Callaway Paradym and Paradym X Hybrids Review

Callaway’s Paradym Hybrids bring speed technologies from the fairway woods and a host of new tech to create their most versatile models yet.

Callaway say Paradym’s new Cutwave Sole design, which acts like a rudder to make it easier to square the face and play from a variety of lies, making it a match for the best hybrid golf clubs available.

The two models, which join three Paradym drivers and three fairway woods, use adaptations of the best speed technologies from the brand’s woods to ensure maximum distance and, like the drivers and fairways, boast a host of matching tech.

All-New Tungsten Speed Cartridge

Callaway’s revolutionary Tungsten Speed Cartridge has been designed to lower spin and create more ball speed. By incorporating high-density tungsten, they have pushed the center of gravity (CG) low and forward.

“This is an ideal location,” Scott Manwaring, Callaway’s director of R&D for irons and hybrids, tells us. “It’s low and forward and a really simplistic way to think of tungsten seeing as it’s heavier than all of the material that’s around it is that it acts as a magnet and pulls the center of gravity down towards its position.

“In a hybrid, low and forward really promotes higher launch angles, and more ball speed on shots low on the face.”

Jailbreak with Batwing Technology 

The renowned Jailbreak tech has evolved throughout the Paradym family with the Artificial Intelligence helping to create ‘Batwing Technology’, which increases stiffness in the perimeter while allowing the face to flex for high ball speeds right across it. In other words, hitting one out of the toe or heel won’t cost you much distance. 

“Each club shape drives a different Jailbreak formula, so in this case, by adding the adjustability we’d really stiffened that side up, so we needed to stiffen the toe side of the club,” Manwaring says. “Adding that Batwing feature out there on the toe was just a clean way to force the energy back into the face and really take advantage of this really well-put-together AI 455 face.”

High-Strength Face Cup

AI has also been used to create the new high-strength 455 Face Cup, which is said to optimize ball speeds and improve spin robustness across the face. Each model features a unique AI pattern to enhance performance in that specific head.

All-New Cutwave Sole Design

The sole has been designed to cut through the turf with ease, especially from thick rough, whilst an increased camber on the leading edge improves turf interaction. Callaway say it’s this which makes Paradym the most versatile family of hybrids they’ve ever created.

“What we really wanted to do this time was work with the industrial design team and see what additional features and callouts we could bring to the club to enhance what we’d previously done,” Manwaring says. What you’re seeing is a pattern carved into the sole to really help off the tight lies, help it go through the rough and bring the performance on those difficult shots where it’s sitting down and you really need to get down to the ball.”

Adjustable Hosel 

Both hybrids allow you to optimize trajectory and control thanks to an adjustable hosel sleeve capable of +2º/ -1º of loft.

Let’s take a look at how the two hybrids differ.

WATCH: Best 2023 Hybrid video

Callaway Paradym Hybrid

RRP £299/$299.99 | Released February 3rd, 2023

Lofts 18º, 21º, 24º, 27º | Lengths 18º – 40.5″, 21º – 40″, 24º – 39.5″, 27º – 39″ | Lies 18º – 57.5º, 21º – 58º, 24º –
58.5º, 27º – 59º | Adjustable Hosel Yes (All models) | Swingweight D1 | Availability Right Hand (All models), Left Hand (18º, 21º, 24º) | Stock Shafts MCA Aldila Ascent PL Blue (40g – Women’s; 50g – Regular, Light), Project X Hzrdus Silver (60g – Regular, Stiff, 70 – Stiff) | Stock Grips Callaway Universal (51g), Women’s Lamkin ST Soft Undersized (44g)

The Paradym model is for golfers who want a mid-sized, wood-shaped hybrid that’s long with excellent versatility and control. It launches high, but not as high as the X, and has a neutral flight.

“We had a lot of success with the Rogue ST Pro shape, which was more of a wood shape with the grooves going around the perimeter of the face,” Manwaring tells us. “In addition, it’s got a lot of pro tour validation ­– Xander played a wood-shaped one and did extremely well, and he helped us develop some of the mass properties and some of the face progression patterns that really changed the way the club performed in making it more spin driven for better control.

You’ll notice the standard hybrid is printed with lofts and only has four models, while the X is printed with the number of the iron it is meant to replace and there are five models.

It also has a fully adjustable hosel across all lofts so you can fully dial in your trajectory and ensure your club gapping is perfect, and shaft options that are designed specifically for hybrids.

