KBS C-Taper Lite Iron Shaft - Review Thread

[Hawk]

I hope so man. I'm always freaked out by the high launch tag on an iron shaft because I have to work to keep my flight down. But as I told Jman on the phone today, it's not the height but the ballooning especially into the wind that kills me. That doesn't seem to be the case with these from what I'm hearing from you guys so far.

Just based on what you've played before and done well with, I don't think you'll see that at all. Maybe a bit more height, but I think they'll be a good match for your move into the ball and you'll find them surprisingly stable.

Awesome, Hawk. Between what you and JamesMan have said, thus far I really look forward to swinging/owning these at some point. I can't wait to see more feedback as you continue your testing. Have you swung the regular C-Taper before?

I have, but not as much as Jman. I tried out the CMB's on the range last year and played them for 18 holes. In ways they do remind of them, but not the things I didn't like. I remember very well that I thought they were very easy to swing on the range at demo day, but when I actually played them I felt outclassed. I didn't get that feeling with these, even after hitting a good 150+ balls.

 

[Hawk]

I've hit a whole bunch of balls in the last couple days with the Bladez/CT-Lite combo. Honestly, maybe more confused now than I was before. Finally hit a good number of what I consider quality shots with them during today's session. Wind was quartering in to me at 15+mph from the right, so saw a healthy amount of movement from right to left at times.

I'll reiterate that these don't have that signature KBS Tour feel to me. To verify that feeling, I took out a 588 CB with the R flex Tours in them. Interestingly, both shafts weight in at 110g, with the CT-Lites labeled as stiff flex. The Tours certainly felt more active in the tip and just smoother in general. I say that with the comment that the CT-Lites still feel good. Not overly stiff or anything. They are just different and I'm still trying to get it through my head that they aren't really a progression of the Tour 90 line, but rather a compliment to the C-Taper line - if that makes sense.

I saw what I'd consider to be good distance with them today, especially considering the wind I was hitting the ball into. I was a club longer than the last time I visited this range in similar conditions, though admittedly that has much to do with finally not swiping at the stupid ball. Still, the ball held on very nicely in the wind. No straight up and drop-like-a-stone shots, which is something that can happen to me with the 90's.

Here's another thing I thought was interesting - they flew higher than the shots I took with the 588 CB/Tour R combo. Noticeably higher. They also carried further. How that works I'll never know, because the difference in feel would make me think that the Tours would have been the higher launching of the two - just based on perception of how the tip section felt in the swing. I suppose that is exactly what the little chart from KBS says, but I still didn't expect it.

So, here's my quick summary after 3 range sessions.

Lower than the 90's.
Higher than the Tour's.
Completely different feel than both the Tours and 90's.
Nice performance in the wind.

 

[Hawk]

I'm finding myself wanting to get out there and hit these things again today. I'll bring them along for my lesson and see if I can get a peek at some numbers along the way.

 

[Jman]

I'm finding myself wanting to get out there and hit these things again today. I'll bring them along for my lesson and see if I can get a peek at some numbers along the way.

I'm about to head out the door myself for a solid 36 with them today. I'll be sure to get some more thoughts up tonight, goodness knows I've got enough of them!

 

[Hawk]

I'm about to head out the door myself for a solid 36 with them today. I'll be sure to get some more thoughts up tonight, goodness knows I've got enough of them!

Very nice. Good luck out there today! I was pretty bummed to have missed the chance to play yesterday, but it was a blessing in disguise. The practice I put in was much more valuable and should pay off for me the next time out. Would love to hit them in a better feeling iron. I hate to say that, but the Bladez really lag on that end, especially after spending time with the 588 combo.

 

[Damaikis]

Good luck out there guys, and I can't wait to hear your feedback. Good thoughts from yesterday, Hawk!

 

[Hawk]

Thanks Dam. What is it about these that has your interest so high, if you don't mind me asking? I'm just curious and it might help me get a point of reference for you after future testing.

 

[Jman]

Thanks Dam. What is it about these that has your interest so high, if you don't mind me asking? I'm just curious and it might help me get a point of reference for you after future testing.

Dam is embracing the high(er) ball and a move away from the old school S300's.

These are DEFINITELY on the other end of the spectrum as the old DG's. Haha

 

[Damaikis]

Thanks Dam. What is it about these that has your interest so high, if you don't mind me asking? I'm just curious and it might help me get a point of reference for you after future testing.

They're pretty much exactly what I'm looking for in an iron shaft. I was never really a fan of the 90s (a little too whippy-feeling and light), and the Tours launched a bit too low for my liking and are a bit heavier than what I'm looking for. These fall right into the weight range and flight profile I'm looking for, as well as having a more firm feel which I like in a shaft. Plus, the finish on them is GORGEOUS. I will own a set at some point, that's for sure.

