Steel Shaft Gurus (Question): Parallel vs Taper tip... is there a performance difference?

[bulls9999]

I was looking on Ebay for some irons and saw where the only shaft choices were KBS that you could either choose taper or parallel for the same model shaft?  So why would you have the same irons, with the same shafts, but have a choice for either taper or parallel shafts?  So right away I'm thinking, there must be a performance difference or feel with the one vs the other?  Well, is there?

[ssfranny]

Irons like PXG and Apex CF16 and 2019 in callaway are parallel tips most others are taper.   Parallel tips are more a constant weight?

[RogerinNewZealand]

In a past world eg year 2000 and beyond! Parallel Tip were popular. Royal Precision and True Temper were making lots of them. Say from 2000 on taper tip ruled more often via True Temper Nippon Steel  PX  KBS.TM and Callaway kept using PTip and eventually say 2010 its mostly Taper Tip so likely one size hosel diameter in most iron castings .

Why..easy conformity so easy to buy sell trade shafts and just one size.Bit like 15 or 16 inch tyres vs 13 inch of old.Had some Cally 2009 X Forged 2 years ago so last i had with 0.370 PTip. THANKS WRX for the New Look ☺

[arbeck]

Parallel tip shafts all come as blanks exactly the same. The longer the shaft the heavier it's going to be because less material is cut off. Also because there is a long parallel section you can tip the shaft (cut off some of the tip) to make it play stronger than the stated flex. You can cut off none of the tip and make all your cuts from the butt end and it will play weaker than the stated flex. This would allow a fitter to dial in an exact flex feel for someone.

 

Taper tip shafts come as a specific shaft for each iron, the set contains 2i-PW shafts. You cut an inch or so off the butt end of each shaft to the desired length, but you can't tip them to make them play stronger than flex. Because shafts are made specific for each club, you can make a taper tip set where the shafts get heavier as they get longer (the same as parallel tip), the shafts are constant weight, or even a set where the shafts get lighter as they get longer. This allows the fitter to do more with the weight of the shaft to help someone.

 

The main reason to pick one over the other though is your iron head. Your iron head is either built with a .355" hosel to accept a taper tip or a .370" shaft to accept a parallel tip. You can use a shim to put the .355" shaft in a parallel head and you can ream a .355" head to accept a .370" shaft, but many builders aren't going to want to do this.

[bulls9999]

I understand why you would want one vs the other based on hosel tip diameter (0.355 vs 0.370), but this was a case where they are supplying the same iron heads/same shafts, except you can get them in taper or parallel?  So does one play differently over the other?  If not, why not just provide one of them?, you're still getting the same head and same shaft.  As explained above, difference in weighting then.....so if you are accustomed to taper, you shouldn't venture to parallel (or visa versa) without trying them out then? because they may not play the same?

[brianmontgomery2000]

Yes, based on my recent fitting and what the very experienced fitter I saw had to say.  I believe it was that parallel tip shafts end up playing softer in the tip, flex for flex in the same model shaft.  I hit the Nippon Modus much better in taper tip 120 X than the parallel tip in same specs.  That difference may not show up in every swing.

[Nard_S]

Parallel tip launch a bit higher than tapered. Parallel are descending weight, taper, constant weight. DG in parallel and tapered draw reactions from me that are quite different. Tapered feel more consistent from top to bottom of set, and parallel enjoy lighter long irons with a higher launch. So it depends on what you value to some extent. I played parallel tipped for ages but have become really keen on tapered these days particularly  because of the consistency of the "in the hands" feel.

[bulls9999]

OK, cool, is there an easy way to distinguish what type (taper, parallel?) I might have in my set of irons? I can easily play my Adams CB2 forged/KBS Tour90 Stiff (102-gms) but I can't seem to load my JPX900HM/ProModus Tour 105 Stiff (106-gm), like night and day between those 2 sets.  The KBS Tour90's come in both taper and parallel tip and I'd like to find out which ones are in them and go from there.

[Nard_S]

On DG at least there's the step count and the initial distance of 1st step to head. I don't know exact specs but I believe taper is 9"+ and has 11 steps. Parallel is 14" and has 9 steps. KBS might be different, don't know, Their website would have info.

[bulls9999]

Nard, thanks....that's right, the longest club (4-iron) should have a long stretch before the steps (if parallel) vs the tapered.