KBS Tour 90 Shafts Review - Forum Testing

[War Eagle]

Nice update, Perry. I like what you said, no matter how good the equipment, it cant mask a bad swing. I still have my misses, and no matter how much I want a piece of equipment to fix that, it doesnt. Fortunately, I have found that my misses are less prevalent since switching to a shaft the seemingly fits my game, but at times (more than I would like), the misses are still there.

 

[pmoa]

Nice update, Perry. I like what you said, no matter how good the equipment, it cant mask a bad swing. I still have my misses, and no matter how much I want a piece of equipment to fix that, it doesnt. Fortunately, I have found that my misses are less prevalent since switching to a shaft the seemingly fits my game, but at times (more than I would like), the misses are still there.

Thanks buddy! Yes the misses are still there but are less BAD, if that makes sense. All in all, the game is much more consistent than with shafts that didn't fit my swing. This has been extremely eye opening and would have never thought that equipment can mean so much to an amateur.

 

[War Eagle]

Thanks buddy! Yes the misses are still there but are less BAD, if that makes sense. All in all, the game is much more consistent than with shafts that didn't fit my swing. This has been extremely eye opening and would have never thought that equipment can mean so much to an amateur.

Im with you there. I have always been a "stock shaft" guy. I always convinced myself they were a good fit for me, but this has really made me second guess that previous though.

 

[Jersey Nate]

Great update pmoa! I do have to say that I haven't had 100% great results with these either and that is all on me as a beginner golfer rather than the shafts. My honeymoon period has ended for me as well and I know what I can and can't do with these shafts in order to get them to perform their best. I've struggled with a pull draw or pull hook miss lately and that is all me. I just need to remember smooth tempo, smooth tempo, smooth tempo.

Tapping from my S3

 

[War Eagle]

Great update pmoa! I do have to say that I haven't had 100% great results with these either and that is all on me as a beginner golfer rather than the shafts. My honeymoon period has ended for me as well and I know what I can and can't do with these shafts in order to get them to perform their best. I've struggled with a pull draw or pull hook miss lately and that is all me. I just need to remember smooth tempo, smooth tempo, smooth tempo.

Tapping from my S3

Thats the same thought I have to have, JN. It's important to keep the tempo in check, but personally for me, that goes for all my clubs.

 

[Swoosh]

Goes back to being fit for stuff...even though we all don't want too. haha.

 

[War Eagle]

KBS Tour 90 Shaft Testing
8/8/12 - 9 Hole League Play


Im not going to go with a shot by shot review, or anything like I have done in the past for this review. What I want to focus on here is something that just got the gears in my head turning...

What I want to try to get across here is something that I talked with Conrad @ KBS prior to the testing, and something that I kind of got away from here a few weeks ago. That being keeping a consistent feel throughout my bag, specifically when going from irons to my wedges. When I was talking with KBS pre-testing, the offered to send me some wedge shafts to completely reshaft my entire set. The reason for that? So I wouldn't go from a light weight iron to a heavier wedge, as it would throw my swing off.

During the first few weeks of the testing, my wedge play was a strength of my game. I was accurate and able to get the perfect amount of spin on the ball that I wanted, even though I wasn't playing a wedge shaft that is designed to increase spin (but actually does due to ball flight and descent angle, make sense?). After a few weeks my new wedges came in, all excited they went in to the bag immediately. I played them well on half shots, but when it came to full shots (which I hit a lot of), I was so inconsistent it isn't funny. So I tried to figure out where my miss was coming from, what was my swing flaw causing this, was I too steep? Was I pulling my head up? I couldn't pinpoint it. Then, all of a sudden, it hit me. Weight. The weight of the wedge was causing me to be inconsistent with my shots.

The wedges that were working for me had the KBS Tour 90 shafts in them, weighing in at 102g. The wedges I switched to? 120g+. Believe me, there was a difference. And it was glaring. So back in the bag my old wedges went, and I hoped I would see some good shots come back to me with a wedge in hand.

