KBS Tour 90 Review - Specs, Flex, Weight - The Ultimate Golfing Resource

KBS Tour 90 Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

In 2008, KBS burst onto the golf scene with an innovative range of steel shafts.

Up to now, KBS shafts have notched Tour wins that include some Majors. The KBS Tour 90 has been hailed a triumph in steel shaft design by amateurs and pros alike. Many golf club manufacturers have even adopted KBS shafts as their standard issue shafts.

But what makes these shafts so great? And how do you choose the right one for your game? Without a doubt, a fitting is the best way to answer those questions. But failing a professional fitting, we have the next best thing. We went out and tested the KBS Tour 90 to find out its strengths, weaknesses and what type of player it would suit best. Will the KBS Tour 90 be right for you? Find out in the following review.

KBS Tour 90 Overview

The KBS Tour 90 is one of the lightest steel shafts that KBS has ever produced.

It was wildly innovative when it first came out because it was around 20% lighter than any other steel shaft on the market at the time.

If you are looking to increase your accuracy but don’t have the most aggressive swing tempo, a shaft like the KBS Tour 90 should definitely be on your radar. The lighter weight will be a bit more congenial to you if you have a more deliberate swing (a less aggressive transition from your downswing). Please note that for our testing and this review, we used the KBS Tour 90 with tapered tips.

Why is the KBS Tour 90 So Popular?

When we asked our friends and colleagues who game the KBS Tour 90 why they liked it, we heard a lot of different reasons.

But one reason that kept coming up was that it helped people increase their swing speed.

Indeed, when we finally got to testing the KBS Tour 90, most of our moderate swing speed testers were notching up to 3 MPH increases in club head speed. We believe that the KBS Tour 90 is so popular because it makes more accurate steel shafts more accessible to the everyday golfer. It is also an excellent shaft for improving your overall game.

How Does the KBS Tour 90 Shaft Perform?

A lot of the performance aspects of the KBS Tour 90 shaft is dictated by the relatively soft tip and high CG.

This tandem imparts a naturally high launch. The KBS Tour 90 shaft also produces a moderate amount of spin.

Overall, the KBS Tour 90 still feels pretty firm; but again, the soft tip will make it more comfortable and beneficial for players with smoother swing tempos. The KBS Tour 90 was designed to be played with a smooth tempo in fact – any time our testers tried to get aggressive with it, they noted sloppy and ill-controlled shots.

KBS Tour 90 Shaft Specs Table

Specs	KBS Tour 90
Weight	95g, 102g
Available Flexes	Regular, stiff
Length	36.5” – 40.5”
Butt	.600”
Tip	.355”

What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speed Do They Suit?

The KBS Tour 90 is available in stiff or regular flex.

The stiff flex version weighs 102 grams so it is slightly more congenial for players with moderate swing tempo and swing speeds in the range of 83-90 MPH. The regular flex version would be better for players in the range of 80-90 MPH.

What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speed Do They Suit?

The KBS Tour 90 comes in 95 gram and 102 gram versions.

Moderate swing speed players would do better with the 102 gram version while the 90 gram version should be reserved for players with slow to moderate swing speeds.

Why is it So Good?

The KBS Tour 90 shafts are excellent because they are incredibly lightweight; but they still give you great iron accuracy because they are steel shafts.

They are congenial to the games of smooth tempo, low swing speed players seeking better height.

KBS Tour 90 First Impressions

Obviously, the first thing we thought when we swung with the KBS Tour 90 shaft was that it was ridiculously light for a steel shaft.

Key Features & Performance

The 2-flex system used for these shafts is the defining feature. This gives them more flex than your average steel shaft while still allowing for a moderately stout feel.

KBS Tour 90 Wedges Review

If you have a smooth tempo, you will love the KBS Tour 90 with your wedges. It launches noticeably higher than many other steel shafts currently on the market. In short, the KBS Tour 90 will likely help increase the accuracy of your chipping.

KBS Tour 90 Irons Review

The same can be said about using the KBS Tour 90 shafts with your irons.

We noticed great apex height and enhanced spin – especially in the short irons. While the KBS Tour 90 shaft isn’t great for long par 5’s if you’re attacking with your long irons, they still afford you the accuracy of steel shafts with better feel and launch.

KBS Tour 90 Driver Review

Chances are that if you’re a smooth tempo swing with a moderate to slow swing speed, you would benefit more from a graphite shaft. The KBS Tour 90 allows faster swing speed players to gain distance from the tee; but you still need a smooth tempo.

KBS Tour 90 Pros & Cons

Pros:

2-flex design
Active tip section
Soft tip area
Good spin
Lightweight

Cons:

Bad for fast tempos
Poor long iron control

Overall Score: 94/100

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Who Should Buy it?

The KBS Tour 90 is an excellent shaft if you have a smooth tempo.

Even if you have a fast swing speed, you can still use this shaft effectively; but the name of the game is a deliberate transition. If you get aggressive, the shaft will feel limp and your shot will be erratic. The KBS Tour 90 is a great shaft for anyone seeking more accuracy from a light shaft.