Equipment
Bridgestone J15 MB, J15 CB, J15 DF and J15DPF Forged Irons
Bridgestone is set to release its newest iron line — the J15 Forged family. Each iron has a different size and construction to offer something to serious golfers of all skill levels. The models include the J15 MB (Muscle Backs), J15 CB (Cavity Backs), J15 DF (Driving Forged) and J15 DPF (Dual Pocket Forged).
The irons introduce Bridgestone’s new “Sure Contact Sole,” a design feature that is integrated into the forging process — particularly for the heel area of the sole — to improve turf interaction. Each iron has a slightly different sole shape and sole heel shape that suits the target golfer. For example, the smaller irons models — its J15 MB and J15 CB — have flatter, more narrow soles, while the J15 DF and J15 DPF have wider, more rounded soles that improve forgiveness.
Bridgestone’s J15 Forged irons will come stock with True Temper DG Pro shafts and are available in 3-PW. Standard sets (4-PW) will be available at retail stores on Feb. 1, 2015:
- $789 (J15 MB, J15 CB, J15 DPF) — right-handed only models
- $879 (J15DF) — right- and left-handed models (LH available on April 1, 2015)
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the J15 Forged irons in our forums.
J15 MB (Muscle Backs)
Material: 1025 Carbon Steel
Design Features: Compact head design for shot-shaping, Sure Contact Sole for better turf interaction.
Who’s it for? Better players looking for blade-style irons with narrow, flat soles.
J15 CB (Cavity Backs)
Material: 1020 Carbon Steel
Design Features: Compact head design for shot-shaping and a wider Sure Contact Sole for better turf interaction.
Who’s it for? Better players looking for more forgiveness than the MB model.
J15 DF (Driving Forged)
Material: Two-pieces — 1025 forged carbon steel body, 1025 steel face
Design Features: A hollow cavity between the front and rear of the clubhead improves ball speed, and weight added around the club’s perimeter enhances forgiveness.
Who’s it for? Low-to-mid handicappers who want more distance and forgiveness than the CB and MB models can provide.
J15 DPF (Dual-Pocket Forged)
Material: 1020 Carbon Steel
Design Features: A “Turbo Rubber Design” behind the face allows weight to be added to the club head’s perimeter to increase MOI. A Sure Contact Sole and mid-size head shape combines for added forgiveness.
Who’s it for? Mid-to-high handicappers who want added confidence at address and maximum forgiveness from a forged iron.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the J15 Forged irons in our forums.
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- Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
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Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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We enter week 4 of Thursday night men’s league feeling a little more confident in the game. BK is hoping to go a little lower and reduce the mistakes out there with these clubs in the bag. Watch the video for the full breakdown of why these clubs are getting the starting nod this week!
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, neutral setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Lin-Q M40X TSPX Blue 7F5
7-wood: Ping G430 Max (-1 degree, flat Ssetting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 S
Iron: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi 4
Shaft: Aerotech Steelfiber hls880 S
Irons: PXG 0317 Tour (5-PW)
Shaft: LA Golf A-Series 105 Low (4)
Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM10 (50-08F)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Dart V 105 F4 Wedge
Wedge: Ping S159 (56-10H)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Wedge: Ping S159 (60-08B)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Putter: PXG Battle Ready II Brandon
Shaft: BGT Stability Tour Spec One
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
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Joe
Jun 23, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Can someone who plays(ed) the DF’s please post their thoughts on them?
