When we last saw Bridgestone irons, we were looking at an odd compilation of sets that might best be described as meshuggah. While exquisite forgings were the rhyme, there appeared to be no reason. We had super game-improvement forgings, blades, something that sat between player’s distance and game-improvement and even a head-scratching packaged set.
Bridgestone has always had outstanding forged irons. The problem was that the lineup hadn’t made sense since the J15 line. There was no pattern or consistency other than the fact that they were Japanese forgings.
You could say Bridgestone didn’t have its ducks in a row but that might be underestimating the confusion. Some of those ducks weren’t even ducks.
It’s no wonder Bridgestone decided to take a few years off in North America.
It now appears those ducks are now, in fact, all ducks. And they appear to be getting in a row. Or at least a line.
Here’s what you need to know about Bridgestone’s new line of premium forged irons.
#1: Bridgestone has never made a bad forged iron
Even during the meshuggah years, Bridgestone’s irons were pretty darned sweet. And if you want to go back to the J33 in 2005, you can even call some of them “classics.” The new line signals an intent to return to those halcyon days.
At the very least, it appears Bridgestone is off to a solid start.
The Bridgestone 220 MB harkens back to the gorgeous J33, a single-piece forged muscle-back blade. The 221 CB is also a single-piece forging but, as the name suggests it’s a more forgiving player’s cavity-back.
The 222 CB+ might be the most interesting of the bunch. It’s a forged player’s distance iron, compact for the category but with enough technology to make it interesting.
The new line also includes the BRM2 forged wedges.
“We wanted to put together a collection of clubs that had performance but also had place and purpose in the marketplace,” Bridgestone Marketing Manager Elliott Mellow tells MyGolfSpy. “We’re speaking to the guy who wants to play a muscle-back blade but we’re also speaking to the aspirational player with the CB and the CB+. We’re hitting a wide swath of the marketplace.”
#2: These are genuine Endo forgings
If you’re a gear geek, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “Endo forged.” Bridgestone is a longtime OEM customer of Japan’s legendary Endo Forging foundry. Endo has produced some of the game’s best-loved forged irons for everyone from Titleist, Srixon and Callaway to NIKE and its house brand, Epon. The classic 1999 Hogan Apex blade was Endo-forged.
For you history lovers, Endo was established in 1950 in postwar Japan. It made screwdrivers and sewing machine needles but quickly expanded into auto and aircraft engine parts, medical devices and golf clubs.
Even though Bridgestone has been out of the U.S. equipment market since before COVID-19, it has remained a major player in Japan and Asia. This new line is already in play on the PGA Tour.
“Chris Gotterup put them in play a month or so ago,” says Mellow. “A few other players are working with them and will put them in play soon so we have some momentum.”
#3: If you want to game the new Bridgestone irons, you better be a “playah”
You won’t find anything game-improvement-y or super-forgiving in the new Bridgestone release. These are premium irons for good ball strikers.
The 220 MB is a classic muscle-back blade and it isn’t for the faint of heart. The loft structure isn’t quite what a purist would call “classic” but we are talking about a minimum four-degree loft gap from the 33-degree 7-iron through the 46-degree pitching wedge. Bridgestone also touts a precision-milled Tour Groove Design to optimize spin.
They’re gorgeous, but bring your A-game, matey.
The 221 CB features a small cavity for a slightly higher MOI. It also has a slightly wider sole than the 220 MB for better stability and sharp leading and trailing edges for a modified, Srixon-esque V-Sole for smoother turf interaction. Additionally, the 4- and 5-irons feature a dual pocket cavity design that moves the CG down, making them easier to launch higher and spin less.
The 6-iron through PW in the set have what Bridgestone calls Gravity Control Design. It’s a design feature you’ll find in most irons where the CG gets progressively higher as the clubs get progressively shorter. That creates lower launch and higher spin as you transition up through the set, providing more stopping power on the green.
Your typical game-improvement irons, on the other hand, try to shove the CG so low it’s damn near subterranean. That creates higher launch and lower spin. Steep descent angles are necessary to hold greens.
#4: The 222 CB+ irons might be the star of the show
As sexy as single-piece forged blades and cavity-backs are, the Bridgestone 222 CB+ irons might find a broader audience.
“It’s kind of a continuation of the J40 Dual Pocket irons we had,” says Mellow. “Relative to the market, it’s a bit smaller than other forged player’s distance irons.”
