Kirkland Signature 3-Piece Urethane Cover 2.0 Golf Balls Review: Costco's Latest Offering

Kirkland Signature 3-Piece Urethane Cover 2.0 Golf Balls Review

When Costco released its original Kirkland Signature ball many golfers were eager to see how it stacked up against the best golf balls with urethane covers that are regularly played on Tour. In our testing we were impressed by the feel and spin control around the greens but additional spin off the tee cost us distance. In this video and article, we take a look at what's changed and whether it has been improved.

The next generation Costco Kirkland Signature 2.0 has a three piece design that features a thinner urethane cover and a larger core. The question is, has the new design improved performance at both ends of the bag and if so, is it one of the best cheap golf balls on the market? 

We wanted to test this for ourselves so we hit the Kirkland Signature 2.0 on a SkyTrak launch monitor against the original version of the ball as well as some other urethane covered offerings from different brands. We then took it out onto the golf course during a blustery day to see how it performed. 

Given that it was off the tee where the original version of this ball had the most room for improvement, let’s start with the driver performance. We tested both versions and were pleased to see an improvement. Crucially, the Kirkland Signature 2.0 averaged just under 300 rpm less spin than the original version. It also launched just over 1˚ lower and offered more ball speed. Interestingly, there wasn’t much difference in the carry and total distances on the launch monitor but there is no doubt the flight of the new ball was better, more controlled at our clubhead speed, around 112 mph.  

However, the driver spin from the Kirkland Signature 2.0 is still on the high side. We also hit some shots with the Srixon Q Star Tour and the Wilson Triad (both of these are three piece non-Tour urethane balls) and the Kirkland was the highest spinning. It spun at 500 rpm more than the Srixon and 200 rpm more than the Wilson. On the golf course, on a windy day, this extra spin was noticeable and we think it cost us a few yards.

The spin performance improved in our 7-iron testing and we felt the ball flight here offered good control. Again, we saw an improvement in the spin performance over the previous generation and so, from the same launch angle of 19.8˚ we benefited from 4 extra yards of carry and a better, stronger ball flight. 

Next, we hit some pitch shots from 100-yards and 50-yards. As in the long game, the spin has been toned down here as well. It was closer to the green that we felt the original Costco ball was at its best, providing similar control to what you’d expect from a much more expensive Tour ball. From 100-yards the new model spun around 500 rpm less and from 50 yards, the spin fell away by almost 2000 rpm. Despite this drop off, especially from 50-yards, the new ball still offers good spin control. The table below gives you an idea about how the spin performance from close range compares to one of the best mid price golf balls on the market (the Srixon Q Star Tour) and one of the best premium golf balls (the Callaway Chrome Soft X):

During our on course testing, we were able to appreciate the soft feel on and around the greens. We loved this part of the performance and thought this was up there with some of the best soft feel golf balls we have tested.

In all areas of the game, the new Kirkland Signature 2.0 was lower spinning than the previous generation and we think this makes it a much better all-rounder. For around $30 per 24-ball pack, we think the brand has done a good job of divorcing the different attributes you need from a golf ball in different areas of the game. 

That said, the performance is still better in the short game than it is from further out. If you’re looking for a budget urethane golf ball and prioritize short game performance, the Kirkland Signature is well worth testing for yourself.