“It’s clear Bridgestone Golf is on track to make a big splash for 2012. While they may be a bit more difficult to find on store shelves than some of the other big names in the industry, if you have the opportunity to try out the J40 wedges, or anything else from the new lineup, I can’t suggest enough that you do so.”
Bridgestone J40 Wedge Review
(Written By: GolfSpy T) Quick! What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say Bridgestone? Alright…who said tires? Seriously though, it really wasn’t that long ago when you could mention Bridgestone on the golf course and somebody would invariably say “I thought they made tires”. Chances are two or more guys would nod their heads in agreement.
Today the company is perhaps better known for it’s golf balls. In fact, I’m sure there are some, no doubt many actually, who would argue that Bridgestone’s B330 series is the very best golf ball on the market today. Of course, when you’re known for one thing above all others, launching your newest equipment lineup can be a little hairy. And while it’s reasonable to assume that most of the talk isn’t about tires anymore, mention Bridgestone’s clubs on the golf course, and it’s almost guaranteed somebody will reply with “I thought they just made golf balls”. That too may be about to change.
The J40 Lineup
While Bridgestone continues to be one of the biggest names in golf balls, on the equipment side of things the new J40 lineup represents a comeback of sorts. The J40 Series includes 2 drivers (445cc and 430cc models, fairway woods, hybrids, 2 sets of irons (cavity back, and pocket cavity), and of course the J40 wedges. Save a putter or two, and perhaps a game improvement iron, it’s safe to say Bridgestone’s J40 lineup is as complete as anybody’s. You can bet we plan on looking at and reviewing a good bit of the J40 lineup over the course of the coming months, but we’ve got to start somewhere. That somewhere is with the J40 wedges.
The Marketing Angle
Not surprisingly there’s not a ton of marketing spin surrounding the new wedge. Like the design itself, Bridgestone is keeping it straight-forward and simple. Noteworthy, perhaps is the incorporation of what Bridgestone is calling “Variable Bounce Technology”. It sounds really fancy, but our read on things is that it basically translates to some relief in heel and toe. J40 wedges are available in your choice of Satin Chrome or Black Oxide finish. The non-glare black oxide looks great, but be advised, it will wear off and rust over time – it says so right on the sticker.
Limited Options
Compared to others in the marketplace options for the J40 wedge are somewhat limited. While they cover the basics very well, only a single bounce option is offered for each loft. They don’t offer anything stronger than 52° or anything weaker than 60°. Unfortunately lefties are completely out of luck (not that it impacts my life anyway).
On the plus side, it’s nice to see True Temper’s DG Spinner as the stock offering. Also worth mentioning; Bridgestone installs their grips with the logo down, which some prefer. Unlike the majority of the wedges on the market, the Bridgestone J40 is cast, not forged, but as you’ll see in the feel section, that is definitely not an issue.
Material Composition: 8620 mild carbon steel (cast)
How We Tested
Target greens on our 3Track Equipped simulators from aboutGolf were set at 100 yards. After being allowed several shots to verify the appopriate club for the distance, testers took their choice of a 52°, 56°, or 60° wedge and hit a series of shots. Testing for the Bridgestone J40 wedge was done at Tark’s Indoor Golf, a state of the art indoor golf facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY. Detailed data for each and every shot for which we collected is viewable in the interactive portion of this review. This data serves as the foundation for our final performance score. As a supplement to our 6 performance testers, a subset of additional golfers were given the opportunity to test the Bridgestone J40 Wedges and provide feedback in our subjective categories (looks, feel, perceived accuracy, perceived forgiveness, and likelihood of purchase). This information, which we also collected from our performance testers, is used as the foundation for our total subjective score.
Radius-Based Scoring
For wedge testing, performance scores are derived using what we refer to as radius-based scoring. Instead of simply asking our testers to hit the ball as long and as straight as they can, testers are asked to stick their shots as close as they possibly can to a pin set at 100 yards.
80% of the total performance score is calculated based on where each shot fell in proximity to the hole. Closer is obviously better.
As we do with irons, we apply a formula to normalize the data across varying handicap levels. Our scoring attempts to account for difference in ability levels between high and low handicap golfers, and makes a reasonable attempt to level the playing field (much like the Handicap system itself), so that it’s possible to achieve similar scores for all golfers. Details for each and every shot hit during our tests is available to you in the interactive portion of this review.
PERFORMANCE SCORING
Accuracy
With an adjusted average result of just inside 36 feet, from an accuracy perspective, our testers weren’t quite at close to the pin as they normally might be. What’s worth pointing out is that there was very little deviation between testers. In fact, if we toss out the most and least accurate of our testers we find that everyone else was within 6 feet of each other. Granted that’s enough variance to cause some putts to be missed, but overall there’s no indication that one group struggled to hit the J40 wedges better than another.
MGS Accuracy Score: 85.24
Consistency
What’ slightly curious is that although accuracy scores were a bit below average, consistency scores were actually very good. It’s not unusual for a tester or two to develop a case of the pulls during our testing sessions which could account for the slight drop in accuracy scores, and would also account for very good consistency score.
