Golfing News & Blog Articles

Going back to the days when Ely ran the show, Callaway Golf has sought to create products that are pleasingly different and demonstrably superior.

That last part will be judged in testing and, I suppose, by each of our individual experiences with the Paradym Ai Smoke driver.

The first half?

Well …

There’s an element of subjectivity to that, though I will say that, relative to its competitors, Callaway’s 2024 story is different, perhaps even pleasingly so.

The new Wilson Staff Model golf balls may very well be early contenders for the unofficial 2024 Ball Speed Championship, Golf Ball Division.

We don’t say that lightly, of course. Wilson’s previous Staff Model balls, as well as the woefully underappreciated Triad, performed well in our MyGolfSpy’s ball tests. For 2024, Wilson Staff is giving the original Staff Model ball an upgrade while introducing the new and firmer Staff Model X.

And if past measurements serve as a guide, it’s possible the Staff Model X might just wind up being the firmest Tour-level ball in golf.

Wilson Golf Balls: Solid and Then Some …

Golf balls evolve. In our 2021 test, the Wilson Staff Model finished half an eyelash behind the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash in ball speed for high swing speed players. Two years later, however, new models from MaxFli, Srixon, Titleist and PXG leapfrogged the Staff Model. Not by much, mind you. The difference between the top-ranked Left Dash and the sixth-ranked Staff Model was only 7/10ths of a mile per hour.

The Staff Model also proved itself in the mid swing speed driver test (100 mph), finishing eighth in distance and fifth in ball speed, just 3/10ths of an mph behind Left Dash.  Additionally, the Staff Model was among the firmest balls in our test at 99 compression. Of the top performers, only Left Dash (102) and the MaxFli Tour X (101) were firmer.

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods and hybrids likely won’t be the first reason many golfers take a gander at the brand’s new line of metalwoods.

That said, perhaps they should be.

Last year, I opined that the Rogue ST Callaway Rogue ST fairway woods offered a more compelling tech story than the 2022 Rogue ST drivers. I won’t make the same assertion this time around but it’s not because the fairway woods (and hybrids) are tech-lite. 

In fact, the same AI and machine learning that is foundational in development of the Paradym Ai Smoke drivers provides the basis for the accompanying fairway woods and hybrids. (AI is “artificial intelligence” unless you’re Callaway, in which case it’s Ai.)

2024 Fairway Trends

The dialogue regarding this year’s slate of drivers is trending to more often include terms like “downrange accuracy” and “dispersion”. So, if 2024 is the “Year of Straight” for the longest club in the bag, the tea leaves suggest a “Year of Choice” is the fairway wood and hybrid category.

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke irons are a new and rather interesting release but they raise a question I’m not entirely sure we can answer.

What are they replacing?

The easy answer is the Paradym Ai Smoke irons are the obvious replacement for the year-old Paradym and Paradym X irons. That’s the easy answer but it might not be the right one. Callaway, along with TaylorMade and COBRA, has an every-year release cadence for game-improvement irons but Callaway has done so with a twist. It has had two separate lines of game-improvement irons, each with its own two-year product life cycle and different enough attributes to justify their existence.

Sound confusing? It kind of is but that doesn’t mean the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke irons aren’t worth a whack or two. And they do continue last year’s Paradym release in giving you a cleaner, sleeker look.

Do they fit your game?

Callaway’s 2024 transition from Chrome Soft to Chrome Tour + Chrome Soft might be the second-most significant evolution in the history of Callaway’s golf ball business.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the decision to ditch Speed Regime (Remember that? Thought not.) for the Original Chrome Soft. Billed as the “Ball That Changed the Ball”, the original red-box offering inarguably transformed Callaway’s golf ball biz from one among a handful of also-rans to the clear No. 2 in the market.

So, while maybe not the birth of Chrome Soft-big, 2024 is a stake-in-the-ground moment for Callaway’s ball franchise that brings core-to-cover enhancements across the entire lineup. Beyond the performance improvements, changes include a shedding of the “soft” branding from its high-compression offerings, dropping “LS” from the lineup and shifting focus toward better players who perhaps haven’t taken Callaway golf balls as seriously as they should.

It’s all part of a larger plan built around the objective of creating the most advanced tour balls the world has ever seen. And, yeah, if it sounds at all like Callaway is ready to stand toe-to-toe with Titleist in a way that it hasn’t since before the first Chrome Soft hit shelves, it’s only because that’s exactly what’s happening.

2024 Chrome Lineup

Callaway’s 2024 Chrome golf ball lineup consists of the familiar (though not unenhanced) Chrome Soft along with the Chrome Tour X and the entirely new Chrome Tour.

