Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini Driver

Callaway has just announced the Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini Driver. It’s the company’s first entry in the reemerging mini driver category since the Big Bertha Mini 1.5. That one was released in time to compete with the TaylorMade AeroBurner mini which, if nothing else, helps to explain why the entire category went on hiatus for a few years after.

Regrettable, if not forgettable, times.

The Callaway offering is interesting because of the questions it raises.

• How biggie before you isn’t mini no more?
• Do I even need a 3W, bro?
• Does every Callaway product name need to be excessively long?

Let’s table the third one indefinitely and focus on the other two.

The Not-So-Mini Driver

As the name hints, the Ti 340 is a 340cc design. By comparison, the TaylorMade BRNR Mini is 304. Callaway’s Bertha 1.5 was just 235 and, while it may never come to market (at least not in its current form), Titleist’s PGA Tour-only TSR mini is 280.

Mini in name or not, the Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 mini is not a particularly small club. Callaway made it bigger on purpose.

Why a Bigger Mini?

I’m not sure if it qualifies as a trend on Tour but the modern Tour player seldom hits a 3-wood into greens. They’re being used almost entirely off the tee in situations where a full send with the driver isn’t the optimal play.

That can mean situations where running through a fairway is a possibility or when the hole’s layout prioritizes shots with more accuracy.

Either way, a mini might be better than either driver or 3-wood.

The trade-off is that a mini is going to be shorter off the tee.

It’s also true that hitting a 340cc club off the deck is going to be a challenge for most of us. I’m not saying you can’t hit a Ai Smoke Ti 340 off the deck but it’s important to reinforce that its primary role is an alternative to the driver off the tee.

Quick aside: I know a guy who has carried two drivers for years. The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 mini might replace his high-heeled NIKE Sasquatch.

Fundamentally Different

This illustrates that Callaway’s Ti 340 approach is different from how other mini drivers have tackled the category. Every previous mini I can recall tried (sometimes half-heartedly) to straddle the line between driver and fairway wood.

Yeah, they were all, by some measure, bigger than your 3-wood but still small enough that most of us could hit them off the deck. With allowances for the DOD (driver off the deck) crowd, as the size of the head increases, the harder it becomes to make that argument.  

The SLDR Mini (260cc) was easy enough to hit off the deck. With the BRNR, I can still do it. I wouldn’t describe results as towering draws with perfect launch but the 13.5-degree version is functional from a fairway lie.

At 340cc, using Callaway’s Ai Smoke Ti mini from the fairway will be a challenge for most golfers, which brings us full circle to the Ai Smoke Ti 340 being an alternative or complement to the traditional drivers—not a true fairway wood replacement.

For some, that could be a problem.

Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini Driver Tech

As far as the technology powering Callaway’s Mini goes, a good bit of what you find in Callaway’s full-sized drivers is baked in.

You get a carbon crown, the flippable weight design of the Triple Diamond (12 and 4 grams) and an Ai Smart Face with micro-deflections. It features Callaway’s Optifit hosel adjustability and, because I know someone will ask, it uses the driver tip adapter.

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini is available in 11.5 and 13.5 degrees. The 11.5 is already more loft than most of us play but if you’re considering hitting it off the deck, I’d be inclined to steer you toward the 13.5.

Who is the Mini For?

For most golfers, the Ti 340 Mini will likely replace the 3W – especially for those of you who hit yours almost exclusively off the tee.

While mini drivers typically are positioned for the better player, I have a couple of friends … let’s call them less than elite golfers … who have replaced their standard drivers with a mini.

They’re willing to give up the distance to keep the ball in play. Sometimes, compromise (be it ball speeds, spin, aesthetics, playability) is good.

At 43.75 inches, the Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini is two inches shorter than Callaway’s drivers. On length alone, you’re going to lose distance while gaining some measure of control. The larger head isn’t going to be as forgiving but (reminder time) straightness and forgiveness are not the same thing in the driver world.

The larger (relative to a 3W) head should also work to make the Smoke Ti 340 easier to hit off the tee.

All of this is by design.

In Callaway’s testing, their mini produced tighter dispersion than its lone competitor in the market.

Summarized: If you need a more controllable alternative to the driver off the tee and your 3W isn’t getting it done, a Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini Driver might be right for you.

Rebuilding Your Bag for the Mini Driver

Thinking this through …

If I were to drop a mini in my bag with any regularity, it would mean ditching the 3W and replacing my 5-wood with a 4-wood. That likely takes hitting the sixth hole in two on my home course out of play.

I’m not sure I’m cool with that.

And, yeah, while the specifics of that particular scenario are unique to me, there are likely similar decision points for you.

And that’s before we talk about the costs that come with rejiggering your bag.

Mini Drivers on a Spectrum

I’m not fully sold on the idea of a bigger mini driver but I love how this Callaway release extends the category. I’d love to see the mini driver category grow to be as diverse as the player’s distance category.

Wouldn’t it be great to have options that span everything from a slightly oversized fairway wood (something just a bit bigger than a Titleist TSR2+, for example) to a full-sized driver head with a 43.75-inch shaft? COBRA wasn’t all that far off with its 44.5-inch “Tour Length” option but I’m not sure how many golfers knew it existed or that they should consider the shorter model as a complement to their driver instead of a replacement.

The bottom line is that options are good, especially in a category that has very few.

Specs, Pricing and Availability

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5 degrees.

The stock shaft is the Project X Denali Blue (50R, 60S, 60X). A women’s offering (Project X Cypher, 40g) is available.

Stock grip offerings include the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 and Lamkin ST Soft undersized.

Retail price for Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 Mini Driver is $449.99.

Pre-sale begins immediately. Full retail availability starts June 27.

For more information, visit Callawaygolf.com.