There's been some movement in the last couple of years from equipment makers toward offering more forged choices for mid- and high-handicap players, giving them the mix of the feel of a forged iron with a lot of (but not all of) the technology found in game-improvement irons.
Count Bridgestone Golf among those manufacturers with those offerings, as the company has announced its new JGR cavity-back forged irons.
The set is forged from premium 1020 carbon steel for great feel, while offering a head, which is 4 percent bigger than the company's J15 irons (more geared to better players), with increased offset to promote higher trajectory with a steeper descending angle. Tapered weighting in the back of the club head is designed to get the ball launching higher, while a wider sole with a beveled edge minimizes turf interaction. A longer face from heel to toe offers higher moment of inertia protection for off-center hits.
The idea here is that the JGR irons are really built for players who want some technology but want it in a more classic-looking package. However, the JGR irons won't let players get overzealous in what they can hit, limiting the options to a seven-piece set of 5-iron through a gap wedge.
There may be some lack of understanding in the transition from the J15 model, which has been out for a couple of years now as a player's iron, to the JGR line, which is designed to be easy to hit for middling players. These irons are a step up from the JGR Hybrid forged irons, which are insanely easy to hit for high-handicap players. Bridgestone will continue to evolve its offerings on the player's iron front as well.
The Bridgestone Golf JGR cavity-back forged irons will be available Nov. 1 in a 5-GW seven-piece set for $899 in True Temper XP 95 steel shafts and $949 in graphite.