PGA Tour members voted Scottie Scheffler as player of the year for 2022-23 over Jon Rahm, who is headed to the Liv Golf League.

Parker McLachlin, aka the Short Game Chef, is known for his prowess around the greens — but he's much more than just an instructor.

The post ‘Golf came along and stole my heart’: Parker McLachlin dishes on his journey appeared first on Golf.

Scottie Scheffler beat out new LIV signee Jon Rahm for PGA Tour Player of the Year honors, while Eric Cole was named Rookie of the Year.

The post PGA Tour names Player of the Year, but not without whiff of controversy appeared first on Golf.

Rory McIlroy says he regrets being too quick to judge players who joined LIV Golf and accepts that the Saudi-backed tour is part of the sport.

Sure, you need to eliminate the big numbers from your scorecard. But you also need to do this several times a round if you want to go low.

The post Need a scorecard goal for 2024? Do this 6 times per round appeared first on Golf.

Rory McIlroy is changing his tune about LIV Golf, but there's more to it than the departure of pal (and Ryder Cup teammate) Jon Rahm.

The post Rory McIlroy’s LIV reversal is about more than ‘opportunistic’ Jon Rahm appeared first on Golf.

As we enter 2024, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Ed Oldham shares 3 steps to improve your game this offseason to reach your goals in the year ahead.

The post This Top 100 Teacher’s offseason guide will help you accomplish your golf goals in 2024 appeared first on Golf.

As the future of the PGA Tour continues to take shape, Mackenzie Hughes says there are plenty of issues that still need to be solved.

The post ‘Living in fantasy land’: Pro weighs in on entitled players, fan discontent appeared first on Golf.

In this edition of Pros Teaching Joes, LPGA pro Brittany Lang shares the secrets for escaping a fried egg lie in the bunker.

The post The secret to escaping a fried egg lie, according to an LPGA pro appeared first on Golf.

Is this the year Viktor Hovland secures his first major win -- or Rory McIlroy ends his drought? Has Scottie Scheffler put it together with his putter? Here's our first PGA Tour Power Rankings of the 2024 season.

As the PGA Tour kicks off the new year at The Sentry, a strong field is on hand in Kapalua with one notable absence: the defending champ.

The post The Sentry betting guide: 3 picks we love this week in Maui appeared first on Golf.

Over the past few years, Malbon Golf has led a cadre of brands looking to breathe new life to the game of golf by injecting personal style into what we wear on the course. Bridging the gap between fashion, streetwear and golf, Malbon is inspiring people to get out on the golf course and look good doing it. 

After signing its first professional ambassador last year, the LPGA’s Yealimi Noh, it was only a matter of time before Malbon signed a PGA Tour pro. They chose Jason Day, an globally admired Aussie who was ranked No.1 in the world after winning the 2015 PGA Championship. 

Please Welcome Jason Day to #TeamMalbon@JDayGolf pic.twitter.com/ZKEirWhvmg

We asked Malbon founder Stephen Malbon what it means to sign an athlete of this caliber and why Jason is the perfect athlete to represent his brand on the PGA Tour.

“It means we are being seen on a professional level where golf is played at the highest level. Malbon Golf being seen on one of the most highly talented champions on tour,” Malbon said. “Jason is vulnerable, honest, and relatable when it comes to being a human being. Jason does not shy away from speaking about the highs and lows of life. The more relatable a champion can be, the more inspirational they can be to a broader audience.”

As another new year dawns, we could make the same old empty resolutions. Or we could simply resolve to play more golf.

The post 9 must-play public golf courses set to open in 2024 appeared first on Golf.

Today, PUMA Golf announces the release of a limited-edition Lahaina Maui golf cap. All proceeds from sales of the special hat will go to the Maui United Way.

The cap features a prominent “L” insignia, inspired by the “L” that sits on the hill above Lahainaluna High School. Other details include a locally inspired flora pattern and an image of Kihawahine, a Hawaiian lizard deity.

In order to further the mission of the limited-edition Lahaina Maui golf cap, Rickie Fowler, PUMA Golf’s premier staffer, will don the cap at The Sentry Tournament held at Kapalua on Maui.

“We are honored to work with Rickie to help raise money for the Lahaina community,” said Grant Knudson, VP Product and Marketing, PUMA Golf. “Rickie has expressed his love for Maui and feels a connection here. We wanted to help support by doing something to contribute positively to people affected by the fires.”

The limited-edition Lahaina Maui golf cap from PUMA Golf is available now. All proceeds go to Maui United Way to help rebuild the beautiful Maui community. Those interested in donating directly can visit https://mauiunitedway.org/puma.