Kirkland Putter Testing

[Thatginger96]

Kirkland Ball Putter Testing

Got my hands on one of these bad boys after it had been abandoned on the course. I stashed it away in my bag to test knowing full well that if I played with it, then it would find a watery grave.

I do want to state this ahead of time, that all that follows is simply my opinion and I have no actual data to back up any of my claims.

 

Testing Location and Methods

All testing was done on a practice mat that was bought from Amazon. It is 9 feet long and about 2 feet wide. So it is plenty long enough to test out the golf balls on. I used my 2015 Scotty Cameron GoLo 5 for this test as it is my current gamer.

 

The Candidates:

I tested seven golf balls all comparing them against the Kirkland, these balls are as follows:

 

Bridgestone e6

Bridgestone Tour B330-RXS

Callaway Supersoft

Titleist DT Solo

Titleist NXT Tour

Titleist Pro V1

Titleist Pro V1X

 

I hit 10 putts with each ball and compared them against 10 putts with the Kirkland.

This was done to ensure I had enough putts to get a feel for feel and sound not just based on a few putts.

 

Results

Now is when I am going to anger quite a few people.

The Kirkland Signature ball is nothing special. It has no major defining feature aside from its price.

This is where so many people get caught up in this ball. When the ball is put to the test where over half of your strokes come, it fails the test.

It has average firm feel and sound. 

It finished 4th in the testing for feel and sound. It did, however, outperform the Pro V1X. 

I do want to mention once again that this is purely my opinion and my putting preference is completely subjective.

Now time for the final rankings:

 

1. Callaway Supersoft

2. Bridgestone Tour B330-RXS

3. Titleist Pro V1

4. Kirkland Signature

5. Titleist NXT Tour 

6. Bridgestone e6

7. Titleist Pro V1X

8. Titleist DT Solo

 

Now please lower all the torches and pitchforks and let me explain.

The Kirkland had just average feel, it was a bit on the firm side and was quite a clicky sound.

Since I'm already poking the beast I might as well take another stab. Aside from color and logo, the Kirkland and the Titleist NXT Tour are the same ball. They have the same feel and sound. I even had my father putt both of them and he couldn't tell a difference in the two of them and for the record, he is a Pro V1X player.

 

Conclusion

Time to bring this all back around full circle. What the Kirkland has done to the ball industry is important. It is offering a solid ball at a crazy low price point, but that's it. Would I buy it given the option between it and a Callaway Supersoft? Sure, since it's cheaper and not terrible, but if money was no object I wouldn't even look at the Kirkland unless it seriously offered more distance off the tee to me. I'm sure you all will probably disagree with me, but I stand by my opinion and the results I came up with.

 

 

[cnosil]

No pitchforks from here.   This is why it is important for every player to test equipment themselves since each person as different expectations from their equipment and what works for one player may be the worst piece of equipment for another player.  

[Liberty Ball Markers]

The voice of reason - thank you!

 

I agree that everyone seems to get a little carried away with price, and the best opinion on the ksig tends to be "similar to the prov1x at 1/2 the price".

 

I don't buy balls, but find endless prov1's. They have the feedback and feel that I like, so to me, price doesn't matter.

 

I would also say, that for me it goes beyond the putter. The bridgestones and prov1x are too clicky for me, supersoft is like a marshmallow, and the lower end titleist balls just don't hold the green.

 

I have seen some other balls thanks to mgs that are very good compared to the prov1 - mg c4 is great, srixon z-star is also good, and the tmag project a seems good.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[hckymeyer]

Nothing wrong with your tests or methods for you.  I wouldn't stop there though.  I can learn to putt with any ball.  They are all going to roll straight so it's just a matter of sound and feel to control distance.  

 

Where you are going to see a difference in balls is tee to green.  I would start with short greenside shots and then keep moving back.  Where the differences are going to come through is spin control and distance from everything off the green.

 

So if that 4th on the putting green turns out 1st from the tee, 2nd from mid range and top 2 or 3 from wedges it starts looking like a pretty good ball.

