
Thankfully there are 3 heads to choose from and I think everyone would be able to find a Paradym head that works for them.
My handicap in the last year or so has been between 6 and 10; I find the regular Paradym works best for me and I can see this working for a good number of golfers.

----------------------------------------

*** play/trade (20/20) ***

----------------------------------------

The club looks great down by the ball. The best thing about it is that you don't have to swing fast or hard to get really good performance.
(pic 2724)

Callaway says "this club promotes high launch and low spin characteristics along with a neutral ball flight. It’s our best combination of distance, forgiveness, and adjustability."
Are they right?
I got the proper launch, spin, ball flight and a good amount of distance and forgiveness along with the adjustability needed to tune the club.
In my experience, yes... and I'm not lettin' go!

 

*** final score 97/100 ***

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

U N B O X I N G and first impressions...

One important thing I forgot to note-- you do NOT, DO NOT, receive an adjustment tool with the club. Most people probably already have one but this is important if you plan on moving anything around.

Awaiting my arrival home on Thursday evening after a tense 1 up league match win.

 -- I wish they used a generic box. If someone was driving by and saw this on the porch... 

 -- I've never seen this on a golf club box before (and I get a lot of golf club boxes!) 

 

 -- The packaging was a little bit weak; club is just kind of floating in there with a couple pieces of paper and you can see where the box was crushed a little bit. 

 

 -- Nice touch with the customizations all listed out on a separate card... 

 -- The headcover is a little big and bright for me; the blue is too shiny and plastic-y for my taste but I have a custom one... 

 -- The head is nice and tightly wrapped in plastic... 

 -- I can see someone who doesn't know that A.I. stands for artificial intelligence wondering who AI is and why he designed the face ... 

 -- Specs all look correct on the label...

 

 -- Proper shaft...

 

 -- and midsize grip... 

 -- I don't know what Xlink Tech is but it sounds cool...

 

 -- LOVE  the head design so that it is protected from scratches by sky marks; first driver I've seen like this; also, the blue isn't as bright outside in the daylight as it is under led/lamps; neat subtle carbon fiber showing through... 

 -- The chrome part where it says 'JAILBREAK AI' is going to get scratched up immediately once you hit the ball off a tee. Not sure I would have gone with that finish there since scuffing is all but assured; again, the blue marble isn't as prominent in the daylight; I like the simplicity of the head overall... 

 -- Finally, here it is in the bag; you can see it DOMINATES the 4w and hybrid. Not a fan of the headcover. Just too big and garish for my tastes but I'll use my own custom one.

Time to see if this is the paradigm for other drivers to imitate!

 

===================================================================

 

 

Hey all, about me:

Marines --> Boston University --> Bermuda (Port Royal, 16th hole), Owl's Nest GC New Hampshire

            

 

Live outside of Boston and play most of my golf in the RI/MA region.

Been playing regularly since 2007

Enjoy learning about equipment, technical info, strategies, ball flight laws and all that stuff.

Practice regularly - BIG fan of if you want to be good at something you need to do a little bit every day.

Not a member anywhere (yet) but my "home" course where I'm in a weekly league is New England Country club.

 

I like to hit the ball a long way but keep it in play.

I'm not a big guy (5'10, 185) so I try to maximize distance by proper technique.

Current HC is 8, swing speed around 100-103.

 

Currently play Titleist TS3, 9.5*, TENSEI AV RAW Blue 55 with SFW stiff flex

Been fit for driver multiple times; shaft is always cut down to 44 or 44.5 inches.

Don't really 'move' the ball much off the tee. If anything a bit of a fade/cut.

 

I'm testing the standard paradym driver...

My primary evaluation for this test:

I'd like to see how well the Paradym performs when I don't hit the ball in the sweet spot.

Do I lose distance? Direction? How forgiving is it?

 

Secondary testing:

Can I (if needed) move the ball left or right.

I know this typically is a factor of swing path/face direction but will the club react to those adjustments?

Is ball speed on par with what is expected from my swing speed?

 

Planning on side by side comparisons with my TS3 and I also have a Mavrik sub zero to compare it to.

Paradym going straight into the bag once I get it; will be evaluating it both on course and at the range and on a trackman.

