GolfWRX met Kim Braly, Director, R&D, KBS Golf Shafts at the 2022 Cadence Houston Open to discuss the new KBS Tour “prototype” steel iron shafts we spotted at Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston.
Braly has some words to say about the new shafts of steel iron.
Andrew Tursky, GolfWRX: What’s the new KBS Tour prototype iron-shaft? It’s what is it and how does it differ from the rest?
Kim Braly, KBS Tour’s Kim Braly. This tour is called KBS Tour. This is the KBS Tour. 12 years ago, when we first introduced this shaft line, people’s number one complaint was that it spun too fast and went too high. It doesn’t weigh a lot, but it does a bit. I knew this was something I would have to do again, but I am all about fitting. I needed to lose a lot of weight to get the program to where I wanted it to be before I began doing 2.0. I wanted to finish the whole line.
Fitting is my passion, so I did that, then went back to do the 2.0s.
This is our first 2.0 product. This is the KBS Tour. This was done to make it spin a bit more, go a bit lower and give it more stability. Stiffness is important for stability in many cases, including almost all historical cases. It is a little stiffer.
The shaft’s top surface is not going to bend as much which will reduce spin and launch.
Do you have different flexes or different weights?
KB: Yes. At the moment, this is a Tour shaft. It will weigh 120, 125, and 130 grams. We don’t see why 120 should be reduced. The player has the option to reduce the flight or spin. This shaft is a Tour shaft. This shaft is for strong players. This is not something the public needs for most of their lives. Although there is a small percentage, it is very low.
It’s nice to have something for everyone. It may one day become part of our line but for now it is a Tour shaft.
Are you a user who has been testing it or are you committed to making it a reality?
KB The target on Tour is large. Anybody playing an X100 is a target, so it’s a lot of people who would fit into this shaft.
It’s a 2.0 in the KBS Tour line. The reason I did it is the feedback we received when it first came out. While it was a great product, there were some players who found it a bit too spiny and high for their tastes. However, they still love how it feels. This is what we dealt with here.
How does it compare to an X100 or Project X?
KBIt is a different profile. Since the late 40’s, there has been an X100 shaft. It’s a great shaft and many people enjoy playing it. However, the shaft was made for ease of manufacturing. I don’t have any shafts that can compare to it, but I do own shafts with the same stiffness but different profiles.
I design things for the player who will use it, or the type of player. There are products that fall within that category. However, that product was not part of the design process. That is not what we do. We have a shaft that weighs 130 grams, which is comparable in stiffness. Because of the way each section is presented to its counterpart, our shafts are more stiff in terms of deflection or CPM. This allows the shaft to swing more smoothly and feels smoother. It’s not soft as people say, but it feels really smooth. This allows them to swing a stiffer shaft which is great for guys here because it makes the dispersion pattern more precise. It still feels good enough to be in their bag. Because it limits dispersion, I try to get the shafts out here for the guys into the stiffest shafts possible.
What do amateur iron shaft users get wrong?
KBMen use too stiff shafts, there’s no doubt. It is easier for ladies to fit. They don’t believe they are an S-stiff or an X-stiff. They just want to play the game. The same thing happens: men think they need stiffer shafts than they actually do. This is a mistake. A shaft that is too stiff to load is not going to work. It’s better to load it on the low side of the shaft than on the high. It is important to load it. It’s better to load it too often than not at all.
What is the standard miss when your shaft is too stiff?
KBIt works right.
We are all about fitting. The 125 may be too stiff for you? The 120 is a great alternative! It’s all about that. It’s all about fitting. Our line has something for everyone.
See what GolfWRX members have to say about the new KBS Tour shafts on our forums
