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

[hckymeyer]

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

 

 

 

B81Smith                    Stage 1                  Stage 2

Shankster                    Stage 1                  Stage 2

azstu324                     Stage 1                  Stage 2

bardle                          Stage 1                  Stage 2

[B81Smith]

Hello fellow MGS readers, contributors and golf addicts….

 

This is my first review for MGS so I don't want to screw it up. In stage 1 we're to introduce ourselves as testers for the new Bridgestone Tour B XW-1 wedges. So here it goes -

 

I'm 37 years old and I've played golf seriously since age 14, prior to that I played but it was more about driving the cart instead of hitting the ball LOL. I've been as low as a +0.4 handicap but since getting married and having kids I'm probably around a 5. I don't know because I play all over with no home club and don't pay for a handicap. I shoot between 68 and 78 but if I shoot over 79 it feels like I should be giving up the game and the world will end at any moment. I know for those of you that have never broken 80 you're rolling the eyes but it's the truth. If a pro shoots 72-72 they're probably missing the cut and going home. I play a pretty well rounded game. I'm only 5'7 @ 130lbs. soaking wet but swing the driver around 113mph. I've played a natural draw my entire life but I have a two way miss like most everyone besides the chronic slicer. I love practicing the wedges though. I know that its drive for show and short game for dough. If you miss a green getting up and down is the difference between 80 and 72 – I promise. Miss 7 greens and don't get up and down but it still counts as 7 additional shots right!

 

I've played several tournaments and can say I've won a few and also taken second a hand full of times. Some of them were gambling events (shootouts, Calcutta's, etc.) so I've got about 10K in lifetime winnings. I went through the USGTF back in 2006 and took home 2^nd place medalist honors in the playing ability test. So it's divisive to say I'm a fairly accomplished golfer.

 

My strength is my length but my weakness is not practicing enough LOL. I'll include at least a few videos of my swing, etc. so we can get a visual on ball flight, etc. I'll probably get a short session at an indoor golf place to get numbers and visuals shot tracer style.

 

The wedges I'll be testing are the all new TOUR B XW-1 wedges. Recently I went to a Titleist Thursday's event and went through a 1 hour plus wedge fitting and was fit for the SM7 54 and the 58 in S grind – this should give you a little idea of what type of swinger I am. For the most part I'm a digger driver and loved the Scratch wedges from back in the day in the DD grind.

 

The wait was almost unbearable but in truth they actually got here allot quicker than I had thought.

 

 

My yardages currently for my Ping Glide 2.0's 50, 54 and 58 are: 130 yards, 115 yards and 105 yards. So the shortest club in the bag goes 105 and I use the 58 degree from 105 and in unless green contours, wind or something else is influencing the yardage or shot. I like to open and close the face so hearing there's a little heal toe relief is a nice surprise.

 

Here's the Bridgestone story: “The all new TOUR B XW-1 wedges provide a classic teardrop shape with several enhancements over previous models. The new Tour grind sole offers increased heel and toe relief for playability from all lies. We have also updated the micro milling pattern to a parallel mill pattern for more spin and control. The XW-1 Wedges feature a True Temper DG Spinner stock shaft and Golf Pride Multi-compound Black stock grip. The XW-1 wedges are available in 6 loft options, 2 finish options, and are offered in right handed models only.”

All the info is available on their website here: https://www.bridgestonegolf.com/en-us/clubs/wedges/tour-b-xw1-satin-chrome

 

These babies are beauties and they really fill out the bag nicely.

 

 

 

 

 

I was shocked to read these are ONLY $99!!!!! An amazing bargain? The. I saw price drops to 79.99. Wowzers. Testing will tell the true story. The most important thing to me is feel and turf interaction. I hit every type of shot you can think of from stock shots to knock downs, high towering ones, 1 hop stop checkers, fades or draws, shots that spin back to flop shots. So turf interaction will be a big deciding factor if they're staying in the bag or not.

I love the clean look to these. Minimal paint fill. The only area where there is paint is where it says Tour B and XW-1.

 

LOTS more to come. I'll do lots of pictures along with maybe a video or two or three….I'm a ham for the camera. The pictures don't do it justice. Its serious eye candy, almost too pretty to hit! Stay tuned for more coming soon.

 

Thanks again MGS for this opportunity and picking me!

[B81Smith]

Allow me to reintroduce myself:

 

I consider myself a good golfer because in my opinion a great golfer makes a living doing it or has a plus 2.5 or better index that they can play to at any course in the world.  I've gotten the old handicap down to 1.8 index which isn't bad at all.  I consider it respectable for the level of skill I once had.  So we've been testing these wedges now for a good part of the entire summer or at least it has seemed that way.  Many had the wedges 3 to 4 weeks prior to stage 1's being posted so many have formed their opinions and I had some worries about these wedges.  Will the shafts work out alright, will it be chunk city with the small amount of bounce, etc.  Well the shafts are great.  Every once in a while I hit one way too far but that is probably me not the shafts – this is me swallowing pride LOL.

 

This whole process of testing, writing and testing more is so much fun.  This is the type of thing I envy those who get to do it for a living.  I love it when occasionally Titleist sends me a prototype ball to try out.  Recently SuperStroke sent me their new Winn style grip to test and I just put it on the 58 degree Bridgestone because I figure what better way to test feel, control and managing the face than on a premium forged wedge right?  I'll definitely post a review about their new grips BTW.  But I digress.  We are here to learn more about how these beauties.

 

 

 

Looks:  9/10

In the looks department these are some of the best looking wedges out there.  I really love the overall shape except for one issue.  The leading edges vary from club to club.  The 50 and 58 degree look great to me.  The leading edge is a little more square or straight across.  The 54 on the other hand has a rounded leading edge.  I'm sure this might have been designed into the club since I've heard from other testers their 56 degrees have a rounded leading edge.  I'm assuming perhaps most play their 54 and 56 as a straight sand wedge and in the sand when you don't even make contact with the ball this might help out.  There is a neat little B badge on the back which Bridgestone calls ‘forged mass technology'.  So this nice design feature is there for a reason – to provide a nice solid weight behind the hitting area.  It also looks sexy as hell. LOL  Its nice having two functions there.

 

Here is the 50, 54 and 58 Bridgestone's where I'm attempting to show leading edge: The top wedge is the 50, the middle the 54 (see how much area there is between the groove and the rounded front edge) and the one at the bottom is the 58 (which I think looks the best)

 

 

 

 

For me I prefer a flatter/straighter leading edge.  This helps with alignment and you can play more shots with it.  Even ones you don't practice – for instance god forbid you break a putter but ever tried to putt with a rounded leading edge?  LOL the ball goes where ever it wants.  What about bellying the wedge?  A rounded leading edge causes the same issue of direction control.  I just feel a straighter leading edge is more versatile.  Because of the 54 degree wedge having this rounded leading edge and overall lower bounce than I'd like I cannot give 10 out of 10 but come on – LOOK at these!  They are so sexy.  Some would call plain, I call them bling!

 

I'm going to include some pictures of a few wedges for comparisons – these are flatter leading edges

 

Here is a Ping Glide 2.0  - 50 and 58 degree in the SS grind:

 

 

Here is a Scratch 1080 and 8620 both 58 degree in the digger/driver bounce option they had:

 

 

 

Sound & Feel:  9/10

 

Sound and feel – these are forged.  They feel like butter that's been softened up to easily spread on the softest of breads.  Can you picture it?  Do you need to run to the kitchen to make some wonderful toast with real butter?  The sound is a nice one. It is solid but not harsh.  It is soft but not deadened like a wooden driver or something.  It is a sound you'll recognize if you play forged clubs or have had the pleasure of nutting a forged club for that matter.  It sounds crisp, solid and overall wonderful.  I wish I knew more words to describe it besides ‘it sounds great and feels great' but that is what keeps coming to mind.

 

With wedges especially they usually don't have flexing faces for distance, etc.  They don't have super huge cavities or areas of the club with floating faces, etc.  They are usually solid pieces of steel.  Some are cast, some are forged.  We're not seeing a whole lot of different materials fused together via lazar welds or something.  These are softer than a cast wedge feels even with any sort of elastomer put in there.  These sound like a solid piece of steel and when you hit them in the sweet spot the feel/sound travel through the hands, up the arms and straight into your heart.

 

I say all this based on the assumption you can hit the ball effectively and aren't in the market for ci3 wedges or some wild contraption you can only use for chipping.  I laugh every time I see one because I can't imagine having a club only used for one thing.  Back to the review…..

 

Range Performance:  17/20

 

I consider this score a high one.  At the range - either off mats or grass these performed wonderfully.  Since I'm not usually hitting half or three quarter shots since range balls are not good for practicing distance control – I believe MGS had a test on range balls showing a 6 iron can travel anywhere from 140 to 210 yards with varying range balls using same person with good strikes – I'm not working on hitting 75 yards, 80, 85, etc. not with range balls man.  So I usually hit full shots.  I work on some trajectory control when the mood strikes me but usually just hitting that stock shot or maybe working it left to right, right to left – just seeing what can be done.  How high can I launch it, etc.  I do work a bit on distance like attempting to hit the 100 yard flag or something but I'm not attempting to fine tune as much.  I do this with the balls I play with – Titleist pro v 1 or pro v1x, Callaway chrome soft or soft x, Taylormade TP5 or TP5x – I'm sure you're seeing basically tour level balls and that is the type I play with except for oddly Bridgestone balls – never been a fan, sorry guys – hey change my mind by sending me some   Hahaha.  Can't blame a guy for trying.

 

So these can basically do anything you're asking.  You can turn the toe down and hit little draws that go lower, this also reduces the effective bounce on the club which is great for chipping from tight lies.  If you have issues try that – turn the toe down and stand tall/upright/closer to the ball for chip shots of tight lies – you'll be surprised I think.  You can open them to increase effective bounce but a little more heal relief would be great in the 58 degree to allow a flop shot of tight/hard lies – these will get skulled over the green.  Not many practice this at the range but around the chipping green – I'm including those in this range section.