 

If the Paradym can keep up with my Titleist it stays; if not, it's on the bench.

Loved seeing how well the Paradym has performed on tour up to this point; Everything I've read about it has been positive but I had never tried it before my fitting.

I'm honestly expecting this driver to be outstanding based on my fitting experience.

I had to grip way down on shaft and I've never been good at that.

I did find a shaft that gave me a BIG BRIGHT RED circle, which the fitter said he rarely sees.

Circle was top right and he said with the proper length that will move down and to the left; we'll see about that...

My fitter was surprisingly good (Golf Galaxy); tried multiple shafts and I actually ended up with an Extra stiff flex 75g shaft.

I've typically been fit into stiff 55-65g shafts but the 70x gave me much tighter dispersion with the same distance.

I've been fit into both Tensei Orange and blue multiple times; they didn't have one of those on hand and he said it was very similar to the Kai'li White 70x that I was fit into so I chose the Tensei AV blue 75X.

In the last couple of years I've switched to midsize grips on my woods and that has worked well for so I went with the Tour Velvet midsize.

 

Lastly - I use shotscope V3 and have erased everything so I'll have a fresh start to collect data

In the meantime I'll be checking the mail on a daily basis...

 

 

I enjoyed reading your review.  The Paradym is a consideration for me to replace my Titleist 917 D2.  It’s also going to be a side by side with a bit of  wistfulness as the Titleist has done me well for the past 7 or so years.  Nice job.  Also good to put a face with a screen name.

[Caddie1966]

On 5/23/2023 at 2:52 AM, Invader Zim 315 said:

Invader Zim 315's Callaway Paradym Testing

Introduction

First off, I would like to thank the staff of the forum and Callaway for this testing opportunity.  It’s not lost on me that these are a large responsibility and many of you plan to read this and rely on it in great detail for your purchasing decisions.  Thank you!

The Player

My name’s Ryan, and I’ve been a member of the forum for three years now.  A little bit about me: I’m 25 years old and originally from Upstate New York, now calling the Big Apple home.

I’ve had the opportunity to play some of the best courses the area has to offer, but I primarily call “The People’s Country Club” Bethpage State Park Muni Courses home.  Golf in Manhattan is definitely hard, but we make it work.  I have no wife or children yet, but I do have a great family and friends who support my golf addiction:

The Game

I would say I’m “fine” at just about everything.  I’ve been as low as a 6 handicap, and I currently play off ~7.  With several scores still lingering from last year, I’m really a 9 or 10.  I’m just as likely to shoot 95 as I am 75. I do think my lacrosse background helped me to establish a baseline to play the game at a decent level.

What I do know, without a doubt, is that my big stick is the most inconsistent part of my game.  As you’ll see below, I’m capable of 300+ yard drives, but just as capable of a sub-1,000 RPM duck hook that goes 175:

I‘m curious to see if my experience with the Paradym driver helps fix that.  I’m looking for something more forgiving.  If the Paradym succeeds at that, it should have no problem staying in my bag.  My old driver is a bomber, but definitely not the most forgiving driver from modern memory.  Speaking of that old girl…

The (Current) Gamer

I’ve used a 2017 TaylorMade M1 for the past 5 years.  As I mentioned, it’s been a love hate relationship.  Some days I hit every fairway, other days I won’t take it out at all. I’ve never been fit, so I couldn’t be more excited to go through this process and let you all know what I find.

The Fitting

I didn’t really know what to expect going into my fitting, I just knew the tendencies which I have told you above.  Turns out I don’t produce very much spin, at all, causing those nasty hooks.

Tyler at New York Golf Center in NYC really took care of me and did a good job of guiding me through the fit.  I am a gear nut and knew the different shafts, but his knowledge really helped me understand what I really needed versus what I thought I needed.

 

Based on the fit, Paradym is still very low spin (imagine me in the Triple Diamond).  I have average speed, usually around 110, with a nasty in-to-out path.  The result? Low push draws (1650RPMs with 30 yards of rollout).  This fit was an effort to keep the ball to the right a bit more and in the air.

