Costco Kirkland Signature Golf Ball
It’s possible you never even knew Costco was in the golf ball game. Or maybe you’re one of the rabid Kirkland Signature fans that snaps up as many as possible every time Costco stocks them? Regardless, I’ll give you some of the backstory as I know and understand it.
Costco had the chance to buy a large batch of golf balls from a licensed manufacturer where the company they were making them for essentially fell through and could not acquire the inventory. These balls were supposed to be a premium competitor in the industry, but fate put them in Costco’s hands. After branding them as the Kirkland Signature, Costco packaged them in boxes of two dozen for $30 and shipped them out to the stores.
People started picking them up to try out at the stores, but it turned out, the K-Sig was getting some great feedback. Costco ended up posting them for sale online, and wouldn’t you know it, they sold out like crazy. Now’s the time you remember this was a limited batch Costco acquired, but the demand is at an all time high. Since then, Costco has had more releases of the K-Sig that have sold out almost immediately even with buyers only allowed to buy limited amounts, but are they the same balls? No idea, but we’re going to review them anyway. (The USGA Conforming list has three different Costco balls on it FWIW.)
How Does it Feel?
Feel is very much a subjective category that any player will “measure” in some different way. You have to remember also that you’re paying $15/dozen for the Costco Kirkland Signature ball. Compared to most other $15 balls, the K-Sig feels fine. I would tell you there are others I like the feel of more at this price point, but they’re a much different feel altogether and probably not a fair comparison.
When you compare the Kirkland Signature ball to other premium balls with four to five pieces that cost twice as much, it’s a different story. I can list a minimum of a dozen different balls that I like better but they range in price from $30/dozen to $60/dozen. That said, is the feel good enough for the price savings? That’s going to come down to the player and personal preferences. In my mind, I wanted to love the Costco golf ball, but the reality is that it felt “just ok” and I’ll pay a few bucks more for a ball I like better.
Around the Green
Like I said above, the Costco Kirkland Signature golf ball performs “just ok” in this category. My immediate reaction to putting and greenside wedge shots was “eh, it’s fine.” It felt ok, spun ok-ish, and was good enough, but not exciting. Everything about the K-Sig around the green was boring and generic. Could I play with this ball? I guess, sure. Do I want to keep replenishing my stock based on how it performs around the green? No. I’d rather stock up on discounted older model balls for my “junk balls” that have better performance and feel.
On the Approach
Approach shots are where I thought the Costco Kirkland Signature ball performed the best. Like I’ve described previously, they’re fairly generic and perform adequately. The K-Sig didn’t have extreme spin either direction and felt fine off the club. You won’t find yourself thinking you unlocked a magic secret in your iron game, but the Kirkland Signature will adequately perform for most people on the approach.
Off the Tee
Off the tee is where I found the Costco Kirkland Signature to start getting frustrating. In the interest of full honesty, I will openly admit that I’ve hit far worse golf balls with a driver. That being said, I don’t really have much great to say about the K-Sig off the tee. I found the Costco ball to be squirrely with a weird amount of spin that made it hard to control. Distance was normal-ish but was largely hampered by the weird spin. The feel was ok, but nothing to write home about.
Most importantly, I struggled to keep the Kirkland Signature in places I wanted it to be. Look, I don’t hit a fairway every time and I won’t try to convince you otherwise. What I experience with the Costco ball is that it would uncharacteristically leak on me. Just oddly drift off different than a usual miss. The end result was having to play from different positions than I normally would in addition to some extra OB’s.
Final Thoughts
Let’s face it, the Costco Kirkland Signature golf ball is an ok budget ball and nothing more. I will admit that its $15/dozen price tag is impressive and enticing, but I’d rather spend $5 more and play the Top Flite Gamer at this point. Don’t get me wrong, if you aren’t a big golfer and you happen to see a few boxes while on a Costco trip, sure pick them up to stock up for the season. If you take your golf a little more seriously, I think you can find a much better golf ball, and at relatively competitive prices.
Afterthought
After writing this review, I was thinking about all of the forum threads I’ve read since the K-Sig first popped up. It blows my mind to see the demand for this ball amongst golf nerds like myself. Sure, picking up a couple dozen to give the hype a shot or to keep a few in the bag for novelty makes sense. What you will find is that there has previously been an aftermarket for these balls where people are paying like $70 for a box of two dozen! $50 for one dozen! Listen, there is nothing about these golf balls that makes that a remotely worthwhile deal. Be honest with yourself. This is a budget ball that’s worth it if convenient, but hardly worth paying a doubled premium.
Hi Bill
Have you ever tried and tested the 3 piece ball Costco sells?
I wouldn’t say I’ve ever done any formal testing. I’ve hit the odd ball here and there, but not enough to form much of an opinion other than they don’t really leave that much of any impression on me. They seemed like anything mediocre golf ball out there. But maybe I’ll buy a box soon and give them a deeper whirl.