Kirkland Signature (Costco) golf balls (MERGED) (NO BST POSTS)

[monks66]

safe to say, they wont be selling next time LOL

[MP4444]

 

For my test on the ball from the other 2-dozen pack I started with driver and made an effort to position the ball to strike relatively the same spot each time.

 

I hit 30 drives and the ball looked very good. Hardly any signs of use.

 

I then went to other clubs still making an effort to strike the same spot each time. I noticed spin numbers inconsistent and much lower than they should be.

I would switch to a Srixon Z Star or Pro V1 and numbers looked normal.

 

 

At this point the cover was still in really good shape compared to the previous ball.

I then focused on my 56deg which is around a 10,000-11,000 spin 95yrd club using my normal balls and I was only getting 5,000 or less with the KP1. If I positioned the ball to hit the exact opposite side spin went up a bit 7,000ish but still not right.

 

 

I thought that maybe the cover separated in the area I was striking so I cut it open along a neutral strike line and the cover was completely separated where I was striking it and significantly more attached on the opposite side.

 

That was enough testing for me to make the decision to return. Even if they look okay you could get major performance issues because of the cover separating.

[gioreeko]

hmmm, going to be interesting to try mine this weekend. I'm sure this is something they will hopefully fix before releasing a new batch.

[tennistim777]

 

 

60 shots before damage w/ no driver shots all trying to hit the exact same spot? I'm not too worried for the price.

[North Butte]

> @tennistim777 said:

>

>

> 60 shots before damage w/ no driver shots all trying to hit the exact same spot? I'm not too worried for the price.

 

 

[larciel]

after one hole and one tree hit. Not too many of this deep cut after one hit to a tree. I know because it's the damn same tree I always hit.

 

 

[larciel]

> @trackcoach13 said:

> The mfg of this ball also makes the Cut Blue which has very similar durability issues. I wound if it is a similar design or even the same ball as the original Cut Blue.

 

where did you get the info? I'm curious to know

[snagy2000]

> @larciel said:

> after one hole and one tree hit. Not too many of this deep cut after one hit to a tree. I know because it's the **** same tree I always hit.

>

>

>

 

That one's on you bud, don't hit a tree!

[larciel]

I'd have to stop playing then.

[scotee]

> @HighBoomingDraws said:

> Can confirm these covers are garbage and the balls aren’t good. I’ve never seen anything like this playing all types of balls over 100s it rounds last few years.

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

[tennistim777]

> @"North Butte" said:

> > @tennistim777 said:

> >

> >

> > 60 shots before damage w/ no driver shots all trying to hit the exact same spot? I'm not too worried for the price.

>

>

>

 

For $1.50 ball? I am likely to lose it before I see damage. The guy that finds it will have to deal with the poor quality, and he didn't pay anything for it! Win- Win. Lol...think positive guys!

[cristphoto]

I played my second round today with the new model and did not see any cover tearing like others have shown. But I'm retired and don't hit the ball a ton like the young guns. Like the first round the ball showed some slight dimple wear but I would say the ball would be good for a second round. After two rounds I like the feel of the ball. I'm wondering if this ball has Srixon technology since it has no visible seam. I say this as I briefly played the Z-Star earlier this year and the feel off the driver seems similar. However Srixon doesn't make a double mantle 4 piece but I think Bridgestone (the other company making a true seamless ball) has. I lean toward Srixon since most newer Bridgestone balls have had the dual dimple design which is not present on the Kirkland. I'm also retracting my prior statement saying it felt slightly firmer off the driver than a ProV1X. My first round I hit a ton of balls comparing both versions and was probably mis-hitting some drives due to being a bit tired. Today I just played a straight round of golf and to me the new ball feels just slightly softer than the ProV1X with driver.

[HighBoomingDraws]

Full disclosure I swing driver 115 or so and can hit a 60* lob wedge approx 115 yards.

[trackcoach13]

> @larciel said:

> > @trackcoach13 said:

> > The mfg of this ball also makes the Cut Blue which has very similar durability issues. I wound if it is a similar design or even the same ball as the original Cut Blue.

