THE ONE AND ONLY KIRKLAND SIGNATURE BALL THREAD

[Birdiehunter17]

I agree, and tell people, it is comparable to the ProV1x.

 

The numbers in the review pretty much sum up how I felt about playing the ball.

[Hula Rock]

Personally, I think it's more like the ProV1x, and even more like the TaylorMade TPX.  

 

I'm not a ProV fan anyway - so it's easy for me to like this ball a hell of a lot better...

 

To me it feels like a Srixon XV.  Took a couple of holes to get use to the feel off the putter, but after that everything about this ball is PREDICTABLE.....

[PlaidJacket]

I read the review/test on the blog about the Ksig vs PV1. It's pretty much what I expected. I've been playing them since around mid-October when I got my first shipment. My initial finding was the ball is longer. I estimated at the time 5-8 yards. The MGS test was 9 yards longer. Works for me. Distance is the one thing I can't lose anymore of. Therefore and thanks to a fantastic golf ball sold at a discount warehouse club I've gained yardage. I couldn't do that with a new driver. I know because I tried last summer. As good as Titleist products are I'm calling BS on them with their PV1 balls. They're not ripping anybody off mind you. They're just charging a high price because people are willing to pay it. I'd do the same. 

 

I have one more request for MGS. Let's take this experiment a step further and test the Ksig ($15), PV1 ($48), and MG Tour ($20). And the winner is??

[Kenny B]

So, the MGS performance test supports the conclusions drawn by all MGS forum members that played the KSig ball.  Good job guys!!

[snagy2000]

I love this ball! Paired with my Nike Vapor flex 440 with a GD AD BB shaft, this thing is getting me considerably more than 10 yards off the tee and plenty of my buddies money over the last month. 

[MmmmmmBuddy]

This ball might be a very close copy of the Taylormade TP ball.  Made in the same ball factory in South Korea that TM uses for extra production capacity when needed. Pretty sure that the legal team at TM is looking in to it..    

[snagy2000]

This ball might be a very close copy of the Taylormade TP ball.  Made in the same ball factory in South Korea that TM uses for extra production capacity when needed. Pretty sure that the legal team at TM is looking in to it..  

 

[BigtazzGolf]

To me it feels like a Srixon XV. Took a couple of holes to get use to the feel off the putter, but after that everything about this ball is PREDICTABLE.....

+1 on this. Totally agree.

 

Tazz

 

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[Birdiehunter17]

I am sure Costco made sure the ball would not let them be sued by another company

 

 

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[newballcoach]

I still think it's BS this ball is not available to Canadians (can't even get them to ship it here, despite my phone call and being very charming). Golf equipment retail in this country is a freaking joke. Every club is at least $100 more than it is in the US, if it's even available here. Total bullshit they won't ship the Ksig here, the only ball I can order at Costco is a Polara!!!

 

Rant over.

 

This ball sounds awesome, and it seems like something that will really help the consumer in the long run because it could force OEM's to re-evaluate their price points. If Costco can sell this ball at the price they do, those guys need to take a look at their production capabilities and techniques in order to compete. But Canadians will still pay $65 for a pack of 12 Pro V1's. Because Canada. I hope Trump wins (okay, no I don't....I didn't mean that, sorry)

[Tom54]

Guy at my course gave me one right before MGS announced the test. I messed around with it this past weekend comparing it to a Pro-V1x. Gotta say, I couldn't much tell the difference. The Pro-V1x probably feels a little better off the club, but I was getting the same distance and on short wedges around the green the Costco ball was behaving about the same. Very interesting.

[Birdiehunter17]

You have cheaper meds, so there is that

[Kenny B]

There have been many small golf ball companies come and go; all trying to compete with the big boys for a little piece of the market, some listed here.  A few have been sued by Titleist.  But the Kirkland Signature ball is different.  Costco doesn't make golf balls.  The ball is made in Korea by a reputable golf ball manufacturer, and is branded and sold by Costco.  Personally, I think Titleist, and other golf company ball manufacturers as well, should be worried.  Costco is a marketing company and if the ball can legitimately compete with the ProV1 at a fraction of the cost, it could hurt sales of all the other top tour balls.  If this ball continues to be marketed by Costco at $15/dozen, the prices of other tour balls will have to drop.

