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Ping i20 Irons - CFS vs KBS Tour Shafts?

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Snoopdiggler

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Hi all, just joined and making my first post! Always enjoyed reading the forums in the past.

I am looking into some i20 irons, but still deciding on whether to go with the stock CFS or KBS Tours. Happy to hear some opinions, thoughts, or experiences from others.

Like the feel of the stock CFS shaft in stiff. Unfortunately the fitter only had a reg KBS Tour shaft in his cart, but it felt good as well. I'm waiting for the stiff shaft to come in so I can do a proper comparison. But thought I'd get some impressions from others while I am waiting.

Coming from some MP52's and looking for something with a bit more distance and some help in the mid and long irons. I'm a 3 with a 6i swing speed around 82 mph. Sweeper rather than a digger and my miss is a low hook.

Thoughts? Appreciate any comments.
 
I think most will say the KBS are nice shafts but hopefully someone will have a direct comparison for you. Welcome to THP!


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The CFS are great shafts, but it's something you really have to try yourself as everyone's swing is different. Have fun!
 
Cheers! I have been reading through that thread, but must not be to that discussion point yet.
 
I had the chance to demo a set of i20s with cfs stiff and a set with kbstours.
the kbs were a bit higher launching but lower spining. I have never adjusted to the feel of kbs. cfs feel very much like a little stronger dynalite or like a smoother zz65.
I've played dynamic gold for a long time the kbs just feel mushier to me. but I have a very had attack.
 
FWIW, I bought my set with stiff KBSTs and exchanged them for the CFS. Obviously, you need to see what works for you, but I did a lot of testing on the course and LMs and in a nutshell they were really close, but I like the feel of the CFS a bit more, the 10g less weight and the performance of the longer irons better. Just somethign about that the CFS combo that works. Only 27 holes into the new CFS set and happy witht he choice. KBSTs felt a little more stout to me, which is not a bad thing. My 6i SS is just a hair above yours for reference and I would say my swing is a pretty moderate tempo now as I've mellowed it out lately. Good luck
 
Thanks for the comments everyone. JK, your point on the longer irons is interesting. Better performance on the mid and long irons is the primary reason I am looking at the i20's. Just can't rock a blade 4 or 5i like I used to be able to - BOO, getting older sucks! The mizzy optimizer did spit out a KBS Tour soft stepped once as a potential, but I was wondering whether that may still be a bit much for me in the longer irons. The CFS stiff felt pretty good throughout. I was only able to hit a 7i outside as that was all the fitter had. However, I was able to try 4i, 6i, 8i, and PW indoor at Golftown and felt like I could load those shafts fairly well.
 
johowdy123 said:
I had the chance to demo a set of i20s with cfs stiff and a set with kbstours.
the kbs were a bit higher launching but lower spining. I have never adjusted to the feel of kbs. cfs feel very much like a little stronger dynalite or like a smoother zz65.
I've played dynamic gold for a long time the kbs just feel mushier to me. but I have a very had attack.
Click to expand...

I saw almost the same thing as you. I saw more spin out of the CFS but lower launch, which to me is a combo that I kind of want. I'm a big KBS fan but I really like the CFS shafts in my i20's. Feel wise, or at least my perceived feel, it's damn near a toss up to me.
 
I had kbs tours in my TM MCs and am a big kbs fan but like others I found the stock CFS a little lower and less spin. I am just barely a stiff and really hit the CfS like they were an upcharge shaft.
 
Yeah, hit 40s and left my ego at the door in terms of golf equipment. I took a leap based on the I20 tesing thread feedback (recommend you scour that if you haven't already - those guys are doing an outstanding job) and actually exchanged my 5-UW KBST set for my current 4-UW CFS set, and had to trade the 23* hybrid for a 20* as a result - a PITA for sure, but am very happy now. I hit a few 4i's off the tee a few times this morning and they were as straight as I can hit a long iron - haven't had a 4i for years because of the low snaps. Hope you get a chance for some testing to make sure you get what works. Let us know.

Snoopdiggler said:
Thanks for the comments everyone. JK, your point on the longer irons is interesting. Better performance on the mid and long irons is the primary reason I am looking at the i20's. Just can't rock a blade 4 or 5i like I used to be able to - BOO, getting older sucks! The mizzy optimizer did spit out a KBS Tour soft stepped once as a potential, but I was wondering whether that may still be a bit much for me in the longer irons. The CFS stiff felt pretty good throughout. I was only able to hit a 7i outside as that was all the fitter had. However, I was able to try 4i, 6i, 8i, and PW indoor at Golftown and felt like I could load those shafts fairly well.
Click to expand...
 