Tonight I played 9 holes for my weekly league play, and my wedges with the 90s in them came along for the ride. I got to put them to the test right away, and here is what happened;

• Hole #3 (my 2nd hole of the evening), Par 4. I had hit my 3W dead down the center of the fairway, and was sitting about 113 yards in. 55* wedge, and hit it perfect, right on the button. The ball hit the green and stuck where it landed, about a foot away. I would say it was a tap in birdie, but instead it was a conceded birdie...even better!

So here's the thing; With the wedges I had been playing, while I would hit a good shot here and there, it was almost like I was grinding through the process to hit a good shot, rather than letting the club do the work. Tonight, what I found was that even with my wedges, I could keep my same smooth swing and get my desired results. I was able to hit my full shots with ease, as well as still have great results when I needed a 3/4 swing or a 1/2 swing.

Most importantly here was the fact that I hadn't been to the range or short game area since changing wedges, and was able to pull a wedge from the bag and hit the shot I needed. I was able to flow from my irons to my wedges and keep my same smooth swing tempo. I had changed to a wedge that has a shaft designed to give the golfer increased spin on their shots, but what I find is that with the Tour 90 shafts in my wedges, I am able to get the spin that I need on my shots without having to grind to get it. A lot of this, I feel, has to do with the trajectory that my ball takes and descends at.

It was quite interesting to see my wedge game come back to life for me, and I was glad that I could get back to some things I had seen early on in my testing. In the past, weights of my irons vs the weights of my wedges had not been something that I had really thought about...that goes back to me having the "I hit stock shafts well" mentality. I know one thing; going forward, it is something that I will definitely pay attention to, as I can definitely see what benefits it can have for ones game.

 

[SW]

I'm glad you got the success you wanted with the wedges War. It is amazing how a little weight difference can completely change how you play a club. I like hearing about the extra height negating any "loss" of spin, I see a lot of the other singles I get paired with who could benefit from some extra height on their wedges vs their endless quest for more spin.

Are you debating swapping the shafts out of the J40 wedges?

 

[War Eagle]

I'm glad you got the success you wanted with the wedges War. It is amazing how a little weight difference can completely change how you play a club. I like hearing about the extra height negating any "loss" of spin, I see a lot of the other singles I get paired with who could benefit from some extra height on their wedges vs their endless quest for more spin.

Are you debating swapping the shafts out of the J40 wedges?

Too late, J40s are gone. Didnt want to deal with the reshafting, and the Nikes were there just waiting patiently to get back in the bag.

 

[SW]

Too late, J40s are gone. Didnt want to deal with the reshafting, and the Nikes were there just waiting patiently to get back in the bag.

Holy crap, you trim the hoard as quickly as you add to it.

Silly question but since our climates are the same, have you noticed any rust spots on the steel at all? A friend called me earlier in the week bemoaning his new shafts having some spots after a few weeks, something I've not heard of happening that soon.

 

[War Eagle]

Holy crap, you trim the hoard as quickly as you add to it.

Silly question but since our climates are the same, have you noticed any rust spots on the steel at all? A friend called me earlier in the week bemoaning his new shafts having some spots after a few weeks, something I've not heard of happening that soon.

Yeah dude, they werent working for me and there was a THP'er in need. Off'ed them so I could fund other ponders, you know me.

To answer your question though; I havent had any issue with rust spots or anything like that. Not really sure how that would occur unless there were some rough spots or chips in the finish?

 

[Kmac]

Interesting thoughts War. Now I see where your comments are coming from over in the ATV thread.

 

[War Eagle]

Interesting thoughts War. Now I see where your comments are coming from over in the ATV thread.

Yeah dude. I have been trying to find the weight of the shafts in the ATVs for a while now. I will be interested in putting them head to head tomorrow afternoon on the range.

 

[justhackin]

Holy crap, you trim the hoard as quickly as you add to it.