 

[Hawk]

They're pretty much exactly what I'm looking for in an iron shaft. I was never really a fan of the 90s (a little too whippy-feeling and light), and the Tours launched a bit too low for my liking and are a bit heavier than what I'm looking for. These fall right into the weight range and flight profile I'm looking for, as well as having a more firm feel which I like in a shaft. Plus, the finish on them is GORGEOUS. I will own a set at some point, that's for sure.

Well dang. You pretty much described my thoughts so far to a T lol. What I like here is that you can also get them up to an X flex (for those that need it), where the 90's maxed out at stiff.

 

[Hawk]

I will say one thing, as my swing speed went up during my lesson these shafts had a different feel to them. Certainly felt more flex. It was night and day compared to the first time I took them out. Still not Tour 90 feeling, but there was some play and I liked it.

 

[ddec]

So, here's my quick summary after 3 range sessions.

Lower than the 90's.
Higher than the Tour's.
Completely different feel than both the Tours and 90's.
Nice performance in the wind.

Yup, I'm over the name now. That didn't take long did it? I kind of want these in my amp cell irons now. After just a couple short rounds, I miss the KBS feel.

 

[Hawk]

Yup, I'm over the name now. That didn't take long did it? I kind of want these in my amp cell irons now. After just a couple short rounds, I miss the KBS feel.

Remind me what you have in there again?

 

[ddec]

Remind me what you have in there again?

PX 5.5. While I like what I am seeing so far. They just feel different than what I have been swinging for the last year.

 

[Hawk]

Yuck. Nothing personal to those that like them of course!

These would be substantially different, though I think you'd find more of that 'KBS feel' in the Tours. However, I really started feeling these pop into the ball last night after I got straightened out a little.

 

[Howzat]

I am really liking a combo Hawk/Jman review. Such good info that keeps me wanting more.

 

[Hawk]

I am really liking a combo Hawk/Jman review. Such good info that keeps me wanting more.

Just wait until Jake gets up in here! I think he's going to do really well with them for some reason.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

Some really good info in here...very intrigued by these shafts.

 

[Howzat]

Just wait until Jake gets up in here! I think he's going to do really well with them for some reason.

That might be too much for me to handle.

 

[Jman]

Mr. Jake Nation will have these CTL/Xforged back in hand and ready to rip on Thursday. This Oklahoma club builder doesn't jack around.

I'll have some thoughts too, two rounds in two days will do that to a fella.

 

[Jman]

REFERENCE LINKS:

• Initial In-Hand Pictures: HERE
• Post Install Pictures: HERE
• Initial Thoughts and 1st Round: HERE
• 2nd/3rd Round Thoughts: HERE

For those of you that don't know, I love my reference links to previous posts, makes it easier to find things in the review threads IMO. That said, when the list gets longer, it will be placed inside of spoiler tags.

ROUND THOUGHTS:

Date: 6/10/13 and 6/11/13
Played: 18 Holes Per Day
Weather: 97* Light Clouds and 10-15 MPH Variable Winds

So, my first outing with the C-Taper Lite's left me wanting two things. First was Hawk to hit his so we could discuss our thoughts on the phone and second was just wanting to hit them more so I could try to make sense of my initial thoughts and see if I was crazy. Well, I am crazy, but Hawk and I also had a lot of the same thoughts out of our initial outings with them, I think it helped to put both of our minds at ease that we weren't off base and that we both needed to put them through their paces some more.

Now, with all that said, I'm going to keep the format I had in my initial post on these. You all don't want to know about my shot to shot with these on the course and I don't want to put you to sleep. So, rather, I'm going to present these updates as an all around look at my thoughts on the CTL's and what exactly they are showing me.

FLIGHT/DISTANCE

I'm completely and entirely willing to eat crow on my initial internal pessimism about there being any room in the KBS lineup for another set of shafts, particularly one that fits between the Tour's and 90's. You see, I now have no doubt in my mind that they really do fit right between in terms of launch, but there is a twist there too. From hitting full shots with these again and again they are definitely higher than the Tour's and lower than the 90's, but one would ASSUME that at the 110g weight range they would be closer to the Tours than the 90's...not for me. The flight is closer to that of the 90's (but still lower) and that kind of took me aback, particularly with the difference in tip stiffness and really just "feeling" like a less "active" shaft. But that's for another section.

As to distance, I'm about 2-3 yards shorter with these than I was the stock graphite in the Altitudes when I look back on where I was hitting what. That said, my 8i is my 165-ish club right now and that says a lot. I'd really like to get on a monitor to get some ball speed numbers and I also plan on pulling the 7i shaft and putting it in my i20 head just to compare distance wise. I know the spin has a lot to do with the distance I'm getting but the launch angle is the real winner here, I'm getting the carry I should have been seeking in my irons all along because of it.