Overall, the numbers suggest that, despite minimal to no offset, and the potential intimidation that comes with a very thin top line, the J40 wedge is as easy to hit as anything else.
MGS Consistency Score: 96.27
Spin
Scoring spin numbers has been a bit of a guessing game (we’ve fixed that with our new review system). Once again what we see is consistent, although not stellar results. Not a single tester managed to average over 10,000 RPMS (the adjusted group average was 9700 RPMs), however; once again the individual numbers were all very close to one another. We haven’t seen such tight grouping for spin previously. Honestly, I have no idea what spin (pardon the pun) to put on that bit of knowledge, so I’ll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.
MGS Spin Score: 87.33
Overall Performance
While perhaps not the dart thrower that a couple of the other wedges we’ve tested this season appear to be, the J40 is a worthy competitor in the wedge space.
MGS OVERALL PERFORMANCE SCORE: 86.06
SUBJECTIVE SCORING
Looks
The Bridgestone J40 is a very simple looking wedge – and that’s not a bad thing. While the model number (J40) is stamped, the Bridgestone looks to be laser etched. I could take it or leave it on the satin wedge, but on the Black Oxide it’s almost holographic; appearing and disappearing again based on how the light hits it. It’s really slick.
While Variable Bounce Technology sounds really cool, in practice it’s very subtle. While the heel and tough relief is visible, it’s not something you would otherwise notice unless you’re really looking for it.
Where shape is concerned, the head looks like a slightly more compact version of Mizuno’s MP-R12; perhaps slightly rounder than what you might call “classic teardrop”. While the wedge itself is not excessively compact, the topline is thin as they come.
MGS Looks Score: 89.58
Feel
While Titleist’s Vokey brand is often cited as the premier example of a cast wedge that offers a soft feel, I would argue that the new J40s are perhaps an even better example. While perhaps not quite as buttery soft as Mizuno’s MP line of wedges (few if any are), the feel of the Bridgestone J40 wedge far and away exceed my expectations. While not every tester would agree, there were certainly some who did, like this guy:
“Looks, sounds, feels just like my Vokey; which is amazing” – Nick B.
MGS Feel Score: 87.79
Perceived Accuracy
When you’re testing from 100 yards and in, there’s going to be very little variation in accuracy between wedges. We have certainly had some that tested measurably better than others, but where left to right is concerned there are much more similarities between brands than there are differences. Where I do notice a difference is when the shot calls for something less than a full swing. When you have to take a little (or a lot) off a wedge, there’s an element of control that comes in to play.
With the J40 I found it extremely easy to hit a middle distance 60 yards consistently. More importantly perhaps, the J40 is a club I really enjoyed hitting.
Tester Perceived Accuracy Score: 87.79
Perceived Forgiveness
With minimal (52° model) to no (everything else) offset, there is always a concern that anything less than a perfect swing is going to cause problems. I can’t say I noticed any significant difference in forgiveness when compared to most any other classically designed wedge on the market. Our testers clearly felt the same way as almost to a man they rated the J40 as average in the category.
Tester Perceived Forgiveness Score: 86.00
Likelihood of Purchase
It’s a bit of a curiosity to me why the J40 didn’t score better in our LOP category. From my perspective, there’s not a whole lot not to like (or even love) about the wedge. The design is perhaps a bit too understated, and there are certainly some who can be a bit snobbish when it comes to forged vs. cast. That’s just a guess however. I can’t say with certainty I’d bag it, but it’s definitely a wedge I would consider and I’m nothing if not a wedge snob.
Tester Likelihood of Purchase: 82.42
Like some other very good wedges that came before it, when it comes to our subjective surveys, the J40 finished dead solid average. It’s probably reasonable to say that there isn’t going to be universal appeal for this wedge. Some will find the top line too thin, others will find the design to simple, and of course, some will discount it entirely because its cast. Overall, however, it’s a wedge I really enjoy hitting, and one I quickly developed confidence in. Really, what more can you ask for?
TOTAL SUBJECTIVE SCORE: 87.75
CONCLUSION
It’s been a little while since we’ve seen anything new from Bridgestone. And while it may be some time before the company becomes as well known for their clubs as they are for their balls, based on what we’ve seen from the J40 lineup (more in the coming weeks and months) it’s clear the company is on track to make a big splash for 2012. While they may be a bit more difficult to find on store shelves than some of the other big names in the industry, if you have the opportunity to try out the Bridgestone J40 wedges, or anything else from the new lineup, I can’t suggest enough that you do so.
MGS TOTAL SCORE: 86.61
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Nick
11 years ago
I’ve been playing the j40 cb for a while now and the feel of those irons is nothing like I have ever experienced. My AP2s quickly got put in the garage, then found a new home once I started really playing the j40s. I have, within the last month, purchased the 52, and 56 black oxide j40 wedges. The 52 just came today but the 56 has been seeing action and I could not be happier with it overall. There is no need for a higher lofted club in my bag. You can lay this thing open comfortably and make it work. I can not wait to get the 52 some use this week! The J40 line has been fun and beyond reliable for my game. I went from a 10 to a 6 in the last 6 months. If you’re thinking about these wedges, buy em, you will not be disappointed.