Equipment
Bridgestone J15 fairway woods and hybrids
Along with its new J715 drivers, Bridgestone golf will release new J15 fairway woods and hybrids that promise improved ball speeds, higher launch angles and more versatility than their predecessors.
The new woods and hybrids produce “high launching distance with soft landings and the ability to be played from anywhere, including the tee, fairway, rough and even greenside,” says Josh Kinchen, Golf Clubs and Accessories Marketing Manger at Bridgestone Golf.
To accomplish the desired performance improvements, Bridgestone designed its J15 woods and hybrids with three core technologies — F.A.S.T (Flex Action Speed Technology) Crowns, Hyper Stainless 455 Steel Faces and Weighted Port Technology.
The F.A.S.T Crown, made of High Strength AM355 Maraging Steel, is thinner near the clubface and gets progressively thicker toward the rear, which allows the club to flex more at impact producing a spring-like effect for higher launch and ball speeds.
Club faces of both the fairway wood and hybrids are made from Hyper Stainless 455 Steel, which is the thinnest face ever from Bridgestone, measuring 1.8 millimeters in thickness. This gives the clubs the “maximum repulsion within conforming rules” according to the company.
Bridgestone aficionados will notice alterations to the sole shapes, which enhanced the versatility of the woods and hybrids. By removing material from the sole’s heel, engineers were able to reduce club head drag from a multitude of lies. Also, Bridgestone lowered the rear soles to help encourage a sweeping motion as the club meets the turf at impact, eliminating the tendency of woods and hybrids to dig.
Both the fairway woods and hybrids have a removeable weight in their sole that allows golfers to tweak swingweight.
J15F Fairway Woods ($199) come stock with Mitsubishi Rayon’s Fubuki Z Fairway shaft and custom yellow Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip.
- Lofts: 13.5, 15 and 18 degrees (15 and 18 available for left-handers on April 1).
J15HY Hybrids ($189) come stock with Mitsubishi Rayon’s Fubuki Z Hybrid shaft and a custom yellow Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip.
- Lofts: 17, 19, 21 and 23 degrees (21 and 23 available for left-handers on April 1)
The J15 fairway woods and hybrids will be available on Feb. 1, 2015.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Best irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
Asterisk Talley WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Brianna Do WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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theo
Jan 13, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Wishon…pffff.
kloyd0306
Jan 13, 2015 at 9:01 pm
Far from all good ideas originate with the major OEMs.
The name inscribed on any branded club is merely that – inscribed. It does not mean that it is superior. Nor does it mean that that brand is the first to design something.
To “raspberry” Tom Wishon and his ideas only indicates that you know very, very little about function and design.
MAM
Jan 13, 2015 at 8:13 am
someone please explain what Hyper Stainless is, actually curious not being sarcastic!
it says “This gives the clubs the “maximum repulsion within conforming rules” as well as being the thinnest face ever from bridgestone. Do other OEM’s do this as well
Wilbur
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:51 pm
its a buzz word like spin skin, zip grooves, or speed slot
You don’t know what it is, but you know its good
Garbage
Jan 12, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Everybody playing catch-up with TM
frendy
Jan 13, 2015 at 12:39 am
No, everyone is playing catch-up with Wishon Golf. Carpenter 455, max COR, and cutaway soles were Wishon staples long before any Bridgestone or TM fw.
Nah
Jan 13, 2015 at 3:35 am
The weight forward in that spot is all TM
TR1PTIK
Jan 13, 2015 at 6:56 am
Actually, other clubs had the CG positioned forward before TM. The only difference was their CG placement wasn’t visible. For instance, the Titleist 905S had a CG placement that was low and forward to lower ball flight and produce less spin. The TM drivers at that time were still placing the weight low and toward the rear for easy launch. I’m sure someone else probably had the weight low and forward before Titleist did…
Wrong
Jan 13, 2015 at 8:56 pm
No, the 905S did NOT. Nowhere near forward as this or any of the TMs.
Next!