When one thinks about Bridgestone Golf, the first thing that typically springs to mind is the company's golf balls. A partnership with Tiger Woods can make that happen.
But Bridgestone is also trying to make headway in the crowded club-making side of the business. The new TourB series of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons mark Bridgestone's foray into the higher end of the equipment industry, with a direct focus on the better player (single-digit handicappers) and versatile fitting options that have been the hallmark of its golf ball sales since 2007.
"The idea behind the Tour B is we really want to give that better player an offering that they can feel confident in," says Zach Kupperbusch, who oversees Bridgestone's clubs and accessories.
Bridgestone's new TourB XD-3 driver is the company's move into the premium, fitted club buying... [+]
"We understand that when people think of Bridgestone Golf, they’re naturally going to think about golf balls and now they’re going to think of Tiger Woods,'' Kupperbusch adds. "That’s a great problem to have as a golf club manager. As long as I can connect my brand to Tiger in any way, I’m happy. But we understand where we are as a club company."
Where that is, for now, is at the bottom end of a crowded market -- one loaded with brands like Callaway, TaylorMade and Titleist, companies that have big names and bigger marketing budgets.
Bridgestone's previous JGR line will remain it's mass market club, so to speak. The new TourB is a shift into a niche closer to the PXG or XXIO realm; in other words, it won't be sold off the rack at places like Dick's Sporting Goods or the PGA Tour SuperStore. When the line launches in the spring, it will be strategically limited in terms of distribution, as Bridgestone will work with less than 100 authorized fitters to custom build each club to a customer's needs and preferences.
"With the limited distribution that we do have, we thought, 'Hey let’s take it to the next level,'" Kupperbusch said. "If we’re going to have limited distribution, let’s make it really limited, let’s make it super premium."
Bridgestone's new TourB drivers have a list price of $699, the higher end of the driver market.... [+]
The TourB line has three different driver offerings tailored for different players, an idea that Bridgestone took from its golf ball side. (All are priced at $699, toward the higher end of the driver market to be sure) The pear-shaped XD-7 is geared toward Bridgestone's better players -- the company's tour guys like Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar might soon have it in their bags -- and has a low-launch fade bias in terms of shot shape. The XD-5 has a flatter, shallow face to promote high launching draws and the XD-3 has more of a rounded head shape with a deep face to promote a medium launch and a neutral shot shape.
All the drivers feature a matte finish, adjustable hosels and a set of six interchangeable weights (from 2 to 12 grams) to help dial in trajectory and shot shape. Yes, Woods is in the process of testing equipment after Nike's exit from the club business, but Kupperbusch said he's unaware whether that includes any Bridgestone products beyond the B330-S ball.
The new TourB X-CB (cavity back) is one of two lines of premium forged irons being released in the... [+]
There will be two sets of forged irons designed for low-handicappers in the TourB line: the cavity-backed X-CB and the traditional X-Blade. While both have a forged mass behind the impact zone for solid feel, the X-Blade has the narrower sole preferred by tour players and designed to better shape shots, while the cavity-back X-CB is a bit more forgiving. The high-end forged irons retail for $1,200, while the fairway woods and hybrids are listed at $399 and $249, respectively.
It's a new approach for Bridgestone, but PXG has shown there is a niche for premium, well-constructed, fitted clubs.
"Our market share is minimal and that’s something we’re looking to counteract, but we’re doing that with our JGR line," Kupperbusch says. "As you see Bridgestone Golf continue to evolve you’ll see the JGR as our mass market, our club for every golfer, if you will. This is Year One to this premium market, so we’re starting slow to make sure we implement this properly."
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