The New Kirkland Signature V3 Golf Ball Review (2024)

Let’s face it, the best value item at Costco will always be their $1.50 hot dog & soda combo. It simply cannot be beat. But after this review, you’ll see that there is another incredible value item at Costco: The Kirkland Signature Performance Plus V3 golf ball.

Best Value

Kirkland Signature Performance Plus V3 (2 dozen)

$24.50

3-piece urethane cover ball for an incredible value. Conforms with USGA and R&A rules.

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11/20/2024 10:37 pm GMT

Origin Story

In 2016, Costco set the golf world on fire when they released a 4-piece golf ball that competed with the best golf balls from Titleist. Demand skyrocketed when it was offered at nearly half the price of the premium Titleist balls. As you can imagine, Titleist was unhappy with the situation and lawyered up. We don’t know what the outcome of the lawsuit was, but we know that the original 4-piece Kirkland Signature ball ceased to exist.

Costco tried to pick up the pieces and offered a 3-piece and 4-piece ball in the following years, but the 4-piece ball had significant issues. So now we are left with one option: the Kirkland Signature 3-piece ball. This review will cover the 2023 version of the Kirkland Signature Performance Plus golf ball, also known as the V3.

Features

The Kirkland Signature V3 golf ball shares a lot of features with the premium tour balls that professional golfers play. I think that’s why it is a common ball among golfers who seek value rather than a brand name. Let’s dive into some of the impressive features on this ball:

Urethane Cover

Like the previous versions of the Kirkland Signature ball, the V3 has a soft urethane cover. The telltale sign of premium ball is a urethane cover, so this already puts the V3 above other golf balls in the same price range. The manufacturing process to provide a urethane cover is expensive and usually drives the cost of the ball up. I found this cover to pretty durable and provide good spin around the greens.

3-Piece Construction

The Kirkland Signature V3 golf ball has a basic 3-piece construction that is seen in a lot of modern golf balls. The first piece is a soft and highly elastic core to maximize distance off the tee. The second piece is a mantle around the core to generate spin off your iron and wedge shots. The final piece is a urethane cover that provides greenside control and feel.

This is the basic formula ball manufacturers have been following for some time now. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Performance Analysis

As always, we took this ball to the golf simulator and hit with a variety of clubs. For our performance review, we collected the data from Driver, 7-iron, and 56 degree. We also hit a couple dozen putts to see how it rolled. Here’s what we found:

Distance (9/10)

The Kirkland Signature V3 carried the distances I expected with every club – except the driver. I’ve always struggled with a spinny driver and these numbers show that. So I don’t know if that is a reflection of the ball or a reflection of the poor golfer (me). I was more disappointed with my poor striking than I was with the golf ball.

If you have read the “about us” section of the website, it says I can drive the ball 300 yards on a regular basis. This driver data says otherwise. In fact, this driver session brought my driving average down by over a yard on my simulator data profile.

I hit the Kirkland Signature V3 side by side with a Titleist ProV1. The only difference I saw was the back spin on the driver was about 300 RPM lower with the ProV1, resulting in a longer carry. The results with the 56° and 7-Iron were nearly identical. So if you are a player that already struggles with spinny driver shots or you have a high swing speed, then the Kirkland Signature V3 might not be the ideal ball for you.

Spin (8/10)

The previous version of this ball, the Kirkland Signature V2, was notorious for producing too much spin. For the most part, they fixed that problem with the V3. Back spin was right where I like to be for my 56° wedge (9500-10000). It was also in my good range for the 7-iron (6000-6500). I like to keep my RPMs below 3000 on my driver, so it was about 500 RPM too high in that category.

I don’t think I can blame the Kirkland Signature V3 for being too spinny off my driver. It’s a frequent problem for me and the V3 might not perform as well with faster ball speeds. If you also have a high ball speed, pay attention to how much spin your driver is producing with this ball. It might be fine, but it might not.

Greenside (9/10)

You want to have a quality, urethane covered ball for those 10-30 yard shots around the green. The Kirkland Signature V3 delivers. I did tons of different pitch shots, chips, and bunker shots with this ball and it performed extremely well. It held the green like I expected it to nearly every time.

Mark me down as impressed for a ball that cost $1.17 and comes from Costco.

Feel (9/10)

This metric is a bit subjective, but I enjoy the feel of this ball. It feels firmer than the previous version and produces a satisfying “click” on pitches and chips. If you are looking for a very soft feel then this ball is not for you. I personally enjoy the “click” of a firmer ball.

