KBS TOUR 'C-TAPER' Iron Shafts: First LOOK and Review!

[TheMoneyShot]

I ordered these shafts in my X Musclebacks and I cannot wait to play them. They are officially being born tomorrow at Cally:)

[Tallada]

Had the C-Tapers S+ in my S3 Pro CBs. Hard to load the shafts, although at contact, if hit pure and loaded correctly, feels great. Ball flight gets up and is penetrating. Not a fan though. If your an X100 guy, I would shy away. My personal opinion.

[golfware]

[quote name='TheMoneyShot' timestamp='1337124541' post='4921260']
I ordered these shafts in my X Musclebacks and I cannot wait to play them. They are officially being born tomorrow at Cally:)
[/quote]

Weren't you a true-blue TM-homer?? Lol

[MizzyBYU24]

Our course held Demo Day and had a good # of OEM's there. I got to hit the Adams CMB with the C Taper S shaft, which flex-wise is the same as the PX 6.0's non-flighted which I currently play in my CB1's. Wow, what a smooth shaft. Hitting perfectly consistent shots with them, time and time again. Didn't matter which iron, they had an A12 with a C Taper S in it as well, awesome awesome ball flight. Impact feels very good, they're just a smooth shaft that you can feel the whole way throughout the swing. I wish they would have had a full set with them in them to try out. The Adams rep said they're coming standard in the CMB's, and what a killer combo that is going to be. The CMB's felt more pure than the MB2's to me... What a sick iron, they're everything you could want. Now have to justify dropping a grand on them with the C Tapers :-) Awesome shafts, can totally see what all the hype around them is about.

[deftkev]

[quote name='UWHuskies' timestamp='1336962006' post='4908904']
Thank you. I was surprised to hear guys saying these shafts are soft. I hit the S and S+ in the AP2's and felt the shaft performed nice. I actually thought the S felt better and I got better #'s with the S in a 6i. I play PX 6.5's now and have been for the last 6+ years.

My buddy is a Titleist rep and fitter and he said very few, if any, of the pros are playing the X flex. My buddy is a pro and he bombs the ball. Driver ball speed close to 180 and he plays an S flex in the C tapers, standard length in his AP2's.

I'm interested in going to a new set of AP2's or TM MC's with C tapers but not sure what flex to get. I was thinking about just going with S since I like to swing my irons under control and try not to swing 100% very often. My 6i SS is usually 95-98MPH and my ball speed with the C tapers in S with an AP2 6i was 138 MPH @ 17* launch. That's plenty for me. If that holds true I'd gain at least a half club to a club with the C tapers. That's insane.
[/quote]

You are right, there is no way the c taper s+ is "soft". Which is supported by the chart above. I was just fitted for my new set of irons (using trackman) and I hit just about every shaft you can imagine. The c taper s+ was by far and away the best for me. With my 6i swing speed is 93-96, ball speed 131-136 and launch angle 18-21 deg, spin 5400-6800 depending on the shaft. I generate a lot of spin and a high launch angle, so the c taper s+ is the best for me as it got me on the lower end of the specs i noted above. The gey who fitted me is close friends with the KBS rep for the tour and he told me the same thing that almost no tour players are playing x's, they are just too stiff. The c taper has a thicker wall which is why it is such a stout shaft. According to him (and backed up by my trackman stats). The c taper s+ is similar to the PX 7.0 and the X is similar to the PX 7.5. My fitter said the c taper s+ is really about a 7.1 or 7.2. For anyone who generates a lot of spin and has a high ball flight, the c taper s+ is def the way to go. Those looking for a little more spin and launch go with the PX 7.0 or 6.5 depending on your specs. Also my ball flight was drastically straighter with the c taper s+, out of 15 shots my spin axis was between -.5 and +.5. Greatest shafts ever. Can't wait to get them put on my brand new Muira 501's. Those are going to be epic clubs!!!

[bob86gn]

Hope this chart will help to clear some questions up for some people.

 

For comparison sake, where would tour concept s3 fall on this chart?