 

At Mill Creek in Batavia Illinois they have a practice hole near the entrance – you can go anywhere from 240 out and hit shots into the green which is large with three pins set at different locations.  There is a large shelf that dissects the green diagonally so you need to either avoid it or use it.  I shot several videos one day with a buddy and happen to hole out from 80 yards.  You'll see these stop nicely but for a brand new wedge they do not cut or even scuff the cover.  For comparisons a new Vokey rips the cover off and I'll see pieces of ball stuck in the grooves for the first few months of ownership LOL.  These stopped nice without rip back spin.

 

 

Videos of the session: Sorry for the music – I didn't want these removed due to copyright infringement because I had real music playing during the session that was drowned out by crickets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57111OJISsQ

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y543An_2N5w

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CNBzo6PlxU

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgzXw_ZOrSM

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE_lytUcPqA

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCbooLoTNyQ

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1K5CKMkSMg

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsEICUh6yqk

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx8uo4r5MDc

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y543An_2N5w

 

 

 

 

On-Course Performance:  33/40

 

On course performance is one of the hardest things because different courses have different grasses, different days brings different conditions, etc.  At the range it is basically all the same outside of wind conditions.  The major reason for deducting here is due to bounce and the 54 degree leading edge causing reduced overall playability from a variety of conditions.  I'm not able to afford nor am I pompous enough to say ‘yea I got 4 different 3 wedge setups for various conditions; you never know what you'll encounter'.

 

These do awesome from firmer to regular conditions for me.  They are great for chipping, pitching, flops, bump and runs, etc.  You can sometimes hit the one stop check and roll out a little.  I'd say the one thing I wasn't able to accomplish was the shot that seemingly throws out the parachute – you know the one.  Hit it hard, coming in too hot, bounce, bounce, STOPS dead….well seeing how the grooves are good but not as sharp as say Cleveland's or Vokey's I wasn't able to hit this shot but I'm capable of doing it.  I'll admit not often do I pull it out because it's more of a teenager thing wanting to show off because its not the high percentage play.

 

My first attempt at a bunker shot came on a day I was cruising along at even par and on the 8^th hole I hit one but got a gust of wind causing the ball to come up short in a deep bunker.  I wanted max bounce so I grabbed the 54 degree which has 10 degrees – I know not a lot but the most I had in this Bridgestone line up – never practiced yet out of bunkers with them until on a course – I hit the sucker to 6 inches.  1 hop, stop dead next to the pin.  It was a nice high shot too.  I've since hit many from bunkers and really like how they work for me.  I'd say extremely fluffy sand will require more bounce to slap the sand correctly to make that match sticking a match box sound.  Firm sand is great too for these – they handle it with ease.  Deep rough you can open the face and get the leading edge fairly close but again there not heal relief so you risk hitting the dreaded skull.

 

I worked so much with these on the course by going during times they aren't busy and being able to play alone without anyone following – this way I could go to 130 – 50 yards and hit about 5-6 shots with each club.  This way I was able to see what a knock down 50 degree would react – flight was nice and piercing with plenty of stopping power – maybe even too much sometimes. LOL.  The 54 was my go to 115 yard club.  I absolutely loved seeing 112 yards to pin on the range finder because I knew – take the 54, hit it decent and the distance was spot on without crazy spin, etc.  When it comes to the 58 degree I'd play it about 105 max but 100 was more comfortable for me.  I'm not sure about you but oddly when I try to hit the 100 yard shot sometimes I hit it 110 LOL but when I try to hit the 105 yard max it would go straight up in the air and only go about 100. HAHAHA.  So I found leaning toward the target to focus 85% of my weight on the lead foot got me hitting down a little more and thus getting the proper distance out of her.  No more surprising 110 yarders with my 100 yard club.  This is the part I was blaming on the shaft but after seeing several tour players using this exact shaft I knew it wasn't a shaft thing and more of a my fault thing.

 

Sitting behind the ball on beautiful short grass these look almost too nice to hit.  Sitting in the bag all shinned up looks amazing!  No paint or at least not a lot of it is awesome.

 

 

 

The reason I'm deducting some points here is mostly due to the lower bounce on the clubs.  I'm more of a higher bounce player.  Talk to anyone who specializes in wedge fittings and they'll across the board say ‘everyone I've ever fit needs more bounce than they are playing'.  It's a combination of the courses we play and how are arms, wrists, elbows, stance, ball position, and technique all work together to hit the ball.  Don't think ‘oh I'm not a tour player so I need a ton of bounce' because of lot of them have higher bounce clubs that are either in the bag or cycle into the bag depending on course.  Yes they also spend about 30 hours a week on their short games too so think what you want.

 

I'd love to see the 50 with about 10 to 12 degrees of bounce, the 54 with 14 degrees of bounce and the 58 with about 14 degrees of bounce with heal and trailing edge relief.  This would be my ultimate setup because nothing out there looks as good as these.  Put them up against any forged club and you can't tell the difference.  BUT only costing 100 or less for these vs most other forged wedges commanding a 200 dollar price tag!@#@$!!!!! - - These are the absolute steal of the century! 

 

 

 

Play it or Trade it?  16/20

 

This is another category that is hard to score and do it without bias.  For years and years I've wanted a set (50,54 and 58) of Vokey's with the specs I need.  I mentioned them above but here it is again: 50 degree with full flange and 10-12 degrees of bounce, 54 degree with camber plus 14 degrees of bounce, a 58 with toe/heal and trailing edge relief but still 12-14 degrees of bounce.  I just can't afford 150/piece times 3!

 

BUT these are so amazingly good and if you consider the price it is almost a no brainer.  If I played courses that were more expensive (60 and up we'll say) I'd probably encounter the firmer conditions these really shine in.  I'm usually looking to play for 35 or less including cart and those courses tend to have drainage issues, conditioning that is less than stellar, rough that is longer maybe not as thick but a lot of times its unkempt.  So more bounce is needed in my opinion but for those playing a nicer course or firmer conditions these wedges cannot be beat.  They will keep up or beat anything else out there.  They come with premium shafts and grips to boot.  They've definitely earned a spot in the bag though.  I can't bring myself to sell or trade them because 1 – I'm a pack rat, I'm always thinking I'll need something the moment it goes into the trash or it is sold, 2 – they're sentimental for me – the first things I've gotten from MGS and it means a lot the site trusted me to review these.

 

I think I'll always keep them because I do like them a lot and they are so much newer than my current wedges so they spin better and since I've practiced SOOO much with them; my gamers aren't my gamers anymore.  Gamers are clubs you play all the time with.  I don't think you can take gamers out, practice all summer long and hit literally 1000's of shots with each club only to say ‘no I like the old ones better.'  You grow accustomed.  Here is how I know – I brought my gamers back out recently and they felt foreign to me.  I've got them weighted up with lead and different shafts, etc – the feel is completely different.  I'm not sure I can go back to them as easily as I first thought.  At first I thought I'd play with 6 wedges in the bag to compare, etc. and then I realized – the bag is too heavy, not enough space and if you're going to commit to testing you need to commit – take the gamers out, leave them in the trunk and play the new clubs you've practiced with.  I'm very particular about feel and weight.  I can tell the difference if we put a 1 inch piece of lead on the club head vs none.  So after so much practice I adjusted.  My mind said ‘this is what feels good now' and so the older wedges feel heavy and feel less maneuverable.  Overall I like a heavier club and will eventually probably put some lead on the backs of these which feels like a sin to cover up what is so sexy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion/Summary:

To summarize this entire review would be: Sexy, forged club, beats anything in this price range by 100 miles, premium feel, premium shaft, premium grip, premium forging, premium everything with a bargain basement price.  What is the catch right?

 

I wish they had more bounce options but that would probably drive the price up to where other top manufacturers are $149 – $200.  The thing about wedges – if you have 2, 3, or 4 – price has to come into the equation.  Unlike any other club, you're buying 3 or 4 of them.  So 150 isn't bad for a club but 450 for 3 and you'll need them every year ideally but can survive going 2-3 years between purchasing new ones.  Irons you shouldn't be constantly changing.  If you do you've either got money to absolutely burn, think a new arrow will suddenly make you robin hood, or some combo of both.  LOL.  Irons should last about a decent amount of time – I'm thinking something around 10 years unless you've aged to the point you need something different but you don't need new ones frequently.  Wedges receive the most use usually and we want sharp grooves that can stop the ball, once those become compromised you need new ones.  According to club champion golf its about 500 shots – I know, I LMAO at that figure too because I feel most cannot afford to get a new wedge each time they hit 500 shots with it.

 

I'll put it this way: your wedges account for 50-60 percent of all shots taken assuming you're playing the correct tees for the skill and length you hit the ball – you should typically hit between 8/7 iron and down into par 4s, same with par 3's and par 5's that are too long to reach in 2 you should be laying up to your ideal yardage – most feel that is 100 yards.  So I'm hitting a ton of wedge shots.  I'd say on a given round I'm hitting wedge almost every hole – I'm including the chip shots around the green, sand shots around the green, etc.  Those are all wedge shots.  Since wedges account for so much having decent ones in the bag is a must or you'll be losing shots based on spin rates, etc.  That is stupid.  Hit the perfect shot to see it land and roll off the back?  So a tap in birdie becomes a tough up and down for par or maybe bogey.  That turns a 72 into a 79 real quick and you're left feeling it wasn't your fault.

 

Truly Quick Summary:

 

These wedges are great.  I cannot say enough great things about them.  The look is amazing.  The feel is exactly what you'd expect: buttery smooth.  The value is outstanding: premium forged head, premium shaft, premium grip, premium build quality and premium quality control – all at a price most can swallow.  They perform as good as or better than anything else out there.  In the end the only detractor is can you find one that fits your game?  I'd like a little more bounce but other than that these are incredibly playable wedges that look and feel great with price tags that don't break the bank.

