Callaway Paradym X Driver Review

Callaway Paradym X Driver Review

A Paradigm shift, by dictionary definition, is a set of ideas or a different way of looking at something and that certainly applies to the unique construction of the Callaway Paradym X driver. Whether it's the metal-free chassis, proprietary carbon fiber sections or the A.I. enhanced JailBreak and Face Cup, there's plenty of innovation for golfers to get excited about. 

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The Paradym driver range, X included, has a beautiful rich-blue coloured crown. Looking at it closely in sunlight you can see the subtle textures of different blues in the Triaxial carbon crown shining like light reflecting underwater in the deep sea. You don’t get any awful unwanted bright glare beaming up into your eyes at address, just a shiny smooth club with lovely curved edges that really appealed to my eye. There’s a central Callaway ‘v’ emblem for aiming and the deep face and wide white groove lines look impossible to miss.

There are three models of Paradym driver to choose from including the standard Callaway Paradym driver and the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond.  Paradym X is for golfers who need a bit more help, with a stretched out head profile, more forgiveness and added draw bias. All three models feature customiseable weights and four standard shaft offerings, plus lots of new custom options.

I was fortunate to get a full custom fit for the Paradym X driver with European Tour expert fitter Scott Pudney at the Emirates Club in Dubai at the end of November last year. Scott had just finished putting the first Paradym samples into the hands of European Tour Callaway players like Jon Rahm, off the back of his DP World Tour win at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. I hit all three Paradym driver models on a TrackMan launch monitor and found the best performance from the Paradym X at my mid swing speed (around 80-85mph). 

With my slight over the top move, the challenge is always how to bring my spin and ball flight height down. By lofting down and opting for the 'D' (draw) hosel setting, I instantly noticed was the difference to the start line of my drives which were much, much straighter. The Paradym X driver comes fitted with a high quality Aldila Ascent 40g shaft as standard that will suit the typical slow swinger who wants a lightweight shaft that will be easy to swing. The shaft that suited me best was a 40 gram regular flex, which gave me the same lightweight feel but with a more controllable flex at my slightly faster speed. 

I went from 191 yards with my current driver to 211 yards total. I’ve never been a long hitter so this will be a real game-changer for me, making long par 4s shorter and bringing the green into play in two good hits on par 5s. My goal for 2023 is to reduce my handicap index from 1.9 to scratch and I genuinely feel that this distance boost is the missing ingredient I need.

You might think that such staggering extra length came with an accuracy compromise, yet where the Paradym X really impressed me was how easy and effortless it was to use. I played several rounds of golf after my fitting, including 18-holes on the testing Yas Links in Abu Dhabi. You’ll be watching Europe’s best players compete here in the DP World Tour event later this month and witness the importance of long, straight driving. With my new-found confidence from the Paradym X driver I was smashing tee shots much straighter and to within a short pitching distance of many greens. I was particularly impressed with my bad shots. The slice I often fight was virtually eradicated from my game.

The elephant in the room is the price, in the UK the RRP is £599 which is notably more expensive than anything else in the market. The value for money on offer here will be perceived differently from golfer to golfer, especially given the rise in cost of living. All we can say is that the performance we experienced goes a long way to justifying it and if you've not upgraded for a while, perhaps the Paradym driver represents the right time to bite the bullet.

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