Bridgestone Rounds Up J40 Lineup With Two New Forged Iron Sets And Wedges

Rounding out the J40 line is two new sets of irons, one for the low handicapper and one more geared towards the mid- to low-handicapper, as well as new wedges, which are offered in two finishes and a number of loft options.

Bag DropLast week’s Bag Drop was only half the story, as we covered Bridgestone’s two new J40 drivers, as well as the fairway woods and hybrids of the same name. Not covering their new J40 forged cavity back irons, pocket cavity irons, and wedges would be like covering the original release of Pearl Jam’s Ten and talking only about Jeremy, Alive, and Once, while completely ignoring the greatness of Release, Porch, Evenflow, and Oceans. By the way, happy 20th anniversary, boys.

Anyway, I digress. The J40 drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids really only tell half the story or – maybe more appropriately – they only get you halfway to your target (that being the bottom of the cup, and yes, I know technically, you can hit one of the long clubs on a par 3 or short par 4, but work with me here). To get you the rest of the way, Bridgestone is also releasing two new models of J40 irons, along with a variety of wedges to complete the set. So with that in mind, lets take a look at them!

Volume Two Hundred Ninety Five

Bill Haas wins the Cup, Tiger’s got a new caddie, and JD throws yet another tantrum.

Hittin' the LinksHello fellow golf fans and welcome to another edition of Hittin’ the Links. Congratulations to Bill Haas for winning the FedExCup. If you didn’t watch it you definitely missed out on quite a battle.

In this week’s edition of HtL we begin with a look at Tiger’s new caddie, investigate JD’s latest temper tantrum, and find out what makes Lexi Thompson a smart girl. Also, we look into some slow play, check out why you should never throw clubs, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read On!

Volume Two Hundred Ninety Four

Justin Rose wins, a 16-year old rocks the LPGA Tour, and Tiger continues to slide

Hittin' the LinksWelcome golf fans to yet another edition of Hittin’ the Links. After a week off, the PGA Tour continued play this weekend amid college and pro football. I have to admit I did not watch all that much golf this weekend, but I did catch Justin Rose’s final six holes on Sunday. He righted the ship just in time to keep from giving up yet another 54-hole lead. Good for him though, and congratulation to all those players that made their respective Presidents Cup teams as well.

In this edition of HtL we begin with an LPGA music video, then take note of Tiger’s continued fall from grace, and look at some of golf’s most desperate moves. Also on tap, we check out the best ten players in the world, look at one good sixteen year-old, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

The PGA Tour’s Best Finishing Holes

We take a look at the PGA Tour’s most exciting 18th holes.

Trap Five LogoThe 18th hole can make or break your round. It’s where you finish off your opponent, come from behind, or claim the trophy. When the leaderboard is crowded it can be the most stressful hole in golf, but with a big advantage it’s a time to bask in the glories of victory, the one and only time you will ever see a professional golfer take off his hat and stride towards the green, arms waving in acknowledgement of crowd.

The best 18th holes combine risk and reward, and are the crown jewels of the course that architects dream about. You want to leave the golfer with a good taste in their mouths, because 17 lackluster holes can be forgotten thanks to one great one (which is probably why I always seen to hit the fairway on the last hole when I’ve played an entire crappy round). You want to offer the golfer a chance to make a birdie (or even an eagle), but you also want to punish bad shots, and make double bogey possible as well. On the PGA Tour this is all the more important, as multi-million dollar tournaments typically come down to the 72nd hole.

Bridgestone Reveals New J40 Drivers, Fairways, Hybrids

Bridgestone unveils its new J40 line of clubs, and this week we take a look at the first half of that line – the J40 drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids.

Bag DropWhile most of you hardcore equipment nuts have at least heard that Bridgestone makes a lot more equipment than just golf balls, there’s a sizeable part of the population that has no clue that they have been producing a wide variety of clubs including drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and irons. If you talk to someone who has actually played some of their equipment, you’re likely going to hear that Bridgestone’s clubs are possibly the best kept secret in the industry. I for one think that’s a shame, so this week, we’re happy to announce that Bridgestone has taken the covers off of their latest full line of equipment – the J40.