Here’s My Specs:
Head: Paradym 10.5* Right
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV White 65g X-Stiff
Flat Cog, Neutral settings
 

I’ll let the numbers below speak for themselves, there’s still some scary numbers on there.

 

Unboxing / First Impressions

So to make my entry a little unique, I chose to break my entry up into a little The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

1.       The speed of delivery

I mentioned this yesterday, but this thing came so fast and is a true testament to Callaway’s turnaround times.  I have seen individuals on other MGS Testing forums wait weeks for a club to arrive; this got to me in about 5 days, three of them being a holiday weekend.  I am so impressed.

2.       The Online Store Selection

For zero upcharge, I must say I was very impressed with the breadth of options Callaway offers with their drivers.  I believe there are ~20+ no upcharge shafts on the website, just be sure to still look at their custom options.  There are plenty of no upcharge options in this menu, both for shafts and for grips.  I was fit into the Tensei AV White X-Stiff (65 grams).

3.       The freaking club

The headcover may not look great to my eye, but my gosh does the club itself shine.  I love the look of it, every piece.  The blue bowling ball finish, the silver clubface, the orange weight.  It just looks so good.  It performs too (more on that below).

Pictures

Frames super nicely:

Look at that blue GLOW

Orange weights may turn some off, but looks good to my eye

I LOVE the face.  I have always been a fan of silver clubface, whereas my M1 was black.  It has 4 little dots you might be able to see.  Weird but frames the ball nicely in the center.

Tensei AV is a really good no upcharge shaft.  ALL of the custom specs on this were hit perfectly, great job by the build team

 

The Bad

1.       The box

This one really isn’t completely on Callaway, but the box was pretty beat up when it got to me.  I was pretty surprised by it to be completely honest.  The only thing that might be on them is that the club itself it wasn’t protected at all outside of the headcover.  No packing paper, no plastic wrapping, NO WRENCH.  It looked like it came from an eBay seller, not a major manufacturer.

 

The Ugly

1.       The headcover

Some people might hate me for this one, but I really dislike the headcover.  Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely premium.  But the aesthetics of it, for me, were a miss.  The shiny blue finish with the white simply doesn’t scream class.  Assuming the club stays in my bag (and I think it will), the headcover likely will not.

 

First Swings

I have access to a simulator, and so as a first little sneak peak test, I decided to hit 5 shots with my current M1 (YELLOW) and the new Paradym (RED).  As you can see, the Paradym was a bit straighter, longer, and went a little higher (albeit not by much).

These swings were in my work clothes with no warmup, I just needed a test drive.  I will be bringing the club out this weekend for its first real round.

First thoughts: Jack of All Trades.  Is it the longest? No.  Is it the most forgiving? No.  But I truly believe this might be the best combination of both on the market.  I was letting go on some shots and lacked no confidence it would go straight and long.  

Honestly, I'm loving it.  We will see if that sentiment remains with time

 

Testing Updates

Testing Update 1 - FIRST ROUND (6/4/2023):

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59432-2023-mgs-forum-test-callaway-paradym-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=933573

 

Testing Update 2 - SIMULATOR SESSION (6/12/2023):

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59432-2023-mgs-forum-test-callaway-paradym-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=936560

 

Testing Update 3 - FATHER'S DAY 3 ROUNDS (6/20/2023):

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59432-2023-mgs-forum-test-callaway-paradym-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=939756

 

Testing Update 4 - BETHPAGE BLACK / HAMILTON FARM (6/26/2023):

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59432-2023-mgs-forum-test-callaway-paradym-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=941864

 

Testing Update 5 - PARADYM REVIEW // AKA BETHPAGE GREEN REVIEW // AKA BEST ROUND EVER (7/10/2023):

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59432-2023-mgs-forum-test-callaway-paradym-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=946350

 

Invader Zim - Callaway Paradym Final Review

First Impressions (14 out of 20)

I think you can gather by now that all of us had relatively mixed feelings when it came to our first impressions.  

The Good: First, the club is drop dead gorgeous. Second, the speed in which Callaway Customs flipped our orders was nothing short of phenomenal.  There are other OEMs that take weeks, even months, to send out custom orders.  We had ours in a week.

