KBS TGI Golf Shaft

They say the golf shaft is the engine of the club. As I have to re-engineer my game, I have shifted from steel shaft to graphite and I have also chosen lighter shafts. These days, the technology in graphite shafts have made leaps and bounds. If you have played steel shafts before in your irons which are your bread and butter clubs, the you will know the feel of steel shafts are so true and pure. Then UST Mamiya introduced their ground-breaking graphite shafts that plays and feels like steel shafts and the original model even looks like steel. That was a few years ago and the "Recoil" is said to be more efficient than steel and more responsive than the old graphite with more precise distance and control, better feel with accuracy.

As I have an older set of very wonderful irons - the TaylorMade RSi 1 that was with steel shaft, I was tinkering with the idea of switching them to graphite otherwise it is such a shame for not playing them. While I could still play with steel (it was with NS Pro Zelios 8), I was afraid of the old elbow injury coming back so it was a painful no brainer what I needed to do but after seeking my Oracle as to what I must do, I decided to extend the life of these great irons. Great because there was never a time where three top golf equipment testers rated it as the best iron of the year few years back amidst very tough competition. It was worth saving and keeping them in play. Besides, like a manager of a soccer team, I have a promotion and demotion or even relegation system where those clubs who do not behave themselves or perform well can get demoted and in extreme cases relegated. Conversely, promotion when you deliver. This always keep them on their toes. Haha.

I sought the advice of Rezal who is my Ann Landers and Dear Abby of golf shafts and he confidently recommended the KBS TGI Graphite iron shaft. TGI or simply Tour Graphite Iron is designed for its steel-like playability, shot control, distance and overall performance but in graphite form. It has optimized weight and stiffness and they offer 4 weight classes from 50g to 80g (50g, 60g, 70g and 80g). These shafts are reported to offer 5% lower trajectory, 5% less spin and 5% more distance. I went for the 60g. By the way do you know that KBS is famous for their steel shaft especially good for wedges and do  you know what does KBS stands for? Well, KBS stands for "Kim Braly Signature".

KBS TGI Graphite

The first thing that caught my attention was the colour tone of the shaft. There are no other graphics, busy design, shades, etc. Just a simple pure deep matt black and only from the grip portion down for a third or a quarter of the shaft is a rich, bold red. It is typical of KBS that shouts "plain and simple". The red badge naturally pops up against the the black. 

It was unfortunate that the original grips could not be reused. So I had no choice but to be fitted with new ones. Of course I chose one that was black with red accent on it and also a TaylorMade version. 

A good shaft lets you feel in control of your shots where the club head has no lag in response with a tighter dispersion. Accuracy and soft landing is the hallmark of great golf shots and this shaft is supposed to deliver to you on both counts. It seems perfect for golfers who are transitioning from steel to graphite and adjusting down on shaft weight. Good shafts allow the player to execute the shots you want more confidently such as hitting it high, punching it low or if you are skilled enough - bending around trees. 

As the TaylorMade RSi 1 has a similar colour scheme (black/red), it became a perfect match. As in all new shafts, you will need to run it in. Some call it seasoning. Ring it in and hopefully - "we have joy, we have fun, we have seasons in the sun".

For golfers who have average swing speed or above average swing speed and you are looking to go lighter on graphite without sacrificing steel shaft performance, the KBS TGI ticks a lot of boxes. It becomes even intriguing for golfers with faster swing speed or prefer heavier shaft. With the heaviest at 80g now, surely it is possible for them to offer heavy weights to float your boat in the very near future.

Fear not the weapons but the hands that wield it.
Golf as in life, play as it lies.