Silly question but since our climates are the same, have you noticed any rust spots on the steel at all? A friend called me earlier in the week bemoaning his new shafts having some spots after a few weeks, something I've not heard of happening that soon.

If he leaves them in his trunk or another humid area they will do that. Very fine steel wool and good as new for awhile. My tours do this because they stay in my van in humid Mississippi.

hackin

 

[War Eagle]

If he leaves them in his trunk or another humid area they will do that. Very fine steel wool and good as new for awhile. My tours do this because they stay in my van in humid Mississippi.

hackin

Interesting. I have a bedcover on my truck and leave my clubs back there and I havent seen an issues like this. Good tip on the steel wool though. Thanks!

 

[SW]

If he leaves them in his trunk or another humid area they will do that. Very fine steel wool and good as new for awhile. My tours do this because they stay in my van in humid Mississippi.

hackin

Interesting. I leave mine in the truck often, but I'm pretty stringent about wiping my clubs down after each round. I told him use the mothers wheel cleaner wool stuff to get the spots off.

--
Tapatalk2

 

[pmoa]

WE thats what im talking about. So it IS due to a major weight change in the shafts. I'm glad you finally had the chance to think about the weight. I am going to pay more attention now and switch my sand wedge shaft out immediately. Conrad from KBS was kind enough to get me a wedge shaft so I can replace the stocker. Good work my man.

 

[War Eagle]

WE thats what im talking about. So it IS due to a major weight change in the shafts. I'm glad you finally had the chance to think about the weight. I am going to pay more attention now and switch my sand wedge shaft out immediately. Conrad from KBS was kind enough to get me a wedge shaft so I can replace the stocker. Good work my man.

Im thinking the weight has a lot to do with it, but I have to wonder how much of it is from the mental side of things? Ive played the Nikes for about a year now, and have always played them well. When I changed the shafts, I was hitting them better than I had before. So, while a lot of it has to do with the weight, I think I have a higher comfort level with them as well.

 

[pmoa]

Im thinking the weight has a lot to do with it, but I have to wonder how much of it is from the metal side of things? Ive played the Nikes for about a year now, and have always played them well. When I changed the shafts, I was hitting them better than I had before. So, while a lot of it has to do with the weight, I think I have a higher comfort level with them as well.

I agree. I just find the KBS Tour 90 to be less harsh than the stocker on the CG14's. But even when it comes to chipping, the KBS just "feels" better.

 

[Jersey Nate]

Im thinking the weight has a lot to do with it, but I have to wonder how much of it is from the metal side of things? Ive played the Nikes for about a year now, and have always played them well. When I changed the shafts, I was hitting them better than I had before. So, while a lot of it has to do with the weight, I think I have a higher comfort level with them as well.

True but I can definitely get behind the philosophy of similar weight and feel across the irons and wedges. It just makes sense and seems to work well.

Tapping from my S3

 

[War Eagle]

True but I can definitely get behind the philosophy of similar weight and feel across the irons and wedges. It just makes sense and seems to work well.

Tapping from my S3

Oh, absolutely! And it was one thing that Conrad felt could help me a great deal, keeping a consistent weight and feel from irons through wedges. Makes sense, and apparently works.

 

[Kmac]

Im thinking the weight has a lot to do with it, but I have to wonder how much of it is from the metal side of things? Ive played the Nikes for about a year now, and have always played them well. When I changed the shafts, I was hitting them better than I had before. So, while a lot of it has to do with the weight, I think I have a higher comfort level with them as well.

You meant mental side here right? If not Im really confused lol. Or are you talking metals?

 

[War Eagle]

You meant mental side here right? If not Im really confused lol. Or are you talking metals?

Haha, sorry dude, I meant "mental."

 

[Kmac]

Haha, sorry dude, I meant "mental."

I thought so. haha then I started changing things to metal stuff and somehow it started to make sense. Mind blown.

 

[Mr.Hands]

Tour 90's feel like whips, which i think is a pretty nice feeling, but i balloon them quite massively