[Inthescrews]

[quote name='kekoa' timestamp='1303070763' post='3162159']
Wow those are really nice lookin. I wonder how the compare to dg s400 tours
[/quote]

Im an X100 guy or a 6.0 guy for all of you PXers but the C-Taper S was plenty stiff for me with iron swing speeds in the low 90's

[JakeBarnes]

[quote name='Tallada' timestamp='1337125397' post='4921344']
Had the C-Tapers S+ in my S3 Pro CBs. Hard to load the shafts, although at contact, if hit pure and loaded correctly, feels great. Ball flight gets up and is penetrating. Not a fan though. If your an X100 guy, I would shy away. My personal opinion.
[/quote]

I used to be an x100 guy until I played the C-Tapers. I think the debate of loading is one that shows just how diverse and unique everyone's golf swing is. Despite the complaints of difficulty loading and CPM's, I find the C-Tapers in x-flex to more stable, smoother and longer than my x-100s. The stability through impact and pure smooth feeling of that impact is a great feeling when added to the penetrating (yet, higher than I would have imagined) ballflight the C-Tapers have in my irons. I am very impressed and very happy with the results I have had so far. Dispersion has been top notch as well. Like them so much that I just shafted my gap wedge with an x straight in and a softstep (8i) into my 56*.

To give a bit of detail: I have a driver ss in the 113-118 range and have an aggressive move on the downswing. My movement right before impact generates additional clubhead speed and has made me search for a much more stable option in my irons to handle this move.

It took a little bit of time to get used to the feel and characteristics of these shafts, but if you take the time to feel them out, they aren't nearly as intimidating as everyone makes them out to be. Find people that match your swing characteristics and hear what they have to say, but don't be afraid to give them a chance. The C-Taper is a great addition to the KBS line and deserves all of the fanfare it has gotten so far.

[MARC 34]

I have a set of Cobra S3 Pro's 4-GW with X-100's. 4-6 CB, 7-GW MB. I recently bought a 5 & 6 in the MB so I had some flexibility in testing the diff shafts.
My other 6 iron had the C-Taper in an X straight in. I will say I like the look and feel of the KBS better. It looks more powerful to me and in my hands it feels like I dont have to swing hard to get it to do what I want it to do. I like having the feeling of an iron that will slice thru the turf, it doesnt give whereas the X-100 gave a little. My swingspeed went up and that coupled with the low spin and launch made me take the plunge to get all of my irons switched out. The only thing I didnt switch was the S400's in my Vokeys. I like em and they are nice and heavy. I hit my 6 iron approx 185-190 so for me if I can keep my distances the same if not better I am happy. The big thing will be the dispersion as I tend to put alot of side spin on my long irons. The KBS tames it and it is strong in the wind. I live in Illinois so for me that can be an issue.

I am excited to get them done and post a review

[goale45]

whats weird is that i've been fitted for dynalite xp gold on the mizuno fitting in stiff flex ss x1 - couldnt pull the trigger though - last weekend had a chance to play a set of c - tapers in stiff in a set of cally protos and wow what a shaft so smooth the distance of px 6.0 with the feel of dg s300 !!! much much different from the KBS tours which fly but dont have much feel -- just my 2 cents

[driverhead]

These shafts remind me feel wise of titanium shafts that were available in the 80s.

[tardellz]

Just got my titleist mb 712 with these shafts in them. Went from ap2 6.0 PX to MB C Taper X flex and the ball flight is amazing. They stay so much more stable in the air

[SouthSideGolf]

This is the exact setup i'm saving up for. Awesome post. Thanks

[golfware]

This is one amazing shaft!!!! So so smooth. Whoa!!

[Sean2]

[quote name='colin_ba' timestamp='1353667072' post='5968667']
I was not sure if I should buy thes e shafts. I was concerned about the statement that the are for only a certain number of golfers and did not know if I was in that group or not. I have been playing S300 in my irons formyears and felt it was time for a change after playing KBS in my wedges for a few months. I was considering either the KBS Tour (S+) or KBS C-Taper (S+). Thanks to the support at KBS I chose C-Tapers and I am so so so happy that I did. I went for the S+ version in my Callaway RazrX Forged (1" up). Awesome strikes. Beautiful consistent launch. Gorgeous finish. Can't say enough about them.
[/quote]
So you played the S300 and went to the C-Taper S+? What kind of difference did you notice? I like the S300 shaft, but have been mulling the C-Tapers since I've heard/read such great things about them. Thanks!

