KBS CT Tour Putter Shaft
Kim Braly has officially entered the putter shaft business, everyone. I introduce you to the KBS CT Tour putter shaft. KBS designed this stepless putter shaft to have a stiffer structure throughout the shaft and specifically in the tip to provide more stability. Available in straight, single bend, and double bend with multiple finish options, golfers everywhere can get that smooth feel and performance KBS is known for but in a putter shaft.
The Looks
Normally I’d remove this section for a simple steel shaft, but there are OPTIONS for the KBS CT Tour putter shaft. Knowing golfers like our putters to have sweet looks, KBS made the CT Tour available in chrome and brushed chrome. Oh, you want a black shaft like the guys on Tour? Good news, KBS also offers the CT Tour in matte black and a more polished black PVD. Well done, KBS. Thank you for bringing some putter shaft color options to retail!
How Does it Feel?
The feel portion of the KBS CT Tour putter shaft is the most important part of the review. I’m going to shoot you straight though. You aren’t going to use this shaft and immediately go, “wow, this has totally revolutionized putting as we know it!” BUT, the CT Tour is easily the best steel putter shaft on the market in my opinion. First, the general profile of the CT Tour is much firmer, especially in the tip. Given you don’t really flex a putter shaft, you may wonder why this is important. The firmer profile makes the putter feel easier to control and gave me better head awareness. Generally speaking, the shaft being more stout made me feel much more in control of my putting stroke.
One point I want to make is more of a general observation. Most putters I’ve had over the years have had the typical steel shaft you all know and love. Given steel putter shafts are usually just a piece of steel to join your hands to the putter head, very little goes into their design…and it shows. The feel will be inconsistent whether it’s weight, balance, or bend. What I appreciate most about the CT Tour is that the feel is very consistent with good balance and response. Don’t undervalue these traits. Consistent feel and better control ultimately equals more putts.
On-Course Performance
KBS says the CT Tour is the first shaft to “incorporate KBS Golf Shaft Technology into your game on the green.” To me this means it has the same smooth profile and feedback that the KBS Tour iron shaft is known for. This will be subjective to the individual, but I do believe this to be the case with the CT Tour putter shaft. It’s not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, but the CT Tour makes the putter feel notably better than the steel shafts I’m used to. With that better balance and head awareness I mentioned earlier, I had much better control and was more consistent with my putts.
Mind you, the CT Tour shaft is largely designed to make you a better putter due to a much improved feel. The design isn’t to provide different balance points for more stability or take out the yips. It’s purely to make the putter feel better and more reliable for better control.
Final Thoughts
I appreciate the introduction of the KBS CT Tour putter shaft to the market. While I think there’s certainly a place for all these new innovative multi-material putter shafts, there’s no reason we don’t deserve a quality steel shaft for our putters. As the narrative goes, I use my putter in a round more than any other club in the bag. Why wouldn’t I want the same quality in a putter shaft that I demand in the rest of my bag? With the KBS CT Tour, I feel like I have that. The feel is spot on and I find the shaft to be flat out more reliable than any other steel putter shaft.
Much difference between this and just using a ctaper xflex in your putter?
Haven’t tried it so couldn’t tell you, but given this one is tuned for actually being in a putter, I would assume it would be better.
Do you know whether the .370 tip will fit a Cameron Studio Select No1? The guy who is going to install the shaft says it will, but the web site says their shafts don’t fit Cameron putters. Thanks for your review of the putter shaft.
It will not fit. He would likely bore out the hosel to make it fit accordingly. I’d advise against it unless you’re never going to sell the putter.
sam kbs fit i have a scotty
Can you compare this putter shaft to the Nippon N.S. Pro heavy putter shafts, please?
Unfortunately I can’t. I’ve never putted with those Nippons.
great site lot of info help
Great shafts but poor Customer Service. I have purchased & installed north of 10 KBS putter shafts. Recently I purchased both limited edition White & OD green putter shafts thinking this was a great concept, unfortunately it was poorly executed.
First issue: Factory Shaft band placement. The band on both is really high on the shaft as if it is an iron shaft. When trimming this to play 35” in a Scotty Cameron the shaft band is half covered by the grip. This result is even with tip & butt trimming. If you try to just butt trim it will completely cover the band.
Second issue: If you are expecting the OD green to show up as OD green, you will be very disappointed. Color is not even close! Probably 10 shades off, much lighter.
I contacted Customer Service to report the issued, after one email they essentially vanished.
Don’t bother leaving an honest review of their product on their website. It is censored & will remain in approval limbo. Kim would be proud.
Every shaft I’ve ever bought straight from KBS came with the shaft label having to be applied to the shaft after building. Did you buy the shaft straight from them? And what color is OD green supposed to be?
I’ve purchased many, many KBS shafts…yes they all had shaft bands included for the purchaser to affix. However, the putter shaft in question just arrived and DOES have the band pre-installed and YES, it is WAY HIGH UP TOWARDS THE but and will certajnly be covered by the grip on install !!!!
Funny you bring this up. Let’s just say I may have just gotten a new one and the silk screen label is different than the stickers…
Hi Bill. How does this shaft compare to the FST Stepless? FST is the stock shaft in all evnroll putters. I have an evnroll er1.2 and am considering this shaft but I hear that FST makes shafts for KBS so maybe there is some similarity?
It has a more consistent feel and is more rigid. Much better in my opinion.
Will the .355 tip fit in a Scotty Cameron Newport 2? Thanks!
I think it’s supposed to, but I can’t definitively say yes. I know Cameron’s use a weird tip size/shape.
Thanks for responding so quick!
Did you try this and did it work?
I tried it for the review, of course. But this post might be the elaboration you’re looking for.
Will double bend shaft fit Taylor Made Ardmore.
I’m not sure what tip size the Ardmore takes, but I think the CT Tour is only available in .370 in double bend.