The distance recipe for player’s distance irons is simple: lower the CG to increase launch and lower spin. The Bridgestone 222 CB+ makes that happen with Dual Pocket cavities throughout the set to get CG down, relative to player’s cavity-backs and blades. However, the CG will get higher as the irons get shorter to get spin up on your scoring sticks.
“Visually, it’s very appealing,” says Mellow. “If we can get the ball coming in with a steep descent angle and couple it with spin, we can create good control and help that player stop the ball.”
Stronger lofts for more ball speed are also part of the player’s distance recipe. The Bridgestone 222 CB+ lofts are consistent with others in the category. Sort of. The 7-iron is perhaps a half degree weaker than average at 31 degrees. Additionally, there’s a five-degree gap spread per iron from the 7-iron through the 46-degree pitching wedge so it likely won’t test out as one of the longer irons in the player’s distance category.
#5: There’s a limited wedge offering, too
How limited? Very.
Bridgestone is including the BRM2 forged wedges as part of this launch. They’d feel like an afterthought if it weren’t for an interesting groove and milling story.
As a line, the BRM2 appears ho-hum, with only 52-. 56- and 58-degree models offered. Bridgestone isn’t loading you down with grind options, either. All three lofts are available with the M Grind, a lower-bounce grind with a bit of heel relief for open-face shots. The A Grind is available only in the 58-degree and has even more heel and toe relief for versatility.
The groove milling is where things get interesting. According to the company, the milling pattern is inspired by Bridgestone tire treads. There are seven rows of micro-channels between each groove to channel moisture away and allow for better groove-to-ball contact.
It’s not an earth-shattering breakthrough, I know. However, if you’re going to be taken seriously in the wedge game, wet condition spin retention is like jacks or better to open.
#6: The new Bridgestone irons are surprisingly affordable, but there’s a catch …
Bridgestone is very much taking a crawl-walk-run approach to re-entering the equipment game. To its credit, the new iron sets are coming in at very golfer-friendly prices for Endo forgings.
The 220 MB and 221 CB irons will be available in seven-piece sets (4-PW) with a stock price of $1,050. That’s a very reasonable $150 per club. The Nippon PRO Modus3 Tour 120 in stiff is stock for both sets.
The 222 CB+ comes in a six-piece set (5-PW) for $900, again a very reasonable $150 per club. The lighter-weight Nippon PRO 950 GH is stock. The BRM2 wedges are also $150 a piece.
The catch is this: at launch, the Bridgestone premium forged irons and wedges will be available only through a custom fitting at Club Champion.
“Bridgestone Golf is all about getting consumers into customized products that best fit their needs,” says Mellow. “We’re encouraging folks to go get fit. As we ramp up down the road, there will definitely be wider distribution.”
As of right now, Bridgestone says the sets are not meant to be blended which is unfortunate, although understandable, given the crawl-walk-run approach. It will probably happen down the road as will metalwoods.
#7: Why re-enter the equipment game? Why the hell not?
As we mentioned, Bridgestone hasn’t (in my memory, anyway) made a bad forged iron. Bridgestone’s forged irons have historically been quite good. The problem is that “quite good” doesn’t kick down doors when you’re outside looking in.
Bridgestone’s scattered recent history in irons doesn’t help, either.
“Our goal is to get back to being a full-line manufacturer. It’s just a matter of finding the right time,” explains Mellow. “We’re focusing on the low- to mid-handicap forged iron player. As we get traction, we’ll see what the future holds.”
You no doubt notice a numerology similarity between this offering and the Mizuno Pro line. Before we start screaming “copy,” understand numbers are available to everyone. Additionally, while this product line is new to North America, Mellow says it does have a global presence and Matt Kuchar had a set of 221 CBs in play on the PGA Tour in 2022.
Bridgestone’s last comprehensive product launch was the J15 line of irons and metalwoods in 2015. Where the Bridgestone J33, J38 and J40 lines had their fans, the J15 didn’t find its niche. Bridgestone’s subsequent product lines, the JGR and Tour B irons and metalwoods, flew so far under the radar that most people missed them entirely.
In the big picture, Bridgestone has nothing to lose by launching a new line of forged irons for 2025. It’s been a long six years or so but if you’re a golfer, there’s nothing wrong with having another forged iron choice.
For more information on the new line of Bridgestone premium forged irons and wedges, check out the Bridgestone website.
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