Nippon and KBS shafts?

I currently have irons with X100's, PX 6.5's (satins), and KBS Tour 6.5's. I will say this, do NOT hesitate to give the KBS shafts a go. I'm playing them in the exact same clubs I have my PX's in and it's a night and day different in feel. Both perform similarly, but just a huge advantage in feel with the KBS.

I still use the PX in my back-ups though, but going from one to the other is a tough compromise! I bought the hype and I'm very glad I did.

I have heard that about the feel and dispersion of the KBS's; so with you the ball flight was similar to PX's?

Kbs, great smooth feel mid to high trajectory with low spin and very tight dispersion. Different feel and trajectory than PX.
Nippon Great feel and many weight and trajectory options for all leval of players. Low weighted shafts are higher ballglight with great feel and tight dispersion but higher spin. The 1150's which I play are great feel, Mid trajectory and mid spin.
I like both but chose the Nippon over the KBS because I had a tough time with the counter balanced design and didn't feel the marriage of the shaft and head 100% but both are great shafts.

I am on the other side and really did not like either the KBS or the Nippons. I hit both shafts along with DGS300s in the same heads when I was fitted for Scratch wedges and irons in Eugene. The Nippons had too much head-droop and were very inconsistent. The KBS were just awful IMO.

I have knocked heads multiple times with the KBS "Mafia" on this site. All I will say is that before committing to a set of clubs with the KBS shafts, you really should hit them side-by-side with any other shaft choices you are considering.

Personally, I think the shafts are overpriced junk. Low-launching with a harsh, boardy feel. This is based on hitting irons and wedges at an outdoor, grass range on a nice, windless summer day.

You will hear from their supporters that they are the greatest steel shafts of all time. Rather than believe them or me, I strongly recommend that you go somewhere where you can actually hit them and decide for yourself.

Maybe you will like them, maybe you won't. But at least you will know how they perform for you and that is all that matters.

The performance difference between PX and KBS is at times marginal for me. I hit them both high, but I my dispersion is better with the KBS. To dpark's point, the difference between KBS and DGS300's is night and day. Naturally it all comes down to personal preference. If you are a fan of S300's you may not like the KBS, but if you prefer the PX, you will probably love the KBS. Never tried the Nippons, so I can't really give an opinion. Seems like people really love them though.

FWIW, I personally hit my Srixon 701 Tours (my back up set) with both the S300 and the KBS. Couldn't get any consistency with the S300's, loved them with the KBS. My buddy (S300 guy) preferred them with the S300's.

Bottom line, try before you buy!

I tried KBS, Project X and Black Gold before I decided on the Black Gold. To me they have the best qualities of both the DG and Project X. They can hit it high like the X and like the X the ball doesn't balloon is just keeps going. They have much more feel than the X though and aesthetically they are stepless which is something that I liked about the X but they just didn't have the feel for me personally. I can see why people play the X but when I hit them there was just something missing. KBS on the other hand were not for me at all. I found them very harsh. I got the same ballflight as the X but ball didn't carry as far. Overall I was disappointed. While I'm sure that some will love them, they just weren't for me at all. I would say give the Black Gold a try at least, you might be surprised. As far as I know they're only available from True Temper licensed dealer anymore but it's worth giving them a chance.

[quote name='NXT ME' post='2051790' date='Nov 7 2009, 08:07 PM']I have heard that about the feel and dispersion of the KBS's; so with you the ball flight was similar to PX's?[/quote]


Yes, it was very similar. High-ish launch with mid spin. They definitely don't balloon. I really like the ballflight in the 8-PW range. I'm playing both in a set of Mizuno MP-33's. And I still really like the performance of the PX shafts, just not the feel.

You certainly are getting a variety of responses here. It really is amazing how different people perceive "feel" in golf clubs. This is why I would never fully trust anyone's opinion on the feel of a club. And in no way am I questioning other people's opinions, it's just different strokes for different folks. Hopefully you'll have a chance to try out some options before making the investment.

[quote name='NXT ME' post='2051769' date='Nov 7 2009, 05:56 PM']I have been considering alternatives to my PX's due to the less than nice feel they have; I like the lower ball flight they give me compared to DGolds but am trying to find out what all the hype is about with the new shafts right now (other than being the new thing). I have read the KBS were designed by the same person that designed the PX and that they have a softer tip which helps with the feel but what is the ball flight like?

Thanks for everyones feedback in advance.

Mark[/quote]

you are hitting DG lower then PX.. I found the opposite to be true. Nothing goes lower then DG for me.. PX and KBS are both higher. I'm fine with full swings with PX and KBS, but the touch shots it's a no go for both. I was an early adoptor with the original PX satins back in the day and played well with them, but always felt they lacked some feel. For me KBS are a little worse for me with dispersion, but feel is only ok. I'm just a DG guy, but I did try to play the others.