>

> where did you get the info? I'm curious to know

 

"The new ball is produced in the same factory in China that makes the current Kirkland 3-piece model. That factory, formerly known as Fantom, was sold and is now operating as Qingdao SM Parker Golf Co. According to a source inside the ball industry, SM Parker, as the name might suggest, is closely aligned with SM Global LLC, a warehousing, logistics, packaging and repackaging company. The connection to SM Global is significant because Costco is one of the company’s largest clients (if not the largest). Notably, SM Global LLC has, for some time, been listed as the manufacturer of Kirkland golf balls on the USGA Conforming Ball List.**_ As an FYI, Fantom/SM Parker also supplies balls for direct to consumer brands Cut and Pearl. It also supplied Snell’s MTB Red."_**

[pallmall]

> @trackcoach13 said:

> > @larciel said:

> > > @trackcoach13 said:

> > > The mfg of this ball also makes the Cut Blue which has very similar durability issues. I wound if it is a similar design or even the same ball as the original Cut Blue.

> >

> > where did you get the info? I'm curious to know

>

> "The new ball is produced in the same factory in China that makes the current Kirkland 3-piece model. That factory, formerly known as Fantom, was sold and is now operating as Qingdao SM Parker Golf Co. According to a source inside the ball industry, SM Parker, as the name might suggest, is closely aligned with SM Global LLC, a warehousing, logistics, packaging and repackaging company. The connection to SM Global is significant because Costco is one of the company’s largest clients (if not the largest). Notably, SM Global LLC has, for some time, been listed as the manufacturer of Kirkland golf balls on the USGA Conforming Ball List.**_ As an FYI, Fantom/SM Parker also supplies balls for direct to consumer brands Cut and Pearl. It also supplied Snell’s MTB Red."_**

 

They were supplying these balls before, but after Fantom became SM Parker, not any more.

[jpdx]

> @pallmall said:

> > @trackcoach13 said:

> > > @larciel said:

> > > > @trackcoach13 said:

> > > > The mfg of this ball also makes the Cut Blue which has very similar durability issues. I wound if it is a similar design or even the same ball as the original Cut Blue.

> > >

> > > where did you get the info? I'm curious to know

> >

> > "The new ball is produced in the same factory in China that makes the current Kirkland 3-piece model. That factory, formerly known as Fantom, was sold and is now operating as Qingdao SM Parker Golf Co. According to a source inside the ball industry, SM Parker, as the name might suggest, is closely aligned with SM Global LLC, a warehousing, logistics, packaging and repackaging company. The connection to SM Global is significant because Costco is one of the company’s largest clients (if not the largest). Notably, SM Global LLC has, for some time, been listed as the manufacturer of Kirkland golf balls on the USGA Conforming Ball List.**_ As an FYI, Fantom/SM Parker also supplies balls for direct to consumer brands Cut and Pearl. It also supplied Snell’s MTB Red."_**

>

> They were supplying these balls before, but after Fantom became SM Parker, not any more.

Supplies, present tense. Supplied, past tense. It reads to me, that they still supply for Cut and Pearl, but no longer snell. But interesting nonetheless. I enjoy reading the rumors and speculation.

 

I think this thread is more fun that way. And Costco polish dogs were better than the hot dogs.

 

[grm24]

> @cristphoto said:

> > @grm24 said:

> > > @cristphoto said:

> > > This new ball (if ultimately available in larger quantities) will be a game changer. **This could impact sales of the big boys. **

> > Please explain. This should be good.

> >

> > 

> >

>

> If it truly has performance comparable to other tour balls, and becomes readily available for one third the price change will occur.

>

Not likely. Srixon since the start of 2017 has been selling their 2 tour level Z-Star golf balls for $20/dozen for long periods of time. Available many times. The Z-Star line may be the best premium balls in golf today. Many many people loaded up on the Z-Stars for $20 since early 2017. What has that done to the price of the other premium tour level balls since Srixon has sold more balls than Costco ever will? Absolutely nothing.

[larciel]

> @grm24 said:

> > @cristphoto said:

> > > @grm24 said:

> > > > @cristphoto said:

> > > > This new ball (if ultimately available in larger quantities) will be a game changer. **This could impact sales of the big boys. **

> > > Please explain. This should be good.