 

I wonder what arrangements Costco has with Nassau Golf in Korea.  Nassau could be reaping huge benefits from this.  However, as with many Costco-branded items, they can quickly disappear or be replaced with a different product.  Time will tell, but I'm going with Costco staying with the Nassau ball (assuming there is a Nassau contract) and the price will go up a little.  It's understandable when you sell out of a product as quickly as they did with this ball.  

[hckymeyer]

There have been many small golf ball companies come and go; all trying to compete with the big boys for a little piece of the market, some listed here.  A few have been sued by Titleist.  But the Kirkland Signature ball is different.  Costco doesn't make golf balls.  The ball is made in Korea by a reputable golf ball manufacturer, and is branded and sold by Costco.  Personally, I think Titleist, and other golf company ball manufacturers as well, should be worried.  Costco is a marketing company and if the ball can legitimately compete with the ProV1 at a fraction of the cost, it could hurt sales of all the other top tour balls.  If this ball continues to be marketed by Costco at $15/dozen, the prices of other tour balls will have to drop.

 

I wonder what arrangements Costco has with Nassau Golf in Korea.  Nassau could be reaping huge benefits from this.  However, as with many Costco-branded items, they can quickly disappear or be replaced with a different product.  Time will tell, but I'm going with Costco staying with the Nassau ball (assuming there is a Nassau contract) and the price will go up a little.  It's understandable when you sell out of a product as quickly as they did with this ball.  

Website still says back in stock on or around 11/21.  If that is the case I'm very curious how quickly they sell out the 2nd time around.

 

The thing to remember with the Kirkland brand is that the product must be equal or better than it's competition and offer a savings.  There is some wiggle room at $15 a dozen, but I don't see them jacking up the price much.  It's far more worth it to Costco to have the price of these balls drive memberships than it is to eek out a couple more bucks margin on this single product.

[chisag]

... Kenny B, I don't really see the KS competing with the ProV1. I do think they will take a bite out of every other brand though. Most ProV1 buyers do so for the prestige either personally or as a gift. When balls like the Lethal or Z Star go on sale or Snell and Vice sell for $25-30 and still don't make a dent in ProV1 sales, that tells you something. 

... Now at $15 a dozen the KS could take sales away from other Titlest balls like NXT, DT TRuesoft and Velocity but not ProV1's. . Time will tell. 

[Undershooter]

Website still says back in stock on or around 11/21.  If that is the case I'm very curious how quickly they sell out the 2nd time around.

 

The thing to remember with the Kirkland brand is that the product must be equal or better than it's competition and offer a savings.  There is some wiggle room at $15 a dozen, but I don't see them jacking up the price much.  It's far more worth it to Costco to have the price of these balls drive memberships than it is to eek out a couple more bucks margin on this single product.

I think the highest we could see the price possibly go would be $48 for 2 dozen. That would bring it equal with the ProV price but you get twice the product. I don't think this will happen any time soon but I would guess that is the ceiling that Costco has on these money wise. 

 

I could see next year letting them creep closer to $35-40 for 2 dozen. Who knows though. 

 

Hopefully Costco keeps the price where it is and continues to sell them like hot cakes. 

[Mr_Theoo]

I think the highest we could see the price possibly go would be $48 for 2 dozen. That would bring it equal with the ProV price but you get twice the product. I don't think this will happen any time soon but I would guess that is the ceiling that Costco has on these money wise.

 

I could see next year letting them creep closer to $35-40 for 2 dozen. Who knows though.

 

Hopefully Costco keeps the price where it is and continues to sell them like hot cakes.

I work for Costco. The price will most likely stay the same because Costco doesn't mark anything up. They sell their goods for the same price they purchased them for.

[Undershooter]

I work for Costco. The price will most likely stay the same because Costco doesn't mark anything up. They sell their goods for the same price they purchased them for.

Thanks for the inside scoop Theo!

[PlaidJacket]

How does that work Theoo? If I sell Costco a can of beans for $1 and they don't add a markup where is Costos profit? Are they a charity club?

[hckymeyer]

How does that work Theoo? If I sell Costco a can of beans for $1 and they don't add a markup where is Costos profit? Are they a charity club?

I think it means the price is the price.  They don't increase price just because something is selling well.

[Mr_Theoo]

How does that work Theoo? If I sell Costco a can of beans for $1 and they don't add a markup where is Costos profit? Are they a charity club?

