No Joke! Bridgestone Golf will have more than one driver model in its 2015 lineup with the addition of the J815 Driver.
The J815 driver shares a number of the features found in the J715, notably the Power Slit and Variable Adjust System hosel, but this driver is aimed at golfers looking for a driver that offers more solid ball striking and forgiveness from the tee.
The Flex Action Speed Technology (F.A.S.T.) crown could be the most important piece of technology in the driver and features a thick-to-thin design that gets progressively thicker towards the rear portion of the club head. Making the crown thinner near the face allows it to flex at impact, producing a spring-like effect that gives the driver a higher launch angle and faster ball speeds.
“When the sole is more rigid, it gives the face something to flex against,” said Josh Kinchen, Bridgestone Golf’s golf clubs and accessories marketing manager, “so the face actually flexes more on the J815 driver.”
Bridgestone also added a milling pattern to the face of the driver to reduce ball slippage at impact. According to the company, slippage between the face and ball can lead to unwanted spin, especially on off-center hits.
The face pattern helps the ball maintain its position of impact, which leads to increased quality compression and reduced spin. While the driver has a draw bias built in and is geared for mid- to high-handicappers.
The driver comes in four lofts (8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees) with Mitsubishi Rayon’s Fubuki ZT shaft.
The Bridgestone J815 will be available on April 1 at the Haggin Oaks Golf Super Shop in Sacramento, CA.