[colin_ba]

I was not sure if I should buy these shafts. I was concerned about the statement that the are for only a certain number of golfers and did not know if I was in that group or not. I think the interview where Kim Braly says they are for 5% or less of the golfing population had me wondering if i would be able to load the shaft properly and achieve proper launch or if i was just kidding myself and should instead go for the more standard KBS Tour model.

I have been playing S300 in my irons for years (6 iron 185-190 yards) and felt it was time for a change. Over the years my swing speed and technique had improved, and when i installed KBS wedge shafts in my REG588's earlier this year, I fell in love with the look and feel of the KBS brand. I was considering either the KBS Tour (S+) or KBS C-Taper (S+) and was really undecided for a while. however I was concerned that the Tour S+ would be basically the same as my S300 and not provide me with the step change that i was looking for.

When considering new iron shafts, what I was hoping for was less spin and a more stable ball flight. I called KBS and described my issues (current equipment, distances, tendencies, web-fit results) and thanks to their support I chose C-Tapers. Basically i decided to go with the shaft which offered the most significant change from what i already had. I was hopeful that I could properly load them, however I held on to my old S300's just incase i didnt like the change. I hit One range session was enough to know that these shafts were the ones for me. In fact, I knew almost immediately.

I went for the S+ version in my Callaway RazrX Forged (1" up). Awesome strikes. Beautiful consistent launch. Less spin. Gorgeous finish. Great sound. I really can't say enough good things about these shafts. If I had one recommendation it would be not to shy away from these shafts due to the perception that they are some how only for the top elite golfers or some how impossible to hit. Of course, independent results may vary, but i'm very happy with these shafts.

[colin_ba]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1353691624' post='5969399']
[quote name='colin_ba' timestamp='1353667072' post='5968667']
I was not sure if I should buy thes e shafts. I was concerned about the statement that the are for only a certain number of golfers and did not know if I was in that group or not. I have been playing S300 in my irons formyears and felt it was time for a change after playing KBS in my wedges for a few months. I was considering either the KBS Tour (S+) or KBS C-Taper (S+). Thanks to the support at KBS I chose C-Tapers and I am so so so happy that I did. I went for the S+ version in my Callaway RazrX Forged (1" up). Awesome strikes. Beautiful consistent launch. Gorgeous finish. Can't say enough about them.
[/quote]
So you played the S300 and went to the C-Taper S+? What kind of difference did you notice? I like the S300 shaft, but have been mulling the C-Tapers since I've heard/read such great things about them. Thanks!
[/quote]
First i should mention that these are just my opinions and feelings and I dont have numbers to support. I should also mention that S300 are a fine shaft and did me well for years.

The first thing i noticed is the smoothness and feel in my backswing. My S300+Callaway RazrX Forged swing weights were D7 (1" up) and the swing weight of the C-Taper shafts with the same iron heads are about the same or slightly less (D6-D7 1" up). They ARE slightly lighter than S300 (125g vs 130g) but only 5 grams. When i take the club back it feels smoother (could it be the 5g or the KBS difference?), i cant really explain it but it feels like i have better control of them. When i strike the ball the sound is more of a 'thup' than with my S300's. The ball flight seems more stable. Still plenty high. I cant say that i've noticed any distance improvements but where as some times i used to have some shots slide to my draw side, now it some how seems that the ball starts on the target and holds much better. I also cant say that i'm hitting it noticeably lower, i always have hit the ball pretty high but high and stable is the way to attack a green so i'm not too worried about this. High launch, plus more spin equals a shot that can balloon and/or slide and i think that with regards to ball flight, 'decrease in spin' is the flight characteristic in which i've noticed the biggest improvement over my S300s. I also feel some how that i'm hitting the ball more solidly with less effort (now that could be mental, that could be KBS or that could be the C-taper, i'm not 100% sure). But somehow i understand what Kim Braly is talking about when he says his shafts are smoother. Just take it back, full turn, keep my positions and ZAP the ball is gone. The key for me deciding that my S300 were going Bye-Bye was that I noticed that on slightly thin shots I still get enough lift to make for a useful shot which was probably my biggest concern before getting these shafts (i.e. what happens when i don't get a perfect strike on the ball). I still need to do some more distance critical work with these shafts but so far i'm really impressed.

Besides these technical aspects, the shafts look Awwwesome. With the KBS Red shaft band, and the satin finish i think they look really solid. Mine are gripped with GolfPride Multi Compound (white/Black) mid size. Matched to my satin REG588 wedges, with KBS Wedge (Black Nickel) Shafts.