“Paradym is a bit smaller and it’s really for the better player,” Manwaring adds. “It’s a smaller, tidier package and you’ll notice some interesting details. We removed the top scoreline because a lot of pros had a preference towards a cleaner face so at set-up it was easier to set square and establish the shot they want to hit.”

Callaway Paradym X Hybrid

RRP £299/$299.99 | Available February 3rd

Lofts 3 – 18º, 4 – 21º, 5 – 24º, 6 – 27º, 7 – 30º | Lengths 3 – 40.5″, 4 – 40″, 4 – 39.5″, 6 – 39″, 7 – 38.5″ | Lies 3 – 57.5º, 4 – 58º, 5 – 58.5º, 6 – 59º, 7 – 59.5º | Adjustable Hosel Yes (All models) | Swingweight D1 – 70g | Availability Right Hand (All models), Left Hand (3, 4, 5) | Stock Shafts MCA Aldila Ascent PL Blue (40g – Women’s, 50g Light), Prokect X Hzrdus Silver (60g – Regular, 70g – Stiff) | Stock Grips Callaway Universal (51g), Women’s Lamkin ST Soft Undersized (44g)

The Paradym X model is for golfers looking for an oversized, wood-shaped hybrid that’s long with excellent versatility and forgiveness.

It launches higher than the standard model and has a semi-draw bias to help golfers who may be prone to hitting the ball to the right.

More golfers are putting extra hybrids in the bag and the Paradym X allows you to replace everything up to your 7-iron with adjustability throughout the range to ensure a perfectly balanced bag. The X is printed with its iron equivalent as opposed to the lofts, which Callaway believe will simplify the hybrid process for amateurs.

Verdict: Callaway Paradym and Paradym X hybrids

Having struggled to love Callaway hybrids for some time, as we’ve not been fans of their square shaped toe models, we’re delighted to say the brand have reverted to more fairway wood shaped hybrids for 2023. It’s a really simple switch but boy-oh-boy does it make Callaway’s new Paradym hybrids much more attractive.

From a slightly weaker 21 deg loft (our test loft is 20deg), it’s unfair to expect the Paradym to keep up with some of the stronger loft and longer hitting models, but as we’ve said before hybrids are not all about distance. They should be easier to hit consistently than a long iron, and the Paradym utterly fulfils that brief.

If like us you’re impressed enough to explore the Paradym, make sure you have a fitter help you figure out your best set-up. The X head is wider and spins a fraction more, which will be useful at lesser speeds, there’s also an adjustable hosel to dial loft up or down and a draw setting that’s well worth considering. Throw all of that in with a wide selection of lofts and we’d be asking ourselves honestly this year which is the longest iron we hit with confidence? No matter whether that be a 6 or 7 iron there’s a Paradym hybrid waiting to replace everything else.     

Data comparison: How do the Callaway Paradym and Paradym X hybrids compare to competitor models?

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– Callaway Paradym fairway woods review

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Callaway Paradym Hybrid

RRP £299/$299.99 | Released February 3rd, 2023
Lofts 18º, 21º, 24º, 27º | Lengths 18º – 40.5", 21º – 40", 24º – 39.5", 27º – 39" | Lies 18º – 57.5º, 21º – 58º, 24º – 58.5º, 27º – 59º | Adjustable Hosel Yes (All models) | Swingweight D1 | Availability Right Hand (All models), Left Hand (18º, 21º, 24º) | Stock Shafts MCA Aldila Ascent PL Blue (40g – Women's; 50g – Regular, Light), Project X Hzrdus Silver (60g – Regular, Stiff, 70 – Stiff) | Stock Grips Callaway Universal (51g), Women's Lamkin ST Soft Undersized (44g)

Callaway Paradym X Hybrid

RRP £299/$299.99 | Released February 3rd, 2023
Lofts 3 – 18º, 4 – 21º, 5 – 24º, 6 – 27º, 7 – 30º | Lengths 3 – 40.5", 4 – 40", 4 – 39.5", 6 – 39", 7 – 38.5" | Lies 3 – 57.5º, 4 – 58º, 5 – 58.5º, 6 – 59º, 7 – 59.5º | Adjustable Hosel Yes (All models) | Swingweight D1 – 70g | Availability Right Hand (All models), Left Hand (3, 4, 5) | Stock Shafts MCA Aldila Ascent PL Blue (40g – Women's, 50g Light), Prokect X Hzrdus Silver (60g – Regular, 70g – Stiff) | Stock Grips Callaway Universal (51g), Women's Lamkin ST Soft Undersized (44g)