 

 

 

 Final Score: 84/100

 

I want to say ‘Thank you so much' to MyGolfSpy for picking me for this testing and a HUGE ‘Thank you' to Bridgestone for providing the tools to test.  I really hope I didn't let anyone down during this process.  I feel it is a large responsibility to take anything in exchange for a review – the review better be good and you better try your best.  It was unbiased and honest.  The scores aren't perfect and don't feel 84/100 is bad.  It is just a few things here or there but overall – they're staying in the bag.

 

 

 

 

 

These show some flatter leading edges.  The two at the very top are the 54 and 50 from the Bridgestone set.  See how they look rounded compared to the 4 all lined up.

 

 

[Shankster]

This thing on?

 

 

Ok good, I have your attention.

 

Firstly thanks for giving me the chance to test my favorite clubs in the bag The Wedges!, truly an honor to be selected.

 

Most of you know me, or have at least seen my handle “Shankster” floating Round the forum from time to time ....

 

I will also be posting stuff on Instagram and Twitter my handle there is @__shankster__

 

Moving along... so my favorite part of the game is the wedge game, I love everything about it. Manufacturing shots is fun for me, heck I don't even keep score sometimes. I get lost in time while practicing and I am out in the yard till after dark and get yelled at when I come in. Whoops....

 

My wedge inspiration is none other than Seve Ballesteros, I didn't get to see a whole lot of him live on TV, but I've watched several hundred hours of old highlights. He was a Wedgician, one of the best.

 

I play in the UP of Michigan, and we are graced with the most beautiful 3 weeks of summer you could ask for. The rest is snow, snow, or snow. (Bridgestone has the snow tire market here on LOCKDOWN)... When I am in the Yorktown area I like to explore there too (once or twice a year).

 

 

I've been playing golf on and off for 23 years, hard to imagine time went by that fast... I am actually pretty competitive, I don't like to get beat out on the course. My goal is to retire from my real job at 53 and pull a Brandle Chamblee and Monday qualify for the Senior Open (but actually make the cut), maybe I'll be paired with Tiger.... wait did I say 23 years... ?

 

This game drew me in as a kid, Tiger boom era... living by and working at a course...

 

Ok... enough about me.

 

In my bag currently are Taylormade Tour Preferred 52, 56, 60. I tried some cobra king wedges, and have demo'd a lot of other brands, I am on the search for THE wedge set. Me and the 52 have a special bond, I hit a Hole in 1 with it, and the 60° and I teamed up for a few chip in birdies and eagles. I picked these because Justin Rose gamed then when I got back into golf... Maybe Bridgestone has a new patron???

 

I usually shoot in the mid to high 70's on a 6000-6500 yard ish course. I don't keep a handicap, but when I move I will. I do have the blow up round in the high 80's that just drives me nuts, mostly from wayward drives... but then I just practice more.

 

 

I have a smooth tempo, especially with wedges, things can go bad when you try to give your 60 “a little extra” usually you'll end up short.

 

I can hit the 60° up to 100 yards but that is full out smashed. I prefer to use creativity, and use anything from the 56 to the 9 iron at the 100 yard mark, and I'm not afraid to run a 5 iron up either. Depending on hole location, wind, and how level I am with the green. Most comfy 100 yard shot is a smooth 56.

 

The stock shot for all my clubs is a Jason Day height draw, but I can move it around at will.

 

My miss is usually short right with wedges, I like to open the face and play finesse shots, so if I get lazy they go right.

 

The best part of my wedge game is the short little scary shots around the green from a fluffy lie, that most people run from.

 

The other side of that, my weakness of the game is that I'd rather use a wedge than putt. So I'm weird and would rather miss greens so I can chip instead of putt. So I guess that is a strength and a weakness. Or just confidence with the little spiny ones, or just dumb?

 

I'll work on it.

 

I'm a risk taker and when I'm playing for anything other than practice I'm going at every flag, that's why they are there isn't it? No flagstick is safe...

 

Maybe I'll join the par 3 tour.

 

So that's My Story...

 

UPS... “you are probably going to be mad.” Luckily the packaging held up to this abuse.

 

 

We are here to tell you about these beautiful forged wedges from Bridgestone. If you scroll back a few months to when MGS put up the blog and entered my thoughts you'd have heard “who signed off on the stop sign on the back of those”.... Well it's growing on me, it makes sense. A little more mass behind the ball, will it make a difference? I am hoping it adds to a flat ball flight. As far as tour presence I don't know of anyone playing these.

 

 

I chose the 52, 56, and 60 to keep my distances roughly the same.

 

 

Apparently they are “insanely good quality” and this is what the Bridgestone website has to say.

 

The all new TOUR B XW-1 wedges provide a classic teardrop shape with several enhancements over previous models. The new Tour grind sole offers increased heel and toe relief for playability from all lies. We have also updated the micro milling pattern to a parallel mill pattern for more spin and control. The XW-1 Wedges feature a True Temper DG Spinner stock shaft and Golf Pride Multicompound Black stock grip. The XW-1 wedges are available in 6 loft options, 2 finish options, and are offered in right handed models only. - Bridgestone...

 

That's it. That's all they give you.

 

Nice face!

 

 

I found this on the Japanese website... I can't read it but I am guessing that they are saying that these spin better than competitors.

 

 

The shaft option was the DG Spinner or the DG spinner. Never tried them, we shall find out just how Damn Good they Spin, or don't. For your PGA tour comparable, Jason Dufner used these shafts before his contract change.

 

For me to become a XW - 1 Squadron member these things have to allow me to move the ball, horizontally and vertically. They'll have to pass my test from the bunker, tight lies, fluffy stuff, bare lie, and various other shots.

 

I won't be hitting any range balls with these, so my full shot testing will be limited to the course and if I feel like chasing my practice balls down range. I plan on taking them to the sim and seeing how many RPM they produce on full shots and the little finesse shots, And at 25 yard increments 25, 50, 75, 100...

 

 

So these in theory check all of my boxes, no extra junk, forged, small head, thin top line... what more could you ask for? I am really looking forward to putting these through their paces.

 

Alright. So my testing will be conducted as follows:

 

Chips from the fringe/green side rough

Chips with no spin

Checking chips

Flop chips

Mid Crispies

 

Short Pitches

 

15-30 yard checkers

15-30 yard mids

15-30 yard floaters

15-30 yard flops

1-30 yard bunker shots

 

Mid Distance Pitches

 

30-60 yard various types

 

Long Range Homing Beacons

 

60-120 yard various types

 

I'll try to find a fairway bunker that I would use one from. Not many come to mind.

 

And... a special treat. I don't do trick shots, but I've been working on one... So stay tuned.

 

I am expecting these to perform extremely well. I have high hopes for the compact, forged wedges. So my review will be very critical, from fit and finish, to on track performance. I am not expecting any help, or forgiveness. Just steady performance.

 

Please check out the other XW-1 testers Stage 1's, and share these reviews with your buddies!

 

https://youtu.be/Uh4Tmq48b8w

 

- Shankster

[Shankster]

Well, well, well...

 

So I've had a wonderful time testing these wedges. I have about 14 rounds on them, and at least 50 additional hours testing at the practice facility, range, and chipping green.

 

I tried to use the simulator but it wasn't set up properly and everything was spinning 5805 RPM from driver to putter that day... yes I tried the putter just to see what happened.

 

I recently listened to a podcast with Tom Watson, and he said “I can tell within 3 swings of a club is worth a damn”... it only took one for me.

 

 

LOOKS 9.5 / 10

 

So these things aren't as small I thought they would be, they are a very nice traditional shaped wedge, with a nice round toe. I did notice that the 56 has a smidge more offset/hosel transition difference than the 52° or the 60° and a slightly more square look overall, but still round.

 

The overall looks are pretty sharp, my dad, his buddy, and my boss all commented on how sweet they looked.

 

Plus the lack of carbon fiber, orange paint fill, neon whatever's is nice. Just a classic forged blade wedge. Top Notch

 

The thing I didn't like is the bright chrome finish, when the sun is out... you need welding glasses if you open the blade at all. The grooves framed the ball nicely though. So this is where the .5 deduction from the looks category comes from.

 

 

SOUND AND FEEL 15 / 10

 

As you've been reading... these are the best feeling golf club I've ever hit. These things are just pure, there is now way around it. I play Titleist PV1x's for the most part, but I tried some BStone B330S', and Srixon Z-Star...

 

The Z-Star Tour B XW-1 wedge combo is a match made in heaven. When struck it just melts like butter in a hot pan off the face...

 

Yes.. you read that correctly, THE BEST FEELING GOLF CLUB I HAVE EVER HIT.

 

It is a very muted smooth sound off the face, you do get a nice crisp response but it isn't clicky at all. I really can't put the feeling into words. Think tennis ball off racquet... mmm mmm good.

 

I really enjoy hitting these wedges, so it was a treat to have a 120 and in shot. They inspire confidence for me.

 

 

RANGE PERFORMANCE 19 / 20

 

So I picked out the best range balls I could find out of the bucket, washed them, and wiped them off before taking full swings.

 

My first shot was with a gamer ball... my goodness. I set the 60 down and set up for a low flighted 50 yard shot, and I'll be damned if it didn't do exactly what I told it to... I use that first shot as my judge, and my inspiration for the rest of the year.

 

I set up at the right hand side of the range usually. And I have several drills I do. The range is 50 yards wide, and I try to go when no one is there so I can use the range stalls as targets, they are about 7 yards apart, and 2 feet deep by the markers. So at 50, 43, 36, 29 yards my target is land in the middle of those 2' areas. So it is a really challenge.

 

Then I aim at the 50 yard marker out on the range, the 75, and 100.

 

I will use any club in the bag from those distances, but usually it's the 56°, or 60°.

