Once we final noticed Bridgestone irons, we had been taking a look at an odd compilation of units that may finest be described as meshuggah. Whereas beautiful forgings had been the rhyme, there seemed to be no purpose. We had tremendous game-improvement forgings, blades, one thing that sat between participant’s distance and game-improvement and even a head-scratching packaged set.
Bridgestone has all the time had excellent solid irons. The issue was that the lineup hadn’t made sense for the reason that J15 line. There was no sample or consistency apart from the truth that they had been Japanese forgings.
You could possibly say Bridgestone didn’t have its geese in a row however that is perhaps underestimating the confusion. A few of these geese weren’t even geese.
It’s no marvel Bridgestone determined to take a couple of years off in North America.
It now seems these geese are actually, the truth is, all geese. And they seem like getting in a row. Or not less than a line.
Right here’s what it is advisable find out about Bridgestone’s new line of premium solid irons.
#1: Bridgestone has by no means made a foul cast iron
Even through the meshuggah years, Bridgestone’s irons had been fairly darned candy. And if you wish to return to the J33 in 2005, you possibly can even name a few of them “classics.” The brand new line alerts an intent to return to these halcyon days.
On the very least, it seems Bridgestone is off to a stable begin.
The Bridgestone 220 MB harkens again to the beautiful J33, a single-piece solid muscle-back blade. The 221 CB can be a single-piece forging however, because the identify suggests it’s a extra forgiving participant’s cavity-back.
The 222 CB+ is perhaps probably the most attention-grabbing of the bunch. It’s a solid participant’s distance iron, compact for the class however with sufficient expertise to make it attention-grabbing.
The brand new line additionally contains the BRM2 solid wedges.
“We wanted to put together a collection of clubs that had performance but also had place and purpose in the marketplace,” Bridgestone Advertising Supervisor Elliott Mellow tells MyGolfSpy. “We’re talking to the man who needs to play a muscle-back blade however we’re additionally talking to the aspirational participant with the CB and the CB+. We’re hitting a large swath of {the marketplace}.”
#2: These are real Endo forgings
Should you’re a gear geek, you’ve little doubt heard the phrase, “Endo forged.” Bridgestone is a longtime OEM buyer of Japan’s legendary Endo Forging foundry. Endo has produced a few of the sport’s best-loved solid irons for everybody from Titleist, Srixon and Callaway to NIKE and its home model, Epon. The traditional 1999 Hogan Apex blade was Endo-forged.
For you historical past lovers, Endo was established in 1950 in postwar Japan. It made screwdrivers and stitching machine needles however shortly expanded into auto and plane engine elements, medical units and golf golf equipment.
Although Bridgestone has been out of the U.S. tools market since earlier than COVID-19, it has remained a serious participant in Japan and Asia. This new line is already in play on the PGA Tour.
“Chris Gotterup put them in play a month or so ago,” says Mellow. “A few other players are working with them and will put them in play soon so we have some momentum.”
#3: If you wish to sport the brand new Bridgestone irons, you higher be a “playah”
You gained’t discover something game-improvement-y or super-forgiving within the new Bridgestone launch. These are premium irons for good ball strikers.
The 220 MB is a traditional muscle-back blade and it isn’t for the faint of coronary heart. The loft construction isn’t fairly what a purist would name “classic” however we’re speaking a couple of minimal four-degree loft hole from the 33-degree 7-iron via the 46-degree pitching wedge. Bridgestone additionally touts a precision-milled Tour Groove Design to optimize spin.
They’re beautiful, however convey your A-game, matey.
The 221 CB incorporates a small cavity for a barely larger MOI. It additionally has a barely wider sole than the 220 MB for higher stability and sharp main and trailing edges for a modified, Srixon-esque V-Sole for smoother turf interplay. Moreover, the 4- and 5-irons function a twin pocket cavity design that strikes the CG down, making them simpler to launch larger and spin much less.
The 6-iron via PW within the set have what Bridgestone calls Gravity Management Design. It’s a design function you’ll discover in most irons the place the CG will get progressively larger because the golf equipment get progressively shorter. That creates decrease launch and better spin as you transition up via the set, offering extra stopping energy on the inexperienced.
Your typical game-improvement irons, alternatively, attempt to shove the CG so low it’s rattling close to subterranean. That creates larger launch and decrease spin. Steep descent angles are needed to carry greens.
#4: The 222 CB+ irons is perhaps the star of the present
As horny as single-piece solid blades and cavity-backs are, the Bridgestone 222 CB+ irons may discover a broader viewers.
“It’s kind of a continuation of the J40 Dual Pocket irons we had,” says Mellow. “Relative to the market, it’s a bit smaller than other forged player’s distance irons.”