The i20 testing thread is what made me go out and try these irons out. I was set to go and get fitted for some AP2's (had the originals which I liked, but went with PX and didn't dig the shafts) and then saw a thread on a comparison between AP2's and i20's. Then I saw the testing thread and thought, I need to go check these babies out that everyone is raving about. So much great info on that thread and you could just feel the love for these clubs oozing out of the forum - ha! I know I need to be patient to get the right shaft, but it's also bloody tough being patient hearing everyone else go on about how much they are digging them. I have to hold myself back to just getting them so I don't have to wait any more!
 
I went through the same thing as you can see in that thread. Wasn't smart enough to do a separate thread. Looking back, I actually think they are both so good, I'd be at peace with either and wasn't worth driving myself nuts.

Snoopdiggler said:
The i20 testing thread is what made me go out and try these irons out. I was set to go and get fitted for some AP2's (had the originals which I liked, but went with PX and didn't dig the shafts) and then saw a thread on a comparison between AP2's and i20's. Then I saw the testing thread and thought, I need to go check these babies out that everyone is raving about. So much great info on that thread and you could just feel the love for these clubs oozing out of the forum - ha! I know I need to be patient to get the right shaft, but it's also bloody tough being patient hearing everyone else go on about how much they are digging them. I have to hold myself back to just getting them so I don't have to wait any more!
Click to expand...
 
CFS shaft vs KBS shaft. Ok basically KBS Tour 90 has a softer tip than KBS Tour, higher ball flight etc with the tour 90 shaft.
CFS shaft has a softer tip in the reg and stiff shaft. CFS reg plays like the KBS Tour 90 shaft and CFS stiff plays softer than the KBS Tour stiff.
If you have a moderate tempo with a SS in the low 80's the CFS stiff will feel better with a bit of a lower ball flight than the CFS reg shaft.
Now if you go after it more often than not a shaft with a firmer tip will do you better......KBS Tour reg or KBS Tour stiff, just have to try them both and see witch one works better for you. I have a SS of 82 also on the 6i and find that the CFS stiff works well for me.
 
Snoopdiggler said:
The i20 testing thread is what made me go out and try these irons out. I was set to go and get fitted for some AP2's (had the originals which I liked, but went with PX and didn't dig the shafts) and then saw a thread on a comparison between AP2's and i20's. Then I saw the testing thread and thought, I need to go check these babies out that everyone is raving about. So much great info on that thread and you could just feel the love for these clubs oozing out of the forum - ha! I know I need to be patient to get the right shaft, but it's also bloody tough being patient hearing everyone else go on about how much they are digging them. I have to hold myself back to just getting them so I don't have to wait any more!
Click to expand...

So have you pulled the trigger yet? If not I can give you my 2 cents about these two shafts as follows:

KBS Tour, stiff = For the last two years I have been HOing pretty bad and have owned many sets of irons and nearly all of them with KBS Tour, stiff shafts as I really like the way these shafts feel through impact...they are very solid shafts!

CFS, stiff = Based on my last HOing I picked up a set of slightly used i20 irons at my local EW and they had CFS, stiff shafts in them...well before pulling the trigger I hit them in the store and took them to the range/course for a few days. Now I have never hit the i20 iron with KBS Tour but these CFS shafts really are very nice shafts and seem to work really well with these irons and the ball flight is very strong. I like them alot and I am not a DG guy.

A couple more thoughts is that I recently found out I have a torn rotator in my right shoudler but my PT thinks I can avoid surgery and I am engaged in a serious strengthing routnine to build a more stable foundation around my shoudler to help support my rotator...I am also 53 years old...54 in Feb...anyway I have lost some club head speed and distance (I hit a 7 iron 150 yards) and have been reading alot lately about more and more better players including Pro's are going to lighter shafts...I am a 7.5 handicap currently...have been as low as 6. The key to playing lighter shafts from what I have read and it makes a lot of sense is as follows:

Play the lighest shaft that you can control...period.

Well for me the CFS is 11 grams lighter than the KBS Tour...11 grams is like .024251 less pounds...LOL but I feel like I can control the CFS (for now) and plan on sticking with them...maybe if my shoulder gets stronger or I have the surgery (yuck) I will go to something stouter but for me right now these shafts are doing the job and doing it very well...PING knows what they are doing...Just my 2 cents!
 
KB said:
So have you pulled the trigger yet? If not I can give you my 2 cents about these two shafts as follows:

KBS Tour, stiff = For the last two years I have been HOing pretty bad and have owned many sets of irons and nearly all of them with KBS Tour, stiff shafts as I really like the way these shafts feel through impact...they are very solid shafts!