 

This is where these clubs shined, I prefer them on partial shots over full swings. The errors in the distance was from my swing, but if I dialed up a 100 yard 56 it was going near that, and online. Same with the other clubs.

 

https://youtu.be/nNbUttwHQW8

 

Accuracy was far better than my other wedges. No disparities in distance unless it was my fault.

 

Surprised that the thin shots still made full distance, and even some of the heavy ones did rather well.

 

So the workability of these wedges... man, I can't score it high enough. I had to try really hard (like REALLY HARD) to change the flight shape of my Taylormade and Cobra wedges... Bridgestone should mention that these things come with auto pilot, they are so easy to maneuver around, more on this in the on course part.

 

Distance was spot on what I expected. 56 is right around 100 yards, 60 was about 80, and 52 was right around 117 with a smooth pass at the ball, could add if needed.

 

The trajectory on a regular stock shot was somewhere in the middle, not too high, not too low, but just right. Exactly what I was looking for.

 

 

ON COURSE 34 / 40

 

So me and this 52 don't get along too well, but I believe it is the shaft. I've had a couple shots where I was trying to take some off it and I'd get a huge jump and end up 20 yards long. They do have the regular DG Spinner while True Temper Recommends the DG Spinner + (these shafts have been discontinued)...

 

But those few outliers can be forgiven. I absolutely love the shaft, head, and grip combo. The shafts are absolutely wonderful in the 56 and 60. I have been on the hunt for the Spinner + for the 52.

 

So I played Belvedere with my dad over the summer with these wedges, and he was calling me Tiger. Just point and shoot with these things, most of you know I like to shape almost everything... and these wedges give you the option to send them to the moon, somewhere in the middle, and my new favorite... the fly pin height and stop dead... (I could not do this with the cobra wedges). They are so dang fun to hit. I was throwing 50 - 100 yard shots in from high, med, and low. I didn't want to stop playing that day. It was the perfect playground for these wedges.

 

The 60-70 yard range is my favorite. I can use the 56 or 60 from that range.... and get the same trajectory, with varying spin. Effortlessly... just dial it up and they'll do exactly what you say.

 

These things give me confidence, the sound, the feel, my previous shots with them... I can step up to any shot under any sort of pressure and count on steady results.

 

So as I've said I almost bought the J-15 wedges... well, I am pretty sure I will be buying more Bridgestone products after this review, the quality of the build, the customer service, the performance, the lack of extra graphics... they have earned my respect, and I really can't believe they aren't played more.

 

The only thing I would change is getting them with the black oxide head... which I may just do anyways if you all haven't bought them up after reading about how good they are.

 

I am a wedge guy, and these are at the top of my list of recommendations.

 

Now comes The durability question. So 14 rounds and 50+ hours of practice and they are hardly showing signs of wear... if anything they are wearing better than my previous two gamer sets. So if you have been reluctant to buy forged wedges because of wear... you are missing out. Remember... these are the best feeling clubs I have ever hit.

 

The 4 point deduction here is for the 52 and it's erratic partial shots.

 

 

PLAY IT OR TRADE IT 20 / 20

 

These are in the bag till I wear the grooves out. I love them. They are my favorite clubs I've owned. They've helped my already good short game get better.

 

I'm also a firm believer that everyone should try forged blades. So if you are a high/med/low handicap get on out there and try them. They will likely perform as well or better than most stock OEM wedges from the big well known brands... just get over the fact that it isn't the number one wedge on tour. But I am willing to guess they'll be the talk of league night, club championships, bets with buddies... they are just good.

 

Conclusion

 

Go buy a set. If you haven't tried forged wedges regardless of the brand (obviously these are my favorites) you are seriously missing out. They are performers, in relation to cars I would put them in the Super Car category of wedges. Control, control, control... that's what they'll give you.

 

 

Overall:

 

97.5 / 100

 

https://youtu.be/IcJpJJu8Kzg

[azstu324]

BRIDGESTONE TOUR B XW-1

 

FOR STARTERS

 

I really want to thank MGS and Bridgestone Golf for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this product review. I've said it before that if I were able to look at all of the review opportunities for 2017 and 2018 and say "I wanna be a part of that", this would definitely be one of them. A high-quality set of wedges is not only something that I've had my sights on for quite some time, but it's the part of my game that I feel I'm the most successful with. This is my first ever product review for MGS so bare with me here.. hopefully we can all learn something together. 

 

RESEARCH AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

 

So when the announcement was made and I was able to pull myself back into reality to actually start thinking about how to begin this project, I started by going directly to the Bridgestone site to get the marketing specs. Additionally, I just wanted to find anything and everything that I could regarding the clubs to start to build a database and possibly get an idea of what I'd be in for. 

 

Here's what I found: not much; The Bridgestone site was quite limited in its description. Other reviews just seemed to echo the what Bridgestone had already claimed with perhaps the addition of opinions of appearance and still nothing much in the categories of performance, feel, actual extensive game-play, etc. Cliff notes version is that they're forged from Japanese 1025 steel (arguably the highest quality available), They've placed a chunk of mass smack in the middle toward the bottom for what they claim to be for extra control and feeling. They come with a stock Golf Pride multi-compound grip, and a TT DG Spinner wedge shaft (???). From the pictures online they look like a very classic shape. The B badge stamped into the hexagonal mass piece looked interesting. Horizontal "micro" grooves are visible but not in a 20 grit sandpaper sort of way. Additionally, they come in a black oxidized finish option. Also, from what I have gathered, they have limited the sole grind options to 1 (tour-grind) on all 6 available lofts. 

 

Actual clubs: As you can see from my amateur attempt at professional photography, these things are nothing short of sexy. The B-mass badge on the back of the clubs in't nearly as pronounced or distracting as I thought it would be. The head shape is of the most classic and attractive variations on the market. The micro-grooves are indeed present but not overkill. Thin top lines, mostly flat leading edge (perfect IMO!), and all the right chrome and satin in all the right places. Toe is mid to high with a nice rounded top edge. 

 

As I'm sure others have already stated in their stage 1's, I plan to put these to good use. I want to report on what I feel are practical applications and as much "in-play" experience as possible. I plan to run all of these through MY repertoire of go-to shots for both full approach and greenside fancy play. High/low/bunker/flop/chip/chunk/full/partial/everything in between. Computer spin numbers are nice and all, but golf is about facing the innumerous and unfamiliar possibilities that Ma Nature can slap us with. 

 

ME

 

My name is Stuart AKA AZstu324. My friends know me as Stu. My kids know me as Daddy and Pops. I still try to fool myself into thinking that I'm 39 years young but I'm realizing every day that my days of invincibility and endless energy are slowly riding off into the sunset.

 

For as long as I can remember, golf has been a pastime and a bonding piece between my father, grandfather, cousins, and now my own kids. Even my wife will humor me from time to time and come along for the ride. Maybe just one day she'll even get sprinkled by the golf fairy and decide to give it a whirl. As a teen in high school I was OK.. but as most teens fair with golf, it was more of something to do with my buddies on occasion when money permitted, and all other extreme activities were exhausted. It was my athletic ability that kept me decent, but I never really had any lessons or real desire to delve any deeper than that. In hindsight, I really would have done well on a team with structure and instruction.

 

 

 

Now to rewind the tape a little further back. I began golfing around the age of 12. My family lived in Fresno, CA and my father was a performance rep for Dunlop Tire Co. He was able to get his hands on some pretty decent Dunlop clubs at the time, so he figured that it was time for me to start swinging and pieced together a set. We lived in Fresno for only about 3 years and eventually found our way to Mesa, AZ to be closer to my grandparents in their later years. Well they lived on a golf course. Fountain of the Sun. It was a private exec track for 65+ers.

 

My grandfather at the time knew that I was trying to pick up the game, so he began to invite me along. Little did my parents know that these outings would be laden with profane language and off-color jokes. I loved it! I came to find out that he was one of the best golfers I'd ever know. Well, at least one of the best golfers I'd ever know to golf that particular course. He refused to golf anywhere else because it was too much of a hassle and he just didn't like people that he didn't know. Hell, he barely liked the ones he did know. He knew every blade of grass on that course. He had a technique or a rule for every type of shot pertaining to direction, trajectory, and distance. From tee to green, he had his game dialed in.

 

That was a level of golf that I had not witnessed and a side of my grandpa that I hadn't known. I also found out later that his rules for “lost ball” weren't quite PGA standard issue. They went a little something like this: Hit OB, 1 stroke. Touch the new ball, 1 stoke. Drop the ball, 1 stroke. Hit the ball, 1 stroke. Ball lands, 1 stroke. By the time you finished the hole, you were already at 10. I would question his ruling on this matter and his response was “just stop hitting the damn ball OB and you have nothing to worry about”. Not much I could argue with there.

 

Another gem that I picked up from G-Pa was when hitting over water, use your best, most expensive ball. He would say that “if you carry a water ball, you might as well just take it and throw it in the water because that's where you're planning to go anyway”. His theory was that by using an expensive ball over the water, you become more concerned about losing an expensive ball rather than the actual hazard itself. And if you hit your expensive ball in the water, you didn't deserve to have it in your bag in the first place. To this day, I don't carry a “water ball” and send my Pro V1 over the lake every time. That was his way of helping me clear that mental hurdle that we're all familiar with. My grandfather passed in 2017. I'll admit with confidence that out of all of the grandkids, I held a bond with the old man that none of the others did.

 

 

So let's fast-forward from then to now. I would definitely say that I have a passion for golf. This is a passion that can only be understood by those who have been acquainted with the game for nearly a lifetime. As a teenager, I just wasn't developed enough as a human being to understand why the game was so special. My grandfather was. Even up through his late 70's, he was a student and a teacher through golf and it was apparent to him that spending time with me on the course the way he did, would develop into a life-long gift for many years and generations to come.