FEEL

I've used the term "stable" a lot to describe these to people, hell, when Hawk and I talked I think I said it 10 times. Let me rephrase that a bit and break it down some more, or try. From a feel department these are much more like the C-Tapers than the Tour's and ESPECIALLY the 90's. The stiffer tip and butt section make them feel more solid through the swing than the 90's but also the Tour's a good bit. The big difference in these and the original C-Tapers for me is that although I had to stay WAY more aggressive in the swing with my C-Tapers I only got a fraction of that KBS feel out of them, here I can really get more aggressive and get more feel from them in return. Now, its not like the shafts only respond to aggressive as the results are really promising either way for me, but there just seems to be something else there when I really turn on one. I do want to clarify something though, about me saying more feel out of these than the C-Tapers, this is true IMO, BUT its still not that "KBS feel" that many of us equate to the Tour's. Its really nice IMO, but its different and i think that needs to be said for people to grasp, its not just a lighter Tour.

WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE ROUND(S)?

I had two pretty solid days on the course, 39/39=78 at my home course and 40/38=78 at a new-ish to me course. The second round didn't allow me to hit a ton of irons into the greens because it is shorter but it did let me pull several off the tee to a lot of success, the 3i off the tee was a high and long weapon. The first round though I got to put the 8/9/PW through a workout and though my aim was terrible there flight and carry werethere again and again. Even in the winds I played in I had no issues with them when hitting into a side-wind or head-long into it. If I flighted it low or played it against the cross-wind the ball held its line and performed as nicely as I could have asked for.

SOME THOUGHTS ON IN THREAD POSTS/STATEMENTS/QUESTIONS:

So, something a little different here, I'm going to touch on some convo's we've been having in here:

I have, but not as much as Jman. I tried out the CMB's on the range last year and played them for 18 holes. In ways they do remind of them, but not the things I didn't like. I remember very well that I thought they were very easy to swing on the range at demo day, but when I actually played them I felt outclassed. I didn't get that feeling with these, even after hitting a good 150+ balls.

I agree entirely, though these respond well to an aggressive swing so far for me, they don't require me to be as "on" as I felt like I had to be witht he C-Tapers.

I'll reiterate that these don't have that signature KBS Tour feel to me. To verify that feeling, I took out a 588 CB with the R flex Tours in them. Interestingly, both shafts weight in at 110g, with the CT-Lites labeled as stiff flex. The Tours certainly felt more active in the tip and just smoother in general. I say that with the comment that the CT-Lites still feel good. Not overly stiff or anything. They are just different and I'm still trying to get it through my head that they aren't really a progression of the Tour 90 line, but rather a compliment to the C-Taper line - if that makes sense.

I really just wanted to quote this again for people to see. Its so spot on right now for me.

Lower than the 90's.
Higher than the Tour's.
Completely different feel than both the Tours and 90's.
Nice performance in the wind.

Well, I'm done here.

They're pretty much exactly what I'm looking for in an iron shaft. I was never really a fan of the 90s (a little too whippy-feeling and light), and the Tours launched a bit too low for my liking and are a bit heavier than what I'm looking for. These fall right into the weight range and flight profile I'm looking for, as well as having a more firm feel which I like in a shaft. Plus, the finish on them is GORGEOUS. I will own a set at some point, that's for sure.

Dam, your thoughts on the 90's are spot on to mine dude. As to the Tour's I was a little different in that I thought they were a solid mid-high flight but after seeing the flight of these I'm second guessing that. I think they are a solid mid and these slide in-between them and the 90's for sure (as Ive said 1000 times already hahaha!). I know you're coming from S300's, most definitely going to see higher and although not as much feel as the Tour's, still a lot more than the DG's.

Yup, I'm over the name now. That didn't take long did it? I kind of want these in my amp cell irons now. After just a couple short rounds, I miss the KBS feel.

As Hawk said, there is definitely some of that feel there, just not as much as the Tour's. But, it would def feel like a TON more since what you're using basically lacks any feel IMO. Hehe

 

[Jman]

Nearly forgot, some KBS C-Taper Lite 3-hyron action.

 

[Howzat]

Hyron haha. I am a KBS homer and love the idea of a ball flight somewhere between the Tours and 90's. The fact that they don't have the classic "KBS Feel" of the Tours still has me a little concerned. Love that fact that you don't feel you need to be as agreesive with them as the regular C-tapers though.

 

[MWard]

Hyron haha. I am a KBS homer and love the idea of a ball flight somewhere between the Tours and 90's. The fact that they don't have the classic "KBS Feel" of the Tours still has me a little concerned. Love that fact that you don't feel you need to be as agreesive with them as the regular C-tapers though.

Guess it's something you just really have to hit to see how that feel is. It might still have some feel, just not as much?

 

[Jman]

Guess it's something you just really have to hit to see how that feel is. It might still have some feel, just not as much?

Since that's what I've been saying again and again so far, that would be a pretty good guess Mr. Shrimptail.

People shouldn't jump to the conclusion of no feel, this is why that is THE hardest thing to talk about when it comes to golf club shafts. They feel really nice, I just do not want people to expect the exact same feel as the Tour's, because IMO that is just not the case with these (or ANY other iron shaft on the market TBH).