They make their money in the memberships

 

They also don't advertise, which was something I didn't know until I started working there.

[L.I. Rich]

I thought they operated on a cost + 10% model across the board. So typically high margin goods are really good deals, but low margin goods not so much.

[Hula Rock]

I remember reading in the wall Street journal the mark-up is 8-10â„… only exception is the Kirkland brand which is 15â„….

[pinhi19]

Stopped in the closest Costco yesterday (70 miles away) just to see if there was a chance they had any. Nothing. To my surprise, the manager in the department didn't even know that they offered their own golf ball? I explained how highly rated the balls are and they could be the number one golf ball supplier in the world within a year and the manager didn't even seem to care? He said they had no plans of carrying them in the store. Guess I'll be ordering online.

[Undershooter]

Stopped in the closest Costco yesterday (70 miles away) just to see if there was a chance they had any. Nothing. To my surprise, the manager in the department didn't even know that they offered their own golf ball? I explained how highly rated the balls are and they could be the number one golf ball supplier in the world within a year and the manager didn't even seem to care? He said they had no plans of carrying them in the store. Guess I'll be ordering online.

They are only carrying them at a handful of stores across the US. The largest ones from what I read.

 

Not sure if this is accurate but it is what I read. 

[BigtazzGolf]

Round last weekend played them again.

Temps started in the upper 40s and finished in the 60s.

Noticed more ball scuff during the round.

Anyone else play in cold temps and or notice a difference?

 

 

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[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Round last weekend played them again.

Temps started in the upper 40s and finished in the 60s.

Noticed more ball scuff during the round.

Anyone else play in cold temps and or notice a difference?

 

 

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@bigtazzGOLF on Twitter

 

Been using them for the last few rounds here in MN -- been in the mid 50's to maybe low 60's.  They seem to perform pretty well at those temps. I gamed a ProV today and the results were remarkably similar in the cooler temps.  Didn't notice any scuffing beyond what would be considered normal - but I can say for certain that they don't like cart paths or trees.  

[mbrodeur86]

Guys you can add me to the list of people wanting to try these balls.

 

I absolutely love my Snell MTB and I read the article putting the ks against the prov1 but since a lot of us here are using Snell I would love a test done between ks and the Snell.

 

As for the type of ball a 15 hdp is using. I remember buying a load of prov1 balls on eBay and I was maybe a 10-12 hdcp at the time. I could barely keep the ball in play because it spun too much off the driver. I think if higher hdcpers want to really get into lower scores, they should always play the ball that they can control the best. At a 5.3 index, I need a ball that sits on the green. Granted I have used the get sum ball for practice and it's great it just doesn't sit on the Greens. Play the one that you can control the best and that keeps you in play than experiment once your swing gets better

 

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[chisag]

... I think you have touched on one of the huge advantages of the KS. When playing a practice round and dropping multiple balls and attempting to hut different shots, it is brutal to lose a ball that cost $45 a dozen. I have always kept balls that hit cart paths, roots or just scuffed after several rounds in the "extra" pocket of my bag. But at $15 a dozen you can pull out new balls for practice rounds which are much more productive, especially the short game when you may chip 5 or 6 times and balls with big chunks or very abrasive scuff marks may perform differently. 

... Playing last week and had the course to myself so I was attempting to work out some fade issues that had been turning into slices, not fades. Tee'd up a second ball and attempted a fade into a 17mph wind where the spin would be exaggerated making a near perfect shot a necessity. Promptly curved a new KS over the fence 30 yds right of my target. Tee'd up a 3rd and corrected the flight. That was the only ball I lost and didn't feel too bad about it but really worked out some of the kinks in my fade game, which I rarely use but nice to have in the bag. 

... So not only is the KS a good gamer, it is an excellent practice ball. Especially considering a dozen ProV1x balls with PRACTICE written on them are twice the price. 

[PlaidJacket]

Another Ksig comment...

 

Friday I played. It was windy and around 57. As far as I can tell the Ksig handled the wind and cooler weather just fine. It was challenging day in the wind for sure. Shot 80. The next day... yesterday; conditions were awesome but colder starting out. When we hit the first tee it was sunny, 48*, and no wind. Again I played a Ksig all day carding a 75. At the start of the round I was expecting the Ksig might feel a little firmer in the colder temps but I never got that impression. I was prepared to switch but played the same ball all day as temps rose to about 57*.