 

I enjoy watching it on TV. That in itself might be misunderstood as a sickness to many. I record all 4 days and binge watch them on Saturday and Sunday. I subscribe to Golf Digest. I self-analyze, study, and seek as much online instruction as possible. I follow the following Youtube channels/instructors/reviewers frequently: MGS (of course), Mark Crossfield, Meandmygolf, Rick Shiels, Golf Digest/Rickie Fowler, All things Phil, Fried Eggs, Golfbox, and a few others. I also tinker with club building as my brain is not at rest if I don't understand the mechanics, physics and function of the equipment that I use.

 

 

MY GAME

 

Lessons, clubs, and tournaments: I've never taken any lessons, been a member of a club, or played in any legit tournaments. Many fathers raising kids and supporting a family can attest that things like golf lessons, club membership fees, and tournaments, just aren't within the realm of financial possibility. Maybe when I'm retired, but just not right now. My first priority will always be my family, and if golfing begins to get in the way of being a good father and husband, I'll gladly put the clubs away. I'm very lucky to have a wife that understands the constructive and therapeutic nature of golf. While she may not understand the game, she knows what it does for my soul.

 

I don't have an established handicap “gasp”, I know it's a tragedy isn't it? I would venture to say with some decent certainty that I carry something around a 12 Handicap. My average score on most par 70 – 72 courses is mid to low 80's.

 

Strengths: Driving distance avg 270 yds and pretty consistently straight. Wedge play and approach from 100 yds in and around the green. Wedges are probably my most cherished club in the bag because of their versatility and the creativity that they encourage.  

 

Weaknesses: Iron play isn't horrible but could be more consistent. Putting has been reduced to 2-putts max but could still use some improvement from in the 5' range.

 

Golf Goals in 2018: Break 80, Hole out from 100 yds or more, hole out from bunker, ACE

 

 

 

WHY I LOVE THE GAME

 

So I failed to mention my profession in the beginning because I knew that it would be more relevant in this paragraph. I've worked in the mortgage banking industry for nearly 14 years. Currently I'm a mortgage Underwriter. For those who aren't familiar with my skillset, I review, analyze, and assess the risk for the bank while critically peeling back layer after layer of each client's personal financial past, present, and future. By nature, I'm extremely analytical and I'm able to quickly assess the potential risks and rewards of taking certain actions. Not that I like doing things that way, it's just how I'm wired. Additionally, I'm able to problem-solve using my research to arrive at a definitive decision for each case. Sound familiar? It's exactly what we do on the course. My brain was made to play this game. My favorite episode of Feherty is when he interviewed Phil. To see his savant-like cerebral dissection of the game just gives me goosebumps.

 

My usual playing partners are: My dad. When I was a kid and my dad worked for Dunlop, he traveled a lot, so we didn't get too many opportunities to golf together. He got me started but just kind of let me find my own way in golf as a kid. Now that we're both older, we cherish every moment that we can spend time on the course, or just spend time in general. It's ironic how much the tables have turned as I'm now the one giving him instruction and inspiring words of confidence on the course, as well as reminding him that curse words and club throwing isn't a good look. We try to get out at least twice a month  

 

WIMB

• Driver: Nike Vapor Speed with Mits Fubuki Z 50x5ct S Flex. I realize that this is a fairly outdated driver but I'm honestly yet to find something that is substantially better.
• Callaway Apex UDI: I built this with a Kuro Kage black Hybrid S flex shaft and had bent to 17*. This recently replaced a Cobra 4 wood.
• 3H: Maltby KE4 Tour Hybrid with Maltby Hybrid S flex shaft
• Irons: Maltby DBM; for those of you who aren't familiar with Maltby, I couldn't be more pleased with any other set of irons. These are absolutely stunning and on par with some of the finest clubs available. I'm using Nippon NS Pro 950gh shaft with Pure Pro grips. 95g shafts work well for me as I have a fairly smooth tempo with a late load/release.
• Wedges: Cobra 60/12 and Pinseeker 56/14.
• Putter: Cleveland Huntington Beach #11

 

*From 100 yds, I typically use my 56* or 60* (depending on the shot)

 

*Typical ball flight is high but penetrating but am able to shape and work with trajectory when needed.

 

*Typical miss is a pull when I start to get lazy and my arms get ahead of my body.

 

Here's a little video of some swing variations, and for y'all to get to know me as a human being "attempting" to play golf. (BTW, I'm currently about 20 lbs lighter from the time that I took this video about 3 weeks ago. Not only did the videos help me recognize and work on some swing flaws (like the Bubba shuffle) but also encouraged me get my butt back into shape (still a work in progress)) 

 

 

Huge thanks to Springfield Golf Course in Chandler (my favorite local exec) for letting me use the course for this video!

[azstu324]

Welcome back folks! As you all may remember, Stage 1 of the Bridgestone Tour B XW-1 wedge review was just as much about us, the reviewers as it was about the clubs. We provided y'all with some insight to our individual capabilities, history with the sport, and what this review opportunity means to us on a personal level.

 

Now moving on..

 

And as a very wise man once said…

 

 

I really wanted to combine as wide a variety of testing mediums as I could conjure up in my head and have available. In my stage 1, I mentioned that I'm a follower of many YouTube golf channels. While I may not have the know-how and resources that those guys have, I know what I like to see and what information means the most to me as a golf enthusiast. I'll do my best to present what information I feel will make the biggest difference to those who are tuning in.

 

As we all know, golf is not a circus of one-trick-ponies, and wedges in particular are as multifaceted as any club in the bag can be. My testing consisted of about 15 rounds played on a mix of long and short courses, 10 “true” range sessions, chipping and bunker green practice, and roughly 15 simulated range sessions with a launch monitor hitting from a mat. Additionally, I wanted to address as many of the forum questions as possible with photos, video, and practice data to show the interestees that I've been listening.

 

 

Now moving on to the formatted portion of the review.

 

Looks (9/10)

 

 

 

The shape as you all can see is as classic as any wedge shape available. Very teardrop-esque. They are a slightly smaller profile than I am used to from my previous wedges. What's odd is that while appearing a tad more compact at address, there's absolutely no loss of confidence when squaring up to the ball.

 

When we received the assignment, of course the first thing I could do was to look for as many photos as of the clubs that I could find. I'll admit that the first thing that stuck out to me, and what probably sticks out to most is the large B logo stamped in the middle of an abstractly shaped hexagon on the back side of the club. This sort of reminds me of an old wax seal stamp on some ancient scroll of infinite wisdom. I really wasn't sure how put-off I would be, but I was certain that I wasn't going to be a huge fan. Well that quickly changed when I received the clubs. What appears to be an eyefull in the pictures is quite discrete and not distracting at all. That change in opinion was supported further after learning that there is method to the madness with the “B stamp”.

 

I think that Bridgestone definitely could have gone a few directions as far as paint-fill and graphic representation. I'm glad though that they didn't go any further. I feel that the paint-fill is just enough without going overboard and the graphics are just the right amount to be considered clean and classic. Less is definitely more when it comes to wedges. These are all function with no fillers and that is music to my eyes.

 

As for the overall appearance, I'm going to say that these clubs check all of the boxes. Thin top line, classic shape, minimal graphics without unnecessary distractions, perfect profile size, and confidence-inspiring at address. Shot after shot, I can look down at the club next to the ball and say “OK do your thing!” and know that I won't be disappointed.

 

As for attracting attention from other players, it's not so much the clubs that attract attention but what I'm able to do with them that gets people asking questions.

 

I am still in full debate as to whether I should pick up the black oxidized wedges to match my current Maltby DBM (Diamonized Black Metal) finish irons. I'm currently enjoying the chrome and flat black contrast in my set aesthetics. That said, the chrome finish is not off putting in the slightest. The matte texture against plain chrome is a pretty classy look IMO without saying “hey look at me”.

 

Why not 10 out 10 you might ask? I concede to my own ridiculousness, but I would imagine that a 10/10 score would be reserved for something that perhaps the Almighty himself would forge from celestial matter. My apologies if my comment appears blasphemous. But we all know the Lord is a scratch golfer.

 

Sound & Feel (10/10)

 

I'll start by saying that I'm no stranger to the feel of a forged club getting close and personal with a urethane cover ball. The feeling is well... (insert 70's funk music) yeah.. you get the point..  My current irons are forged from 1020 (the softer of the available carbons) and reward me dearly whenever I hit the ball on the numbers (thank you Maltby). 

 

The Tour B wedges are forged but from 1025 which is just a tad harder but given the obstacles the wedges usually face, it makes plenty of sense.

 

So I know that sound and feel are subjective and aren't simply 1-answer questions. For some, part of the feel can come from the sound or vise-versa. A club that's loud and clicky may be perceived to be hard and harsh feeling because of the sound that it makes. Additionally, and almost equally as important is the type of ball that's being hit. The ball that I used almost exclusively throughout this testing was my Kirkland 4 piece urethane. Yes.. I've got them and love them. For those unfamiliar with the KS wonderball.. https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/17365-the-one-and-only-kirkland-signature-ball-thread/page-1?hl=kirkland

 

I actually did an interesting experiment with this one. When you listen to the video, you can tell that the club makes a loud-ish clip or crack (NOT click), and possibly a sound that might be associated with a harder feeling club. The club definitely doesn't feel that way but it's a little harder to tell because of the sound. One range session I took ear plugs and hit about 20 full shots with nothing but the feeling of the club hitting the ball and turf, and my own breathing resonating in my brain. When the sound wasn't there to muddle the feeling, the club felt like.. yup.. butter AND gravy. Almost slightly muted but very responsive and smooth. I knew exactly where I was hitting the ball on the club face at all times. Even on mishits, I wasn't feeling like I was being punished, but just informed that I could have hit a better shot. When I took the ear plugs back out and continued to hit, everything came together more harmoniously. The sound and feeling seemed to make more sense and I knew that I was hitting a superbly crafted golf club.

