2018 Official Forum Member Review - Bridgestone Tour B XW-1 Wedges

[Shankster]

Does the 60°'s cambered sole disguise the low bounce well enough that they would work for a digger?

Yes. Depending on the shot, I am anything from a sweeper to a trench digger. They do a fine job.

 

Was going to save this for the stage 2, but I had mixed feelings today with the soggy stuff, but I think that was the slinger not the wrench. I haven't put much practice in.

 

It's really really soft, probably too soft to play soft. I never do well when it's mush.

 

* not much practice while camping.

[B81Smith]

I don't have the 60 but I have the 58 with 8 degrees bounce. Works nice from the bucker but I find myself using the 54 with 10 degrees of bounce. I started using it since I was closer to the 14 degrees of bounce I'm used to. It comes out like buttah

 

 

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[Shankster]

Been super soggy, had a lot of flooding actually today. Lots of damage to the towns. But there was still time to get some testing in.

 

I only grabbed the 60 and hit the range with a bag full of “duds” and did some chipping and short 60 and in on the practice area.

 

I couldn't notice a loss of spin at all, the greens were not too soppy for all the rain we got.

 

I really like the width of the 60's sole, it is like a pontoon from the mush. Out of nearly 50 full shots I only hit 1 heavy.

 

Around the green I used my normal “rain technique” which is use the soft greens and send Phil Flops pin high and let them plug... it works try it.

 

I am beginning to think there isn't anything these wedges can't do.

 

I wonder how well they'll be from snow.

 

* Funny what a day does. I sucked yesterday. Today I was marginally good.

[GolfSpy_BNG]

I am loving what I am hearing so far. Keep it coming guys. Nobody around me carries Bridgestone to hold them so I may just have to take a blind flyer on them.

 

 

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[bardle]

I am loving what I am hearing so far. Keep it coming guys. Nobody around me carries Bridgestone to hold them so I may just have to take a blind flyer on them.

 

 

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Go get the sand wedge, you can thank us later. They are somehow like 80 dollars...its a little ridiculous value wise. 

[B81Smith]

Yea I'd say they're a huge steel at the sub 100 price point when all other wedge makers are going to the standard 150/club or 130/club. From there prices skyrocket.

 

These are the best value out there.

 

 

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[Shankster]

Go get the sand wedge, you can thank us later. They are somehow like 80 dollars...its a little ridiculous value wise.

Get them while you can... or before I buy them all

[azstu324]

Go get the sand wedge, you can thank us later. They are somehow like 80 dollars...its a little ridiculous value wise. 

as much as I hate to admit it, my 56* is steadily closing the distance on my most coveted club (60*). Before this, I probably could have taken my 56* out of the bag and never missed it. Now it's sharing about half of the workload on approaches. 

 

A side note.. the 52* is still really awesome but on occasion it's longer than my Gap (50*) .. so therein lies my conundrum.. do I pretend that they both do something different from each other and keep them both in rotation, or do I decide which one will be my go-to for that distance gapping? They definitely have a different feel from each other.. just not sure if they're all that different in functionality.. hmm.....  

[bardle]

I am loving what I am hearing so far. Keep it coming guys. Nobody around me carries Bridgestone to hold them so I may just have to take a blind flyer on them.

 

 

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Yea I'd say they're a huge steel at the sub 100 price point when all other wedge makers are going to the standard 150/club or 130/club. From there prices skyrocket.

 

These are the best value out there.

 

 

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blackngold, thats not to say they aren't competitive...I'm not going to get into spoilers, but the words "best value" tend to have negative connotations, its the opposite here, its just value is the best descriptor for sub 100 dollar wedges that can compete with 150 plus ones. 

[Jon Brittan]

as much as I hate to admit it, my 56* is steadily closing the distance on my most coveted club (60*). Before this, I probably could have taken my 56* out of the bag and never missed it. Now it's sharing about half of the workload on approaches. 

 

A side note.. the 52* is still really awesome but on occasion it's longer than my Gap (50*) .. so therein lies my conundrum.. do I pretend that they both do something different from each other and keep them both in rotation, or do I decide which one will be my go-to for that distance gapping? They definitely have a different feel from each other.. just not sure if they're all that different in functionality.. hmm.....  

 

If there's no significant distance gap, then do they perform different functions for you on the course? I'd be prepared to gamble "no" as that's usually where 56 and 60 come in.

 

If the 52 bridges the gap between your pitching wedge and 56 better then just drop the 50 and it gives you room for another club at either end of your bag depending on what you feel your game needs.