'Sorry TrueTemper, I hope we can still be friends'.

[Sean2]

^^^^Thanks Colin, I appreciate it! Your thorough description makes it sound exactly like what I'm looking for. I hit the ball fairly high myself and just a hair lighter shaft sounds good, as well as a bit less spin and less effort. I've been eying the new Callaway X-forged irons coming out in January and they will feature these shafts. Sounds perfect.

Again, thank you!

[colin_ba]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1353696073' post='5969617']
^^^^Thanks Colin, I appreciate it! Your thorough description makes it sound exactly like what I'm looking for. I hit the ball fairly high myself and just a hair lighter shaft sounds good, as well as a bit less spin and less effort. I've been eying the new Callaway X-forged irons coming out in January and they will feature these shafts. Sounds perfect.

Again, thank you!
[/quote]

Right on.. let us know how they go for you.. The new Callaway Forged look sweet interested to hear how they play.. looks like you're on G20's now why the switch?..

[Sean2]

[quote name='colin_ba' timestamp='1353696594' post='5969647']
[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1353696073' post='5969617']
^^^^Thanks Colin, I appreciate it! Your thorough description makes it sound exactly like what I'm looking for. I hit the ball fairly high myself and just a hair lighter shaft sounds good, as well as a bit less spin and less effort. I've been eying the new Callaway X-forged irons coming out in January and they will feature these shafts. Sounds perfect.

Again, thank you!
[/quote]

Right on.. let us know how they go for you.. The new Callaway Forged look sweet interested to hear how they play.. looks like you're on G20's now why the switch?..
[/quote]
I've been wanting to move in that direction for a while. I'm not 100% sure I'll do it, but pretty close. I like the look and would like to try a forged club. Apparently the Callaway X-Forged comes standard with the PXi, I thought it was the C-Taper. I'll be curious to see how the two compare. But the C-Taper sounds like a great shaft all the way around.

[khuffman17]

i have these in my 710 ap2 and i love them

[Bradynel]

Hope this chart will help to clear some questions up for some people.

 

For comparison sake, where would tour concept s3 fall on this chart?

 

I would like to know also...

[TexasTee]

I had been playing Bridgestone j38 Pocket Cavity irons with the PX Flighted 5.0 shafts. Loved these shafts for the feel and the trajectory for my swing.

I picked up a couple of the TM ATV's (one the 60* carbon forged Japan version and one a 52* (bent to 54*) US retail version) and re-shafted with the KBS C-taper regular flex. I did the spining and also put in a wood dowel in the .355 tip.

Played twice this past weekend in some heavy wind in Texas, off hardpan for the most part. I just love these shafts!!!!

Great dispersion, holds their line in the wind (both into the wind and down wind). Perfect trajectory I was looking for, and very controllable. Good feel around the greens, both short pitches, chips and firm sand bunkers. Never once felt I had to force the shot under the wind, just made a smooth pass at the ball and looked up to see a perfect trajectory every time.

May now try and put these in my G25 PW and UW. The standard regular CFS shafts from Ping just are too light and spin the ball too high. If I like them in those wedges, in they go through the entire set.

These are not just for the young, flat-belly plus handicap swingers. I am 64yo, GHIN of 4.3, and love them. But you have to know your limitations.

[BlackLab22]

Bumping a super old thread here but wanted to make a few comments on the C Taper shafts. First, I think its important that any player aspiring to try/use these shafts should be: A good player (2 handicap or less), *** EDIT: handicap is irrelevant im just saying that most guys at a 2 or lower tend make a good move on the ball to warrant the 130X) *** - makes a strong athletic move on the ball, and has a 7 ball speed in the 116-123+ mph range. If you are not generally around those numbers then I would not recommend looking into these shafts. They may feel good in the simulator but they will most likely hurt your game on course. This review is for the 130 X... For less skilled strikers / less speed - You may want to read up on the C Taper LITE.

