50 Words or Less
KBS Tour Graphite Iron shafts offer the feel and stability of KBS’s steel shafts in lighter weight classes. High launch and spin with consistently strong results.
Introduction
In one short decade, KBS has grown to become one of the most recognized steel iron shaft brands in the world. The distinctive red badge is on many OEM steel stock offerings and is seen in play every weekend on professional golf tours around the globe. Looking to erase that steel qualifier and offer more light weight shafts, KBS has come out with the TGI – Tour Graphite Iron – shafts. The TGI shafts come in four weights (50, 60, 70, 80 grams) with each having its own flex (L, A, R, S respectively). To find out if they are a worthy addition to the KBS iron shaft line up, I tested a set of TGI 80. By the way, do you know what KBS stands for? If not, don’t miss the conclusion.
Looks
In true KBS fashion, the TGI shaft is plain and simple – and I state that as a compliment. The matte black graphite shaft will pair well with most any grip or head combination. The signature KBS red badge really pops against the black.
Feel
The first few ‘air’ swings with the KBS TGI had me puzzled on the feel. I couldn’t decide if they felt heavier or stiffer than expected, but something was grabbing my attention. As I began hitting balls it became evident that I was experiencing stiffness in the tip section. What I was growing to really like was that the flex profile felt consistent across the shaft and from club to club. I felt in control of the club head, like there was no lag in response.
Performance
After seeing what appeared to be really good ball flights and distances on the range, I was eager to get empirical data at Club Champion. KBS touts the TGI as mid-high launch and mid spin, not surprising based on the target golfer. My results were more in the high launch and high spin category, both of which are great attributes for my game. Most importantly, I gained carry distance and decreased dispersion. With such impressive results, I asked master fitter Rob Stumpf the ultimate question: if I were here for a fitting, what other shafts would you want me to try? His answer: none. He went on to tell me that for where I play, soft landings and accuracy are the most important attributes and the KBS TGI delivered both.
KBS claims their graphite irons “play like steel” which is intriguing to golfers who may be going down in shaft weights and/or transitioning from steel to graphite. Intrigued myself, I read through KBS shaft reviews in the PIG archives and ran across statements from Bill and Matt S. about feeling like they could hit a ball down a hall. I could certainly relate to that sentiment after some great tree escapes with the TGI shafts. Even though the shafts produce a high trajectory on normal full swings, they respond appropriately when I need to execute a low punch shot.
Conclusion
I selected the KBS TGI 80 to test since they were the closest weight to my 95 gram gamer shafts. I didn’t learn about the corresponding flex until conducting research for this review. To me it demonstrates the importance of working with a qualified fitter and believing data rather than general guidelines.
KBS – Kim Braly Signature – may be best known for their steel shafts, but they’ve transferred their design expertise to graphite iron shafts in an impressive way. And yes, they are going into my bag.
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30 Comments
760/780 SmacWrap vs KBS TGI
now that i see two of the top graphite shafts reviewed on your site how would you compare the two, if there on that you prefer over the other.
Thanks for all the great reviews, you really get a lot of great information out there.
As you point out, both companies make great golf shafts. I really enjoyed hitting both models and could play either one. You can pick up the differences from the reviews and I recommend you try them both. As far as ‘prefer’ – I went with the hard data as you can see in my WITB.
Thanks for reading – Matt M
Stiff tip 4 sure.
The feel in my hands was amazing.
The bio feedback really helped my transition!
Amazing difference. Highly recommend.
So how do you think the flex plays? True to their flexibility or up or down? Is the 70 closer to a firm? Is the 80 on the stiff side or weaker side?
Good question Damon, but hard to really quantify. The first time I hit the KBS they felt stiff. But that’s likely more of a profile feeling compared to some other shafts at that moment. I look at performance first. If two shafts performed identical, then I would choose on feel. Every golfers swing is different and shaft response reflects that. If you check out my WITB, you can see what I play.
Cheers – Meeks
Have you compared these to Accra 90i and are they still in your bag? The PXG online fitting tool is recommending these for my game. I don’t hit my irons particularly long relative to my driver.
I played the Accra iCWT 95 prototypes for two years and loved them (just type Accra in the search above). And yes, the KBS TGI are still in my bag. Similar performance, but different feels. As always, to find out what’s best for you, hit them both with a qualified fitter.
– Meeks
Hi Matt. I noticed that Lydia Ko is playing the KBS TGI RS. Do you suppose that means she is actually playing the S model soft-stepped twice?
Wow, what a great observation and potential conclusion. Unfortunately I can’t offer anything to the conversation.
– Meeks
Do you believe the KBS launch higher and spin more than the Accra i series?
John – those are questions I just can’t answer. I never hit them concurrently in the same setups, and haven’t hit the Accra in some time now. And of course, results vary for every golfer. Get them both on a launch monitor with a qualified fitter.
Cheers – Meeks
Yesterday I had the chance to hit the KBS 80 and the Accra i70 and i80. I hit dozens of balls with each shaft, on Trackman. I tend to be a low spin player, and fairly low launch as well. I spun all 3 of these shafts at 5500-6300 with a 7 iron. The i70 felt too light and I struggled some with control. Peak height was almost identical with the KBS and the i80, at around 63 feet. Ball speed was about 1 mph faster with the KBS. The launch was about a degree lower with the KBS. I thought the KBS felt better in that I felt more heft, I felt like I could feel where the clubhead was, and I think my dispersion was slightly better. It was almost a tossup between these two shafts because the numbers were so similar. I ended up selecting KBS because I felt like I could feel the clubhead and reproduce the strike more consistently.
