Updated March 5, 2024. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons delivers a powerful addition to the game-improvement iron market.
Built like a tank, the AI Smoke irons are ideal for mid and high handicappers looking to boost their distance with high launch and spin to burn.
A winner of the prestigious Gold Medal from Golf Digest and their annual Hot List, Callaway has built the AI Smoke Irons to be one of their most responsive and powerful collections ever.
But are they successful in their quest for game-improvement immortality?
I put the AI Smoke Irons through a rigorous test both on the range and from the fairways of my local club.
In my deep dive review, I’ll give you the highs and lows of the AI Smoke Irons and provide a glimpse into the other models that might better suit your game.
Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons
Best Callaway Irons for Mid Handicappers
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Pros
- Thick topline creates powerful appearance
- Exceptional turf interaction
- Oustanding distance with ideal spin rates
- High launch with steep landing angle
- Great game-improvement iron
Cons
- Lacks true workability
- Bulkier clubhead
- Higher price point
Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons Review
How do the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons look?
Not only do the irons play great, but they look even better.
For those golfers who don’t like the smoky gray exterior of the driver’s sole, a trademark of the AI Smoke series, Callaway has gone to great lengths to minimize that look with the irons.
At address, the irons look powerful. They’re thick, sturdy, and muscular. Offset on the irons is relatively minimal and won’t be too distracting.
Once I started hitting balls, the look certainly fed into my belief that these irons are a force to be reckoned with.
Looking at the iron from the toe, you won’t find much going on as the club head looks relatively clean with the chrome look.
How do the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons feel?
I really loved how these irons feel, as they deliver minimal vibration and a pure, clean sensation to the hand.
Be forewarned, shots off the sweet spot are addictive because the ball jumps off the face with a high launch.
The rounded sole moves smoothly through the turf without snagging. Interaction ranks incredibly high as ball-first contact delivers outstanding all-around performance.
The hollow body construction keeps the club feeling light throughout the swing, especially as the club head passes through the impact zone.
Since they are game-improvement irons, there is some heft here, so if you have a faster swing speed, it won’t affect you.
But the club’s weight could make your swing feel sluggish for moderate or slow swing speeds.
What handicap is best for the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons?
In my estimation, mid handicappers will benefit the most from playing these standard AI Smoke irons.
Since there are two other AI Smoke iron sets for moderate and slow swing speeds, plenty of options are here to fit your game best, but these standard AI Smoke irons will appeal to the widest range of golfers.
The modern design does provide a forgiving nature to these irons, which appealed greatly to me during my range and course sessions.
The high-grade forgiveness and distance are best suited for mid handicappers looking to increase their accuracy and length.
How do the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Irons perform?
When it comes to performance, the Paradym AI Smoke Irons are overachievers. If you are looking for more distance, you’ll find it with these irons.
Need more accuracy and forgiveness? The AI Smoke Irons check those boxes, too.
Along the face, Callaway claims to use an AI-aided design to improve the performance of off-center strikes. On strikes that leaked toward the toe, ball speed stayed high and remained close to my intended target line.
With the scoring irons, I found the 7-through 9-iron generates spin with a steep landing angle, helping me hold shots that landed on the putting green.
I was also pleasantly surprised by how agile these scoring irons are, considering they are classified as game-improvement irons.
I didn’t expect much workability here, and frankly, after a few hundred swings, I didn’t get much.
These irons are built far more for forgiveness than workability, so as long as you know that going in, you’ll be happy with what you get from these clubs.
Other Callaway AI Smoke Iron Models
Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max Fast Irons
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Built for golfers with slower swing speeds, the Max Fast model in the AI Smoke series are game-improvement irons with a deep cavity back design that launches long and high with straight ball flight.
The irons carry stronger lofts to increase launch, something ideal for high handicappers and beginners.
Max Fast sets begin with the 5-iron lofted at 25 degrees and run through a pitching wedge at 44 degrees.
Golfers can also add an A-, gap, and sand wedge to round out the collection.
The Max Fast irons are available in lightweight MCA Tensei Blue graphite shafts to help increase feel and swing speed.
Callaway Paradym AI Smoke HL Irons
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The AI Smoke HL iron set offers more launch over the standard AI Smoke iron set, helping mid and high handicappers get more height to steepen landing angle.
The irons are built to help golfers hit more greens and hold their shot once it lands on the putting surface.
A Gold Medal winner on Golf Digest’s Hot List, the AI Smoke HL Irons set stars with a 4-iron lofted at 21° and runs through a pitching wedge lofted at 43°. Golfers can add three additional wedges to the set.
The True Temper Elevate 85 steel shafts and Project X Cypher graphite shafts are available with the AI Smoke HL Irons.
Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Women’s Max Fast Irons
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Callaway’s AI Smoke Women’s Max Fast offers a lightweight alternative for women golfers who want to increase launch and extend the carry of their iron play.
Starting with a 6-iron and running through the pitching wedge, women golfers can also add three more wedges if they want to fill out their short game set.
The Women’s Max Fast set comes equipped with Mitsubishi’s lightweight Eldio 40-gram graphite shafts. The shafts deliver high spin and launch, making them exceptional for boosting carry.
The Winn Dri-Tac 2.0 grips come standard with the Women’s Max Fast iron set.
My Honest Verdict
The AI Smoke offers a deadly combination for golfers wanting to boost their game with a simple equipment change.
The golf irons are very forgiving and particularly powerful, with a balanced feel that keeps the face square through impact.
The AI Smoke Irons are very forgiving, and while I wish there were more workability with these irons, I can’t complain because my misses were never penalized too much.
The feel is quite good with the AI Smoke set, and the ball speed stays elevated even on off-center strikes.
I also really believe that these irons will grow with your game.
From my first swing to my last swing testing the AI Smoke Irons, I was enamored with how much better I was placing the golf ball by the end.
Ideal for mid handicappers but accessible enough for high handicappers as well, the AI Smoke Irons are very impressive.