Tour Callaway's new AI Smoke drivers, fairways and utilities – The 2024 Sentry

[Teebs]

Interested in the Smoke Ai Max. Be good to see if it can bring some spin down v current gamer (Rogue ST Max). Early reviews suggest it's lower spinning...

 

Gonna test this v G430 10k..

[swing33]

On 1/4/2024 at 10:48 PM, mlwenzlick said:

I don’t want to hear anyone complain about a Vapor Fly ever again after seeing the sole of this thing.

And they got torched for having the swoosh logo on the crown in basically the same location as we are seeing current manufacturers locate the name....crazy

[third-times-a-charm]

8 hours ago, JohnnyDub said:

Not number for number no as the shapes is a bit different, crown is lighter etc. the new Max is easier to turn over than the STD Tour

Thanks - I may hang onto my std tour head since I need the fade bias but will def do some testing 

 

excited to hear about the TD max 

[Brooks_Cupcake]

2 hours ago, Albatross Dreamer said:

Thanks for sharing! You mentioned feel was better for AI Smoke than TSR. Were there differences in performance too?

That I could not tell. Maybe a bit faster on mishits, and lower spin with TD

Max Spin was closer to TSR3

[JTK37]

Are there ANY details available for the 🔷🔷🔷U?

 

Tech? Availability, Tour only?

 

Such an intriguing option

[Boognish]

Yikes 😬

[EdM]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:28 PM, QuigleyDU said:

Make me one that is 20 degrees.. or 21 degees that I can crank down a degree and I may replace my current 19 degree UW. I love it. But it almost goes too far..

If this is only offered in 15 degrees and 16.5 degrees, 16.5 degrees seems like a perfect fairway wood replacement given how hot the UWs are generally. 

[over7par]

On 1/6/2024 at 8:31 AM, Brooks_Cupcake said:

That I could not tell. Maybe a bit faster on mishits, and lower spin with TD

Max Spin was closer to TSR3

Did you go same shaft in the AI Smoke that you have in your TSR3?

[Radeon962]

TD 7w is now an option. 3-4 week lead time on Callaway’s site. 
 

From Callaway’s Twitter feed:

 

[third-times-a-charm]

50 minutes ago, Radeon962 said:

TD 7w is now an option. 3-4 week lead time on Callaway’s site. 
 

From Callaway’s Twitter feed:

 

Ya it was a planned release this year? Not like a last minute thing.

 

...but instead of making the WHOLE TD line adjustable Callaway aactually took AWAY the adjustable 5w; and the 5w and 7w are both bonded.

 

I just picked up a Rogue ST LS TC head (same as TD I guess) spec'd at 19 instead of a 7w.

Edited January 19 by third-times-a-charm

[TheMoneyShot]

3 hours ago, third-times-a-charm said:

Ya it was a planned release this year? Not like a last minute thing.

 

...but instead of making the WHOLE TD line adjustable Callaway aactually took AWAY the adjustable 5w; and the 5w and 7w are both bonded.

 

I just picked up a Rogue ST LS TC head (same as TD I guess) spec'd at 19 instead of a 7w.

Maybe they will release adjustable versions down the road?  Wishful thinking of course..

[third-times-a-charm]

1 hour ago, TheMoneyShot said:

Maybe they will release adjustable versions down the road?  Wishful thinking of course..

Nothing on the confirming list as of yet but heres to hoping. I'll be the first one in line.

[fr8dog]

I currently play an AD XC,  For you shaft experts, which no upcharge shaft has a similar profile?  I'm not familiar with all the options.

[Lefty_13]

Went in for a driver fitting yesterday and hit all of the new product from the OEMs. SS average is around 115, currently in the Stealth and OG HZRDUS Black, also will pop my Ventus Black in occasionally. Candidly, I’ve never been a fan of Callaway woods as the shape has never fit my eye so the AI Smoke wasn’t on my radar, was assuming the new QI10 or TSR3 was going to be a good fit. Started with the QI10 but it felt/performed just like the Stealth, the feel was almost too soft off the face (one of my main complaints with the Stealth). Fitter then reached for the Triple Diamond and from the second I sat it down, I fell in love with it. New crown color really pops with the contrast between the carbon and the leading edge and looks it very compact/fast. The feeling off the face is very satisfying with nice firm ‘crunch’ feedback and the acoustics are really great as well. What really impressed me was how consistent it is across the face, mishits stay in the air. All modern drivers are long out of the middle so this is where I believe drivers can set themselves apart and Callaway has done it with this one. Also hit the Darkspeed, G430 and TSR3 but nothing performed as well (for me) than the AI Smoke. We played with shafts quite a bit but ended up in a Tensei Pro White 1K which I was really impressed with as well, very stable and loaded/unloaded well with my tempo. Long story short, I walked out ordering my first Callaway driver and can’t wait to get it out on the course. 

[halfsumo]

Hit the triple diamond today alongside the Darkspeed. The Darkspeed LS is the best looking head to me by far of all the new stuff this year. But, the triple diamond looks great too, I actually really like the pattern on the sole, looks great. Versus the Darkspeed, I just preferred the sound and feel of the triple diamond which may end up being deciding factor. Both super low spin, the triple diamond felt a little friendlier. 

