Anyone make the switch to the new KBS C-Taper shafts?

[ERdiesel]

If so, any feedback? Elsewhere there are discussions and claims of a club or club and a half increase in distance vs kbs tours, DG, and project X shafts with lower, penetrating ball flight due to less spin.

[iacas]

In my experience, claims like this are really more a feature of someone finally finding a shaft that fits them. Other players will lose distance playing this shaft, because the shaft they have now is a better fit.

As it says the KBS C-Taper shaft is intended for players with higher swing speeds and a faster tempo. In other words, it seems to be KBS's answer to the "Project X" shaft...

I play Project X. I might have to try these out... though the amount of time I get to play versus teaching these days is vastly out of whack. :-)

[ERdiesel]

Originally Posted by iacas

In my experience, claims like this are really more a feature of someone finally finding a shaft that fits them. Other players will lose distance playing this shaft, because the shaft they have now is a better fit.

As it says the KBS C-Taper shaft is intended for players with higher swing speeds and a faster tempo. In other words, it seems to be KBS's answer to the "Project X" shaft...

I play Project X. I might have to try these out... though the amount of time I get to play versus teaching these days is vastly out of whack. :-)

the interesting thing about the shafts is that even though it seems like a PX equivalent in terms of geared towards hard swingers, seems like people are switching from the kbs tours to these because they retain the same KBS "feel" but with that PX like performance (without the harshness of the PX as some claim).  All this while lowering spin and increasing distance over PX and KBS tours alike.  Wish you would give these a try to get your opinion.  I'm thinking of shafting up a backup club just to see what these are all about.  I currently use KBS Tours, and love the feel, but could always use more distance.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by ERdiesel

the interesting thing about the shafts is that even though it seems like a PX equivalent in terms of geared towards hard swingers, seems like people are switching from the kbs tours to these because they retain the same KBS "feel" but with that PX like performance (without the harshness of the PX as some claim).  All this while lowering spin and increasing distance over PX and KBS tours alike.  Wish you would give these a try to get your opinion.  I'm thinking of shafting up a backup club just to see what these are all about.  I currently use KBS Tours, and love the feel, but could always use more distance.

I kind of like the feel of the PX - but the KBS is definitely a preferred shaft for many.

I bolded the part others will want to read, because I agree, and have heard the same things from people. I have KBS shafts in my Miura irons and wouldn't mind if they flattened out the flight just a teeny bit... Heck, that's why I went with the 7.5s (way too stiff for me) soft-stepped once (still on the verge of too stiff, but it gets the flight down that little bit).

[kevin.chan]

I have re-shafted my 2nd Iron sets ( 3-5 KZG Forged Cavity II , 6-P KZG Forged Z0 Blade ) from NSPRO-950 Stiff to KBS -C-Taper R+  ( FM @ 5.8 ) last week .

My main Iron set is 3-P KZG Forged Zo Blade Rifle 5.5 .

I played a round with the new shaft after i collect them on Friday and shot 76.

Overall i really like the KBS - C-Taper .

Feel

- Swing - Feels heavier and " one piece" compare to NS Pro & Rifle

- Impact -Much better then DG300 ( tried it at the fitter ) , NS Pro and Rifle . At the impact , you can feel the ball is being compressed and leave the club face with superb smack and yet keep the buttery feel .

- Divot , can feel the club face maintain its path through impact and very steady

Ball Flight

- Much Lower than NS Pro

- Slightly Lower than Rifle 5.5

- The ball does not stop as good as the Rifle but just a yard more .

Distance

-Slightly longer than my current set by 5% .

[awmobjects]

I changed to s+ from

[Tom]

Went to a master club fitter last week to look ONLY at iron shafts and was concerned only with distance control, shot accuracy/dispersion, ball on club face consistency. All fittings done outdoors, with naked eye AND a fully operational Trackman with great targets. There was a little wind, temperature was hovering in upper 50's and it was relatively humid/overcast. I live in Atlanta area. I made conscious effort to put same exact swing on every shot.

After seeing me swing, measuring speed, etc., we had a specific idea of what to do. In a 6-iron configuration (Mizuno MP 58) that, for loft and lie, exactly matched my own 6-iron (Mizuno MP 62 - had them measure lie on my own iron, then had them bend the fitter's club to match), the fitter took six (6) shafts out in his fitting cart in addition to my 6-iron. My 6-iron is Project X 6.5 with standard grip size +5 wraps, which makes it 1/64 larger than a mid-size. Each club was struck exactly three (3) times on a matt (not turf).

I'm not going to include the shafts that didn't produce good results, rather just focus on the shafts that provided good results.

Face contact
My club (PX 6.5) was dead on center every time.
KBS C-Taper S was dead on center every time.
DG X100 was dead on center every time.

Distance control - 95mph swing, 205yds carry
My club (PX 6.5) was +/- 10yds.
KBS C-Taper S was +/- 10yds.
DG X100 was was +/- 5yds.

Shot dispersion
My club (PX 6.5) was +/- 15yds.
KBS C-Taper S was +/- 10yds.
DG X100 was +/- 5yds or even less.

