Bridgestone Or Tourstage

[b-man777]

hi there:just wanted to know if some of the bridgestone equipment being sold in the usa now is just renamed tourstage clubs?either way they are realy nice. :clapping: :cheesy:

[BLADE]

Tourstage was last years name for Bridgestone stuff...the Z101's are the old irons from a year or two ago.

[alcap26]

I think you might be wrong on Tourstage being just last years name for Bridgestone stuff. It is the name of the Japan line and it has been around for quite a few years. I the Bridgestone Air Muscle is just a rebadged Tourstage Air Muscle. The combo irons seem to share some similarities to the 202's (I think that is the right model number).

[markheardjr]

Correct, Bridgestone is the U.S. venture for Tourstage. However, most of their clubs are not same. There aren't very many Bridgestone clubs that are the exact same as Tourstage clubs. The air muscle is the only one i can think of that is really close. The J33 wedges are similar to the X-wedge also. The Bridgestone J33 drivers are completely different than the Tourstage X-drive. And Bridgestone only has the J33B's and Combo's out right now. There may be offerings in the future that are cosmetically closer related to the Tourstage cousins.

 

Some would argue Tourstage's are better because they charge more and are able to put more expensive metals, shafts, equipment and R&D into them. I think they are both excellent clubs and would play either.

[BLADE]

Yeah, I know that Tourstage is in Japan...but it was also the name of the Precept/Tourstage/Bridgestone Pro Line stuff in the U.S. last year. The pro-line stuff from B-stone went Precept Tour Premium---Tourstage Z101----Bridgestone J33

[Siteseer2]

Tourstage is the marquis brand in Japan for Bridgestone... it is hi-end quality with super technology, materials and craftsmanship... maybe the best all-around japan has to offer... what they brought over here in the US last year was the Tourstage name and crappy product that was cheap, with lousy craftsmanship and materials-- really trashed the japan brand, IMO.... The marketing concept now appears to be to use the Bridgestone name, bagging the Tourstage US, and offer "players" quality using Tourstage japan technology in a dumbed-down version of the japan stuff... lets face it, the quality and materials are MUCH higher in japan when you can sell a driver for $700 and fw woods for $450... Bridgestone US has a more price-sensitive market and it shows... only time will tell if Bridgestone can parlay the japan craftsmanship and materials into a US brand that will work... the J33 line was a pretty darn good start, although I think the price point will be a major barrier to offering the best that Tourstage japan has to offer albeit under the Bridgestone label ...

[tickyboy]

The Bridgestone irons are forged in the same foundries as Tourstage (Endo I believe?) so they're the same quality just different designs. The J33 drivers are a step below the Tourstage Japan drivers (X-drive, MR23) but IMO superior to any US release drivers (R7, FT-3, etc)

[bert-b]

The Bridgestone irons are forged in the same foundries as Tourstage (Endo I believe?) so they're the same quality just different designs.  The J33 drivers are a step below the Tourstage Japan drivers (X-drive, MR23) but IMO superior to any US release drivers (R7, FT-3, etc)

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It is my understanding that the Bridgestone J33 product is forged by Nelson in China and Tourstage X-Blade CB's are forged by Endo. So, there is a slight difference.

 

Bert-B