> > >

> > > 

> > >

> >

> > If it truly has performance comparable to other tour balls, and becomes readily available for one third the price change will occur.

> >

> Not likely. Srixon since the start of 2017 has been selling their 2 tour level Z-Star golf balls for $20/dozen for long periods of time. Available many times. The Z-Star line may be the best premium balls in golf today. Many many people loaded up on the Z-Stars for $20 since early 2017. What has that done to the price of the other premium tour level balls since Srixon has sold more balls than Costco ever will? Absolutely nothing.

 

I was blinded by $29/2dozen price.

But this KP1 is not $30/2dozen. It's $35plus tax ~ $37/2dozen. Because there is a mandatory $5 shipping charge.

I can buy srixon z star at any one of online retailers (albeit for a limited time) that do not charge sh or tax and it's $40/2dozen, only $3 difference.

 

R.I.P. KP1. I don't believe there's any chance this survives more than 6 months without revision.

 

[North Butte]

> @pallmall said:

> > @trackcoach13 said:

> > > @larciel said:

> > > > @trackcoach13 said:

> > > > The mfg of this ball also makes the Cut Blue which has very similar durability issues. I wound if it is a similar design or even the same ball as the original Cut Blue.

> > >

> > > where did you get the info? I'm curious to know

> >

> > "The new ball is produced in the same factory in China that makes the current Kirkland 3-piece model. That factory, formerly known as Fantom, was sold and is now operating as Qingdao SM Parker Golf Co. According to a source inside the ball industry, SM Parker, as the name might suggest, is closely aligned with SM Global LLC, a warehousing, logistics, packaging and repackaging company. The connection to SM Global is significant because Costco is one of the company’s largest clients (if not the largest). Notably, SM Global LLC has, for some time, been listed as the manufacturer of Kirkland golf balls on the USGA Conforming Ball List.**_ As an FYI, Fantom/SM Parker also supplies balls for direct to consumer brands Cut and Pearl. It also supplied Snell’s MTB Red."_**

>

> They were supplying these balls before, but after Fantom became SM Parker, not any more.

 

Well to be clear, Fantom didn't supply Snell for very long because MTB Red was not a good ball! Dean Snell pulled it from the market after just a few months and replaced with with MTB-X, a high quality ball made with a cast thermoset urethane cover by a better factory.

[North Butte]

> @larciel said:

> > @grm24 said:

> > > @cristphoto said:

> > > > @grm24 said:

> > > > > @cristphoto said:

> > > > > This new ball (if ultimately available in larger quantities) will be a game changer. **This could impact sales of the big boys. **

> > > > Please explain. This should be good.

> > > >

> > > > 

> > > >

> > >

> > > If it truly has performance comparable to other tour balls, and becomes readily available for one third the price change will occur.

> > >

> > Not likely. Srixon since the start of 2017 has been selling their 2 tour level Z-Star golf balls for $20/dozen for long periods of time. Available many times. The Z-Star line may be the best premium balls in golf today. Many many people loaded up on the Z-Stars for $20 since early 2017. What has that done to the price of the other premium tour level balls since Srixon has sold more balls than Costco ever will? Absolutely nothing.

>

> I was blinded by $29/2dozen price.

> But this KP1 is not $30/2dozen. It's $35plus tax ~ $37/2dozen. Because there is a mandatory $5 shipping charge.

> I can buy srixon z star at any one of online retailers (albeit for a limited time) that do not charge sh or tax and it's $40/2dozen, only $3 difference.

>

> R.I.P. KP1. I don't believe there's any chance this survives more than 6 months without revision.

 

I've said that since the initial craze. If something like the original K-Sig were *always* available off the shelf for a very attractive price that would be a great, great deal. But if you're going to wait around and hope a decent KIRKLAND ball shows up and then you end up paying $35 for 2 dozen, what the heck you might as well wait around until great deals show up on a few dozen of some name-brand ball for maybe 10-20% more. Those deals pop up every few weeks on some ball or another.

