Bridgestone J36/Mizuno MP line

[danieldsuh]

This past saturday I hit the Titleist AP2 with DG S300, Mizuno MP-52 with DG S300, TM Tour Preferred with DG S300, Bridgestone J36 Cavity Back (not pocket cavity) with PX flighted 6.0 and the TM TP MB Smoke with Rifle flighted 6.0. I also hit a Mizuno MX-200 just to see if a GI Iron would be better for my game. All of this was off a grass range after I had just gotten a swing lesson. After hitting all of them I ended up spending the most time with the MP-52 and the J36. I even took my lesson with the MP-52.

Mizuno MX-200-
I didn't like these that much. They felt a bit to light and I just couldn't hit the ball that well with them. Even when I hit a good shot with them there wasn't much of a difference in how the good shots felt compared with the bad shots. I hit the 09 Burners last week to and the same thing happened. I just wasn't feeling them much just aside from the size of the club.

Titleist AP2-
First impression was that I didn't like them that much but I didn't have much time to get used to them (5 shots?). I would like to try these out for a bit longer with the PX shaft to see how those feel.

TM Tour Preferred-
These felt nice and solid but the grip was bigger then standard and the shaft was +.5 inch so I was chunking it alot. When I hit it clean these Irons felt nice and solid.

TM TP MB Smoke-
These irons looked beautiful and felt awesome when I hit the ball well but I was just to inconsistent with them. Would love to pick these up if I could be a little bit more consistent. (I rarely miss toward the toe or heel. Most of my misses are topping the ball or hitting it near the middle of the ball.)

Mizuno MP-52-
These irons felt really nice. The feel on pure hits felt great and crisp. My only issue is that I felt like these irons were digging a bit more then I'd like if my swing isn't 100%. These irons felt great but I did feel like I had to work just a bit more to get a clean hit. I also did not like how these set up to the ball as much as the J36. The topline was thicker and had more offset. Not that big of a deal though.

Bridgestone J36 Cavity Back-
These were the biggest surprises for me. Other then the blades, these irons looked the most aggressive to me. They looked like they would be harder to hit then the MP-52 but they were certainly more pleasing to view at address (thinner topline and less offset). I was hitting these irons very well. Better then all of the other irons that I tried. The feel may have been SLIGHTLY better in the Mizuno but a clean feel seemed harder for me to achieve with the Mizunos. I would say that the J36 just felt different. Shot after shot I was hitting the ball really well. My ball striking was very good with these irons. Even misses didn't feel as harsh and weren't as bad as with the Mizunos.

This is the first time that I have hit a PX shaft before. I don't know if my positive feelings/experience toward the Bridgestone are due more to the club or just the shaft. Now I'm even more confused as to what Irons I want to get.

I don't know if I should just get the Bridgestones or just get the MP-52 with a PX shaft. I also don't know if maybe the MP-57/58/62 with PX shaft would better suit my game. Just when I had narrowed the choices down a bit now I am even more confused.

Finally the club fitter told me that a PX flighted 5.5 would suit my game best now, but that I should get the 6.0 because I will probably grow out of the 5.5. So do I go with whats best now or just get the 6.0?

I know this is long but thanks for taking the time to read through it. Any input would be appreciated.
What to do?

[microcrayfish]

Simple, get the clubs you hit the best. Unless you can try out the different shafts in the irons you want before you buy them, don't take the gamble on buying a set you've never hit before.

[WhiteMF]

It seems like an easy choice from the post but I would still hit them on a few different days to make sure. Looks like you found a club that looks good and plays well for you in the Bridgestone.

[danieldsuh]

Yes I am going to hit them again this coming weekend to see how it goes. Any J36 players here?

About the shaft, I am unsure if I should get the 5.5 or 6.0. Any suggestions?

[n8dogg2669]

I have the 52's in my bag and I really like them. But from what you posted it would appear you are more confident with the Bridgestone's. I would go with them. Don't buy a club just because of the name on them. Good luck in whatever you choose.

[Jay-Bird]

Yes I am going to hit them again this coming weekend to see how it goes. Any J36 players here?

I played MP-57 irons (Project X 5.5) this season. I liked them better than any iron I'd previously used (PING eye 2, eye 2+, ISI, i3 blades, i5, S59 Tour). I raved about them all year. I got my HC as low as it's ever been. I was fitted for the 5.5, but I was in the overlap area between 5.5 and 6.0. I decided to go with the 5.5 - determined to smooth-out my swing/transition and get the 5.5 dialed. Often though, I'd find myself over-cooking my irons on more aggressive shots. I like to play a little draw, but my most common miss with them (5.5 shafts) is left usually due to too much hook. I am pretty confident in the 5,6,7,8,9,pw irons. I rarely hit the 3 or 4 iron.