 

All that said I did purchase 2 dozen Ksigs and I was able to use them for a few rounds before my season ended.  I was impressed, it's a good ball for my game.  Now if it was the same price as every other tour ball I wouldn't be playing it.  I'd stick with the Snell MTB and not think twice.  The magic of the Ksig is that it's a ball that holds it's own or surpasses the performance of other $45/dozen balls and it's only $15/dozen.  Take away the value proposition and it becomes just another ball.

 

Good luck with your continued testing and finding the best ball for YOUR game!

[Thatginger96]

Nothing wrong with your tests or methods for you. I wouldn't stop there though. I can learn to putt with any ball. They are all going to roll straight so it's just a matter of sound and feel to control distance.

 

Where you are going to see a difference in balls is tee to green. I would start with short greenside shots and then keep moving back. Where the differences are going to come through is spin control and distance from everything off the green.

 

So if that 4th on the putting green turns out 1st from the tee, 2nd from mid range and top 2 or 3 from wedges it starts looking like a pretty good ball.

 

All that said I did purchase 2 dozen Ksigs and I was able to use them for a few rounds before my season ended. I was impressed, it's a good ball for my game. Now if it was the same price as every other tour ball I wouldn't be playing it. I'd stick with the Snell MTB and not think twice. The magic of the Ksig is that it's a ball that holds it's own or surpasses the performance of other $45/dozen balls and it's only $15/dozen. Take away the value proposition and it becomes just another ball.

 

Good luck with your continued testing and finding the best ball for YOUR game!

You make some very valid points, distance off the tee and with my irons doesn't really matter to much to me as I have plenty of club head speed so if I want those extra 4 yards I just swing I bit harder. I think you did hit the nail on the head though, find the ball that fits your game. I focus on the best ball for putting and chipping as I often go driver wedge. My putting is a real struggle right now so why not find the ball that I like the best for putting. We all have to put the effort in to find what works for our games.

[Orange Hog]

Good insight and to each his own.  Golf equipment (ball included) are very personal and naturally feel will be perceived differently by different folks.

 

I've been gaming the KS balls for a couple weeks now and admittedly they aren't the softest golf balls I've ever putted with, nor are they the firmest.  But, as previously mentioned, tee to green is where I've seen this ball really shine.  Exceptionally good feel for a "value" ball off the driver and outstanding distance and accuracy.  With irons and around the green I saw fantastic spin and, again, great feel.

 

I played yesterday with a bunch of guys and they all gave me a hard time for playing the KS ball.  My playing partner was about to pull out his ProV1 on #1 when I handed him a KS ball and told him to just give it a shot on the first hole and he could give it back if he didn't like it.  When we walked off the last hole I had to pry the KS ball away from him.

 

No, they won't be for everyone and that's totally fine.  For the performance I've seen myself and the price point I'm sold for as long as they keep stocking these.

[Boricuagolf]

I have to agree with the "to each its own" comment, I have been playing the Ksigs since October, I am a Chrome Soft guy, I use a white hot pro tour V-Line putter, I have been pleasantly surprised with the overall performance of this ball, feels very nice off the putter, again, I have an insert that may dampen the feel of the ball compared to the milled putters out there (again, it may or may not), like stated above, we are all different and what feels great for me may not work for anyone else...I do appreciate, however, the time spent on doing the test, thank you for that....

[chershey]

Good methodology for the putter performance of the ball. Although I've been intrigued by the Kirkland ball, I've stayed away because people are mostly comparing the performance against balls like the ProV1 and the Chromesoft. I've found that I get my best performance off lower spin balls like the ProV1X or the Nike RZN Black and the Kirkland doesn't seem to have the same characteristics as those balls. Every person's swing is different, as is their preference for feel, and I kind of like the hard clicky balls.

[JudgeSmails]

Have to admit, when I first saw this topic, I thought Kirkland had started making putters 

[hckymeyer]

Good methodology for the putter performance of the ball. Although I've been intrigued by the Kirkland ball, I've stayed away because people are mostly comparing the performance against balls like the ProV1 and the Chromesoft. I've found that I get my best performance off lower spin balls like the ProV1X or the Nike RZN Black and the Kirkland doesn't seem to have the same characteristics as those balls. Every person's swing is different, as is their preference for feel, and I kind of like the hard clicky balls.