 

The whole K-Sig phenom has played out like some sort of loss-leader stunt. They sold a batch of outstanding balls at a great, great price but very briefly. Now everyone thinks of Costo as some sort of "game changer" retail source for great balls at unbeatable prices. In reality, it was a one-off deal and since then they have proven unable to match that initial deal.

 

Who'd have thought it. Turns out it's not that simple to churn out millions of TP Red quality premium golf balls and sell them for a buck twenty-five.

[ZNDavis]

KP1 no longer listed on Costco’s golf ball page ?

[sloansav62]

Wow hold on to your knickers and ready the returns.

[Philomathesq]

> @ZNDavis said:

> KP1 no longer listed on Costco’s golf ball page ?

 

The people have spoken, and Costco has listened.

[snagy2000]

With all these alleged QC issues, I'm thinking these balls are made at a Callaway plant...

[jmgledhill]

> @ZNDavis said:

> KP1 no longer listed on Costco’s golf ball page ?

 

wow. guess these are going back.

 

As an aside, when i was hitting these on the trackman I got a couple toward the end (maybe hit it 40 times) that had really low spin numbers, like 2000 for a 7 iron, that felt like it was struck well. i just assumed that the trackman didn't get it right, but now, in light of all the cover separation talk, i think it might have been the ball.

 

what a bummer.

[North Butte]

Guess everyone just needs to be patient until another batch of old Taylormade cores fall off the back of a truck somewhere in Asia.

[HighBoomingDraws]

4 different balls from yesterday.

 

 

[Rory4Pres]

This kind of reminds me of Dr Martin shoes 20 years ago. They made great quality shoes that lasted forever, then they outsourced it from the UK to China and bam, overnight, the quality was gone along with the craze.

Costco needs to take this very serious because once their Kirkland reputation is tarnished, it's going to be really hard to get it back.

Right now you see people going "yeah, there's a couple covers having issues but I'll still give it a try" going to possibly think in a year or two when a new Ksig comes out "I'm gun shy to buy these in bulk (or at all) due to prior quality issues".

 

So question: when you return these, does costco give you the $5 shipping refund or do you lose out on $5 for every box you return?

[snagy2000]

> @jmgledhill said:

> > @ZNDavis said:

> > KP1 no longer listed on Costco’s golf ball page ?

>

> wow. guess these are going back.

>

> As an aside, when i was hitting these on the trackman I got a couple toward the end (maybe hit it 40 times) that had really low spin numbers, like 2000 for a 7 iron, that felt like it was struck well. i just assumed that the trackman didn't get it right, but now, in light of all the cover separation talk, i think it might have been the ball.

>

> what a bummer.

 

Good news, apparently no one on this forum can play the same ball for 40 swings without hitting a tree or cart path. Nothing to worry about, I say!!! In other news, apparently the spy site is pushing up their testing of the ball because they've been reading this forum and are claiming they started noticing issues during initial testing as well. Basically, it's just buying them time for Toney and Dean to get together and write another hit piece. #Kidding #Sorta

[North Butte]

> @snagy2000 said:

> > @jmgledhill said:

> > > @ZNDavis said:

> > > KP1 no longer listed on Costco’s golf ball page ?

> >

> > wow. guess these are going back.

> >

> > As an aside, when i was hitting these on the trackman I got a couple toward the end (maybe hit it 40 times) that had really low spin numbers, like 2000 for a 7 iron, that felt like it was struck well. i just assumed that the trackman didn't get it right, but now, in light of all the cover separation talk, i think it might have been the ball.

> >

> > what a bummer.

>

> Good news, apparently no one on this forum can play the same ball for 40 swings without hitting a tree or cart path. Nothing to worry about, I say!!! In other news, apparently the spy site is pushing up their testing of the ball because they've been reading this forum and are claiming they started noticing issues during initial testing as well. Basically, it's just buying them time for Toney and Dean to get together and write another hit piece. #Kidding #Sorta

 

I don't think that is kidding at all.

 

It was crickets about the ball over there until a few hours after all these photos started showing up on GolfWRX and voila they've "discovered" some issues.

 

The sad thing is, a few months from now they will have convinced the whole world that they broke some kind of scoop about KP1's lack of quality control.