I'd argue that typically the only spots where you can afford to "duplicate" clubs is either having a matched hybrid with your longest iron for different flights, or at the bottom end of your bag if you don't struggle for distance and want different grind options on your highest lofted wedge for different shot types... Even then, it's a luxury.

[B81Smith]

as much as I hate to admit it, my 56* is steadily closing the distance on my most coveted club (60*). Before this, I probably could have taken my 56* out of the bag and never missed it. Now it's sharing about half of the workload on approaches.

 

A side note.. the 52* is still really awesome but on occasion it's longer than my Gap (50*) .. so therein lies my conundrum.. do I pretend that they both do something different from each other and keep them both in rotation, or do I decide which one will be my go-to for that distance gapping? They definitely have a different feel from each other.. just not sure if they're all that different in functionality.. hmm.....

 

I'd say for wedges or higher lofted clubs- a 4-5 degree spacing should be maintained. So like you seeing you've got a 50 and 52 which sounds like a mistake in terms of which clubs you chose. I'd say whichever is more consistent in terms of distance control is the one you keep. You don't want a 52 that occasionally goes as long as the 50 and you don't want a 50 that occasionally goes as short as the 52. For me I'm trying to hit the numbers. Stock PW goes 140, my 58 goes 105. To fill the gaps I wanted a 115 club and a 128/130 club. So 50,54,58 work well to fill the numbers I want.

 

 

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[GolfSpy_BNG]

blackngold, thats not to say they aren't competitive...I'm not going to get into spoilers, but the words "best value" tend to have negative connotations, its the opposite here, its just value is the best descriptor for sub 100 dollar wedges that can compete with 150 plus ones.

Their price point and your guy's reviews are what has me pondering taking the blind flyer. For me wedges are almost as personal feel wise as putters.

 

 

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[azstu324]

I'd say for wedges or higher lofted clubs- a 4-5 degree spacing should be maintained. So like you seeing you've got a 50 and 52 which sounds like a mistake in terms of which clubs you chose. I'd say whichever is more consistent in terms of distance control is the one you keep. You don't want a 52 that occasionally goes as long as the 50 and you don't want a 50 that occasionally goes as short as the 52. For me I'm trying to hit the numbers. Stock PW goes 140, my 58 goes 105. To fill the gaps I wanted a 115 club and a 128/130 club. So 50,54,58 work well to fill the numbers I want.

 

 

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It wasn't so much a mistake in choosing as just needing to choose. 60 and 56 were must-haves for me just based on what I'd been using previously. My set GW (50*) was already there so I either had the option of 52 or 54 for my 3rd wedge. My PW carries 135, GW 125. Like we've all mentioned in the pre- stage, I'm seeing an extra 5-10 very unexpected yds with these clubs. My previous 56 and 60 were 100 and 85 yds which left me with about a 25 yd gap between my 56 and 50. I always just managed it with a 3/4 GW. My hopes were that the 52 would fit somewhere in that 110 - 115 yd stretch. This 56 and 60 are 110 and 100 yds. Maybe I just need to remember to play the 52 an extra ball forward in my stance like an 8 iron and take a little off of it. The extra height is quite helpful when trying to drop in on a hard AZ green. Definitely not the end of the world here.  

[tommc23]

It wasn't so much a mistake in choosing as just needing to choose. 60 and 56 were must-haves for me just based on what I'd been using previously. My set GW (50*) was already there so I either had the option of 52 or 54 for my 3rd wedge. My PW carries 135, GW 125. Like we've all mentioned in the pre- stage, I'm seeing an extra 5-10 very unexpected yds with these clubs. My previous 56 and 60 were 100 and 85 yds which left me with about a 25 yd gap between my 56 and 50. I always just managed it with a 3/4 GW. My hopes were that the 52 would fit somewhere in that 110 - 115 yd stretch. This 56 and 60 are 110 and 100 yds. Maybe I just need to remember to play the 52 an extra ball forward in my stance like an 8 iron and take a little off of it. The extra height is quite helpful when trying to drop in on a hard AZ green. Definitely not the end of the world here.

What I did for the Hogan review was have the 52° bent to 51 since my gap was a 50. It has since replaced my 50 in the bag. If they are so close and I can imagine they are, hit what club feels best.

 

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[B81Smith]

I think those extra yards maybe from the shaft. I don't notice anything extra on full shots. The full shots are spot on compared to anything with same lofts. but those 75% shots I'm seeing an occasional jump. It feels as though the shaft just unloads and throws that ball IMO.