 

 

Range Performance (19/20)

 

So depending on the weather and/or my mood, that would dictate whether I'd be outdoors on a live range or indoors at the simulator. Most of my live range sessions are prior to playing a round, and in the early dawn hours before the temperature has a chance to eat my soul. The courses that I frequent all have decent short-game practice facilities equipped with bunkers and chipping greens with both fringe and rough for different types of shots.

 

When on the range hitting a bucket, I'll start by hitting about 15 full shots with each club counting backward from my 60*. By doing this, I'm grooving my swing for the round as well as trying to establish patterns for height, distance, and direction. Ultimately at full-bore, I like to see the balls landing within about a 15 - 20' radius as well as stall out at about the same height. I'm fairly confident with my distance gapping so when I'm hitting clean shots, I know my distance #'s are there.

 

Once I've worked my way through what I consider the rough adjustments, I go back and start fine-tuning. I'll then do the same with ¾ swing shots, ½ swing shots, and then work on shaping and trajectory.

 

When I'm all warmed up, I'll then go to the chipping green and practice different types of close-range shots that may come in handy throughout the round. Similar to what I had done on the range, I'll try to work a swing groove and build some consistency with my super short game. Similar to the videos below, I'll just rotate through my repertoire of shots while switching through different lies.

 

Bunker shots: Getting up and down from the bunker has always been a mystery for me.. until now. Somehow my bunker game went from terrible to pretty decent. I think I was just playing the wrong shot with the wrong club all along. After watching some YouTube instructionals and implementing the proper techniques with the right club, I think I figured out how to ride that Unicorn! The 56* is just magical in its ability to have a very high and accurate bounce while sitting absolutely flush. 

 

(The videos shown throughout my testing were taken at my favorite local exec, Springfield GC. They were awesome enough to let me use as much time as I needed and to roam the course looking or various spots to shoot and practice. They even hooked me up with a golf cart! ) 

 

This video shows some of the versatility of the 60° from an extremely tight buzz-cut fringe lie from about 30' out.

 

 

This is a video that shows the same shots (Flop and Bump & Run) with both the 60°/6° and 56°/14°. I did this because some prefer the higher loft and lower bounce while others fair better with the lower loft and higher bounce.

 

 

These clubs are all point and shoot as far as accuracy goes. As long as I do my part, the clubs are 100% reliable and that makes me happy.

 

As was discussed among the testers in private as well as on the testing stage forum, there seems to be a jump in distance with these clubs from what we're all used to with our original gamers. For me though this couldn't be more welcomed. My original gapping went a little something like this: Gap (50°) 125 yds, 56° 100 yds, 60° 80 yds. Anybody see my dilemma? Anything North of 100 yds, I'd just have to take a gander with my Gap wedge which generally resulted in a fail.

 

Here's my new gapping: Gap 125 yds, 52° (bent to 53°) 115 yds, 56° 105 yds, 60° 95 yds. Perfect gapping now! I will add that I had my 52 bent to 53 because it was flying every bit as far as my gap and at times a little further. Per the suggestion of one of the forum members, I had the loft tweaked a tad and that did the trick.

 

As far as trajectory goes, it all depends on the approach and what I'm after. Having my cake and eating it too is what these clubs are all about. Really what I'm getting at is that these clubs allow you to work the ball like a chunk of modeling clay. If I want lower penetrating trajectory, I put the ball back in my stance a bit and flatten out my swing and it's a thing of beauty. If I want to clear a sky scraper or mess with the FAA, I put the ball in the middle and go steep city and dig to China. It's almost unnatural how much sky you can put between the ball and the earth with these things and the right swing. This comes in especially handy here in Arizona where the greens are mostly hard-pan with some grass on top. And let's not forget about shaping..  left and right shaping is probably easier than it should be with these.  

 

Now I did mention that when I'm not practicing at an outdoor range because it's too hot to do so, you'll find me beatin the mats indoors at PGA Tour Superstore (my mistress). I'll agree that indoor sessions with a launch monitor aren't as organic and meaningful as practicing the way nature intended (outdoors) but for what it's worth, I was able to gather some additional data for the number crunchers. Just to simplify things, the average back spin on the 60° with a fairly steep ascent and drop was around 10,500 rev's. The 52° was around 10,000. rev's. That's an extremely minimal difference between the higher and lower lofted of the 3. The 56° fell right in the middle. If numbers are your thing, those numbers are about as good as I'd ever care to see.. but numbers are numbers and don't hold a candle to on-course performance data.  

 

On-Course Performance (38/40)

 

So one thing I tried to make a conscious effort in doing was to focus more on my next shot after a drive. I'm fairly consistent and lengthy off the tee box so this forced me to pay more attention to yardage on par 4's. Especially the shorter holes around 300 yds. My objective was to put myself within a full club from the pin to allow myself more opportunities to put these things to use.

 

In doing that, I've actually started to notice my scores improve. I've started to play smarter off the tee and use clubs like my hybrid, UDI, or even my 4 and 5 irons as to take more of the guessing out of the equation with my next shot.

 

Another “test of faith” was to see how wild I could hit my driver, as in “I'm going to drive the green or die trying” and more often than anything, I found myself in some pretty precarious situations where I had to use a wedge to creatively barter my way back to safety. It's actually a pretty entertaining way to play golf if you're doing it on purpose.

 

Now we all know that there's a difference between hitting robo shots at the range and live-action play on the course. Even the pro's have moments where they say “I had such a good range session, what happened?” I will say this about these clubs so far, that transitioning from the range to the course has seemed nearly seamless every round. There's a very familiar feeling when addressing the ball for a wedge shot that just makes your body relax and know that for the most-part, everything's gonna be OK.

 

Another topic that's been discussed in the forum Q&A is forgiveness. I'm sure the other guys will probably address it in their reviews but these clubs won't kick you where it hurts on off-center shots. One thing that was mentioned in stage 1 and going back to the section addressing appearance, is the hexagonal mass plate (the one with the B stamped on it) positioned opposite of the face right in the middle.

 

It's been agreed that this plate really helps with the club's moment of inertia (MOI) in the sense that, with a driving plate of mass pushing the club forward, it's not as significantly impacted by a disturbance like an off-centered hit. The club is more likely to maintain its true path through the entire swing therefore resulting in straighter shots even if they're off the toe or heal. My personal missed hit is off the toe which I happen to achieve more often that I'd like to admit. At most I'll lose 10 yds but have yet to lose any direction. In my book, loss of direction is always the greater punishment over distance.

 

A funny side note is that the review outline provided to us suggests that we talk about performance specs in comparison to our current gamers. What current gamers? These are them. I'll admit that I really enjoyed my Cobra King 60° but wasn't a big fan of my former 56° and have just never gotten along with high-bounce sand wedges in general. Because of the Bridgestone Tour B wedges, my previous wedges are nothing but irrelevant figments that now occupy space in someone else's bag (SOLD). I will say that both the 56 and 60 are and will probably be forever battling for top spot in my bag. I really really like them!

 

Overall, I wouldn't change a thing about any of the 3 clubs. The OEM setup is IMO one of the best you'll find with the TT DG Spinner shaft and Golf Pride multi compound chord grips. It's unfortunate that TT has discontinued the shafts but they're not necessarily a mainstream setup option that most think of when building a wedge. I may get bored with the shaft down the road and swap it out but it would really take something special to interest me in making any changes.

 

 

Here are a few videos where I tried to capture the different types of contact that people had questions about. These are shot from pretty tight fairway lies.  

 

Pickers/Sweepers

 

 

Diggers

 

 

 

Play it or Trade it? (20/20)

 

As I mentioned in the previous section, these clubs ARE my gamers. I have absolutely no interest in looking elsewhere for wedges. It doesn't take much to realize that my review is highly in favor of the Tour B wedges. I'll admit with the utmost candidness that these clubs DO NOT make me a better player. What these clubs do though is make playing and practicing highly enjoyable. They motivate me to put in extra time to get better, to learn, and become the type of player that is capable of using these clubs to their full potential. 

 

As for golfing skillset, I'm admittedly in the middle of the pack. I'm a mid-handicap (unofficial) that's come a very long way to get to where I am but have a long way yet to get to where I want to go. I'll say with conviction that these clubs are for anyone in any part of golf's journey.  

 

As you can see, the clubs are holding up very well. Arizona golf courses are known to be very unforgiving on golf equipment. What lies beneath the grass here can eat forged clubs for breakfast. 

 

 

Time to wrap it up!

 

In a nutshell, here's what these clubs do:

• Look as good as any club ever made
• Perfect shape and leading edge
• Inspire Jedi-like confidence during play
• Encourage extra practice to help improve your game
• Feel awesome
• Sound awesome
• Consistent Consistent Consistent 
• Excellent shot shaping control 
• They're not just great for the price.. they're great PERIOD

Here's what they don't do

 

• give you magic golfing powers
• cater to lefties (sorry) 

 

 

THE END

[bardle]

 

The first thing I want to do it is thank MGS and Bridgestone for letting me review these gorgeous wedges. Being a high handicapper, I wasn't sure I'd get an opportunity like this but I know there others out there like me, so I'm hoping I can be of service to you.

 

My name is Bradley, I'm 28 and I live just north of Atlanta. I'm married and we have two pups, one of which is my profile pic, and we have a baby girl on the way.

 

I've only been golfing for about a year now, but I fell completely in love with the sport and now I can't get enough. Growing up, no one in my family golfed, It wasn't until I got married and got roped into a golf tournament with my in-laws that I got the bug. I never considered myself the golfing type, but I am obsessed with the challenges it brings and of course the feeling of hitting that perfect shot.

 

 

Here are some quick stats on my game as prior to playing with the XW-1's

 

Average round score: 102.

Personal Best: 97

GIR %: 13.6

FIR %: 57.1

 

As you can see my GIR is a problem. Last round I had a record high 5 GIR so about double my average. I attribute it to changing my iron swing after some practice to more of a digger style and utilizing the Pelz clock method (Thanks RoverRick). More on that later though.

