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The Bridgestone Tour B X-CB irons have a great look at address, very soft feel, and excellent performance for the better player.

Introduction

When it comes to irons for better players, it’s often the same story over and over.  With their Tour B X-CB irons, however, Bridgestone has taken a chance and placed a wider sole on an iron otherwise geared toward the high end ball striker.  I tested a set to see how this affected the playability and forgiveness.

Look

Bridgestone knows how to make a pretty golf club.  The Tour B X-CB irons will definitely appeal to the better player with their thin top lines and minimal offset.  I particularly like the compact, squared look of the face.

In the bag, the Tour B X-CB has a slightly wider sole than you’d expect, but the minimalist engraving and lack of splashy colors keep it looking traditional.

Sound & Feel

The Bridgestone Tour B X-CB irons deliver some of the softest feel of any iron I’ve tested.  Catching the ball on the center of the face creates a low-pitched thud that feels great in your hands.

With most of the mass placed behind the sweet spot, these irons also provide stark feedback.  The sound gets “clicky” when you miss the center, and there’s a noticeable amount of extra vibration.  Golfers will have no doubt about where on the face they’ve struck the ball.

Performance

When it comes to describing a new iron’s features, many OEMs write novels.  Bridgestone opted for the “less is more” approach with the Tour B X-CB.  They explain that Forged Mass Technology puts the bulk of the weight behind the sweet spot for solid feel, responsiveness, and performance.  That’s it.  Brevity can be a wonderful thing.

With so much mass behind the sweet spot, I assumed that these irons would be unforgiving and difficult to elevate.  While they’re certainly not in the game improvement category, they did exceed my expectations for ease of play.  The wide sole provides very forgiving turf interaction and gets enough weight low in the head that even thin shots get up in the air.  You’ll still lose some carry distance on poor strikes, but the Tour B X-CB isn’t as demanding as a blade.

These irons shine when you find the center of the face.  Better players who want strong ball flight, shot shaping ability, and trajectory control will find it all here.  More than most any other players cavity back I’ve tested lately, I found it very easy to hit shots at a variety of launch angles.

Further kudos to Bridgestone for their commitment to custom fitting.  They are offering a total of 15 shafts with the Tour B X-CB irons – 10 at no upcharge and 5 premium options.

Conclusion

If you’re a solid ball striker who tends to take sizable divots, the Bridgestone Tour B X-CB irons should be high on your demo list.  The wider sole provides forgiving turf interaction, and the Forged Mass Technology allows for full control over shot shape and trajectory.

Bridgestone Tour B X-CB Irons Price & Specs

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Matt Saternus

Co-Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com

Matt is a golf instructor, club fitter, and writer living in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Matt's work has been published in Mulligan Magazine, Chicagoland Golf, South Florida Golf, and other golf media outlets. He's also been a featured speaker in the Online Golf Summit and is a member of Ultimate Golf Advantage's Faculty of Experts.

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