Pingback: Easy Solid Golf Advice From The Pros | Golf Mind To Win
Fran
Jan 9, 2015 at 11:00 am
Those J15 DPF’s look sweet, almost a Titleist look about them. I was convinced I would buy the Mizuno JPX 850’s as my next set but I think their is now competition for my money. I look forward to hearing reviews about these clubs
marcel
Jan 9, 2015 at 6:52 pm
wait for Brigies – you golfing life will be much more pleasant 😉
Curt
Jan 8, 2015 at 4:25 pm
Havin played blades all my life these MB’s just make my mouth water!! So much I have to keep coming back to look at them every hour or so…….and to all the “funny guys” out there – no, I do not have a forged/metal/blade fetish that we need to devote some time to………..
marcel
Jan 9, 2015 at 6:53 pm
me too… i am looking the DPF… played j38 DP and now j38 CB… will be heading back to forgiveness and fun
Bstone
Jan 8, 2015 at 12:26 pm
I’ve been rocking the J33 Forged Pro Combo for about 7 years. This new line looks good enough that I will have to give them a serious look.
Good job Bridgestone – I just wish it was easier to find in golf stores.
RobG
Jan 8, 2015 at 10:05 am
I’d LOVE to give those CB’s a try!
Jason
Jan 8, 2015 at 9:40 am
I wish Bridgestone had a presence in my local gold shops. I would love to test them out!
Carlos Danger
Jan 8, 2015 at 8:36 am
These look as good as any iron I have seen at address, but i can think of three or four other sets that look the exact same (CMB, 714, MIZ, etc)
The standout for me is the awesome graphics. That simple “B” stamp on the blades is pretty BadA$$
Bore
Jan 8, 2015 at 3:23 am
Yawwwwnnnnnn…… so boring. Everybody copying each other. Bridgestone is becoming the Titleist. Decent balls but their clubs are just average. Don’t believe the hype! We all know they play different clubs on Tour!
bradford
Jan 8, 2015 at 7:13 am
…don’t believe the internet
Justin
Jan 8, 2015 at 1:11 am
I stopped breathing when I saw the MBs
Ballstrikaaa
Jan 8, 2015 at 12:18 am
Yes please!!! Da blades look delish!!!
Chip
Jan 7, 2015 at 9:24 pm
These look great! But, too bad no stores really carry their brand to my knowledge. I would like to try before I buy!
RG
Jan 7, 2015 at 9:14 pm
Ok, just went threw the photos for the 2nd time and I am loving the MB. Great lines, heel looks graby but not bitey,toe is sublime, graphics are present but not overpowering ( although I wish I could get a club with NO graphics). All great blades will only ever be variations on a theme and this club is making classic lines look brand new.
Marc
Jan 8, 2015 at 3:56 pm
I’ve got graphic-free blades from Geotech Japan. I do like the lines on these Bridgestones though.
RG
Jan 7, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Wow.. Beautiful clean blade, striking MB, a dual cavity and a dual pocket..I see a combo set coming on. Or I just rip those blades because they are TIGHT! Can’t wait to see the reviews. Visually they are new classic. Well done Bridgestone!
Steve
Jan 7, 2015 at 6:38 pm
I don’t know but they look like clubs I’ve seen million times before. The cb’s look like the titleist cb’s. The blades don’t really stand out from any others blades. The df’s and the dpf’s look fugly
Curt
Jan 7, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Its the subtle differences that matter. How “different” should they look? And why? If they were too different then you would complain about that.
Steve
Jan 8, 2015 at 8:18 am
Not complaining, why would I? Just calling it the way I see. that CB design has been done by titleist, Nike and I believe Cleveland had a set that look like it. Blades are blades all depends on the quality control and the forging itself. What house do they use for their forgings?
RG
Jan 8, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Your moms.
Steve
Jan 8, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Get off mom’s I just got off yours.
LaMont
Jan 8, 2015 at 11:53 pm
All Bridgestone forged irons come from the Endo plant. Some of the best forgings in the game are done there and I don’t see these being anything short of that.
My biggest hope is that the company puts a huge effort into showing the golfing world that they make equipment, as well as balls. They are very hard to find in stores and when you do find them, if you have to special order, it can be challenging.
That said, I have my driver, 3-wood, 19* hybrid and 3-PW coming, already. I went with the J15DF irons with Steel Fiber shafts to match my current set-up in J40’s. I think they are absolutely gorgeous, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Pretty soon, I’ll be-holdin’ a new set of J15’s and am more excited than I can say.