 

Yesterday I had about 90 yards and so I put a 80% swing on the 58 degree. It went the same distance as a full swing. Blew the damn ball over the green. In the air for a second based on feel I thought be good until I noticed it just piercing thru the air.

 

 

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[azstu324]

I think those extra yards maybe from the shaft. I don't notice anything extra on full shots. The full shots are spot on compared to anything with same lofts. but those 75% shots I'm seeing an occasional jump. It feels as though the shaft just unloads and throws that ball IMO.

 

Yesterday I had about 90 yards and so I put a 80% swing on the 58 degree. It went the same distance as a full swing. Blew the damn ball over the green. In the air for a second based on feel I thought be good until I noticed it just piercing thru the air.

 

 

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so true on the shaft action. The jury's still out on them but they're definitely growing on me. My 3/4 shots are all hitting my original distances. the ball just seems to come out hot like a greased rocket to the moon. 

[azstu324]

What I did for the Hogan review was have the 52° bent to 51 since my gap was a 50. It has since replaced my 50 in the bag. If they are so close and I can imagine they are, hit what club feels best.

 

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you just reminded me something.. these clubs are MINE!! ha ha! having them bent to 53* is a fantastic idea that will be implemented immediately! Thanks tommc23!! 

 

My 50* is a slightly softer forging so it feels really nice and I wouldn't want to kick it out of the bag. I really do need a club to cover that phase of the gapping so I'd also like to keep my 52*. Looks like I'll be talking to my club guy this week to bend me a 53. 

[tommc23]

you just reminded me something.. these clubs are MINE!! ha ha! having them bent to 53* is a fantastic idea that will be implemented immediately! Thanks tommc23!!

 

My 50* is a slightly softer forging so it feels really nice and I wouldn't want to kick it out of the bag. I really do need a club to cover that phase of the gapping so I'd also like to keep my 52*. Looks like I'll be talking to my club guy this week to bend me a 53.

I kept everything as ordered for the test but now I'm gonna change things. Just my suggestion but whatever will help do so.

 

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[Shankster]

New video up on my YouTube channel. Some sandy 56's.

 

If you listen to the strikes, the first one was a touch off the toe, the other 2 were pure. Picked nicely off the packed sand.

 

https://youtu.be/ozfgcpE8ygg

[Shankster]

I also learned that my alignment is all sorts of off from this video... wow.

[B81Smith]

I also learned that my alignment is all sorts of off from this video... wow.

Idk. Can't tell what you're aiming at visually but hips feet and shoulders aligned where the ball started. Nice setup

 

 

 

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[B81Smith]

Putting some tour sauce on it

 

 

 

 

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[Shankster]

Idk. Can't tell what you're aiming at visually but hips feet and shoulders aligned where the ball started. Nice setup

 

 

 

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Thanks. That log is what I was aiming at.

[Shankster]

Putting some tour sauce on it

 

IMG_4372.JPG IMG_4371.JPG

 

 

 

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A little zippy there I see!!

[Shankster]

Double post sorry.

[azstu324]

I also learned that my alignment is all sorts of off from this video... wow.

You can learn a lot from making/watching shot videos like that. The video that I made for my stage 1 was my first ever attempt. I learned that I take a really weird jump back with my front foot.. I really gotta get rid of that.. and I learned that I'm fatter on camera than I am in the mirror  . I've since lost about 20 lbs and have about 20 more to go. 

[Shankster]

You can learn a lot from making/watching shot videos like that. The video that I made for my stage 1 was my first ever attempt. I learned that I take a really weird jump back with my front foot.. I really gotta get rid of that.. and I learned that I'm fatter on camera than I am in the mirror . I've since lost about 20 lbs and have about 20 more to go.

I have lots of swings video. Probably a hour total... too much.

[JAGolfore]

Is anyone going to do a little DIY and paint fill the “B” on the back on these wedges?

 

 

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[azstu324]

Is anyone going to do a little DIY and paint fill the “B” on the back on these wedges?

 

 

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You know I've thought about it, as I've paint filled my irons a number of times.. But in all honesty I'm just a fan of the pure and clean simplicity of these. For me, I'm just not sure that adding extra paint would do them any justice.. Not to say that it's not worth having some fun with. Others might have differing opinions though. Thoughts fellas?

 

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[B81Smith]

I've done paint fill and always something changes so it makes no sense. Either you paint match say a golf bag and after two or four years you get a new bag or tastes change.

I've found clean no fill to look sweet no matter what it's placed next to. Every head cover matches. It can't look any sweeter than zero paint.

 

I'm not planning on doing anything to them but as I state tastes always change.

 

 

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