News
Bridgestone introduces JGR driver, Snedeker immediately puts it in play
Today’s sign the golfing apocalypse is upon us: Brandt Snedeker is switching drivers.
Sneds, who plays Bridgestone irons, has used a TaylorMade Burner SuperFast driver since 2010. Unheard of! That’s five years with the same driver (which currently has an estimated resale value of $39.60).
So, what is Snedeker — who has passed on multiple generations of driver innovation — switching to? The new Bridgestone JGR driver.
Snedeker put the club in play at last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions where the Vanderbilt alum finished third and was 12th in the field in driving distance for the week (288.3 yards).
“We set out to make the JGR Driver our fastest and most forgiving ever,” said Josh Kinchen, golf clubs and accessories marketing manager for Bridgestone. “The engineers really outdid themselves, as the JGR is not only incredibly forgiving, but also extremely fast and high launching. Combine that with the ability to optimize spin for players of all skill levels, and we expect that this driver will turn a lot of heads this year.”
According to Bridgestone, the JGR driver achieves the combination of distance and accuracy through three key technologies.
1. F.A.S.T Crown
The Flex Action Speed Technology (F.A.S.T.) crown is extremely thin near the clubface and progressively thickens toward the club head rear to enable the crown to slightly flex at impact, creating a higher launch and increased repulsion on shots contacted above center.
2. speeDARC
A pair of internal arc-shaped ridges provides increased sole rigidity and better stability for the F.A.ST. Crown to flex against, leading to a higher launch angle and more ball speed.
3. Power Milled Face
Bridgestone’s patented face milling pattern works to reduce golf ball slippage, and as a result, reduce spin. Milling is spaced further apart at the top of the driver face to maintain spin, while the milling is tighter and rougher at the bottom of the driver face to decrease spin on shots contacted lower on the face.
In addition, a new vertical milling pattern is utilized on the heel and toe of the face to further stabilize spin on mishits. The milling combines to reduce spin (300 rpm based on robot testing) for straighter and longer drives.
The club also features dual zone adjustable weighting (in the heel and center of the club).
Availability
The JGR Driver will be available March 4, and will retail for $299. It will be available in 9.5, 10.5, and 12-degree lofts. The stock shaft will be Aldila’s NV 2KXV Orange.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Dave
Mar 20, 2016 at 1:16 am
Does anyone know what the length is? And the swing weight as well? I have a 12 degree and it really goes. Very light.
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Feb 9, 2016 at 9:14 pm
I think what you published made a ton of sense.
However, consider this, suppose you composed a catchier post title?
I am not suggesting your information is not good., but suppose you added a
post title that grabbed a person’s attention? I mean Bridgestone introduces JGR driver, Snedeker immediately puts it in play
| GolfWRX is a little boring. You should look at Yahoo’s front page and see how they create news headlines to grab people to click.
You might add a related video or a related pic or two to grab readers excited about what you’ve written. Just
my opinion, it would make your blog a little livelier.
Narrative Clip Camera
Jan 22, 2016 at 8:27 pm
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Simon
Jan 19, 2016 at 1:28 am
Please do an updated 2016 WITB for Kuchar and Sneds
Noah
Jan 18, 2016 at 2:33 pm
Agree this would be great looking driver completely murdered out
AGF
Jan 16, 2016 at 8:01 am
They should have left the JGR graphic on the sole light gray (like the B). Or white. Would make the club look more sleek…
Eric
Jan 16, 2016 at 10:48 pm
No. Awful idea.
Double Mocha Man
Jan 17, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Boring. A little color is good. AGF, I’m guessing you wear a white shirt and khakis on the course.
KK
Jan 15, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Sweet looking driver but not a fan of the glued hosel.
Mat
Jan 14, 2016 at 6:21 pm
I see a patent lawsuit coming… the milling is Ping’s “True Roll” but done vertically.
Fahgdat
Jan 15, 2016 at 2:37 am
Nah. On a microscopic level, the shape of the milling is different and that is enough
KK
Jan 15, 2016 at 6:39 pm
LOL. Ping TR is variable groove depth for putters and is designed to control ball speed off putts. This is variable groove width for spin control off drives. Two completely different things. Not to mention no one gives a hoot whether drivers roll true or not.
jgpl001
Jan 14, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Bridgestone make quality equipment, but if it wasn’t for ball sales they would surely exit the golf market and that would bet a shame
LK
Jan 14, 2016 at 2:40 pm
Golf Wrx, why do you have so many club articles without a topline view? It is kind of important.
