Is Kirkland Back? We Tested Kirkland Performance+ vs. Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls

In its quarter century of dominance, the Titleist Pro V1 has turn into the golf ball in opposition to which all others are measured. That’s not a very enlightened statement, however it is a vital one. It’s the primary ball in golf on Tour and with shoppers by, oh, I don’t know, at the least a mile—perhaps extra.

Each challenger, be it a brand new providing from a mainstream competitor or an out-of-left-field Hail Mary from a direct-to-consumer model you’ve by no means heard of, tries to name out the Professional V1 for a duel on the street at Excessive Midday. These challengers discover on the market are solely two forms of golf balls within the duel, the Fast and the Lifeless. And no one outquicks the Professional V1.

For a short shining second again in 2016, the unique Kirkland signature had its shot. Our personal testing confirmed that very first Okay-Sig had what it took to problem the Professional V1, significantly at $30 per double-dozen. Sadly for shoppers, that authentic Okay-Sig was a unicorn.

Due extra to manufacturing limitations than lawsuits, the unique Okay-Sig was a short shining second in historical past that COSTCO merely couldn’t replicate. Its subsequent Efficiency Plus golf balls have been, merely put, mediocre at finest. They’ve lived a superb life, dwelling off the repute of the 2016 ball, however testing confirmed them to be brief, spinny and never terribly sturdy.

Kirkland Model 3.0: A brand new hope?

COSTCO launched Model 3.0 final yr. MyGolfSpy’s Ball Lab rated properly beneath common. Its compression was in every single place, as was its sizing. The Ball Lab rating of 45 might have been beneficiant.

Now Kirkland has launched what can solely be referred to as Kirkland Signature Version 3.5. You’ll comprehend it by the truth that it has hole arrows on its facet stamp, in comparison with smaller, line arrows with the unique 3.0. As a preview to MyGolfSpy’s massive 2025 Ball Check, we determined to conduct a preliminary head-to-head take a look at in opposition to the 2025 Professional V1.

What we discovered was a mix of curious and quasi-jaw-dropping. In brief, COSTCO’s new Efficiency+ ball corrects most of the shortcomings of its earlier model. In robotic testing, it proved to be barely longer and straighter than the Professional V1 and carried out equally sufficient on 40-yard wedge photographs.

That stated, the most recent Kirkland Efficiency+ golf ball seems to be the very best ball Kirkland has launched because the 2016 authentic. Driver spin is underneath management and its 97 compression makes it loads lengthy sufficient off the tee.  It additionally has the requisite stopping energy on the inexperienced to make it eminently playable.

Of the 7-iron? Effectively, as Meatloaf used to say, two out of three ain’t unhealthy.

Let’s dig into the information.

Concerning the take a look at

To execute the take a look at, we partnered with CoolClubs, one of the revered names in membership becoming and robotic testing. Nearly all of testing was carried out outdoor at SunRidge Canyon Golf Membership in Arizona.

Information was collected with Trackman (drivers and irons) and Foresight GCQuad (wedges).

Whereas the bigger take a look at will likely be carried out at three speeds, for this smaller take a look at the motive force’s pace was set to 100 mph. Irons have been examined at 81 mph whereas the wedge take a look at was designed to copy a greenside shot of roughly 40 yards.

Sizzling off the gauges

Earlier than turning the take a look at over to the robotic, we took some fast measurements on our Ball Lab gauges. Word that the pattern measurement is a bit smaller than what we might usually run for the Ball Lab. We merely needed to get a common concept about compression, weight and diameter.

Compression

• On our gauges, the Kirkland Performance+ measured 97. That’s roughly on par with the Pro V1x and a four- to five-point bounce from earlier Kirkland fashions.
• The Titleist Pro V1 measured 91, barely firmer than the earlier model however softer than the newest Kirkland providing.

Weight

There was nothing significantly noteworthy within the weight measurements of any of the balls. The Kirkland Efficiency+ was barely heavier, however properly throughout the confines of the USGA guidelines.