The Bad: These things have absolutely zero implications on the performance of the golf club, and I respect Callaway’s claims of looking to reduce their material use, BUT I truly do believe that if you are going to fork up $700 (plus another $100-$200 for a fitting) for a premium experience, then the product needs to be delivered in a premium way.  I was genuinely concerned that my club could be broken in the manner it was delivered (photos above), and the head wasn't screwed on all the way.  This wouldn't be an issue, but they don't include a wrench (-5 points).  The last point is for the headcover.  It is premium in every way, just aesthetically it's not a headcover I want to leave in the bag (-1 point).

 

Aesthetics (10 out of 10)

Truly, I think this is one of the prettiest drivers I have ever held in my hands, and definitely a top 3 in terms of looks for 2023.  This is a pretty big compliment coming from me because, honestly, I couldn’t stand the looks of the Maverik or the Rogue ST.

A. Looks

While the driver is a beautiful shade of blue, @azstu324 described it best when he mentioned that, even on a sunny day, the driver really plays as if it’s black.  If you are deterred by the blue as a consumer, I would look past it.  For example, my 3 wood is a blue Mizuno, and that’s really blue.  It’s only when you stick this thing under an LED light or take photos with flash that you really see the marbling pop.

Shape: The shape of the head is phenomenal to my eye.  It’s a pretty large footprint but not out of this world massive, and it sits by the ball so nicely. To my eye, it does look like it sits just a tiny bit open in the neutral setting.

Finishing: While the gloss finish is noticeable on a bright day, after a few swings I was used to it and it hasn’t produced any issues since. The driver doesn’t pop in your bag the way a Stealth 2 might - again, possibly a testament to the blue marbling being more understated than a bright red face might be - but I like that.  I have never wanted a driver that’s too flashy, and I think the Paradym seamlessly integrates having a little flash with the blue/orange while also looking pretty classic.

The Face: What I really want to express is how phenomenal the face looks.  One of the greatest detriments to my M1 was the black face, I just didn’t love the way it framed.  The coloring and pattern on the Paradym face are a masterclass.

B. Sound and Feel

The sound of the Standard is phenomenal.  Not too loud, but also not muted.  It was really crisp.  My M1 always felt and sounded a bit dead off the face, and the Paradym produces a significantly greater “pop” and feels hot.

Aesthetics TL;DR: All in all, I was so pleasantly surprised by the looks and feel of the driver.  It’s drop dead gorgeous and while the blue marble finish is really cool, it isn’t too much on the course and the driver actually looks quite traditional.  The face is phenomenal looking, and produces a very crisp sound and pop feel.

 

 

The Numbers (9 out of 10)

Accuracy: Can I still miss fairways? Yeah, definitely.  But there is no question in my mind that my dispersion is better than it was previously

Distance: Did I gain 50 yards over my 2017 driver? Nope, but I did, on average, pick up 7-10 yards.  More importantly, the duck hooks that I used to deal with on a semi-regular basis are gone.  I don’t have nearly as many 125 yard drives… a win!

Trajectory: Higher than my old M1, that’s for sure, but it varies.  If you hit it low on the face, it goes low.  If you hit towards the high toe, it’ll go high. Generally, I would say mid-high flight.

Forgiveness, Control and Workability: Compared to my M1 (which was a low spin monster) this thing is WAY more forgiving.  The flight was pretty neutral, and the driver clearly wants to respond to your swing.  You normally play a fade? It’ll fade.  You normally hit a draw? It’ll draw.  It blends forgiveness and workability quite nicely.

Numbers - TL;DR: So why take off a point? Well, maybe it’s unfair for me to say this, but the driver isn’t a magic pill.  Let me say it again, the Paradym is a fantastic all around driver.  But it honestly isn’t groundbreaking.  If you own a 2020-2022 fitted driver and enjoy it, I don’t necessarily know if you’ll see the performance gains to justify the price.  For someone like me who had a 2017 eBay driver? Oh yeah, it’s worth it.

 

On-Course (19 out of 20)

Ah, yes.  The most important part.  On course performance.  Has my driving improved since commencing this test? Yup, a bit.  Has my overall game subsequently followed and improved since commencing this test? Also yup.

