UST Helium or KBS Max in Srixon ZX4 MkII Irons?

[Golf2Much]

A little over a month ago we had a Srixon rep make it all the way down US1 to visit our course.  I was there and decided to see what their irons were all about.   I was having issues holding our small Rees Jones greens with the aggressive lofted Callaway Paradym X irons, so I felt it was time to look at other options.

Our "driving range" consists of a story and a half high by maybe 50-60 yard long net area for about six hitting stalls.  I hit the Srixon ZX4 MkII irons pretty well with the UST Helium F2 shaft.  I have a slow swing speed (a little more than 60 mph in my 7 iron) with a smooth swing.  With no launch monitor, all I had was the initial trajectory and feel.  I didn't spend too much time with the Srixon rep.  But long enough for him to recommend standard length and standard lie.   I didn't try the other senior shafts as people were backing up for their shot.  Overall, the combination felt solid.

Earlier this week I had a planned trip to "America" (what we call South Florida) so I set up an iron fitting at Golf Galaxy to specifically look at the other shaft options.  The fitter read my introductory information, understood what I was looking for and we started testing the UST Recoil and KBS Max 45 options.  When it was all said and done, of the two, the KBS Max gave me the best results with a longer shaft (+1 inch) and a more upright (2 degrees up) lie.  Here's the summary of my shots:

Here's my dilemma.   Golf Galaxy didn't have the Helium shaft in their cart, so I couldn't get a head-to-head comparison.  Also, when I asked my home course for updated pricing with the KBS Max shaft, they indicated it was an upgrade of over $20 per club.  I think both shafts will give me the added height and spin that I need to hold our greens.  The question is if the added $20 per club for the KBS Max shaft worth it and do I stick with the +1 inch length, 2 degrees upright specifications?  I feel that given I have hard data on the latter, it's better than guessing with the Helium shaft.

I'd appreciate any thoughts!

[Josh Parker]

Here is my first suggestion...

Order directly from Srixon with your specs on the KBS or order from GG because I am not seeing that those shafts are an upcharge.

Here is the link to Srixon HERE

I ordered mine that way after being fitted and saved a bunch of money.

 

Edited April 11 by Josh Parker

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

Here is my first suggestion...

Order directly from Srixon with your specs on the KBS or order from GG because I am not seeing that those shafts are an upcharge.

Here is the link to Srixon HERE

I ordered mine that way after being fitted and saved a bunch of money.

 

When the kbs max shaft is added to the cart it’s $100 more for a 4-pw set than if using stock steel shaft.

the helium shafts are also $100 more for 4-pw 

 

[Josh Parker]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

When the kbs max shaft is added to the cart it’s $100 more for a 4-pw set than if using stock steel shaft.

the helium shafts are also $100 more for 4-pw 

 

Didn't catch that. Normally they show next to the choice a price. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

13 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Didn't catch that. Normally they show next to the choice a price. 

Right. I didn’t see it so I went ahead and added them to the cart to see what would happen and both helium and kbs max were $1299 whereas just the stock setup for 4-p was $1199 and some change 

[Golf2Much]

Thanks all.  My home club is a big Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO retail establishment.  As a course member and with their sales, I got a price significantly lower than what I could get from the Srixon website (even with the KBS Max upcharge and paying for shipping).   I saw there was no pricing difference on the Srixon site for both shafts, so I was curious if those who've tried both shafts felt the $25 per shaft upcharge was worth it?

In the long run, the few extra yards distance and improved dispersion with the KBS Max shafts is probably priceless!

[Josh Parker]

15 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

Thanks all.  My home club is a big Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO retail establishment.  As a course member and with their sales, I got a price significantly lower than what I could get from the Srixon website (even with the KBS Max upcharge and paying for shipping).   I saw there was no pricing difference on the Srixon site for both shafts, so I was curious if those who've tried both shafts felt the $25 per shaft upcharge was worth it?

In the long run, the few extra yards distance and improved dispersion with the KBS Max shafts is probably priceless!

Absolutely. If they felt good and dispersion was good.  I love my Srixons. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

57 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

I was curious if those who've tried both shafts felt the $25 per shaft upcharge was worth it?

This isn’t anyone can decide. We all place value on things differently. But at least on the Srixon website there isn’t a price difference. Between he helium and KBS shafts. 