Note:
Every shot off the matt produced a draw curvature, which is to be expected as my stock swing (confirmed by trackman) is in to out on average 2°. At conclusion of fitting, I took my own club AND the x100 out and onto the turf. Shots with my club were providing standard dispersion characteristics of between 6-10yds of target. The x100's dispersion was noticeably straighter, although with a draw of 10yds or so. I did NOT take the KBS C Taper onto the turf.

Conclusion:
Looking at the Trackman's output (top line, trajectory, dispersion, etc.) it was 110% clear that the stiffer the shaft, the tighter the dispersion, more consistent the distance and more consistent face contact. The fitter and I concluded I should look only at x100, Project X 7.0 or KBS C-Taper S+ or X flex. They did not have the PX 7 or KBS S+ or X. He also recommended I play the same shaft in my three wedges.

In a set of R9 TP "B" irons I no longer play, are X100 Tour Issue shafts. I also stopped on way home and bought three 37" X100 shafts for my wedges. I pulled the Project X 6.5s out of my MP62s; pulled the X100s out of the RP TP "B"s. I cleaned, prepped then installed the X100s into my MP62s, and wedges.

I have played the X100s for four rounds. I am much tighter in dispersion, shots are lower, distance is consistent AND (big caveat here) in two consecutive days I had two hole out eagles. 1 @ 132yds, 1 @ 151yds. So, why am I posting about KBS? Well, the X100s are harsh when the shaft is not fully loaded. Also, I have lost 5yds of distance on my wedge full shots (51, 57). The KBS shafts during the fitting were absolutely sweet to hit. So, I bought a new set of Mizuno MP 68s with KBS C-Taper S+. I got them yesterday and am going out to play today. More feedback soon.

[Gioguy21]

Erik,
(don't mean to sidetrack the thread) i currently play the PX flighted and the ball is flyin a bit too high. should i be hitting the standard PX?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Gioguy21

(don't mean to sidetrack the thread) i currently play the PX flighted and the ball is flyin a bit too high. should i be hitting the standard PX?

Quite possibly. But you might not like how they feel, either. There are a lot of good steel shaft options out there these days. I suggest you hit a bunch in the same clubhead and see what you like.

[newtogolf]

My understanding of the PX flighted is that the lower irons (3,4,5,6 ) shafts are designed to get higher ball flight, but the higher irons (7,8,9, PW) should act almost the same as the standard PX.  Is your ball flight too high on all the irons or just the lower ones?

Originally Posted by Gioguy21

Erik,

(don't mean to sidetrack the thread) i currently play the PX flighted and the ball is flyin a bit too high. should i be hitting the standard PX?

[Gioguy21]

across all irons...my lower irons (7-pw) it's really high...longer irons i'd say, 4,5,6 are a preferred trajectory...the shorter clubs are just waaaaay too high. if i get any wind they are knocked down like flies. it's even tough to flight it low when i'm trying to. i hit down on the ball quite a bit and have even tried 'picking' it and it's still comin off high.

[Tom]

unless you haven't read my text above, earlier in this thread, please do.

Alright, the KBS C-Taper shafts are very nice. I must say they are my favorites as of now.

[lars001]

Hello Tom,

Is the kBS C Taper S+ shaft stiff enough for your swingspeed? Why are you do not use the X version or is the DG X100 softer?

king regards.

lars

[golf-Denver]

New to this site, just wanted to see what others thought of the c-taper..

I'm a 4 index and live in Denver where clubs just go further and have played Cleveland TA-3's for over a decade. I don't change what is working but with groves near gone it was time.. Flew to Phoenix for Golf Fest recently (big demo) and tried nearly everything they would let me hit. I really liked the Ping i-20's with KBS tour shaft but the person working the booth said "you hit the ball too high with this shaft and should consider the C-taper". He didn't have it, but I took his word for it and ordered 5-UW i-20's with C-taper Stiff and the Tour S 54/58 with KBS tour shafts. I literally got them today but the ball has a lower flight and I was hitting the 8 iron on the par 3 behind my home further than my old TA-3 (rifle 6.0) which is encouraging after only a few hours of ownership. I also got the i-20 driver (8.5 with Blur X-flex shaft which feels great) the 3W and 2 hybrids all with X-flex shafts. It's like Christmas in March around here but if you hit the ball high I would certainly give these a test before buying your next set.. I'll be eligible to move up to senior times by the time I get new stuff again but like the feel of these shafts. On an embarrassing side note I didn't see the C-taper @ the demo day and when we opened the box from Ping they didn't say KBS on them and looked like they were graphite.. We had to look on the internet to confirm these were actually what I ordered. Not sure why the KBS logo was gone but I like the look without. If you order Ping with them and want the C-taper logo may want to mention that. Satin finish is very unique and will not reflect sun like a chrome finish when over the ball per the kbs site.

Hit em straight,

Robert

[kevin.chan]

The satin finish makes it look like a graphite shaft .. LoL ! I have the logo on the shaft and red grip ..they look great !