I was determined to buy a new set of 57s with 6.0 shafts... Then I had a chance to hit some J36 irons with Project X 6.0 flighted shafts. I hit the PC, the CB and the blades. I LOVED THEM all right out of the gate. I ended up BUYING the J36 combo set of 3,4,5 (pocket cavity) 6,7,8 (cavity back) 9,PW (blade). (I paid $265 total - brand new in the box, each club in plastic). I have only played 27 holes since buying them and have played rather well. I think the J36 and the MP-57 look a LOT alike at address and from the front. I actually think the J36 is better looking than the 57, the 57's chrome is too shiny compared to the J36. I am really glad to have the 6.0 flighted - it just seems like a much better fit for my game. After playing the MP-57 for a year and only playing the J36 for a week, it's hard to say for sure, but to me the Bridgestones even FEEL better than the Mizunos. I'm not hating on Mizuno, I love the clubs. I just wish I had 6.0 flighted in the MP-57s so I could play both sets every other week.

[Leftygolfer]

Wow you can get a good deal on the J36 right now. They are pretty clubs that is for sure.

I have the MP 60s and I am not very happy with them. I don't have the time to play a ton and they don't like being mis-hit at all. They are great looking, feeling irons but they aren't for me. I think you have to be able to really play to play them. I am in the HCP range they suggest but my strongest part of my game is my short game and driving. My iron game needs help.

They are very unforgiving towards the toe.

[danieldsuh]

Ok so I just talked to the club builder again and he said that he would sell them to me for $250 4-PW. He said it took him 10 hrs to build these irons because he did some other things to them. I can't remember the exact name but it was something like MOI balance all of them and something else that I can't remember.

[Leftygolfer]

That is a great deal. If you like them, get them.

[danieldsuh]

That is a great deal. If you like them, get them.

I am really considering it. I am going to go and try to hit the Mizuno's (52/57) and the AP2 with PX shafts so I can be confident in my decision. I also want to wait and have another go just to make sure I wasn't just really in the zone that day.

[danieldsuh]

I played MP-57 irons (Project X 5.5) this season. I liked them better than any iron I'd previously used (PING eye 2, eye 2+, ISI, i3 blades, i5, S59 Tour). I raved about them all year. I got my HC as low as it's ever been. I was fitted for the 5.5, but I was in the overlap area between 5.5 and 6.0. I decided to go with the 5.5 - determined to smooth-out my swing/transition and get the 5.5 dialed. Often though, I'd find myself over-cooking my irons on more aggressive shots. I like to play a little draw, but my most common miss with them (5.5 shafts) is left usually due to too much hook. I am pretty confident in the 5,6,7,8,9,pw irons. I rarely hit the 3 or 4 iron.

Wow thats great! Let me know how that goes. I want to try hitting the PC and blades but I don't know anyone that has them.

[kleraudio]

Are the J36 PC or CB easier to hit??

I thought the CB were the easiest to hit but a Jay said earlier he has the combo and the 3,4,5 were the PC, and 6,7,8 were the CB's....

Just wondering?

Thanks!

[Jay-Bird]

The Pocket Cavity is the easiest to hit. They have the deepest Center of Gravity = highest Moment of Inertia = most forgiveness. The top line is slightly thicker. The sole is a little bigger.

The Pocket Cavity is interesting. It's a little muscle that's genuinely hollowed out forming a little pouch or hollow "pocket" on the back of the iron. It almost hums a little when you swing it. I missed a 5 iron (a little off center to the toe) on a 200+ par 3 the other day. Ball ended up flying only a few feet less than a flush, but rolled out to pin high.

The Cavity Back is plenty easy to hit, but less forgiving on the toe mishit.

The blades are blades.

They're forged in Japan. They're all forged from 1020 mild carbon steel - which is the same steel the AP2's are forged from. Mizuno irons are forged from 1025 (or 1025e steel) which is actually a harder steel (more carbon) than the 1020.

I'm super excited about this set.

Link to Bridgestone site.

[danieldsuh]

I can't wait to hit these again. I wish these had the 5.5 flighted in them though.

[unoiron]

Then I had a chance to hit some J36 irons with Project X 6.0 flighted shafts. I hit the PC, the CB and the blades. I LOVED THEM all right out of the gate. I ended up BUYING the J36 combo set of 3,4,5 (pocket cavity) 6,7,8 (cavity back) 9,PW (blade). (I paid $265 total - brand new in the box, each club in plastic). I have only played 27 holes since buying them and have played rather well.

So what was your secret to getting them so cheap?

Also, does anyone know if you can get the combo with a different combination, i.e., 6-PW blades, 3-5 PC?

[Leftygolfer]

So what was your secret to getting them so cheap?

I've seen them all over e bay brand new.

[duffer888]

Just get the J36s, you can't beat the price and you could probably resell them later for close to the same amount.

The PCs are pretty forgiving, even on toe hits. But you will lose some feel on off-center hits. I can even hit the 20* 3 iron. They are fairly upright, as compared to Mizuno, so you should get them adjusted to your swing.

J36 is forged by Endo in Thailand, not Japan.

[unoiron]

I've seen them all over e bay brand new.

Yeah, I have too. But I thought he might have a different source as I'm looking to adjust some specs. I guess I could do it post-purchase.