Callaway AI smoke triple Diamond driver

SCOTT4099 · February 18

Anyone who has some time with this driver comment on the distance loss on mishits?

I have seen many video reviews and some say it’s not very forgiving others say it’s plays reasonably the most forgiving of all the lower spin heads.

I know it’s not the max forgiveness model but I really like the look at address and I have not been able to try it yet. I was likely going to get the 10.5 loft model and play the heavier weight in the back anyway. My swing speed is 100-102 and hit up on the ball.

I currently have a sim 2 max driver that I hit pretty straight and am looking to get something new.

thanks

Edited February 18 by SCOTT4099

JTK37 · February 18

I only have very brief time with the Smoke TD, a full season with the G430 LST.

Going back and forth between the two on a monitor I was shocked by how forgiving the TD is compared to the Ping. For a low spin head I find the Ping to be very forgiving. I was expecting the TD to be noticeably less forgiving. Buuutttt…… the numbers on the Callaway were significantly more consistent. Solid shots were almost identical, but on small misses the TD kept the speeds up, to the point that really had me doubting if I had missed it or not.

The biggest surprise was the side spin- there wasn’t any with the TD. Shockingly low side spin, shots just held their line and dispersion was much better. That wasn’t something I expected in the TD head

StarFleetGolfer · February 19

I find it forgiving for low spin head. Much more than the Ls qI10.

Toothpaste · February 19

It’s the most forgiving low spin head I’ve ever hit. I was getting mid 160 ball speeds from off center strikes, mid 170s from center. Those numbers are 3-6 mph slower with my stealth 2. The flat cog option also helped. TD smoke is the first Callaway driver (or product) I’ve bought since the razr days. I like it so much I got the td 3w also. I’ll see how that goes on course against my tsr3.

Vinny Nguyen · February 23

I've found the head to be very very forgiving once you dial in your setting for it. I played around with different weight and sleeve configurations and settled on -1 draw setting with the heavy weight in the back. All my mishits maintain very similar spin to the middled one and directionally they all try to work their way back to target. Any crazy misses always feel like its me and not the head. I came from the TSR3 and found I'm much more confident with the AI Smoke TD.

SeaIsland · April 3

On 2/19/2024 at 8:53 AM, Toothpaste said:

It’s the most forgiving low spin head I’ve ever hit. I was getting mid 160 ball speeds from off center strikes, mid 170s from center. Those numbers are 3-6 mph slower with my stealth 2. The flat cog option also helped. TD smoke is the first Callaway driver (or product) I’ve bought since the razr days. I like it so much I got the td 3w also. I’ll see how that goes on course against my tsr3.

I was thinking about grabbing a Ping 3W. I saw the Cally 3W TD (no chevron, clean look, etc.). I liked it and will try it. Please humor me. Can a low handicapper who does not swing the club >100 MPH play this club effectively (or too much work)? Thanks...

bvanlieu · April 3

If you have the launch, they are very playable for a reasonably good striker (and as a lower cap you should be there). Some models in the past have not done well with say toe strikes (looking at you Mavrik SZ, you sexy thing you) but Cally has certainly refined the design each year moving weight around.

You need to get some numbers to see if it works for you, or if you can dial it in for your delivery TBH as spin is your friend so if you are higher spin it could be great, or it could be a bit too low for you to optimize flight. The TD 5 wood could marry the two, be a rocket for example 🙂