Equipment

KBS GPS Graphite putter shaft review: Club Junkie Reviews

Published

7 months ago

Dec 22, 2023

KBS is known mostly as a steel shaft company, but it has been increasing its graphite options recently. There was once just the KBS TD wood shaft, and now you can get a graphite KBS model in every club in your bag. Legendary shaft designer Kim Braly hasn’t taken any breaks and has put a lot of time and engineering into this putter shaft.

The “GPS” name stands for Graphite Putter Shaft, and that is exactly what it is. KBS built the GPS from premium composite materials and fibers to dial in the feel and stability. Golfers can get the GPS shaft in a plethora of colors, both matte and gloss finishes, and two tip sizes.

Installation is easy and straightforward like a traditional steel shaft. Pick the correct tip size, sand the paint off the tip, and then use standard club epoxy to glue the shaft into the hosel.

The GPS is only offered as a straight shaft, no bends, so your putter will have to have a hosel where the shaft sits inside of it. Something like an L neck, plumbers neck, or center shaft will be the most common hosel for this shaft. Most slant or flow necks won’t work since the shaft has to slide over a post, and the GPS is not engineered for that style hosel.

Once on the course, you will notice that the GPS has a stiffer feel than a traditional, stock steel shaft from just taking a few practice swings. While the GPS is stiff, it isn’t crazy stout like some other high-end putter shafts, enabling the shaft to still provide good feel.

The stiffer feel and low torque on the GPS can be felt on short and long putts immediately as you have a feel where the head is through the whole stroke. A 30-foot or a 3-foot putt have the same feeling of face awareness, and I never felt like the face was anything but square.

While no club, shaft, or grip can guarantee you make more putts, I do feel like the stability of the GPS helps me get the ball started on my intended line more often. I still have to read the putt correctly and hit it with the right speed, but I feel like the shaft can help reduce one putting factor for me.

There is also some added stability on those toe and heel mishits that we all encounter. While most mallet putters help keep the putter face square on those misses, the GPS adds something to it. My miss is typically the toe. I did feel like the face doesn’t want to swing open as much compared to the stock shaft. Feel is sorted a touch as the GPS will absorb some of the vibration on impact.

I have the GPS in a TaylorMade Spider X Tour Proto with the fully milled face, and you can instantly tell a slight softness as the ball leaves the face compared to the stock KBS steel shaft that was in it. The sound also feels a bit more muted and the pitch lowered just a slight bit for a more solid sound.

If you are looking to upgrade your putter shaft for some added stability and a different feel, then the KBS GPS putter shaft is worth trying. While it may not make the putts for you, it can help keep the putter pointed at your target; that should help you make putts.

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Whats in the Bag

Mike Lorenzo-Vera WITB 2024 (July)

Published

4 hours ago

Jul 17, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Mike Lorenzo-Vera what’s in the bag accurate as of the Barracuda Championship. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max (8.5 degrees @7.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 75 TX

Check out more photos of Mike Lorenzo-Vera’s equipment here.

Utility: Callaway Apex UT (18 degrees)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Irons: Callaway Apex CB (3-5), Callaway Apex MB (6-10
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Check out more photos of Mike Lorenzo-Vera’s equipment here.

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 58-06C
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One #7 CS
Grip: 2Thumb Snug Tour 30

Grips: Golf Pride MCC, Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Check out more photos of Mike Lorenzo-Vera’s equipment here.

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Whats in the Bag

Andrew “Beef” Johnston WITB 2024 (July)

Published

4 hours ago

Jul 17, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Beef Johnston what’s in the bag accurate as of the Barracuda Championship. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Cobra Darkspeed LS (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Orange 75 TX (45 inches)

3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (15 degrees @14)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White Prototype 85 TX

Check out more photos of Beef’s equipment here.

Hybrid: Cobra King Tec (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 8 X

Irons: Cobra King Tour (4-PW)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Check out more photos of Beef’s equipment here.

Wedges: Cobra Snakebite (48, 52, 58)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tourtype SSS FB-1.5

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Balls: Titleist Pro V1

Check out more photos of Beef’s equipment here.

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Equipment

2024 Open Championship custom staff bags and accessories

Published

5 hours ago

Jul 17, 2024

Brian Knudson

Every major championship is the time when companies express their creative sides with limited-edition bags and accessories. This year at The Open Championship is no different, as you will see below. Most of the bags and accessories around The Open will feature plaid or yellow accents as well as some reference to local legend. You will see stamps as this year’s theme, referring to the 8th hole at Royal Troon’s Old Course. This par 3 was originally named “Ailsa” but is now called “Postage Stamp” due to the nickname William Park gave the hole’s tiny green years ago.

TaylorMade

The “royal” theme inspired TaylorMade with their purple and gold staff bag. The staff bag is a deep purple and complemented with shiny gold accents with little hints at The 152nd Open Championship. Matching white headcovers feature a purple TaylorMade logo with a crown over it.

Cobra

I feel like Cobra went with a little more traditional look with its bag and headcover designs. The bright yellow bag matches the hole signs and iconic leaderboard that will be easily visible at Royal Troon this week. The headcovers are all different designs, but match with their stamp and mail themes stictched into them.

Srixon

I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a golf bag that features Scottish tartan on it! Srixon’s staff bag is a deep navy blue, red, and white with tartan on the sides. They also carried that tartan detail over to the classy headcovers that are white with green and tartan stripes near the bottom for a very Open Championship feel.

Callaway

Stamps everywhere! Callaway went heavy with the stamp theme and used them to celebrate the holes at Royal Troon. Each stamp has a hole number and graphic of the hole’s famous feature in them. For golf balls, they took the new Chrome Tour ball and used their Truvis graphics to celebrate the 1st, 8th, 11th, and 18th signature holes.