Previous families include the J33, J36, and J38 though there’s a chance you’ve seen other Bridgestone items on tour (other than balls, that is) and didn’t even know it. Maybe you’ve seen various Japanese players with a Tour Stage hat or bag? Yep, that’s Bridgestone too. Oh yeah, and some guy named Matt Kuchar has a bag full of Bridgestone clubs. Maybe you’ve hear of him? He’s only 8th in the world right now. So without further adieu, let’s take a look at the newest J40 drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids from Bridgestone Golf.

Who Do You Want Sponsoring You?

If you could choose any OEM to play throughout the bag, who would you go with?

Trap Five LogoOne of the more frequent thread topics that pops up in the forum is the question, “If you could have any company to sponsor you as a professional golfer, who would you choose?” Because most of us don’t have a prayer of ever being sponsored by a major golf company, it’s interesting to hear the responses. The great thing about this question is that the answers don’t have to be rational or well thought out. You can be a huge Nike fan simply because they sent you a free bag tag when you made a hole-in-one. Or you can be a fan of Callaway because you’re a big Phil Mickelson guy. Many people like a certain brand because of their other product, Nike running shoes, for example. I even know some people who are fans of certain brands because of the colors (not a phenomenon that’s confined to golf either, I have a friend from New Jersey who is a die-hard Miami Dolphins fan because he liked the team’s colors as a kid).

It’s no secret that all brands have strengths and weaknesses. Mizuno is known for their great irons, but their woods have traditionally been nothing special (though they have made strides the last few years). TaylorMade lays claim to the number one drivers in golf (if you believe the marketing), but they haven’t customarily offered much in the way of irons for low handicappers. Cleveland’s wedges have long been some of the best sellers in the business, but the rest of their clubs have lagged behind.

Then there are all of the smaller companies. Scratch Golf specializes in wedges, though they also offer hybrids. Adams is the most popular hybrid brand on the Champions Tour, but they have yet to made huge inroads into the rest of the industry. Furthermore, there are droves of boutique brands who’ll charge you an premium just for their name and some smooth lines.

I set out to see what five brands I would chose if I was a pro and had to play with just one company, and to answer this oft-asked forum question once and for all (for me at least). I neglected money, so that smaller companies without the resources of Titleist still had a shot. As to not eliminate about 80% of brands right off the bat, I decided not to include apparel as a requirement, but as more of a bonus. Here are my top five.

Volume Two Hundred Ninety Three

The Tour takes the week off

Hittin' the LinksHello fellow duffers and welcome to another edition of Hittin’ the Links. It was a little quiet in golf land this week as everyone seemed to turn their attention to the opening week of the NFL. Have no fear though, there was enough going on to fill all nine links of HtL.

In this edition we begin with a look at Ochoa in retirement, then turn our attention to some 9/11 reflection, and check out some Aussies battling for the Presidents Cup. Also on tap, we take a peek at Lefty’s pants, find out who was bragging about their latest round, and do a wrap-up of this week’s events. Read on!

Volume Two Hundred Ninety Two

Rickie Fowler stinks it up yet again in the final round.

Hittin' the LinksHello again Sand Trap fans and welcome to another edition of Hittin’ the Links. So the long putter debate rages on as none other than Phil Mickelson himself decides to put one in the bag. I personally do not see how something can be an advantage if it is available to everyone. Then again I use a belly putter so I could be biased.

In this edition of HtL we begin with a look at Lefty’s long putter debut, then check out a mini-tour that has banned them, and look into what is causing Roger Federer to avert his eyes. Also on tap we investigate a mean marsupial, weigh in on Freddy’s gamble, and do a wrap-up of the weeks events. Read on!