Are Cheap Kirkland Golf Balls Worth It? Costco Brand Equipment Selling Out Before Christmas

The hottest ball in golf is coming from a somewhat unexpected place: Costco. Yes, the membership-only, bulk retailer came out with its own golf ball, which drew rave reviews, and they quickly sold out this week after a re-release.

Golf balls aren't particularly cheap, which is especially troublesome for an average weekend player who is liable to lose a handful of balls during one round. The Kirkland brand Costco balls retail for $29.99 for two dozen, which is cheaper than just about every decent ball on the market. They debuted in the fall and sold out within months.

That's largely due to a perfect combination of price and quality. A review by My Golf Spy, a so-called Consumer Reports for golf equipment, found the Kirkland ball in most areas of performance held its own or surpassed the Titleist Pro V1, which is the gold standard for golf balls. They gave the ball a 10 out of 10 score and noted that testing found the ball actually went 10 yards farther than a Pro V1 when using a driver. User reviews were similarly breathless. Considering a 12-pack of Pro V1s goes for $39.99, it was no surprise the Kirkland balls sold fast.

They sold even faster this Christmas. The Kirkland golf balls went back on sale Tuesday and customers were complaining they couldn't buy a pack online almost immediately. Within two hours, the Kirkland balls were out of stock, according to Golf Digest. Some users even complained that they were able to check out, only to have their order canceled when Costco realized they were out of stock.

If you're thinking about buying a pack off eBay, maybe think again. They're being resold at Pro V1 prices (or even higher), with one dozen balls likely selling for about the price of two dozen normally. So Kirkland balls are definitely worth the price, but only if you can get your hands on a set directly from Costco.