Diameter

• The Kirkland Efficiency+ was, on common, the bigger of the 2 balls. Whereas bigger is mostly a drawback within the tour class, it’s price noting that the brand new mannequin is smaller than earlier Kirkland choices, which suggests an enchancment.
• The Titleist Professional V1 was smaller and in keeping with the scale of earlier fashions. It’s close to the USGA minimal restrict with none actual threat of crossing the road.

Consistency

Once more, noting that our pattern measurement was a bit smaller, the Titleist Pro V1 was probably the most constant throughout the board, displaying lower than a 3 compression level distinction throughout the pattern. The Kirkland confirmed a six level distinction.

There was nothing significantly exceptional concerning the weight and diameter measurements, the place Titleist was once more extra constant.

With that out of the best way, let’s take a look at what occurred once we hit the golf balls.

Driver information

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Observations:

• Ball speeds have been comparatively shut, with the Kirkland producing the upper ball pace (not shocking on condition that it’s also firmer).
• The Professional V1 launched increased whereas producing much less spin.
• The Kirkland spun about 100 RPM extra, though the information means that the brand new model spins appreciably much less off the motive force than the earlier mannequin.
• The Kirkland additionally edged out the Professional V1 in Carry and Whole Distance.

Driver dispersion and consistency

Observations:

Whereas wind might have performed an element, the Kirkland Performance+ produced the tighter downrange dispersion. By the numbers, the Kirkland was barely longer and produced a barely tighter grouping, albeit not by a statistically vital quantity.

7-iron information

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Observations:

On 7-iron photographs, the Pro V1 was faster, launched and flew the bottom, whereas producing the very best carry and whole distance.

The Kirkland lagged behind in ball pace however launched and flew the highest whereas producing probably the most spin. With that, it’s not shocking that it lagged a bit behind in each carry and whole yards.

If nothing else, the 7-iron suggests balls with distinctly completely different efficiency traits.

7-iron dispersion and consistency

Observations:

• On 7-iron dispersion, the Titleist Professional V1 stands out for being the tightest by a big margin.
• The dispersion space for the Kirkland ball is noticeably bigger, whereas the middle level within the patterns (recognized by the dot) reveals a big distinction in yardage.

Wedge information

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Observations:

• All three balls produced very comparable trajectories and distances, with Titleist holding a couple of 100 RPM edge in spin.

As an apart, this speaks to the idea of a spin slope (on this case, low driver spin paired with excessive greenside spin) we mentioned in our story on golf ball construction.

• Variations in carry and whole have been minimal, lower than a yard throughout the board.

Wedge dispersion and consistency

Observations:

The size of the chart inflates variations between balls. That stated.

• Even with allowances for small numbers, the Titleist Pro V1 produced the tightest dispersion on wedge photographs.
• The Kirkland was a contact longer, however not by a significant quantity, for my part.

Semi-final ideas

We’ll have loads extra to say when our bigger ball take a look at rolls round however, for now, our takeaway is the Titleist Professional V1 was the higher ball on this take a look at. It delivered probably the most constant compression, weight and diameter measurements whereas producing these measurably tighter dispersion patterns with each irons and wedges. If dropping $55 per dozen isn’t a problem, the Pro V1 is the clear choice.

As for the Kirkland?

If value is an element, it’s arduous to argue in opposition to the worth proposition supplied by the Kirkland Performance+. Although not by a big margin, it supplied higher driver distance and a tighter dispersion. I’m inclined to say that the consequence off the motive force matches the Professional V1, although there are variations in how every ball will get there.

In case you profit from barely increased spin off the motive force, this Kirkland affords that, with out overcooking it did in earlier generations of the 3-piece ball.

Greenside spin that almost matches the Professional V1, however that additionally means that in dropping driver spin, Costco misplaced a little bit of brief sport spin within the course of.

Broad strokes (and with out consideration for becoming), if cash is not any object, Titleist stays the higher ball. That stated, the information recommend Costco has made vital efficiency enhancements with this newest mannequin.

For golfers watching their finances, it’s arduous to argue anybody affords higher worth than Costco and Kirkland.

The publish Is Kirkland Back? We Tested Kirkland Performance+ vs. Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

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