To elaborate: The numbers suggest that my driving has absolutely improved.  Am I hitting every fairway? No I’m not. And I had a couple of really bad days using this driver too.  I pulled one so far left on Bethpage Black that I hadn’t finished my swing by the time the caddie said to go grab another ball.  

But that being said, my overall confidence has grown so much since putting this in the bag, and that alone makes me happy.  I’m a decent player, and while I typically try to play a slight fade with driver, I will look to work it both ways.  This driver gives me confidence to do that, and do it well.  

Anecdote: I was in the midst of my best round ever at Bethpage Green last week (link above) and was even par through 15.  I knew I wanted to try and make a birdie and shoot under par.  While I ended up shooting 2 over, it wasn’t because of my driver.  262 (fairway), 298 (fairway) and 275 (safe right rough) when the pressure was on.  That is a great feeling as I move forward.
 

Fairway Percentage Before Paradym: 42.3%
Fairway Percentage After Paradym: 52.7%

Handicap Before Paradym: 6.5
Handicap After Paradym: 5.7
 

On Course - TL;DR: I’m going to be completely honest with you all - before this test, when I thought of the major Mount Rushmore manufacturers in golf, I really considered Callaway to be the mule.  I don’t have any other Callaway clubs, I tried and discarded the Chrome Soft, and didn’t really think that they made the best products.  This test really flipped the switch for me.  This is a fantastic driver and it performs exactly the way I want it to.  Does it solve every driver woe? Does it immediately help me hit 90% of fairways? No to both.  But my on course performance has undoubtedly improved since putting it in the bag.

Draw Swing

Fade Swing

 

The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween (18 out of 20)

The overwhelming majority of this experience with Callaway has been beyond awesome.  From the amazing fitting at the New York Golf Center in NYC, to the speed at which Callaway sent us our clubs, to the pure fun that I have had during this test with the other guys, this has been a great experience.  While the box was a little smashed, delivery was smooth.

There is one thing I want to bring up as a bad / inbetween though.  I know one of the other guys dealt with ferrule creep, and I dealt with the driver not being fully screwed on all the way.  Furthermore, as I have played more and more rounds, sometimes when I set the clubhead on the ground, I hear a slight rattle.  It hasn’t impacted anything, and I haven’t been able to locate the source of it (maybe the weight in back?), but I do have small concerns about how this club will hold up over time.  That’s something I will continue to look for over time and can update this thread if anything changes, but for now I think that concern does validate a few points deduction.

 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20)

Since the day I put this in the bag, there hasn’t been a second that I’ve considered putting the M1 back into the bag.  I mentioned this earlier - if you have a recent fitted driver and you like it, keep it.  But if you’re like me and you had a second hand driver and have never been fit, this club is a phenomenal option.  I don’t have any questions that this Paradym will help me play my best this season and beyond, and I foresee this being in my bag for the next 3-5 years (assuming it holds up).

 

Conclusion

I’ve mentioned this a few times throughout the testing process, but I think if you as a consumer are looking for one of the best all around drivers on the market, the Paradym absolutely needs to be part of your search.  Is it as long as the Stealth? Maybe not.  Is it as forgiving as the G430? Maybe not. But I think it will give every user a unique and desired combination of the two.

So, is this thing a magic pill? It’s not. I think as golfers we’re always searching for one, and in reality they just don’t exist.  It is what makes this game so amazing and frustrating at the same time.  That said, I continue to feel like this driver is going to produce a result that is long enough and straight enough to help me play great golf.

I trust this driver when it's in my hands, and I’m comfortable taking it out of the bag to use. I think for us mere mortals, that’s just about all we could hope for.

 

Final Score (90 out of 100)

A huge thank you to MGS and Callaway for placing their trust in myself and the other testers.  I had an amazing time working with the guys, and I hope you have all enjoyed following along.  Should you have any questions about the test or the Standard Paradym, please reach out via DM and I will 100% answer them.

 

 

 

 

The review is well written and the pics are great.  Thanks.  I’m considering this as a replacement to my 2017 Titleist 917D2.  It’ll be a tough one to replace as it is the best club in my bag but seeing your improvement is giving me food for thought.