The Kirkland Signature V3 also feels satisfying off the putter. When you have a ball that feels somewhat “clicky” on your chips, it can cause problems off the putter. Not so with this ball. It produces a softer feel off the face of the putter and I was able to roll it quite nicely.

Durability (8/10)

I expected a less expensive ball to have less durability. I was correct.

I hit 60 shots with the Kirkland Signature V3 at a golf simulator and it looks like it has been through war. Paint is missing on much of the ball and there is one minor scuff. I’ve hit a few bunker shots with these and they come out with some battle scars. I haven’t found any major cuts in the balls, but they got scuffed pretty easily.

Durability is not a problem for most mid-high handicap golfers. We lose the ball before any major damage is done anyways. But if you manage to keep a ball for a round or two, then the Kirkland Signature V3 ball might not be the best option for you.

Price (10/10)

The Kirkland Signature V3 golf ball and the $1.50 hot dog & soda combo are the two best values at Costco. I’ve said it a couple times before, but these balls come in at 27.99 per double dozen if bought in-warehouse. That comes to $1.17 per ball compared to $5 per ball for other urethane cover balls.

If the Kirkland Signature V3 seems like a good fit for you, then I would play it simply for the cost savings. If you think another ball is a better fit for your golf game, then I also wouldn’t be afraid to leave these on the shelf.

Comparison

The Kirkland Signature ball appears to be an “off-white” color when placed next to a ProV1 or Maxfli Tour X. The ProV1 and Maxfli Tour X are a bright, clean white color and the Kirkland Signature has a yellowish hue to it. It is nothing noticeable if you don’t put the balls right next to each other.

The Kirkland Signature V3 has a different feel from the ProV1 or Maxfli Tour X as well. I would say it feels closer to a Callaway Chrome Soft or Srixon Z-Star, but it still doesn’t reach the level of true premium ball. Feel is subjective, however, so the Kirkland Signature V3 might have the perfect feel for some golfers.

Our Experience

The Kirkland Signature V2 golf ball found its place in my bag for much of 2022. I did not like that golf ball. I found it to be too spinny and it would balloon on drives and longer iron shots. Because of my troubles with the V2, I was hopeful the Kirkland Signature V3 would be different. It definitely is. It occasionally ballooned on my longer shots and had enough spin to hold the greens with my shorter shots. The V3 is a major step up from the V2 in my experience.

I can stand over the Kirkland Signature V3 golf ball with confidence. You could save some money if you can get used to looking at the Kirkland Signature logo instead of the Titleist or Callaway logo. I know how it is going to perform from tee to green without worrying about too many ballooning shots, too much spin, or too much run out. For the price, I keep this ball in my bag at all times. It offers the best performance for the price.

In my experience, the only issue with the ball would be durability. Full wedge shots take their toll on any golf ball, but the Kirkland Signature V3 seemed particularly susceptible. I had a few balls that only lasted 3 or 4 holes because of major scuffs or cuts. This was the exception instead of the normal, but it still bothered me some.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Incredible value (27.99 for 2 dozen)
• Soft Urethane Cover
• Good performance from tee to green
• Consistent and predictable ball flight
• Not as spinny as previous versions

Cons

• Too firm for some golfers preferences
• Not ideal for high swing speeds
• Doesn’t carry a name brand
• Not as spinny as previous versions (some golfers love spinny balls)
• Not as durable as name brands

Overall Rating

8.8/10

If you can’t tell, I really like these golf balls. I believe they perform extremely well and warrant the 8.8/10 rating. They don’t quite stack up against the premium golf balls that cost $5/ball, but they sure come close. And with an in-warehouse price of $1.17 per ball, I challenge you to find a ball that has more features at a lower price.

To play the Kirkland Signature Performance Plus V3, the only major sacrifices you’d be making are durability and lack of name brand recognition.

The Kirkland Signature Performance Plus V3 golf ball meets my expectations for a budget urethane cover ball. This ball is perfect for it’s intended market: the average golfer seeking value and performance. It sits alone on top of the list of “best value” golf balls for a reason.

This seems like the ideal ball for anyone with a handicap of 9-25. They also work great for golfers who lose a few balls per round, but still want a ball with a urethane cover.

The final verdict is this: these balls perform great and they are worth the money.

So if you are craving a hot dog and want to try out these golf balls, head to your local Costco and buy a box. They are also available online at costco.com.

Jacob Bruderer, PE, MBA

Jacob is a Professional Engineer, professional gym-goer, and golf enthusiast.  He is obsessed with golf-specific fitness, golf simulators, and hitting long drives.