By neatly balancing power with forgiveness, Callaway’s Paradym driver has a truly broad appeal. Throw in some new, aspirational aesthetics and a lively feel and you have a serious contender at the premium end of the market.
For
- Premium, high tech aesthetics
- Lively feel through impact
- Impressive mix of speed and consistency
Against
- Not a huge leap forward over the previous generation
The Rogue ST Max delivers high levels of stability and consistency while maintaining competitive distance. The overall look is more premium and the performance will appeal to a range of player types.
For
- Premium, elegant look
- Better sound and feel than previous generation
- Very stable ball flight
Against
- Clock-style graphic on the crown are unnecessary
- Questions over product availability
Callaway Paradym vs Rogue ST Max Driver: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict
If you were to name brands that produce the best golf drivers on the market, Callaway would certainly be near the top of the pile, with their clubs excelling on both the professional circuit and the amateur game.
For 2023, we see the new release of their Paradym drivers, which replace the still excellent Rogue ST range. Both are ranked as some of the best Callaway drivers that money can buy, and both will appeal to a wide range of golfers. However, which model is better suited to your game?
Well, after rigorous testing, we are able to draw up a few comparisons between the premium models, with both certainly finding their ways onto the most forgiving drivers. Here, we take a look at them.
Technology
Let's begin with the technology which, for 2023, has seen the Paradym receive a significant update over the previous model. The newest addition of the key technology is the shape of a 360˚ carbon chassis.
What's more, one significant difference between the Paradym and the Rogue ST Max is that engineers at Callaway have done away with any trace of titanium in the body. This is the first time that the brand has done this, with the reason being that it saves weight which can then redistributed elsewhere for enhanced forgiveness.
The last notable difference is that the Paradym has an A.I. Optimized face for tighter downrange dispersion, as well as a Face Cup for faster and more consistent ball speeds. We still see the familiar Jailbreak system that was present in the Rogue ST driver but, in the Paradym, it is 33% lighter than its predecessor.
Callaway continues to be one of, if not, the industry leader in Artificial Intelligence and with the sliding weight at the rear of the driver, something that is present on both the Paradym and Rogue ST Max, you have plenty of adjustability to maximize performance.
Looks
So, the technology has certainly been enhanced for 2023, however the aesthetics are where Callaway has made the biggest changes between the two models. Gone are the matte black looks of the Rogue ST Max, replaced with a gloss crown that has a dark blue carbon effect in the Paradym.
We found that the dark blue contrasted with the black of the leading edge well, and the color scheme is not only different to its previous model, but any other models released in 2023, making it stand out that little bit more.
The classic head shape remains, with the Paradym boasting extreme shelf-appeal thanks to the carbon effect and gold flashes on the sole. We thought it looked high tech and premium, with the blue crown providing that something a little bit different.
There's still a lot to like cosmetically about the Rogue ST though. Again, the contrast between the crown and clubface is a standout, with the matte crown contrasting well with the lighter grey color of the clubface; this makes the loft nicely visible at address inspiring confidence.
Because of the contrast between the colors, both club heads visually look fairly large at address. This makes them extremely inviting and confidence-inspiring, something which will appeal to high handicappers.
Feel
Despite both clubs offering considerably different approaches when it comes to aesthetics and technology, we see the two models deliver very similar feel traits, with both striking a good balance between feeling powerful without sounding too dull and low-pitched through impact.
Once again, it will be personal preference, but the Rogue ST Max has a slightly lower-pitched impact sound with an extremely solid feel. Although we thought the Paradym was a little louder and livelier than the Rogue ST Max, the differences were small at best.
Performance
That brings us on to performance, arguably the most important aspect when it comes to deciding on your new driver. Interestingly, in our testing, we found that the Paradym delivered a slower club speed than the Rogue ST Max. However, it produced a faster ball speed and longer carry, which will largely due to that advancement in technology.
We felt as though the impressive ball speed numbers produced by the Paradym speak largely about the forgiveness at work within the head. It was noticeable during testing that, despite inconsistencies of strike, the overall yardages were impressively consistent.
If you are after more distance in the Callaway head though, then you could opt for the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver. We were impressed by the distance we picked up with this model, but bear in mind that there may be a drop off in consistency compared to the regular Paradym model due to the less spin produced by the Triple Diamond model.
While the Paradym did produce faster ball speeds, there is plenty to still like and enjoy about the Rogue ST Max. To begin with, it has a slight draw bias built in, making it one of the best drivers for slicers, as it will help those golfers who tend to miss the target to the right as a right handed golfer.
We also loved how stable the Rogue ST Max felt through impact, likely down to the 11.5g tungsten weight that is positioned at the very rear of the clubhead. This weight also features in the Paradym, and works well to improve the overall consistency of performance.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Callaway Paradym if…
- You are wanting to get the ball airborne more easily off the tee
- You want a driver that offers a lively, fast feel
- You want a driver that delivers distance and accuracy without needing to swing too hard
Choose the Callaway Rogue ST Max if...
- You are after a slight draw bias
- You are looking for a more traditional look at address
- You want a driver that offers performance similar to the newer models, that won't break the bank
