Bridgestone J33 Airmuscle

[whiskey golf]

This quick review of the Bridgestone J33 Airmuscle is somewhat related to my other topic about 2 irons. I mentioned that I picked one of these up on ebay for a good price and I have been able to use this club on the range and course so here are my thoughts.

 

Looks:

 

The Bridgestone J33 Airmuscle is a very nice looking club. It's pretty simple which I'm a fan of. It's got a the Bridgestone logo, J33 logo, and Airmuscle logo stamped on it. It sounds like a lot but it's a clean looking club overall. At address, it's obviously chunkier than a blade or player's cavity iron but it still maintains that traditional look to it. The topline is thick but it sets up really well and there isn't a lot of offset which is a plus.

 

Feel/Sound:

 

The J33 is a sweet feeling club. It feels like a forged iron but it also feels powerful at impact like a hybrid, best of both worlds. It also sounds really good at impact. It's not loud like GI irons but it's not a dull thud like some forged clubs. Basically, it sounds like what a quality forged iron sounds like.

 

Performance:

 

This club performs very well on the course. For me, it launches any where in the low to mid range on average, but it can also be launched high with ease. This club is great for tight courses or if you have to stay low under the wind. In my opinion, this goes as far as a hybrid would while maintaining the accuracy of an iron. This is a great club off of the tee or for that layup shot on a par 5. This is a very versatile club from anywhere on the course.

 

Value:

 

I found one on ebay for about $70. I think it was worth every penny especially since it was almost new. There are some on ebay in 19 and 21 degree lofts for reasonable prices. I think the prices the people are asking are pretty good for what you are getting. There aren't a lot of types of these clubs on the retail market from major OEMs and some of them can be expensive in the $200+ range.

 

Comments:

 

My club came with the stock Aldila NV hybrid shaft, 85 grams in stiff flex. The shaft makes the club noticeably lighter which might bum some people out and the shaft might be too light for those with fast tempos or high SS. For me, I think the shaft is fine. The lighter weight is probably better for me since my SS isn't high and I have a smooth tempo. One more thing to note is that this club is fairly forgiving. It isn't as forgiving as a hybrid but it isn't harsh as a player's cavity or blade. If you can strike the ball decently and are looking for something unique to add to the bag, I recommend finding one of these and giving it a try.

[BK in TEXAS]

I hadn't heard of that club before. Nice looking simple design.

[RookieBlue7]

It's a real soft forging, that's for sure. I hated the one I had with the stock graphite Aldila NV (and I love that shaft). The club felt muted to me. I swapped it out with a steelie and wow did it come alive.

[whiskey golf]

Just got done with a tournament today (79) and the Bridgestone got plenty of use today. I was able to knock some close to the pin and it worked really good on those second shots on par 5s.