CFS, stiff = Based on my last HOing I picked up a set of slightly used i20 irons at my local EW and they had CFS, stiff shafts in them...well before pulling the trigger I hit them in the store and took them to the range/course for a few days. Now I have never hit the i20 iron with KBS Tour but these CFS shafts really are very nice shafts and seem to work really well with these irons and the ball flight is very strong. I like them alot and I am not a DG guy.

Play the lighest shaft that you can control...period.

Well for me the CFS is 11 grams lighter than the KBS Tour...11 grams is like .024251 less pounds...LOL but I feel like I can control the CFS (for now) and plan on sticking with them...maybe if my shoulder gets stronger or I have the surgery (yuck) I will go to something stouter but for me right now these shafts are doing the job and doing it very well...PING knows what they are doing...Just my 2 cents!
Click to expand...

Well this was a good thought but just did not work out for me...after a few more rounds I started to feel like I could not control my ball flight and it was hard to find my timing with this lighter shaft...so I began experimenting again and ended up going with the KBS C-Taper shaft...it weighs the same as the KBS Tour stiff but has a higher kick point...they do feel a bit more stout than a KBS Tour but they just seem to work better for my swing (on the golf course) regardless of what swing speed numbers I see in the simulator...weird but I guess each swing has its own needs.

P.S. I am 6'4 and have a very aggressive swing that is fade bias...I put a lot of spin on the ball and as you can see in my sig I play the Srixon Q Star...I can stop this ball near it's own divot with a 4 iron...maybe this aspect of my swing is what makes these shafts work better for me???
 
Snoopdiggler said:
Hi all, just joined and making my first post! Always enjoyed reading the forums in the past.

I am looking into some i20 irons, but still deciding on whether to go with the stock CFS or KBS Tours. Happy to hear some opinions, thoughts, or experiences from others.

Like the feel of the stock CFS shaft in stiff. Unfortunately the fitter only had a reg KBS Tour shaft in his cart, but it felt good as well. I'm waiting for the stiff shaft to come in so I can do a proper comparison. But thought I'd get some impressions from others while I am waiting.

Coming from some MP52's and looking for something with a bit more distance and some help in the mid and long irons. I'm a 3 with a 6i swing speed around 82 mph. Sweeper rather than a digger and my miss is a low hook.

Thoughts? Appreciate any comments.
Click to expand...

In the i20 testing thread, a few of the guys made some direct comparisons between the CFS and KBS. They all felt they were very similar shafts.
 
I'm playing Titleist blades now and really want a set of the S55's. I'm geting a bit older and want a bit more forgiveness but don't want a shovel on the end of my club if you get my drift. I'm currently playing PX 6.0 flighted. Great shafts but I want a bit more feel. I have a quick tempo and I'm aggressive at the ball. Will the CFS shafts still launch my long irons high like the px flighted? I've hit the kbs tours and the ball balloned on me and had a ton of spin.
 
So glad I found this thread, I have been pondering the same question and debating on switching from CFS to KBS. Of course I have been going back forth on this, but it seems seems that there isn't much difference between the two. Has anyone done this with there Ping Tour Gorge Wedges also? Picking up a 58 in a few weeks and my next move was to switch the wedges with the KBS Hi Rev. I am looking for more spin out of my wedges.
 
CFS produces a very similar ball flight in my experience. KBS for me was a touch lower.
 
I play the Ping i20's since they first came out and got fit with the CFS R steel shafts , but this winter I had them pulled and had AeroTech i95 shafts ( by my fitter /club builder ) put in and have played just 2 rounds with them and for what its worth they play much better and the feel off the face is ever smoother and feel more solid . Even the balance of the overall of the club feels better in my hands . I think the $400 bucks was well worth it , as I have tennis elbow in my right elbow and after my rounds now I don't have the soreness in it after my rounds .
May give these shafts a look see .
 
Throw a curve...KBS tour V vs CFS. Thinking about those two in i25's. Sounds like the v may be the best of both worlds. Lighter and less spin.
 
I can't confirm spin numbers but I moved from the Tour-Stiff into a soft-stepped Tour-X and it brought the flight down nicely. A couple other things to mention; It also eliminated a baby draw to a basically straight flight for me as well, and the weight increase was noticeable and took some time to get used to.
 
Quick question, I play the G15's with the DG x100, been looking for a set of i20's, since Ping no longer sells them..... Question is how comparable are the Ping shafts to the x100? Its tuff to find i20's with x100 so I need an alternative, could I possibly move to just a stiff shaft? Thanks in advance....
 
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