Experience with KBS Tour V or C-Taper Lite

[cmatthews77]

I have the 2013 Callaway X Forged and when I was getting fitted I opted for the KBS Tour Stiff (120g) over the stock PXi shafts. I really like this combo BUT always looking for slight improvement. I'm a fairly short person (5'7") and if anything fight against my swing being a bit too flat. I also would say I have a low ball flight-- sometimes way too low in long irons.

 

I'm curious if anyone has any experience with the KBS Tour V shafts or the C-Taper Lite shafts? Thoughts on those? Especially if you've compared to KBS Tour.

 

Obviously considering making the change to one of these slightly lighter weight shafts that is supposed to still control spin and offer tight dispersion.

 

Anyone ever had different shafts in different irons? Like the Tour V in the 4,5,6 and Tour in the 7,8,9,PW?

 

Any thoughts here would be appreciated... thanks!

[tigercolt77]

I went from KBS Tour S+ to C Taper Lites X flex and couldn't be happier. I needed the higher launch but the similar feel. I bought one c taper lite and tried it in my 6 iron. Then did the entire set and wedges. Try soft stepping the X at 115g which will be similar to the stiff tours. The lites for me launched higher, spun similarly, and felt similar also. Picked up a little distance as well.

[golfdad907]

I 'upgraded' from Diablo Forged with KBS Tour to Apex Pro with the Tour V.

Tour V spin a tad less, still sweet feeling but feel a bit more stiff near the grip. Very nice slightly lighter weight shaft.

I've never played C Tapers so can't help there, I just don't like PX type feel shafts.

I'm ordering some Cally MD2 Tour Grinds and thinking of using KBS Tour as my wedges I like a bit heavier.

[Keyser Sфze]

As an experiment - I ordered my new Callaway Apex with Tour V stiffs and those are man shafts regardless of how "light" they are. I figured what the heck and assumed they'd be easier to sell on fleabay afterwards if they didn't work out.

I switched back to C Taper Lite (stiff soft stepped once) and it felt like coming home - they are perfect for my 78-80 mph 6 iron swing. I hit a controlled draw medium height so the Tour V's were tough for me to get in the air properly without overswinging. Since my back is shot I don't want to swing hard so bring on the lighter, higher launching shafts. The Tour's are also pretty hittable for me in the R and R+ for sure - but the C Taper Lites are amazing for me so I'm sticking with them from the foreseeable future. I did find my [s]current[/s] last setup with JPX-825 and C Taper Lite R a bit too high launching though so I think the soft step in stiff is perfect. I also had one installed in my Vokey 54 and it's so fun to hit I'm considering putting one in my 58 as well.

You really should test drive the Tour V's first [b]outside[/b] and make sure they are giving you what you want in terms of trajectory. Then try the Tour S and then the C Taper Lite in S and X and consider all your soft and hard stepping options. There is the perfect combo available for everyone.

[SwooshLT]

Keyser .....how far is your 7 iron carry? We sound alike in speed..........and have my order for mc's ready to go in Friday. .....pondering seriously the c taper lite .......good to hear your success. ......

[Keyser Sфze]

7 iron is still 155-160 yds still, 6 iron about 165-170......although these new jacked up 6 irons can sneak out to 175 occasionally. I really focus on smooth now at age 46 but still have a pretty steep swing although it's gotten shorter over the last 2 years as my back gave out (degenerative L4-S1 disc).

Driver ss ranges between 96-102 and 6 iron ss ranges between 76-82 according to my latest outdoor Trackman fittings.

[SwooshLT]

Almost 49 and same back issues .......I've found that overlength irons helps with impact posture........thanks for feedback. .....oh, what was your previous iron shaft?

[Ricky Ross]

I also tend to hit the ball low and sometimes too low with my long irons. The tour v were about the same launch wise as Dynamic gold for me just lower spin. The C-taper lite launched about the same maybe a tad higher and also spun less. Even though I hit the ball lower than I would like I still get a good ball flight out of the dynamic golds.
I recently switched to graphite iron shafts due to sore elbows.

[skylargolf]

In my experience in terms of flight... KBS tour V are the lowest launch, then KBS tour, then KBS C-taper lite being the highest. I don't really have much experience with the lite's so I'm basing that on what I've heard from others.

[cmatthews77]

Thanks everyone for the responses...

Skylar golf, yes the KBS Tour and the KBS Tour V are the lowest launching shafts in the line with the exception of the regular C-Tapers. The Tour V is just slightly lighter (10 grams) in the stiff compared to the Tour but supposed to be equal in terms of launch which is why Phil switched over I believe.

I thought either the slightly lighter weight in the Tour V may help 'just a touch' in my 6 iron and down swings compared to my KBS Tour stiff but I believe I'm going to try switching to the C-Taper Lite stepped a touch as others have recommended. Sounds about perfect for me.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[jay65]

For me personally, I have tried the Tour V, Tour, C Taper Lite, and standard Ctapers, all in the AP2 6 iron, and all at the same range time. On flightscope, the difference in launch angle between the highest launching C Taper Lite, and lowest launching C Tapers was just 0.6* on average. Spin difference between the highest spinning C Taper Lite, and Standard C Tapers was just 400rpm. All the others were somewhere in between both extremes of launch angles and spin rates. So the difference between them all was pretty small to be honest. There was a bigger difference, to me, in terms of feel, more than performance and numbers to be honest. But feel is, of course, far more subjective.

[Keyser Sфze]

[quote name='L-Dubfiregolfer' timestamp='1405193259' post='9687539']
Almost 49 and same back issues .......I've found that overlength irons helps with impact posture........thanks for feedback. .....oh, what was your previous iron shaft?
[/quote]

Heck ya....I had my 54 wedge done at 35.75" (9 iron length) when I had the CTL put in it and I love it. Thinking of doing the same thing with my 58. The both are 2 degrees "flat" so they seem to really work well longer.

Previous shafts were:

2002-2008 Titleist DCI 762 w/ DG S300
2008-2013 Cobra FP w/ Nippon 1030h stiff
2013 Mizuno JPX-825 Pro w/ DG XP R300
2013 Mizuno JPX-825 w/ KBS Tour R/ C Taper Lite R
2014 Callaway Apex w/ KBS Tour V s/ C Taper Lite S-

C Taper Lite just really works for me and gets the ball nice and high with plenty of stability and control.

[Aviador Naval]

[quote name='jay65' timestamp='1405264750' post='9691273']
For me personally, I have tried the Tour V, Tour, C Taper Lite, and standard Ctapers, all in the AP2 6 iron, and all at the same range time. On flightscope, the difference in launch angle between the highest launching C Taper Lite, and lowest launching C Tapers was just 0.6* on average. Spin difference between the highest spinning C Taper Lite, and Standard C Tapers was just 400rpm. All the others were somewhere in between both extremes of launch angles and spin rates. So the difference between them all was pretty small to be honest. There was a bigger difference, to me, in terms of feel, more than performance and numbers to be honest. But feel is, of course, far more subjective.
[/quote]

I agree with this completely.

My personal specs are virtually identical to Keyser Sose's as stated above. I went to a Titleist advanced fitter and tried C-taper, DG, PX, PXi, SteelFiber, KBS Tour, and C-Taper Lite, The differences weren't huge but the lowest launch and spin (I was suffering from excessive launch and slightly high spin...) came from the CTaper Lites.

I believe the improvement had less to do with shaft bend profile and more to do with 'feel'. I am able to make a nice move at the ball without forcing the transition and consequently approach the ball more shallowly and make more consistent contact.