SPY PICS! – 2015 Bridgestone J15 B3 and J15 B5 Drivers, J15 Fairways and Hybrids Too

A few weeks back I told you that Bridgestone is gearing up for a huge push for 2015. We didn’t have much in the way of details at the time; only that Bridgestone’s lineup would include new, and what they believe to be game-changing technologies.

Today we can bring you the first real look at the new product, along with a better idea of what Bridgestone’s technology stories will be.

2015 Bridgestone J15 Drivers

The indications are that Bridgestone will launch 2 men’s drivers in 2015. The 715 B3 will be a 460cc offering, while the B5 is 445cc. Bridgestone didn’t offer a 460cc model in the J40 series,so the suggestion is that Bridgestone will be putting more effort into connecting with the average golfer in 2015.

It’s reasonable to expect that the smaller B5 will be billed as offering enhanced workability, and a lower, more boring, trajectory. That’s almost always how this stuff goes with Pro/Tour style heads.

While the early spec sheets we’ve seen suggest that both models will be available in 8.5°, 9.5°, and 10.5°, the USGA’s Conforming List also includes a 12° option in the B3.

Indications are that the stock length will be 45.5″.

Rumors are proving to be reality as it appears the J15 Driver integrates 4 key technologies that Bridgestone will no doubt be discussing in greater detail as we move closer to the USA launch.

Power Slit Technology

It’s going to be interesting to hear what Bridgestone has to say about the Power Slit stuff. The drawings suggest a slit, or rather a series of slits (or channels) that extend from the top of the crown to the rear, and then back under along the sole. The safe assumption is that Power Slit is all about optimizing the transfer of energy and bracing the body to minimize the impact of vibrations.

Bridgestone’s take on slot technology does look to be something we haven’t actually seen before.

Power Milling

This one could be big.

We’ve been told time and time again that score lines on the face of the driver are purely cosmetic. Lines, no lines…doesn’t impact performance. It sure looks like Bridgestone engineers don’t believe that. The J15 driver faces feature a pronounced milling pattern and the images suggest lead us to believe they have something to do with friction and spin control.

Again, we’ll have to wait for more information, or at least a translator,  before we can be certain what Power Milling is supposed to accomplish, but given that no one else in the industry is doing anything like this right now, it’s pretty damn intriguing.

Spin Control Technology

At face value, there’s nothing revolutionary going on with Spin Control Technology. You’ve got two weight cartridges that can be mixed, matched, and otherwise swapped to alter the spin, and by extension, flight characteristics of the golf ball.

What is unique is the location of the weight themselves. The most common implementation of a 2-weight system involves placing towards the perimeter of the club. In the Bridgestone implementation, one weight in the front/center portion of the sole (some might call that low and forward). The 2nd weight is located in the rear off the club, and slightly off-center to the heel side. That suggests an ability to explicitly configure the club with a draw bias. Since the weight is redistributable from front to back (or back to front), in theory the club would also offer adjustable MOI.

The one concern I have with Spin Control Tech is that as companies have moved towards…or perhaps more accurately, back to sliding rail systems, the Bridgestone system could be viewed as antiquated.

*Shiny Yellow refers to the Women’s version of the J15 series, which in Japan anyway, is being called the Shiny Yellow.

Variable Adjust System

As with Spin Control Technology, Bridgestone’s Variable Adjust System  doesn’t appear radically different than most anything else that’s on the market right now. Variable Adjust will feature 8 different settings (variations of left/right, plus upright). Bridgestone is billing things as a face angle adjustment as opposed to loft, and given that Variable Adjust appears to be a single cog mechanism, there doesn’t appear to be any conceivable way to make that face angle adjustment with out impacting loft.

Stock Shafts

While changes could conceivably (maybe even likely) be made for the US Market, in Japan anway, Bridgestone will be offering 3 different shafts with the J15 Driver. It appears the Graphite Design Tour AD J15-11W  is the true stock, while upcharges will apply for the Fubuki AT60 and Diamana R60. Again, all of this may well change by the time the driver launches in the USA.

J15 Fairway Woods and Hybrids

Once again, Power Slit would appear to be the big story (currently unknown what if any role it plays in the hybrid design). Unlike the J15 Series Drivers, the fairway woods won’t be adjustable.

I suspect they’ll be some discussion around face material, construction, and technology. More than one golf company has admitted that when RocketBallz, and the X2 Hot hit the market, their designs didn’t measure up from a distance perspective. As much as we like the current generation (J40) fairways, it’s not totally unfair to suggest that Bridgestone fell behind as well.

Most everyone in the industry claims to have caught up, and I suspect the story with the J15F won’t be any different.

Bridgestone J15 Fairway Wood Specs

Bridgestone J15 Hybrid Specs

Pricing and Availability

Bridgestone USA remains tight-lipped about product details, availability, and pricing. We think it’s unlikely these will hit shelves before 2015, and our assumption is that prices will be consistent with that of the previous generation (largely PING-like).