The New Callaway Paradym Hybrids

Launch season is always an exciting time for the consumer AND the club companies. In this case with Paradym it’s carbon fiber chassis’s in the driver as well as Batwing tech in the fairways finishing with Paradym irons that look like a players iron but packed with SGI tech that even spun my head around.

If there is one part of this line that I think needs some amplification it’s Paradym Hybrids. Why? Because they fall in that part of the bag where normal golfers throw away shots almost as much as around the greens. Look at the trends on the LPGA Tour, according to Bjoern Kreutzer (Sr Manager of Callaway Sports Marketing) at least 80% of our staff use a hybrid to replace a 3 or 4 iron and in some cases even the 5 and 6 irons. It’s a vital scoring area of the bag, make no mistake.

In my opinion, a good hybrid needs to do three things:

1. Get up in the air
2. Tighten bag gapping
3. Add ball speed and forgiveness to the top part of the iron set.

If there were one bonus feature, it would be stability and adjustability…

That’s it. No need to overcomplicate matters in this department, but hybrids have become almost overcooked over the years. They sometimes went too far, with insufficient spin or the polar opposite. This was the main reason they seemed to disappear on the PGA Tour. Honestly, those guys play at a speed that 99.99999999999 of us don’t. So it makes sense why the 2, 3 and 4 iron live on for the men’s TOUR.

Introducing Paradym Hybrids

The Models:

Two models, both have a similar (almost identical) tech footprint with the Paradym X giving the player a bit more launch, forgiveness, and some ball speed. We had one case study where X was substantially longer (9 yards) in carry vs Paradym STD,. But it wasn’t ball speed…it was launch. Pure and simple. Most higher handicaps need launch for distance; it’s not always speed.

• Paradym: Tour to Mid-Handicaps: The Paradym model is for golfers who want a mid-sized, wood-shaped hybrid that’s long where it needs to be with excellent versatility and spin control. It’s a beefed-up 3 or 4 iron.

Paradym is for the range that sits from TOUR to your Mid Handicap. It’s spin profile and smaller footprint VS X gives the player a tight look at address all while giving them the necessary ball speed, launch and spin that makes up for that point of diminishing returns many players experience in the 3 to 6 iron area.

• Paradym X: Mid to high-handicaps: The Paradym X model is for golfers looking for a full-sized, wood-shaped hybrid that’s long, launches higher with excellent versatility, and ultimate forgiveness

Paradym X is the above just beefed up to raise MOI even more and give the mid to high handicapper a versatile option on longer par 3’s, out of the rough and for someone like my dad (SALTY 17 HDCP) something he can get up quick and stop fast from 120 to 175.

The Tech:

To kick this off I spoke with Scott Manwaring our Director of R&D for Irons and Hybrids and this is what he had to say…

What stands out with Paradym Hybrids? 

“We were able to create the spin and control of an iron in a wood package.  Testing shows Paradym (both models) to be longer than Rogue ST Max hybrids but also 15% tighter downrange. The look of Paradym creates confidence and the performance compliments what most players want to see in a hybrid which is speed, forgivness and control to replace a long iron. That’s the primary function of any great hybrid. Apex UW was the first step in that direction from a spin integrity standpoint and what we have now is that idea but in a package available for the masses.” 

Are hybrids distance clubs or an iron replacement? 

I would say Epic Super Hybrid was designed to push over the 5-wood, that was the goal and it succeeded in many cases. It was forgiving, launched high and went forever. Paradym does those but with 200-500RPMs more spin. That spin increase may sacrifice a yard or two but will give players that true iron replacement to tighten gapping and create new scoring opportunities in that part of the bag.”

All-New Tungsten Speed Cartridge & Jailbreak with Batwing Technology

Like the Paradym fairway woods, Paradym hybrids utilize the tungsten speed cartridge. The result is lower spin with more ball speed. Our A.I. designed Jailbreak with Batwing Technology (first time ever in a Callaway Hybrid) increases stiffness in the perimeter while allowing the face to flex for high ball speeds across the face. Batwing technology was a key feature in making Rogue ST fairways #1 in 2022.

In my opinion, the Paradym hybrids combine our tech from the Apex UW in a traditional hybrid to sit in that perfect playability section. They are long where they need to be, launch high, spin in a tight window and fly like the iron they are replacing.

A.I. Designed 455 Face Cup for Optimized Speed and Spin

A high-strength 455 Face Cup is designed using A.I. to optimize ball speeds and improve spin robustness across the face. Each model features a unique A.I. pattern to enhance performance in that specific head.

Spin robustness was the secret sauce with the Apex UW and essentially what that means is that they don’t over-spin out of the bottom or underspin out of the top.

Incredible Versatility from the All-New Cutwave Sole Design

An all-new Cutwave Sole is specifically designed to cut through the turf easily, especially from thick rough. An increased camber on the leading edge improves turf interaction. This brand-new shape makes Paradym the most versatile family of hybrids we’ve ever created.

Hybrids are also an emergency club for most players, and having an option for getting out of the rough and off tight lies is essential. The new sole will cut thru the rough as well as keep the head stable to avoid that last-minute twisting we all experience on a slight mishit. Once again, this is a scoring club. Not all scoring clubs mean birdies; a lot of the time it means saving par or bogey.

Optimal Trajectory from an Adjustable Hosel

Optimize trajectory and control with an adjustable hosel sleeve capable of +2*/ -1* of loft.

Adjustability is what will separate Paradym from its competitors. Head to head we always had a top performer but now that you can truly dial in loft and lie angle it takes an already high-performance head and elevates it to the next level. YES, we have offered it before; Apex 21 had adjustability but not with a head like this.

My Take:

When I mention raising the floor in your bag, and ill do that at nauseum this year, this is exactly what I mean. Paradym hybrids will give players a three clubs in one scenario in the 18-27 degree portion of the bag.

For me, I don’t make birdies from there BUT I definitely don’t want to make doubles. The test for me is 210-225 performance which sits in the 20-23 degree loft section of the bag. I have played some good golf with Rogue ST Pro and Apex ’21 irons but if there was anything I would wish for it would be more launch on mishits especially out of the bottom of the face. Paradym with the Tungsten Speed Cartridge has given that to me in early testing.

This is the function of a great hybrid and I think with the design and spin tightness of Paradym (across the face), players will see their SG stats in the 2-iron to 6-iron section of the bag get substantially better. I’m already eyeballing that 5H Paradym as we speak. In the past with the Apex 21 hybrid, for example, it went too far at N/S, way too far at N/-1 and, was a bit spinny at N/+1. Paradym 5H at N/-1 was right in the pocket and I’m feeling like with some tweaking and the right shaft it could be incredible. Golf course performance will give me the final answer and I’m excited for the result.