 

Im a +1 and a washed up collegiate golfer who has to pay a mortgage and just plays in local amateur tourneys and USGA qualifiers, etc. Won some tournaments here and there but just love to compete with the now college kids (im 36). Here are my 7 iron trackman numbers with the C Taper 130 X - SoftStepped 1 (Ill go into the softstep in a moment) with Taylor made PSI 1 deg flat std length / loft:

 

Ball Speed: 121mph

Launch Angle: 17.4

Spin: 6800

Carry: 185yds

 

Prior to C Taper I was a DG X100 guy. Loved the feel of those shafts. The only issues I noted from time to time was a bit more tail on a fade or a bit extra hook on a draw when I assumed I hit a shot the exact way I wanted to. Even my stock shot would sometimes draw an extra couple yards for no reason. For the longest time, I just assumed that was the "amateur-ness" in me and didn't look into it much. I also noted that on flighted shots in the wind, the ball would spin a bit too much. Im also not someone who ever had issues with launching it high enough - Ive always made a good aggressive strike on the ball and it always launched up pretty good. I think this is important context.

 

My first experiences with the C Taper 130 X was instant gratification. TAD lower ball flight than my X100, but negligible. Load felt a TAD more challenging than X100, but when I say a Tad, it was truly negligible. The "ah ha!" moment for me with the C tapers, and why I've since fell in love, is much less dispersion than my X100s. When you flush one, these stay on target and do not tail much one way or another. I also liked how when hitting a draw or fade, you can go after it and not worry about over working it with too much spin. For me (and every ball striker is different) I did not notice a ball flight too low. They did not feel boardy to me and I love how to hit these you really need to commit and go after it. This suits my playing style and forces me to focus on that concept. With theseI can have that feeling and not worry about the ball spinning all over the place on an aggressive swing.

 

Now the not so good / downsides:

 

You really need to go after shots with these. You cant baby them. If you prefer to "swing smooth" with your irons, these are not for you. If you have a slow tempo swing, these are not for you. If you thin these, they are like hitting a blade and the ball will not compress and will have very low spin - fall out of the sky faster than an X100. But here is my thought on that - If you are a high level amateur player competing from time to time - any missed iron shot on a true "Players" course (not the local muni) regardless of the shaft is going to be a 40ft put, chip, or sandshot. Period. THESE ARE NOT FORGIVING. They turn most MC hybrid irons into blades. Some like that, most don't. Me personally, I don't look for forgiveness in irons / and iron shafts. I want control and feedback on aggressive swings. (Driver is a different story). This is why I ignore these downsides as If I miss with my X100 - yeah it may stay in the air 5-7 yards longer but will have more dispersion side to side - same overall result as if I missed with the C taper. The solid / flush shots? Much better IMO than X100 (for me).

 

KBS is true to their word on distance. I believe this is the lower launch that is driving this. But again, you GOTTA HIT IT FLUSH - But I noticed a 5% gain in distance for sure on a larger sample size. My ave numbers with my DGX100 7 iron were:

 

Ball Speed: 118mph

Launch Angle: 18.7

Spin: 7100

Carry: 180yds

 

 

SoftStep: Since the majority of us don't have a tour van following us to the course every day and since we all don't have a track man in our trunk nor a team of reps to fit us every few months, club fitting (esp iron shafts) is a crap shoot 1/2 the time. We don't have a plethora of irons in X flex to try that are softstepped. Demo day fitters just want you to buy a set and at the end of the day don't really care about you. They just assume you are another mediocre hacker where iron shafts wont make a difference. Fitting guys get mad at me when I tell them - "you can leave - I just need the track man and these 4 shafts. I dont need you. Thanks" (I don't really tell them it that way - but in a nicer manner with same meaning). Sorry club fitter guys out there, but its true... the majority of you don't really know how to fit a good ball striker. Not your fault - you are just used to dealing with the masses of 10+ handicappers who don't make a consistent swing so you know its not going to matter but you have to go through the motions. So I did my own analysis with the stock X Flex 130 C Taper and why I figured the softstep 1 would be best for me (and turns out I got lucky and it was):

 

Im almost 37, Im not as loose as I used to be in the early morning / colder temps like I was when I was 27. The softstep makes the shaft play a tad softer than stock. IMO, it brought the launch up a degree or so. Unless you have a keen eye and/or hit a ton of balls (like I do) you wont really notice it. But I did for sure - it def helped on the cold mornings and early tee times when my body wasn't fully ready to move at the speed I wanted it do. But the good thing is that when I am loose and its warm out, the softstep still performs the wayI want. I thought about getting an S or S+ but those felt too light for me. I wanted the weight of the X flex but wanted to soften it up just a tad for my aging body. Its worked out well... My iron play is the best its ever been. That is all personal preference. If unsure, start with the same weigh you use now so your tempo doesn't get jacked up - then either softstep or flex down.

