Bridgestone GC Hybrid

[chemboy2]

Earlier this year I came to the conclusion that my 19* Sonartec MD just wasn't right for me. I hit it solid when the swing was 'on' but it didn't offer much forgiveness when my swing was 'off'. So, the search for a replacement began. I did my due diligence in narrowing down the list and I was ready to pull the trigger on either the Nickent or the Adam Idea Pro but something inside just kept coming back to the new Bridgestone (one that I never could demo because local stores don't stock it). The center channel, ala the Sonartec, appealed to me and I absolutely love my J33 3W so I took a leap of faith...

I ordered the 19* 2h with an Aldila VS Proto 80 hybrid shaft ($40 upcharge). It arrived yesterday and I took my first swings with it within seconds of walking in the shop. A few "warm-up" swings and then some ball action. Three stikes and all three found the sweetspot. This club felt GREAT and that's all that I needed to feel in the shop; off to the driving I went.

I had gone to the range earlier in the day,after picking up my PCTs that had just been reshafted with TT Black Golds (that review to follow),and I wasn't swinging the clubs that well at all but I just HAD to see what the GC could do. After warming up again I found that I was swinging much better than earlier in the day and so it was time to take out the GC! The range had a brutal headwind (a solid 2-2.5 club wind) but I was able to take dead aim at the 180yd flag. The GC flat-out performed from the first swing. Simply piercing flight that just jumped off the face; very solid feel. The ball flight was a little higher than the Sonartec but it managed to just cut through the wind.

This club is extremely consistent; it just went dead straight! Im not sure if the clubhead or the VS Proto is to thank for the consistency but this combo just repeats itself with every strike. The VS Proto feels very stable and has plenty of kick into the ball.

The appearance of the club at address is inspiring. I would say that it is a little more wood-like than iron-like though (which is exactly what I was looking for to fill this spot in my bag). The face is shorter, shallower, and a little longer front-back than the Md. The top is two-toned like the Idea Pro and the stainless steel face transitions into the matte black top in a manner that forms a thin topline like appearance, aiding in setting up square to the ball. Like the J33, there is no alignment aid on the top (that's a plus in my book).

One range session surely does not tell the whole story but this club is off to a VERY GOOD start. Tomorrow I'll be taking the club out on to the course for the first time. Once again Bridgestone has brought a solid offering to the market and, once again, I fear that it will somewhat fall by the waste side because of lack of shelf space. I'm already convinced that, given a chance in any shop, this club would absolutely be a top selling hybrid.

Btw, I'll be getting pics up later today but for those that have no idea of what this club looks like...

Bridgestone Mens Gravity Chamber Hybrid Woods

(take the "product tour")

[ezra76]

Do you still have the Sonartec? Please PM me and put me 1st in line if you do want to get rid of it..

Nice pickup. I love the look of the Bridgestones and took a good long look at them myself. I just got a deal I couldn't pass up for the MidTP. So this is a "new" hybrid line from Bridgestone? I look forward to hearing how it goes on the course. Good luck with it... drop that eagle putt.

[chemboy2]

Originally Posted by ezra76

Do you still have the Sonartec? Please PM me and put me 1st in line if you do want to get rid of it.

I actually sold the Sonartec to a buddy the day after I ordered the GC. We were at the range and he mentioned that he was looking for a low launching workable 19* hybrid (he didn't know I was buying the GC and that the Md was soon to be on the market). I jumped all over the opportunity and handed him the Md, five swings later the deal was done!

Edit in response to your edit:
It is a completely new hybrid by Bridgestone. I looked at the J33 first but found it very similar to the Sonartec and I feared I would end up in the same spot. The new hybrid is geared towards mid-cappers and is a little draw biased - it really is exactly what I was looking for to fill this spot!

[ezra76]

I actually just took the time to read up on your link. They have some good lofts available there. I like how they bump up 1* for the equivilent iron. That's something I've always noticed. Putting a hybrid in is always hit or miss on what I will get for a yardage gap. Unfortunately for the gap I'm hitting the new 21* MidTP pretty long. I choked down and hit a slight fade, still a bit long from 205.

Sorry to hear about the Sonartec. lol. Twofast was looking for a 19* and I told him I would look into one for him.

[twofast2s]

ez: thanks for trying.. i was gonna ask him if he still has his MD, but guess not. haha

[chemboy2]

Originally Posted by ezra76

I actually just took the time to read up on your link. They have some good lofts available there. I like how they bump up 1* for the equivilent iron. That's something I've always noticed. Putting a hybrid in is always hit or miss on what I will get for a yardage gap. Unfortunately for the gap I'm hitting the new 21* MidTP pretty long. I choked down and hit a slight fade, still a bit long from 205.

Sorry to hear about the Sonartec. lol. Twofast was looking for a 19* and I told him I would look into one for him.

Originally Posted by twofast2s

ez: thanks for trying.. i was gonna ask him if he still has his MD, but guess not. haha

Sorry about that twofast.

Besides being a scratch golfer that has been giving me free advice on the range and course for the last year, he's also the buddy that sold me the SQ Tour for $100 so I kind of of owed him a good deal. He got it for a song!

Ez, we've discussed the 19* Md before, it was just too damn finicky for me in that loft. The 23* Md continues to be a solid performer though and I can't say enough about what the AccuFLEX Evolution iron shaft has done for it; took it to a whole new level! To think, all these "high-end" hybrid shafts on the market and I hit a homerun with a $30 graphite iron shaft.

The 23* has settled in nicely at the 190-195 yard mark and I'm looking for 210 out of the GC. I was carrying 180 into a very strong wind yesterday so I think I should have no problem hitting it 210 in "normal" conditions.

[sssmokin]

Can you put in a couple of pics? I'd like to see this with the Proto shaft.