The gap recipe for participant’s distance irons is easy: decrease the CG to extend launch and decrease spin. The Bridgestone 222 CB+ makes that occur with Twin Pocket cavities all through the set to get CG down, relative to participant’s cavity-backs and blades. Nevertheless, the CG will get larger because the irons get shorter to get spin up in your scoring sticks.
“Visually, it’s very appealing,” says Mellow. “If we can get the ball coming in with a steep descent angle and couple it with spin, we can create good control and help that player stop the ball.”
Stronger lofts for extra ball velocity are additionally a part of the participant’s distance recipe. The Bridgestone 222 CB+ lofts are in keeping with others within the class. Form of. The 7-iron is probably a half diploma weaker than common at 31 levels. Moreover, there’s a five-degree hole unfold per iron from the 7-iron via the 46-degree pitching wedge so it doubtless gained’t check out as one of many longer irons within the participant’s distance class.
#5: There’s a restricted wedge providing, too
How restricted? Very.
Bridgestone is together with the BRM2 solid wedges as a part of this launch. They’d really feel like an afterthought if it weren’t for an attention-grabbing groove and milling story.
As a line, the BRM2 seems ho-hum, with solely 52-. 56- and 58-degree fashions supplied. Bridgestone isn’t loading you down with grind choices, both. All three lofts can be found with the M Grind, a lower-bounce grind with a little bit of heel aid for open-face pictures. The A Grind is out there solely within the 58-degree and has much more heel and toe aid for versatility.
The groove milling is the place issues get attention-grabbing. In response to the corporate, the milling sample is impressed by Bridgestone tire treads. There are seven rows of micro-channels between every groove to channel moisture away and permit for higher groove-to-ball contact.
It’s not an earth-shattering breakthrough, I do know. Nevertheless, when you’re going to be taken critically within the wedge sport, moist situation spin retention is like jacks or higher to open.
#6: The brand new Bridgestone irons are surprisingly inexpensive, however there’s a catch …
Bridgestone could be very a lot taking a crawl-walk-run method to re-entering the tools sport. To its credit score, the brand new iron units are coming in at very golfer-friendly costs for Endo forgings.
The 220 MB and 221 CB irons can be accessible in seven-piece units (4-PW) with a inventory value of $1,050. That’s a really cheap $150 per membership. The Nippon PRO Modus3 Tour 120 in stiff is inventory for each units.
The 222 CB+ is available in a six-piece set (5-PW) for $900, once more a really cheap $150 per membership. The lighter-weight Nippon PRO 950 GH is inventory. The BRM2 wedges are additionally $150 a bit.
The catch is that this: at launch, the Bridgestone premium solid irons and wedges can be accessible solely via a customized becoming at Membership Champion.
“Bridgestone Golf is all about getting consumers into customized products that best fit their needs,” says Mellow. “We’re encouraging folks to go get fit. As we ramp up down the road, there will definitely be wider distribution.”
As of proper now, Bridgestone says the units usually are not meant to be blended which is unlucky, though comprehensible, given the crawl-walk-run method. It should in all probability occur down the street as will metalwoods.
#7: Why re-enter the tools sport? Why the hell not?
As we talked about, Bridgestone hasn’t (in my reminiscence, anyway) made a foul cast iron. Bridgestone’s solid irons have traditionally been fairly good. The issue is that “quite good” doesn’t kick down doorways once you’re exterior trying in.
Bridgestone’s scattered latest historical past in irons doesn’t assist, both.
“Our goal is to get back to being a full-line manufacturer. It’s just a matter of finding the right time,” explains Mellow. “We’re focusing on the low- to mid-handicap forged iron player. As we get traction, we’ll see what the future holds.”
You little doubt discover a numerology similarity between this providing and the Mizuno Professional line. Earlier than we begin screaming “copy,” perceive numbers can be found to everybody. Moreover, whereas this product line is new to North America, Mellow says it does have a world presence and Matt Kuchar had a set of 221 CBs in play on the PGA Tour in 2022.
Bridgestone’s final complete product launch was the J15 line of irons and metalwoods in 2015. The place the Bridgestone J33, J38 and J40 strains had their followers, the J15 didn’t discover its area of interest. Bridgestone’s subsequent product strains, the JGR and Tour B irons and metalwoods, flew to this point underneath the radar that most individuals missed them fully.
Within the huge image, Bridgestone has nothing to lose by launching a brand new line of solid irons for 2025. It’s been an extended six years or so however when you’re a golfer, there’s nothing flawed with having one other cast iron selection.
For extra info on the brand new line of Bridgestone premium solid irons and wedges, try the Bridgestone web site.
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