Bridgestone Brings the Golf Ball Thunder

BRIDGESTONE JGR IRONS

Yeah, this expert ball-fitting company’s new B330RX and RXS balls are getting the lion’s share of ink, but a true sleeper product for higher-handicappers are these irons, which use innovative technologies and materials to deliver longer distance and more forgiveness, while maintaining the buttery feel golfers have come to expect from forged irons. “Similar to how we identified a gap in the market and invented the category of Tour balls for amateur swings back in 2008, we noticed that there was major gap in the club market for players who wanted the feel of a forged iron, but needed more forgiveness,” said Josh Kinchen, Golf Club Marketing Manager, Bridgestone Golf, Inc. “Our solution is the JGR Hybrid Forged Irons.” The forgiveness and performance results from three key elements — an ultra-thin face rafted from a proprietary metal alloy; low and deep center-of-gravity thanks to a unique wide-sole design that resists digging at impact, allowing for incredibly easy, high launching distance; and the “Turbo Rubber Composite Insert” in the clubhead that dampens vibration at impact, further enhancing its soft forged feel and saves discretionary weight to put even more perimeter-weighting forgiveness into play. $699-$749

 

BRIDGESTONE BALLS

Tour B330 RX and RXS These two variations on Bridgestone’s two-piece lower-swing speed ball (under 105 mph) greet 2016 with a few tasty tweaks. The Amatour core is 28 percent softer than the “average tour ball core,” with a greater gradient of softness from center to the outer parts, according to Adam Rayburg, golf ball marketing coordinator. “It also has that soft urethane cover for feel around the greens.” Specifically, the new SlipRes cover “delivers three features — two benefits in performance and one additional benefit,” adds Rayburn. “You’re going to get a higher friction coefficient for greater distance off the driver. The ball doesn’t slide around the face and reduces spin. Around the green, the ball grabs the face a little better; it stays on the grooves, the milling of the club, for better feel. The third benefit is durability.” The same goes for the B330 and 330S for higher swing speeds. All offer the company’s dual dimple technology for excellent wind performance — inner dimples for faster elevation and outer dimples for shallow angle of descent and better rollout. Remember, RXS offers a slightly higher spin rate. $39.99 for RX and RXS

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