Marc
Jan 8, 2015 at 3:57 pm
gotta agree…you can’t really re-invent the wheel when it comes to club design.
slider
Jan 7, 2015 at 5:48 pm
the MBs look amazing
Curt
Jan 7, 2015 at 5:45 pm
I hope all companies take note of how clean and beautiful these blade MB’s look. No colors or busy crap, just pure metal and cleanness with a B stamp!!!
I have no choice but to buy these beauties. If they perform as good as they look, they will become one of the best of all time.
Don
Jan 7, 2015 at 5:24 pm
The irons look sweet. Only one lefty option though. For a company that has 9 different types of golf balls to cater to every possible golfing possibility this seems very … limited.
gdb99
Jan 7, 2015 at 5:14 pm
So, is the fifth iron cast?
LaMont
Jan 8, 2015 at 11:56 pm
Yes, there is a fifth iron that is a cast offering. The only place I have seen pix of that one is on the dealers price list at a local shop. I don’t recall its look, but something tells me it was similar to the CB.
Greg
Jan 7, 2015 at 4:14 pm
Wow.
Golfraven
Jan 7, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Entire line looks awesome. Would love to test the DFs. Nice classic look with fine finish.
Mike
Jan 7, 2015 at 2:57 pm
Will be interesting to see how the offsets look throughout each set. Was odd with the J40 to have less offset in the DPC than in the CB models. Made the combo sets look somewhat backward. Love all of the designs, but would like to see similar progression to build a nice set of combo irons.
Jungho
Jan 7, 2015 at 2:45 pm
It is also too bad that they stamped “forged” so prominently on the back of the irons. The MBs would have looked so much cleaner if they didn’t do that.
Winmac80
Jan 7, 2015 at 7:44 pm
Jungho, where are you from? I’ve been trying to get my hands on the 545s or the 745s but couldn’t find any.
Regis
Jan 9, 2015 at 1:28 pm
That’s marketing. It’s so that people will buy them even though 75% of the purchasers won’t be able to get them airborne. But their friends will know they play “forged”
Jungho
Jan 7, 2015 at 2:43 pm
I was going to order a set of J15DFs but decided to go with the Srixon 745s… Already have a J40CB/DPC combo set that are awesome so these didn’t make sense.
marcel
Jan 9, 2015 at 6:58 pm
good choice… and going to be full circle experience… when you play bridgestone you feel like there must be something better than this… and you go and try… in my case Mizuno… and then 3 months later… back to bridges…
Chris
Jan 7, 2015 at 2:41 pm
I’d love to put those DFs up against my Adams CMBs.
cdvilla
Jan 7, 2015 at 2:10 pm
The J15 CB (Cavity Backs) are a dead ringer for my Nike Combo CBs that I’m currently playing. Are the longer irons slotted? Can’t really tell from the pictures. Good looking clubs.
Max
Jan 7, 2015 at 1:42 pm
oooh, cleanest mb’s I’ve seen in a while. Paired with steelfiber i95 will be an amazing set to aspire to.
enrique
Jan 7, 2015 at 2:05 pm
CB’s for me – BUT NO RETAILER will have them. They will not be stocked at Golfsmith, Golf Galaxy, PGA Tour Superstore….
armypilot84
Jan 7, 2015 at 9:02 pm
That has always been the problem with Bridgestone stuff; there is absolutely no where to demo it. I heard that Bridgestone does something where they send you a 6 iron to demo for like a month, and if you like it then you just purchase the rest of the set, if you don’t then you just send it back. Don’t really know if it is true, or if that is exactly how it works, but it might be worth looking into.
On a side not though: I think all of these irons are gorgeous. Especially the MB’s. I find it interesting that the DPF are marketed to “Mid to High” handicappers. That is an awful thin sole and top line for a 20 Handicap to be playing.