[Golf2Much]

21 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

This isn’t anyone can decide. We all place value on things differently. But at least on the Srixon website there isn’t a price difference. Between he helium and KBS shafts. 

With either shaft (even with the KBS shaft upcharge), I'll be paying significantly less than what's listed on the Srixon website.  So, the cost portion of the overall value equation is less of an issue.  Since I didn't have the chance of hitting each shaft side by side under the same conditions, I was hoping some other MGS forum member with a similar swing speed may have tried them both in one fitting and would share their experiences with both shafts.

[RickyBobby_PR]

16 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

With either shaft (even with the KBS shaft upcharge), I'll be paying significantly less than what's listed on the Srixon website.  So, the cost portion of the overall value equation is less of an issue.  Since I didn't have the chance of hitting each shaft side by side under the same conditions, I was hoping some other MGS forum member with a similar swing speed may have tried them both in one fitting and would share their experiences with both shafts.

The issue with the bolded is that someone with you same swing speed doesn’t swing like you. Therefore their experience with a shaft is just that their experience and there’s no way to say that you will have the same experience as them. I know people want to hear others experience but it’s not providing any value. Posting below some reading about this
 

You have hit both shafts in a relatively short period of time between each other so you should be able to tell which one is better for you.

Myth #5 – How a shaft plays and performs for one golfer or group of golfers is important for other golfers to know to be able to make a proper shaft selection

Only if the golfers involved all happen to have EXACTLY, and I mean exactly, the same swing characteristics is someone else’s experience with a particular shaft of any importance. And how often do two or more golfers swing exactly the same way? 

I can’t tell you how many times I have scanned posts on golf equipment internet forums from golfers who ask a question such as, “has anyone tried the XYZ shaft and what do you think of it?” Invariably, almost every golfer’s response comes back citing this or that personal opinion or playing result without ever saying one thing about any of their specific swing characteristics. 

In addition, numerous times I have heard a golfer comment about a shaft to say something like, “that XYZ shaft is really a bad shaft. If golfers knew that shaft performance is so tied to specific golf swing characteristics they would say instead, “that shaft is probably a good shaft for some other golfer, but it is a bad shaft FOR ME AND MY SPECIFIC SWING CHARACTERISTICS.” 

There is no such thing as a good shaft or a bad shaft in this game. There are only shafts that fit their owners and shafts that do not fit their owners. More than any other component, the performance of the shaft is completely related to a series of finite, specific swing and playing characteristics – your clubhead speed, your transition move to start the downswing, your downswing aggressiveness/tempo, the point during the downswing when you unhinge your wrist-**** angle to release the club to impact and whether you as a golfer do or do not have a specific, preferred sense for the bending feel of the shaft during the swing.

[Golf2Much]

@RickyBobby_PR in a perfect world, I agree 100% with everything you said above. 

Unfortunately, living at the southern end of US1 I'm 150 or more miles away from any access to swinging both shafts at the same time and under the same conditions.  If I get to the mainland four or five times a year that's a lot.  Throw in my physical limitations and I'm probably even more unique segment of the golfing population.  I was just looking for opinions and/or insights that people might have had.   At my level, there's always some level of risk associated with any club purchase I make.  Even with professional fittings, some clubs ultimately work out in the long run and some don't.  I was hoping that any insight (whether I accept it or not) might be more valuable than none at all.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

14 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

@RickyBobby_PR in a perfect world, I agree 100% with everything you said above. 

Unfortunately, living at the southern end of US1 I'm 150 or more miles away from any access to swinging both shafts at the same time and under the same conditions.  If I get to the mainland four or five times a year that's a lot.  Throw in my physical limitations and I'm probably even more unique segment of the golfing population.  I was just looking for opinions and/or insights that people might have had.   At my level, there's always some level of risk associated with any club purchase I make.  Even with professional fittings, some clubs ultimately work out in the long run and some don't.  I was hoping that any insight (whether I accept it or not) might be more valuable than none at all.  

If 4 people came in and said the kbs shaft didn’t work for them and they had the same swing speed as you how does that help when in your fitting the kbs worked for you.

When it comes to shafts unless or has a late release they won’t notice much difference in shafts outside of possibly feel