 

Bottom line: If you are a gamer with some skill to strike the ball and make a good move, then gives these a try. You will be pretty impressed. Make sure to hit them outdoors and try to get on course to play some shots. We don't play golf in a vacuum (indoor track mans) and you really need to play shots on the course rather than just hitting to a target on the range to get a feel. Make sure to get a good sample size - 75 to 100 swings and not 7-10 (like a Demo day guy does).

[Warrick]

I would disagree with need to be a 2 cap or better to play these shafts with success. If you strike the irons pretty well, and have an aggressive transition, they have upside, most notably as you said, dispersion.

 

I play to about a 9, and tried these on a whim, very happy. I could possible benefit from a touch lighter shaft getting to my mid 40's, but these shafts have certainly not hurt my game. The dispersion with my irons is much better.

[gioguy21]

i play off a +/scratch and have to agree --- you don't have to a crazy low capper to benefit from these shafts. being properly fit to the right flex however, IS important.

 

 

they're phenomenal shafts when fit appropriately, for the right golfer, regardless of cap.

[BlackLab22]

All Im saying is you need to have some consistency to your ball striking and make a strong move at the ball... most guysabove a 2 either 1. Don't make an aggressive move on the ball, 2. Don't swing at a speed high enough for the 130 X (that is what the context of the review is targeted at), 3. Don't make consistent flush contact on the majority of their swings.

 

If you do all three of those and are higher than a 2 - then perhaps hit the practice green?

 

I would disagree with need to be a 2 cap or better to play these shafts with success. If you strike the irons pretty well, and have an aggressive transition, they have upside, most notably as you said, dispersion.

 

I play to about a 9, and tried these on a whim, very happy. I could possible benefit from a touch lighter shaft getting to my mid 40's, but these shafts have certainly not hurt my game. The dispersion with my irons is much better.

[BlackLab22]

Totally Agree... C Taper LIte or C Taper R+/S may be fine for those. Im specifically referring to the 130X as noted for context at the first part of my post.

 

when fit appropriately, for the right golfer, regardless of cap.

[Warrick]

All Im saying is you need to have some consistency to your ball striking and make a strong move at the ball... most guysabove a 2 either 1. Don't make an aggressive move on the ball, 2. Don't swing at a speed high enough for the 130 X (that is what the context of the review is targeted at), 3. Don't make consistent flush contact on the majority of their swings.

 

If you do all three of those and are higher than a 2 - then perhaps hit the practice green?

 

I would disagree with need to be a 2 cap or better to play these shafts with success. If you strike the irons pretty well, and have an aggressive transition, they have upside, most notably as you said, dispersion.

 

I play to about a 9, and tried these on a whim, very happy. I could possible benefit from a touch lighter shaft getting to my mid 40's, but these shafts have certainly not hurt my game. The dispersion with my irons is much better.

 

Iron play is the best part of my game, and yes, have been working hard on putting/short game this winter, weakest part of my game.

 

I do agree, definitely not for the timid, is like a piece of rebar. I will most likely move to S+ or possibly S over the winter depending on how the season goes, but I did hit 17/27 the other day after not playing for 70 days, and 3 more were on the fringe.

 

Great shafts.

[BlackLab22]

Iron play is the best part of my game, and yes, have been working hard on putting/short game this winter, weakest part of my game.

 

I do agree, definitely not for the timid, is like a piece of rebar. I will most likely move to S+ or possibly S over the winter depending on how the season goes, but I did hit 17/27 the other day after not playing for 70 days, and 3 more were on the fringe.

 

Great shafts.

 

Golf technology has obviously come a long way and in my opinion its moving to the shafts rather than the heads that make the biggest difference (both irons and drivers/fwy metals). For KBS to make a shaft like this and not have it feel like you are swinging a 2x4 is pretty impressive!

 

If I may ask - what is your 7 iron swing speed and ball speed? I know that speeds are a component of the fitting process and not absolute but just curious...

 

Also - maybe look into SoftStepping - This will improved your launch a bit while keeping the same swing weight more or less. If you drop down to an S or S+ you will lose some weight. Some don't really care and/or may want the lighter weight to compensate, But weight changes - even small ones - messes with my timing and load.