 

I'm a technical guy by nature and have always been athletic. I'm 6'3 and a little stocky so naturally I am a longer hitter. Control tends to be my biggest problem and touch on the greens(**cough** putting **cough**).

 

 

Whats in the bag?

 

Everything in my bag was purchased new at a deep discount over the past year and a half in preparation for learning how to play golf. Most were recommendations made by family members who are mid-cappers. I got the Vokey pretty cheap but didn't realize at the time that more forgiveness would have been nice and I still have no idea what M Grind means but hey, it looks nice and one of the only grinds they had left at the retailer I bought it at.

 

Driver: Cobra King F7 at 9.5º - Aldila NV 2KXV Green Stiff

Irons: TaylorMade Rocketbladez 4-PW Stiff

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM6 M Grind 56º

Putter: Top Flite Tour 1.0 Blade (Say what you want but this thing is heavy and feels goooood for the 30 bucks I paid for it)

Balls: Titleist NXT Tour S

 

So how's my wedge game?

 

My Vokey is probably my second best club in my bag next to my 5 iron (Weird right?). Thanks to @RoverRick introducing me to the Pelz Clock method and some (almost) everyday backyard practice with foam balls. I now know my best, most consistent swing with it is ¾ . This is my 85-95 yard shot, my ½ swing is 45-55 yds. I never swing this club full. I just don't have the confidence for it, I have a bad tendency to chunk it when I decide to go full(M Grind problems maybe?), so if I need something 105+ then I go ¾ PW. Here's my current yardage breakdown with my wedges.

 

56º:

Quarter Swing: 35

Half Swing: 45-55

¾ Swing: 85-95

 

PW(45º):

Quarter Swing: 50

Half Swing: 85

¾ Swing: 105-115

Full: 135

 

I have a gapping issue on this side of my bag as well if you can't tell. I have no problem full swinging my PW, It's a very consistent 135 yard shot and I hit it well 90% of the time. The real problem I have is my interval swings with the pitching wedge just aren't consistent. I will very often go with the ¾ 56º even if I am 100-110 out from the green and just hope I get a lucky bounce or some wind help because I am so inconsistent with those swings. I assume it is the vast difference in lofts and club design. The same swing just does not work for the PW that does work for the SW.

 

Let's talk about Bridgestone and their Tour B XW-1 wedges

 

A quick customer service note. We were selected to test these wedges on Thursday, 7/26. I assume they were ordered Friday. And I received them the following Wednesday. 8/1. I Can't say enough about their speed of service and fulfillment and I truly am impressed, it took 6 days including a weekend to get these things in my hand.

 

To be perfectly honest, up until a few months ago, I had no idea that Bridgestone made golf clubs. I knew they made golf balls of course but their clubs are completely new to me. I have no idea what to expect from them quality wise but I do have a vokey to compare them too. I know that's a tall order, but I look forward to seeing if they can live up to the challenge.

 

These clubs are hard to find info for. The one press release I found claimed the following:

 

Tour Grind Sole - Basically adding forgiveness from heel to toe

Parallel Milling Pattern - The classic groove inside a groove inside a groove (inception anyone) to increase spin

Forged Mass - A cool feature not present in most other wedges. They added what is basically an impact zone behind the face(The B logo) which, according to Bridgestone, increases response and feel.

 

 

These also come with this crazy looking shaft called the DG Spinner and some fantastic Golf Pride Multicompound grips. The grips feel amazing, I've never had the pleasure of using them and I'm sure this is a highly opinionated subject, but I love these things. Don't how I lived without them for so long.

 

 

Now that we're towards the end of stage 1 I want to note that my review is going to be geared towards other high handicappers like myself. I'm not going to attempt to analyze spin numbers and ball flight descent angles because frankly, that doesn't matter to me and shouldn't matter to others who score like me. Bridgestone is offering a wedge for [better players, but they aren't confusing you with 48 different configuration options based on turf conditions, swing path, and the gravitational pull of the earth in your zipcode.

 

I like the simplicity, and I wish other OEM's would take the same stance because finding a wedge and sifting through the mess of options is not an easy thing for someone who just wants proper gapping and confidence behind a club.

 

So that being said, I aim to find out a few key things with my review to try and help others like myself decide if the XW-1 is right for them:

• Do I have to alter my swing to get the right trajectory and distances? (I currently do with my Vokey)
• How forgiving will they be when I take full shots?
• Can I feel the sweet spot when I hit it well? They put a mass behind the face just for this purpose, I'm hoping if I can feel it, then I can practice with that feeling in mind.
• The most important thing for me, Confidence. When I pull the club, do I know I'm going to hit my yardage and how confident am I in my striking ability with the club.

 

This club is $99, a significant price difference between a Vokey and a solid price for a high handicapper. I truly hope to put this thing to the test and provide valuable feedback for those interested.

 

So, other 20+ cappers, please tell my what you'd like to hear from my review. No question is dumb and I am willing to go to extremes to get you an answer for any question you might have.

[bardle]

Bridgestone Tour B XW-1 Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by Bardle

 

Welcome back everyone, I spent the last several weeks putting these things through the ringer. I'm typically a weekend warrior and play 3 rounds a month and hit the range 2 times a month but I tried to get out a little more frequently during the testing period.

 

In total, I got in 10 rounds and about 10 range sessions in the last 6 weeks, good for me and my golf game, but the 8 month pregnant wife was not quite as happy about it. The range I frequent has a practice green with a very large bunker and about 40 feet to chip from so I got ample amount of practice in those scenarios during range time. For my rounds I only played shorter courses where I almost always hit a wedge into greens so that on nearly every hole, I was hitting a wedge at least once.

 

On to the scoring...

 

Looks (10 out of 10 points)

 

These things are minimalist dreams. Simple and well shaped, the only real graphics are the Tour B lettering in black and the Chrome stamped Bridgestone “B” badge, which, unlike the promo photos of the wedges, is not at all bold or attention grabbing. The paintfill has had no issues and the numbering of the lofts on the bottom look just as good as when I got them. These things clean up amazingly well. At address, the profile is sleek and thin, just like you'd expect from a wedge with a compact head. These things are gorgeous.

 

I'll admit when I first saw them, I was concerned with the stamped badge, aka forged mass or “stop sign”, but once I got them in hand I realized how subtle the badge was and it's grown on me. I really really like the look of these wedges.

 

 

Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)

 

Sound wise, I probably am not the greatest judge. I haven't hit a huge variation of wedges to know the wide arrays of sounds associated, but I will say that the sound coming off of these things on a clean shot is extremely satisfying. They are neither loud or harsh, I would probably use the word clicky for chips and more “axe to tree” for full shots. Both are satisfying when well struck.

 

These things are buttery smooth. There is no better feeling in my bag than hitting it right on the center of that forged mass with the 52º. There is a distinct difference in feel on the mishits, I know immediately if I missed the center of the face, same goes for thin or fat. I don't currently have this kind of feedback anywhere else in my bag and I'm in love with it.

 

Range Performance (17 out of 20 points)

 

I've had a bunch of range sessions with these clubs, I started off grooving full swings and getting my distance gaps filled in. For some comparisons of yardage numbers for other high cappers, I hit my 7 iron about 160. My yardage with the 52º is 115, 56º is 95 and 60º is 85. I'm going to break this section up into four sections for organization and readability so bear with me.

 

Full Swings (5 out of 5)

 

The second thing I started doing is shooting for targets with full swings. Starting off it was not pretty. It took me a while to really dial in a swing with these and not chunk them. Basically I take 10 shots with each club rotating through the clubs and the targets for each. Here are the numbers from the first session I did this on(technically second range session) and the numbers from the last one I did. I consider hits anything within a 10 yd circle of where I was aiming.

 

1st Session

Club Hits

52 6/10
56 5/10
60 3/10

 

Last Session

Club Hits

52 9/10

56 8/10

60 6/10

 

Now, I'm not sure where you other high handicappers are at with your iron or wedge accuracy, but I'm now averaging 80+% accuracy on the range with full swings with these clubs.

 

Some other details on this, the 60 is just hard for me to hit some days. I chunk it alot on bad days, I don't think that is terribly abnormal, but it certainly is not the clubs fault. If my swing is a little chunky one day then its compounded and very chunky on the 60 that day. I typically do not hit these thin.

 

Quarter Swing Variations (2 out of 5)

 

I consider my quarter swings and knowing distance for them extremely important to my game. To date, I still don't have exact yardages due to the inconsistency in these swings. It took me a while to diagnose the issue but I finally realized that It's the shaft that causes the problem. If I get too fast in my transition and downswing, then I literally launch the quarter variations. I can hit a half swing almost the full distance if I get too quick with it for every single one of these clubs and it just has to be that the shaft gets a little too “whippy”. This has caused some major inconsistency for me, so much so that I am forced to layup to a known distance for my wedges so i don't get inside 80 yds to the green. You can blame it on my swing if you'd like but I don't have this problem with my Vokey.

 

Chipping / Sand shots (5 out of 5)

 

I spend a lot of time chipping because I don't hit many greens. I also spend a lot of time practicing my chipping on carpet in my living room. I honestly don't notice any difference between these and my vokey, which is not something to scoff at given the price point.

 

Sand wise, well I'm normally terrible out of the sand, just from lack of practice, but I have no issues nowadays getting out. I even had an absolutely buried fried egg up against the lip of a fairway bunker, I could barely even see the top of it and still managed to get the thing out on my first swing with the 56º. I have never been so confident out of the sand, hard sand, soft fluffy sand, so far it doesn't matter.

 

Here is literally my best ever sand shot, posted elsewhere in the thread as well...

 

Forgiveness (5 out of 5)

 

This was the most shocking result to me. Anytime I look at a club with a blade design, wedge or not, I get nervous. Just to clarify, I am a 27 handicap whose new-ish to the sport. I by no means hit the sweet spot all the time, probably not even half the time. Somehow though, I am still about 80+% accurate on the range with these things.

