Why the Project X Denali Black Makes a Perfect Callaway Driver Shaft for the Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond

Right now, the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke has a 4.9 star rating on Callaway’s website, and has been nearly unanimously lauded for feel, accuracy, distance, and overall quality.

One of Callaway’s most advanced drivers, the Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond is engineered to produce a neutral-to-fade bias, and has a smaller, more compact head, making it suitable for players looking for “workability” - in Callaway’s words.

Part of the AI series, these are the world’s first drivers that have been created with help from advanced machine learning utilizing real data from thousands of real golfers.

These contributors were analyzed for swing dynamics with special attention to speed, club delivery and face orientation; the AI smart face was developed by crunching over a million data points from 250,000 swings and 50,000 face iterations, with the goal of promoting optimal launch conditions and tight dispersion.

Part of this “AI Smart Face” technology consists of what Callaway calls “micro deflections,” which optimize launch and spin characteristics, even on off-center shots. This creates a more forgiving club head with multiple sweet spots instead of just one.

The Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond may have a slightly more compact footprint than its cousins, but they are still relatively large driver heads. To help compensate for the extra volume, Callaway has utilized what they call a “360° Carbon Chassis” with internal titanium supports that both strengthen and lighten the club head, by as much as 15% when compared to the 2023 Callaway Paradym.

The long and short of this is that the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond is engineered to deliver serious performance for players of all different skill sets and levels of talent. It is lighter, more forgiving, and designed to produce optimal launch and spin characteristics, even on less than ideal shots, under less than ideal conditions.

The name of the game is greater forgiveness, more range, and less shot dispersion.

Continuing, the point here is that a driver shaft boasting this level of refinement needs a corresponding driver shaft to bring out the best in it.

The best Callaway driver shaft for this Paradym driver - as per Callaway itself - is the Project X Denali Black, and the reasons for this we will cover here.

About the Project X Denali Black

The Project X Denali Black is, in lieu of a proper Callaway driver shaft, one of the best conceivable mates for the Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond driver. Its specifications make it perfect for such a forgiving, yet precise driver.

The engineers at Project X have been laboring to produce the ultimate balance between feel and performance and the Denali Black is the culmination of more than a year and a half of blind testing, research and development.

The Project X Denali sports a stable butt section mated to a straight taper through the midsection, finishing with a .335 parallel tip.

The stable, stiff butt section affords good sensitivity and feedback as the straight taper through the midsection ensures optimal loading and energy transfer for similarly optimal launch characteristics.

All in all, the Project X Denali Black is a low launch, low spin shaft. Given the peerless performance of the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond, this launch/spin profile is likely well-suited to the needs of a wide range of golfers. Lower launch and spin generally correspond to less shot dispersion, which is something with which the driver in question can also help.

It should also be noted that the Project X Denali Black is best for players with a moderate swing tempo - despite the low launch and spin characteristics. This means it is best for players with a deliberate, rather than a fast or aggressive swing tempo.

Think of tempo as how you swing, not how fast you swing. Deliberate is more fluid than aggressive, which is a unique combination of traits. Players that have a slightly slower but more fluid mechanics - although a potentially very fast swing - will benefit from this.

Moreover it is available in multiple models to best suit the needs of the widest range of golfers. Select between a 6.0, 6.5 and TX rated Denali Black, depending on the level of flex you desire in a golf shaft for a driver.

It is the forgiveness of the Paradym that makes the recommendation in question such excellent Callaway driver shafts. With such a low launching, low spin profile, the forgiveness and multiple sweet spots of the AI Smoke Triple Diamond are uniquely situated to generate long, straight, penetrating drives (notwithstanding the slight fade bias of the driver) with less shot dispersion.

It is a pairing that is designed to deliver extra speed and range with less rollout and overall dispersion. Accuracy and power; go back to the ratings mentioned at the beginning of this post.

For what it’s worth Project X also makes a variant, the Denali Blue, which produces mid launch and spin characteristics - but considering the performance and forgiveness of the Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond, the Denali Black is likely a better choice for most golfers.

Get Fitted for Callaway Driver Shafts

Not sure if the Project X Denali Black is a good shaft for you and an AI Smoke Triple Diamond? Thinking it might be another Callaway driver shaft instead?

The best thing you can do is work with a fitter - not trust to blind online reviews. While you can learn about golf driver shafts for sale through that avenue, the best way to find a mate is to get fitted.

A professional golf club fitter will take your measurements, interview you about your goals and style of play, and most importantly, observe your swing mechanics. Then he or she will be able to make customized, personalized recommendations for shaft and club pairings, based either on what you need, or what you already play with.

If you’re thinking one of these pairings might be right for you, don’t guess. Get in touch with us, work with our golf club fitters, and we’ll make sure you end up with a match that works best by you and your natural skill set.