I wouldn't write it off just yet then.  My go-to balls prior to Ksig were the TMaG TP-X and the Snell MTB.  I've played the Pro-V1x variant of whatever tour ball I was using at the time.  I think the Ksig stacks up nicely against those balls.  Not saying it will be the greatest for you, but it does fall in line with those balls and for 1/3rd the price it's hard not to try.  When it's in stock that is.

[chershey]

Good to know! I'll give it a try when I can find it in stock.

[chisag]

... First we are not talking about performance. We are talking about feel. Good golfers can adjust to almost any feel IF the performance is there. Of course personal preference enters into it and if you just don't like a feel/sound/look you don't like it, and that is as valid as any reason to play or not play something. 

... But the very first Kirkland ball I played was very clicky and hard feeling. I did a putting test and it was clickier than the TPx and much clickier than the Z Star. Since it was so new I posted my findings after one round. A respondent to my review disagreed and said it was a little softer than the TPx. I took a dozen KS balls out on the course the next time I played a practice round and surprisingly the one KS ball I played was the hardest of the 12. One other ball was almost as hard but 10 of them were softer feeling than the TPx. Not by much as it is a firm feeling ball but a noticeable difference. Fwiw I have never played a dozen balls and had two feel differently than the others so perhaps the haste to get these to market let a few slide thru QC. 

... I shot a 67, my lowest round the the season with a KS and found it's performance equal my 2 favorites, the TPx and Z Star. Anecdotal of course and I am not ready to proclaim 10+ extra yds off my driver, but I did hit more than a few longer than I expected and if forced to give an answer I would say for me, it is longer off the tee. It is just as good as my favorites around the green with one hop and stop performance over and over again. Like TG96 I prefer a softer feeling ball off my putter but after a round or two I forgot I was playing a KS. And after playing 30 days in a row twice last season the cost of balls adds up quickly and $15 a dozen for a premium ball is too good to pass up. I would advise everyone to pick up two dozen KS for $29 and play them on the course before making a decision. The KS certainly may not be for you, but you are out less than the cost of 1 dozen balls with $15 left over and a great shag bag of balls to use for practice if you decide they aren't the ball for you. 

[The Dansome]

I was seriously dissapointed to find out Kirkland wasn't selling putters...

 

With that said great test and awesome to hear your opinon on the feel of the ball. Fortunately it's perfromance for all other shots is at the highest level--length, spin, workability, greenside control etc. I do agree with you 100% it's not the softest or best feeling ball off the putter, but I found it's performance on the greens--distance control, consistentcy etc to be top notch.

 

For $15/dozen anyone writing this off because of putter feel is selling themselves short.

 

I'll also mention that I played a Callaway Supersoft for 2 holes this summer and gave up, my personal opinion is that it was a waaaay too mushy feeling ball with little to no feedback. Once again though, this is my personal findings.

 

For reference as a ball/putter ho, based purely on feel my list would be:

1. Bridgestone Tour B330-RXS

2. Titleist Pro V1

3. Titleist Pro V1X

4. Kirkland Signature

5. Bridgestone e6

6. Titleist NXT Tour 

7. Titleist DT Solo 

8. Callaway Supersoft

[jjfcpa]

I believe the reason that the Ksig has gotten so much attention is not that it is such a good ball, but that the other balls are not any better but cost a whole heck of a lot more.  So those golfers who are buying much more expensive balls because they think that are going to get better response out of them are being misled, because the Ksig proves that!  

 

I did my own comparison with the Ksig (yes, I managed to get 2 dozen before they sold out the first time), Chome Soft, and Snell MTB.  For me, the Snell MTB gave me more consistent responses off the tee, and especially when hitting the green.  Putting was pretty much a push between the three except, once again, I just prefer the way the Snell MTB comes off the face of the putter.  It also seems to hold the line better which may be a factor of the way it responds to any spin off the putter face.

 

The Ksig will become an anomaly very quickly if you can't even get it to play it, and right now, it's MIA.