 

Thin shots go far, Chunked shots don't go anywhere, just like you'd expect. But left and right of the center have barely any impact on me. It is actually pretty interesting, by having the mass right behind the sweet spot, it means that if you miss the sweetspot, you just lose power, not accuracy. I have noticed several times where an off center shot, usually toeside for me, will go about 5-15 yards offline and about 10-15 yards short depending on the club. Compare that to a toeside miss with my vokey and the ball is basically unfindable. It really and truly is amazing. It enables me to be confident behind the ball and know that even if I mishit it, It will just be a pitch or chip shot in and not some hero shot from a bear cave. It's also allowed me to increase my GIR by going for the back of greens since I know the outcome. The worst possible scenario in that case in a thin shot which is extremely rare for me. I wish all my clubs had this kind of forgiveness, which is saying a lot since I'm swinging GI irons.

 

Here is a shot I took in my last round from 116 out, I actually caught this one just off the toe a bit...

 

On-Course Performance (40 out of 40 points)

 

I didn't think it would be fair to deduct points twice for the same thing, once I realized what was going on on the range I started hitting to full swing wedge distances. Even if that meant taking an iron off the tee on short par 4's. So this section gets a hands down, vigorous 100%. Words can't justify the confidence I have when I'm 110-120 to the middle of the green and I pull that 52º.

 

I like these clubs better than my vokey. The shots go higher, The bad shots are not as bad, and I chunk it and thin it less. I think these attributes are key when it comes to comparing wedges for higher handicappers. How much do you really need to work the ball when your just trying to break 100 or 90? I think solid contact and consistent distance is the true goal players like me should be aiming for and these things check those boxes. I'm not saying these clubs aren't workable, I'll let my cohorts comment on that because frankly, I wouldn't know. I'm not good enough to attempt to work the ball. Maybe Vokeys outperform in that category but it's not worth the extra hundred dollars per wedge to find out, that's for sure.

 

Without further ado, how about some stats since I have gotten these things:

 

Average round score: 100.

Personal Best: 97

GIR %: 20.8

FIR %: 66.15

 

So 2 strokes gained and about 8% more GIR. Nothing crazy but it feels good to improve. It's worth noting that 2 strokes of improvement is an average from the last ten rounds. I anticipate that this will get even better once I replace the shafts or train my tempo to get better with my interval shots. Still no Personal best, but I am all around it. I have a 98 and two 99's in the last four weeks. Most of my missed greens are from toe side misses or chunks, the toe side misses usually leave me with a (hopefully) easy up and down.

 

I think Bridgestone as a golf brand is one more players need to investigate. It's partially Bridgestone's fault that most players don't know about their clubs. They are difficult to find and try and I hope that they will take notice and start stocking their clubs at more distributors. I am in love with these wedges as I'm sure you can tell, but it will be near impossible to compete and show off their brand if they aren't available to hit on a launch monitor next to Callaway, Mizuno, Titliest and the others. Regardless of their marketing and business decisions, these clubs are a home run and I will always add Bridgestone to the testing list for future purchases.

 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

 

Play it. No doubt. I think at first glance these look like and appeal to lower cappers due to the design, but the reality is these are fantastic clubs for higher handicaps. They are consistent, forgiving, high launching, and easy to hit. Not to mention there is no purchase fear due to lack of knowledge. There is one wedge for each loft, no buyers remorse or “what ifs” about bounce and grind clouding every mishit. I like the simplicity, the ease of purchase and I like the clubs. I can feel like a low capper carrying these things around, and sometimes I even look like one when I hit these.

 

Conclusion

 

Total Score: 97/100

 

Bridgestone hit a home run with the Tour B XW-1 Wedges. As a high handicapper, I am incredibly consistent with these and they have allowed me to increase my GIR% and overall score by a couple of strokes in just 6 weeks. The shafts have proven to give me some inconsistent yardages on interval swings mostly due to my inconsistent swing, but that is the only issue / flaw I have found with these. I feel extremely confident taking full shots with these and am completely in love with the feel and feedback of these things. Thanks again MGS and Bridgestone. This was a fantastic opportunity and a great way to show off these clubs, I can honestly say I never would have given them a chance without this opportunity. I hope you fellow readers will take notice as I think these clubs and Bridgestone in general deserve more attention from the golf community.

 

[Shankster]

Stage 1 up everyone!! Have a few more photos to get up, but enjoy!!

[Nunfa0]

Brilliant start guys, it will be great to see how these compare to the Hogan's and the RTX4s 😁😎

[perseveringgolfer]

Great write ups chaps, well done.

[tommc23]

Alan will you be getting off of the grill and plates again or no lol

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[Golfspy_CG2]

I encourage everyone to follow this thread and ask lots of questions.

This group was awesome in the pm thread awaiting the review thread. I won't spoil anybody's reviews. But it's going to be some good stuff.

But they will have a lot to say about these. And they can be found for a steal on various sites like Global or Rockbottom and others.


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[Shankster]

Alan will you be getting off of the grill and plates again or no lol

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

No grills or plates this time. 🤣

 

* but... Seve was known to be able to get up and down out of a garbage can...

[perseveringgolfer]

I encourage everyone to follow this thread and ask lots of questions.

 

This group was awesome in the pm thread awaiting the review thread. I won't spoil anybody's reviews. But it's going to be some good as stuff.

 

But they will have a lot to say about these. And they can be found for a steal on various sites like Global or Rockbottom and others.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

good to know as you cant get Bridgestone in the home of golf for love nor money!!

[Nunfa0]

The more I look at these wedges, the more I would like to try them 🤤

 

I remember seeing Seve get up and down out of a carpark once 🤔

 

I have a feeling that this thread is going to be fun 😁😎 (followed)

[bardle]

Stage 1 is up, Lets get this party started. 

 

The more I look at these wedges, the more I would like to try them

I remember seeing Seve get up and down out of a carpark once

I have a feeling that this thread is going to be fun (followed)

 

They look even better in person. 

[Nunfa0]

Love it bardle, great start!!

As a high handicap player when you look down at them do they instill a feeling of confidence in you? I mean do you feel like you can hit these with no issues? 🤔😎

[bardle]

Love it bardle, great start!!

As a high handicap player when you look down at them do they instill a feeling of confidence in you? I mean do you feel like you can hit these with no issues?

So it's interesting. I'm at the point now where if it's my full swing yardage then yeah. I am super confident with all three. Which surprised me but I hit my 60 full just as well as my 52

 

That being said. If the ball is above or below my feet not so much. It makes it real tough for me. Also I'm not as confident in my quarter swings as I am with the Vokey. I'm still working that out but it's a weird difference. I'd rather have the full swing yardage working than the quarters but it does make it difficult inside 85 yds

 

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[Nunfa0]

Excellent, I look forward to seeing your GIR go through the roof 😁😎

[Shankster]

Updated!! Added a little BStone Wedge/ball combo video....

 

 

YES those are black socks!

[tommc23]

Bardle looks good

 

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[sirchunksalot]

Excellent stage one guys, looks like each of you is ready to put the Bridgestone wedges through their paces.

 

Azstu, you're a mortgage underwriter? Man from the grilling forum, I think you might have been a chef.

 

Have fun guys! I'm looking forward to seeing your reviews.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[azstu324]

Excellent stage one guys, looks like each of you is ready to put the Bridgestone wedges through their paces.

 

Azstu, you're a mortgage underwriter? Man from the grilling forum, I think you might have been a chef.

 

Have fun guys! I'm looking forward to seeing your reviews.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Ha! yeah I was seriously thinking about it at one time in my life.. like very very pre-famiy.. If I ever had a windfall of some sort, I'd probably open a BBQ food truck service and just roam the land feeding people delicious meat. Until then.. Underwriting pays the bills. 

[MaxEntropy]

Excellent start guys. I'll be paying a fair amount on attention to this thread as I'm strongly considering new 56 and 60 this off season.

 

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[goaliewales14]

Great start guys!!  I've actually tested these wedges at a local pro shop and LOVED them!!  Just curious though, how do you guys feel about the bounce options with these wedges?  I'm a digger by nature so the low bounce on the 60 and 52 would scare me.  Do you think you'd be able to get out of a bunker with that 60* with such low bounce?

[bardle]

Great start guys!! I've actually tested these wedges at a local pro shop and LOVED them!! Just curious though, how do you guys feel about the bounce options with these wedges? I'm a digger by nature so the low bounce on the 60 and 52 would scare me. Do you think you'd be able to get out of a bunker with that 60* with such low bounce?

I'll leave that question to the experts like shanks to answer who have used a bunch of wedges but I'll add my own twist.

 

I liked not having a choice, it removes the doubt and possibility that I could've made a mistake when I purchased the club. It removes that mental hurdle for me.

 

That being said I only use the 56 from bunkers and I just open the face up if I need more loft on it. It helps me if I just use one club for chipping and sand shots.

 

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[Shankster]

Great start guys!! I've actually tested these wedges at a local pro shop and LOVED them!! Just curious though, how do you guys feel about the bounce options with these wedges? I'm a digger by nature so the low bounce on the 60 and 52 would scare me. Do you think you'd be able to get out of a bunker with that 60* with such low bounce?

Surprisingly well out of bunkers, the 60's sole is nice a wide, very versatile from all sorts of lies. And yes I've gotten up and down out of a loose sand bunker with the 60.

 

The 52 plays with more bounce than advertised.

 

And the 56 plays like 14° of bounce, but mine seems to have a different hosel transition than the other two, looks like a tad more offset, but unless you're really looking you'd never see it.

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Amazing start so far fellas!  Can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts on these.  I haven't had a chance to hold these bad boys in my hands yet but from the pics I think they are some of the sexiest wedges every made.  I haven't really found a wedge that felt just right since the original Mack Daddy Jaws wedge.  i will be following along closely to this thread for sure.

 

Just curious.  Do any of you think that these wedges feel more solid with the mass behind where you hit the ball?