Matt,
I currently play the Recoil 110 F4 in Apex Pro. I am in the process of switching to PXG 0311 irons. I have had 2 rotator cuff surgeries is the reason I play graphite, plus I love the feel. My concerns are weight and consistency through the set. The other option is Aero steelfiber 110. Thoughts
I don’t have any experience with the Aero Steve. But I’d never switch to a new shaft without hitting them and seeing launch monitor data.
The only way to answer your concerns is for you to hit the PXGs with both shafts.
– Meeks
Thanks meeks
Great review and mirror my recent fitting results after a few rounds… TGI TOUR 90.
Very responsive. . I get mid high launch and high spin. My tightened dispersion makes me smile.
The answer to the i70 vs i80 is really just a swing speed and strike issue. The i70 are much smoother at strike and will launch higher resulting in more spin when compared to i80. I have hit on track man and played on the course. i80 requires more swing speed to launch properly. Tipping an i70 is now where I am headed as well. Need the in between launch and spin for proper loading. My findings have been unless you strike the i80 on full swing speed launch results will be low and short on carry distance. Will report back on my results.
I use the 70 on the miura cb301 while the 80 on the pxg P version. Amazing shafts. I am 80 mph with 7 iron. The feeling is quite similar between 70 and 80. You donot feel extra stifness in the 80, you feel the shaft just more stable. i am thinking to reshaft the miura with the same 80 grams.
Matt, there’s been a long discussion about whether to use steel or graphite shafts in irons. With the combination of steel fibers within graphite shafts, is that the best of both worlds or do we have three solid options now? How does one choose among those before taking a swing?
I think we can stick with just two categories Tom. As for choosing, there’s no substitute for a swing.
– Meeks
Still playing the shafts? I have Miura Baby Blades and am thinking of switching out my KBS Tour-V’s for these.
You can see what I’m gaming on my about page – LINK.
– Meeks
I am looking for a KBS Drive shaft to buy with a Titleist tip. I am looking for More hight and carry.
I am 13 handicap.
Diana,
You would need to contact a KBS dealer like Club Champion. Plugged In Golf does not sell anything.
Best,
Matt
Hello Matt I have been playing golf for 23 yrs, I am 73 years old, Let me tell you I have played all major brands and different senior flex shafts , well I was fitted for a new set of cobras forged text X ., with the KBS PGI 65 gram shaft and I received fantastic results with the PGA store superstore, the fitter did a fantastic job and told me that all the other shafts , did not produce what I was looking for . The stock shaft that cobra offers is the KBS PGI65 gram worked great for me hats off to KBS .
Hi, I was going 2 get the KBS tour 90 graphite shaft, the same that you tested but 10grams heavier. Do u think it will be a mid-high launched? It’s for my wedges?
Regards Jonny
Theoretically they should Jonny. But I have to add the caveat that launch is heavily dependent on individual swings and appropriate flex.
– Meeks
Hi Meeks – This review covered the 0.370″/parallel tip variant of this shaft that only goes up to 80g and you described the shaft as high launch/high spin. The 0.355″/taper tip version of the TGI includes heavier weight options (up to 110g) and it seems to be a fundamentally different shaft – multiple sources, including the Maltby Playability Factor (which is a system I only recently stumbled onto), describe it as low launch/low spin in the 100g offering. I don’t know how much exposure you have had to the 0.355″/taper tip, but would you agree that it’s a wholly different critter from the 0.370″/parallel tip or am I missing something here? Thanks for all you do for us and be well!
I don’t have any experience with the taper tip Ian. That said, going from high/high to low/low seems extreme. What did the Maltby list for the parallel? Check out the FAQ on the KBS site – it states there are no performance difference between the two tip types. You don’t say why you are digging so deep into this, but a call to KBS seems advisable.
– Meeks
Thanks, Meeks. Maltby calls the 80g (heaviest) parallel tip medium trajectory, which mirrors the taper tip at that same weight. (Is Maltby’s MPF list a credible resource for shaft characteristics in your experience?) I saw that FAQ on KBS site, but that only means so much in this situation because the taper tip has heavier options (90, 95, 100 and 110) that the parallel does not and I’ll almost certainly need one of the heavier weight options (I’m definitely going 0.355″/taper to fit Srixon ZX5 MKII hosels cleanly). I’ll reach out to KBS, but independent and objective assessments are of great value; nothing against KBS specifically, but companies need to sell above all else and sometimes that leads to…interesting answers when contacted directly and sometimes the folks picking up the phone know more than others. I’m digging into all this because I’m switching from steel to graphite iron shafts (first time I’ll have used graphite irons shafts so learning plenty as I chart a course through the transition) and I need a low launch/low spin variant (I’m also hoping to end up with a lighter weight and perhaps a touch less stiff/boardy than my current DG 120 X100) so I’m compiling a list of potential graphite shafts before determining which fitter to work with (i.e., I plan confirm they have all/most of the shafts of interest to me, especially since I’ll have to drive several hours to be fit). Incidentally, I’m also switching from jumbo to midsize grips at the same time. Good times, GOOD TIMES!