[runningblind11]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:58 PM, Lefty_13 said:

Went in for a driver fitting yesterday and hit all of the new product from the OEMs. SS average is around 115, currently in the Stealth and OG HZRDUS Black, also will pop my Ventus Black in occasionally. Candidly, I’ve never been a fan of Callaway woods as the shape has never fit my eye so the AI Smoke wasn’t on my radar, was assuming the new QI10 or TSR3 was going to be a good fit. Started with the QI10 but it felt/performed just like the Stealth, the feel was almost too soft off the face (one of my main complaints with the Stealth). Fitter then reached for the Triple Diamond and from the second I sat it down, I fell in love with it. New crown color really pops with the contrast between the carbon and the leading edge and looks it very compact/fast. The feeling off the face is very satisfying with nice firm ‘crunch’ feedback and the acoustics are really great as well. What really impressed me was how consistent it is across the face, mishits stay in the air. All modern drivers are long out of the middle so this is where I believe drivers can set themselves apart and Callaway has done it with this one. Also hit the Darkspeed, G430 and TSR3 but nothing performed as well (for me) than the AI Smoke. We played with shafts quite a bit but ended up in a Tensei Pro White 1K which I was really impressed with as well, very stable and loaded/unloaded well with my tempo. Long story short, I walked out ordering my first Callaway driver and can’t wait to get it out on the course. 

TD or Max?

[EdM]

 

 

On 1/3/2024 at 8:54 PM, third-times-a-charm said:

Theres only two on the confirming list; 15 and 16.5.

Anybody hear about possible availability of these heads?

[elwhippy]

Finally saw these in the metal last night. Drivers and fairways sit great at address. Sounds better off the face. Not so keen on the marbled effect sole though. To be fair the new TM, Cobra and Ping woods also look great. A vintage year for new equipment. 

[1lovesputters]

On 1/8/2024 at 11:21 AM, JTK37 said:

Are there ANY details available for the 🔷🔷🔷U?

 

Tech? Availability, Tour only?

 

Such an intriguing option

I'm hoping to hear more about this one at some point?  Anyone?

[Big_hitter_The_Lama]

I hope they release the 16.5 TD fw to the market. Ai smoke is one of the best that Callaway has come out with thus far.

🔥🔥🔥

[belh22]

Any chance the 16.5 comes to retail? 

[bcflyguy1]

4 hours ago, 1lovesputters said:

I'm hoping to hear more about this one at some point?  Anyone?

My understanding is that it's very much an experiment to see how received by the tour staff.

[lakecowboy]

Anyone switch to a TD from a TSR4? I’m on the fence after my fitting. I liked the ball speed on poor strikes but my worst swing with my TSR4 was 2550 spin and my worst with the TD was 2900/3000. Those spin gains are brutal on bad strikes even though the ball speed is retained better.

 

TSR4 knows on the course I’m eyeing other drivers because she’s been showing out.

Edited February 20 by lakecowboy

[aussieb]

2 hours ago, lakecowboy said:

Anyone switch to a TD from a TSR4? I’m on the fence after my fitting. I liked the ball speed on poor strikes but my worst swing with my TSR4 was 2550 spin and my worst with the TD was 2900/3000. Those spin gains are brutal on bad strikes even though the ball speed is retained better.

 

TSR4 knows on the course I’m eyeing other drivers because she’s been showing out.

I made the switch after testing both the TD and Max.  It's easy to get caught up in SIM numbers instead of how equipment goes during a round.  The heel and toe miss were actually much better on the course.  Just missing into the rough is far better than in the bunkers or trees.  I added some weight to the front and pushed the max ballspeed past the TSR4 by 4 mph.  Some of that might have been due to a shaft change from the Accra RPG 472 M5+

[endy]

19 hours ago, 1lovesputters said:

I'm hoping to hear more about this one at some point?  Anyone?

 

@JohnnyDub any chance this sucker (Triple Diamond UW) comes to retail ?

Edited February 20 by endy

[bcflyguy1]

10 minutes ago, endy said:

 

@JohnnyDub any chance this sucker (Triple Diamond UW) comes to retail ?

Seen him asked this question in other places, and early indications don't exactly scream that it's a concept that needs to be pursued. Could change, but...

[Big_hitter_The_Lama]

16 hours ago, belh22 said:

Any chance the 16.5 comes to retail? 

We sure hope so! I saw one on eBay and the guy was asking like $1,200🙄

 

Only thing missing was the mask and the gun 🤣

Edited February 20 by Big_hitter_The_Lama

[belh22]

Least they could’ve done was make the 5 wood adjustable for us 

[JohnnyDub]

On 2/20/2024 at 12:03 PM, belh22 said:

Least they could’ve done was make the 5 wood adjustable for us 

Agreed. Not sure why we did it that way this year. Havent heard a smoking gun reason 

[Lemonde]

On 2/19/2024 at 4:25 PM, Big_hitter_The_Lama said:

I hope they release the 16.5 TD fw to the market. Ai smoke is one of the best that Callaway has come out with thus far.

🔥🔥🔥

Can you not just increase the loft with the dual cog?  I don’t see the face closing on Callaway woods unlike say TM.