Wow what a range of difference in everyones perceptions of the different shafts.

No I found the PX might start out higher but levels off much more than the DG's which start off lower but keep steady rising to a pinnacle then drop. I have always preferred the feel of DG's but liked the ball flight and perceived accuracy of the PX's. It may well be simply my swing has improved my accuracy.

Anyway, I plan on finding a way to hit them all; when I reshafted my 701's last year I put a DG, DG SL, and then a PX in my 9 iron and hit several buckets with each before deciding on the PX's. I will probably do the same with a KBS and NS Pro 1050 & 950 before doing any more reshafting of the complete set. For all I know I might very well stay with the PX's after hitting the different shafts, I never make a decision about equipment based only on opinion.

[quote name='Johnny' post='2052409' date='Nov 8 2009, 09:33 AM'][quote name='NXT ME' post='2051769' date='Nov 7 2009, 05:56 PM']I have been considering alternatives to my PX's due to the less than nice feel they have; I like the lower ball flight they give me compared to DGolds but am trying to find out what all the hype is about with the new shafts right now (other than being the new thing). I have read the KBS were designed by the same person that designed the PX and that they have a softer tip which helps with the feel but what is the ball flight like?

Thanks for everyones feedback in advance.

Mark[/quote]

you are hitting DG lower then PX.. I found the opposite to be true. Nothing goes lower then DG for me.. PX and KBS are both higher. I'm fine with full swings with PX and KBS, but the touch shots it's a no go for both. I was an early adoptor with the original PX satins back in the day and played well with them, but always felt they lacked some feel. For me KBS are a little worse for me with dispersion, but feel is only ok. I'm just a DG guy, but I did try to play the others.
[/quote]

Wow. A lot a varying opinions. Seems like it's DGs in one corner and everyone else in the other. Personally, I can't stand DGs. I use to use Black Golds and liked them a lot. I switched to PX and love them. I have 2 sets of identical irons. I have heard about the KBS Tours and have a set of them coming in this week. I'm going to try the PX and the KBS Tour shafts side by side in the same irons by next weekend.

I'll try to remember to post my impressions here.

I hit my DG's low when I had them... The PX's ballooned a lot. I absolutely LOVE the KBS shafts! VERY straight ball flight as well as perfect trajectory. I'm glad I made the switch to KBS shafts...

[quote name='dpark' post='2051988' date='Nov 8 2009, 04:17 AM']I am on the other side and really did not like either the KBS or the Nippons. I hit both shafts along with DGS300s in the same heads when I was fitted for Scratch wedges and irons in Eugene. The Nippons had too much head-droop and were very inconsistent. The KBS were just awful IMO.

I have knocked heads multiple times with the KBS "Mafia" on this site. All I will say is that before committing to a set of clubs with the KBS shafts, you really should hit them side-by-side with any other shaft choices you are considering.

Personally, I think the shafts are overpriced junk. Low-launching with a harsh, boardy feel. This is based on hitting irons and wedges at an outdoor, grass range on a nice, windless summer day.

You will hear from their supporters that they are the greatest steel shafts of all time. Rather than believe them or me, I strongly recommend that you go somewhere where you can actually hit them and decide for yourself.

Maybe you will like them, maybe you won't. But at least you will know how they perform for you and that is all that matters.[/quote]

I actually agree with a lot of this. not sure I'd call the KBS junk, but they were a bit disappointing. I didn't think they felt that much better than PX's. I have gone back to regular Rifles which feel much smoother to me. Either way, make sure you test some before committing.

The Nippon 1150's are in a totally different league than the 850, 950, or 1050's. They were designed to be a true players shaft hedged against the DGS300. They offer the advantage of a reduced weight, high performance shaft that is extremely smooth.

[quote name='dpark' post='2051988' date='Nov 7 2009, 10:17 PM']I am on the other side and really did not like either the KBS or the Nippons. . . . .

I have knocked heads multiple times with the KBS "Mafia" on this site. ...

Personally, I think the shafts are overpriced junk. Low-launching with a harsh, boardy feel. This is based on hitting irons and wedges at an outdoor, grass range on a nice, windless summer day.
...[/quote]

How could anyone ever disagree with or bump heads with you over such even-handed and diplomatic characterizations? Must be them. ;-)

Shafts are a personal thing. Different shafts work and feel different to some players. It's best to pick a shaft that performs best for your game.
What annoys me however, is when someone picks a shaft on the basis of it's current popularity - a fashion statement if you will. It is neither ideal in flex point or feel, yet the vain user is adamant that the shaft is the 'right' one to play based purely on what 'joe pro' is currently playing, or just for a bit of designer label bag cred.
Anyone who tells you that a shaft is better than another based solely on anecdotal evidence is an idiot.