TonyK
Jan 20, 2016 at 6:27 pm
http://www.tourspecgolf.com/bridgestone-jgr-driver
Tom
Jan 14, 2016 at 1:08 pm
Great to see a straight neck glued hosel.
Chris C.
Jan 14, 2016 at 12:54 pm
I hope I have the opportunity to try the JGR. I gamed the J-815 all of last year and it proved to be the best driver I have gamed in many years. Indeed, my playing partners have threatened to hurt me if I ever showed up at team outings with a different driver. If the JGR proves to be better than the J-815, I might be approaching driver nirvana.
AA
Jan 14, 2016 at 8:33 am
I love my non-adjustable, no graphics J40 driver, but I didn’t see much love out there for the J715/718. Will be interesting to hear how this JGR driver performs. What’s strange is Bridgestone usually doesn’t have a rapid product release cycle, but last year they rolled out the J815 and J715. Now they have three drivers they have to somewhat differentiate with technical mumbo-jumbo. I guess the $299 price reflects non-adjustability, but if their highest profile touring pro chooses it over the 715/718, what does that say? I don’t care about adjustability, so I might give it a try in spite of the garish graphics.
Rich
Jan 14, 2016 at 7:12 am
This is nothing new. It’s just a glued Tourstage x-drive GR with Bridgestone on it instead of Tourstage. Released in Japan in 2014. Get with the program folks.
Will
Jan 14, 2016 at 11:13 am
Can’t believe I missed that!
Tyler
Jan 14, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Incorrect, there are a couple added technologies that make a significant difference as well as a brand new Aldila shaft.
Rich
Jan 17, 2016 at 12:00 am
You mean technologies off the J715. And of course a new shaft makes a driver new. Ok, you got me, it’s a new driver.
Mark
Jan 14, 2016 at 2:41 am
Love the shape. Not so keen on the graphics. Unfortunately Bridgestone is quitting UK so no chance to try it or their new range of balls. A shame as their hardware is excellent quality.
shimmy
Jan 13, 2016 at 9:31 pm
the different zones of face milling on this guy is interesting, especially if it does reduce sidespin.
Chuck
Jan 13, 2016 at 9:00 pm
So Brandt went from one driver without an adjustable hosel… to another one with a non-adjustable hosel.
I always liked the idea of adjustable hosels, but mostly for the fact that while tour pros could get drivers that were measured for loft, lie and face angle to within a tenth of a degree, retail buyers were stuck with whatever it said on the bottom of the club. (And, of course, testing stuff on our own, which is like finding a needle in a haystack.) It was nice, as a retail buyer, to get something that approximated what the tour players had.
But of course, when you are a tour player and they will let you choose from two dozen heads, all built the way you’d like, and then bend them and measure them to however you’d like… Who needs an adjustable hosel? It’s just a little extra weight in a place you don’t need any weight.
Joshuaplaysgolf
Jan 13, 2016 at 8:14 pm
When is it available? Or did I miss that? I’m excited to play around with this, I’m about to start my annual comparison of new equipment to my current bag and it’d be fun to get some numbers on this. It looks like you’ll pay quite a bit to get your shaft put in it, but honestly that really doesn’t matter. I always like hitting clubs from a company that isn’t on a 6-12 month product cycle, sometimes you find something that stands out from the crowd a little more definitively.
Tyler
Jan 14, 2016 at 9:33 am
Available March 4th
Double Mocha Man
Jan 13, 2016 at 7:46 pm
I’m still using the same driver Snedeker used for 5 years. I’ve always said, while trying out demo drivers, that if I found anything longer and straighter I’d buy it, no matter the price Never happened… trying SLDR, Titleist, Nike and Callaway (and some others). I’m thinking in March I might be swinging the JGR.
gdb99
Jan 13, 2016 at 7:43 pm
Someone in another story commented that the $299 driver is dead. I guess not!!
John Krug
Jan 13, 2016 at 7:26 pm
Money talks. That’s the full story.
Will
Jan 13, 2016 at 7:17 pm
Can’t wait to try this, especially since it was good enough to get Sneds to switch so fast….I will miss that Superfast he rocked all those years though!!
Juan L. Fourqiet
Jan 13, 2016 at 7:10 pm
LH +
Steve-O-Steamer
Jan 13, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Will Bridgestone finally offer their clubs for lefties? always wanted to try their irons but was never been offered in left handed version. Thank you!
Tyler
Jan 14, 2016 at 9:29 am
The J15 CB irons are available left-handed, as well as the J15 hybrid, FW, and J715 driver.
Gene
Jan 14, 2016 at 3:43 pm
Wedges available in lefty as well. Bridgestone did release the GC Mid irons in lefty some years back as well.