The Kirkland golf gloves get a lot of attention because of their price. A pack of these golf gloves is cheaper than the price of a single premium glove from other manufacturers, but are they worth it?
I’m vey particular about the way a golf glove feels and grips, so this was a big test to to see what Kirkland had to offer. I wore the Kirkland golf gloves for a few practice sessions and a five round of golf to check on, off course performance and durability.
What most golfers don’t realise is that a glove allows you to grip the club with less force, resulting in less tension, more club head speed and better performance, so we take our glove testing seriously at Golf Insider UK!
Here we break down what you can expect in the following areas, before we give you our verdict on if they are worth buying in bulk:
Feel
The Kirkland Signature golf gloves have a medium thickness and weight. However, as Kirkland boast, the glove is made from “premium Cabretta Leather”. It is not nearly as thin as premium Titleist golf gloves, more like a FootJoy Weathersof glove, with a slightly softer feel.
The thickness didn’t bother me, but it did take a bit of getting used to, as I normally splash out on fancy gloves. The thickness means this glove isn’t ideal if you like to wear a glove for putting and chipping, and it isn’t the most breathable, but the trade off is better durability.
Fit
The gloves fit snugly and are very similar to FootJoy sizing (other brands like TaylorMade are a little slimmer on the hand and fingers). There isn’t quite the level of stretch and moulding you get from a $20-$30 glove, but for the price the fit is surprisingly good.
There were four gloves in our set and they were pretty consistent across gloves, but I don’t think the consistency in the fit is quite what you get from traditional golf brands.
The most annoying thing about the fit is the big label inside the glove. If you forget to cut this out it ends up pestering you for the whole round as it wants to sit between the palm of your hand and the golf grip.
However, when we consider the price, labels aside, these are better than we expected.
Grip
At the start of this article we mentioned the hidden performance aspects that a great golf glove provides. After lots of time practicing and playing golf I can tell you these outperform for their price.
The levels of grip are better than a new all weather glove, far better than the shocking gloves I see many golfers turn up with for a golf lesson, but a level below a FJ, TaylorMade or insert your favourite golf brand leather glove equivalent.
I actually forgot to take these out of my bag and ended up playing many more rounds with them, showing I’d happily use these day in, day out. However, if I had a really important event I would want to grab my go-to premium gloves instead.
Incredibly, in 4 weeks of testing these in the UK, I didn’t get the chance to test them in the rain…but I’m sure that will change in the next few weeks and I’ll update you with the results.
Looks
A Kirkland Signature Glove looks a lot like what you would expect a Costco golf glove to look like. It has a pretty basic design, and nothing about it makes it look premium.
From a distance is looks good, but as you inspect the detail you’ll notice some logos are a little crooked, there is some extra cotton thread than needs tidying up etc.
Not that this matters to me all that much, but I will tell you that the gloves look a lot better from far away than they do up close. When you are up close to the glove, you can see some imperfections in the stitching.
It’s not winning any awards for looks, but that’s not what it is here to do.
Durability
I should preface this with the fact I never put any holes in golf gloves. If you have the classic club golfers’ pad wear mark, go check out this article and improve your left hand grip to stop the club slipping during your swing.
The Kirkland Signature golf glove holds up very well round after round.
I think it’s the fact that the glove is a bit thicker than some of the other gloves on the market that are considered “premium” or “signature.” The extra thickness improves durability at the expense of some feel.
Hot golfer shouldn’t be too much of an issue if you sweat through gloves. These aren’t a rain glove alternative, but they perform above average after a long, hot practice session.
Also, the Kirkland Signature comes as a four-pack of golf gloves; it will take you quite a few rounds to get through the entire pack.
Value
In the value category, the Kirkland golf gloves are super strong. Let’s face it, most of the products you get from Costco have a pretty good value.
The gloves work out to be around $7 -$8 a glove. No other brands offer gloves at this price; if they are, they are likely not leather and will probably be synthetic.
When we consider the level of performance, feel and durability for the cost we cannot deny Costco have nailed it as usual when it comes to value.
Additional Features
The Kirkland golf gloves don’t offer any additional premium features like moisture control or breathability. In addition, don’t expect a ball marker with this glove or a premium velcro closure.
Player Handicap/Ability Level
Kirkland golf gloves are not made for the player making a run for it on professional tours. The glove itself is just a little too thick and has limited feel when compared to other name-brand gloves made with premium Cabretta leather.
However if you are a club golfers that need to keep a close eye on their golf equipment spending but still can appreciate a leather glove over a synthetic you will find that the Kirkland gloves really do fit your needs.
I don’t love to say that the golf glove you play with is directly tied to your handicap. After all, I’ve met players that are incredibly picky about equipment and shoot 110. The point here is that if you are a bit particular about the glove you put on your hand and how it impacts your game, the Kirkland golf gloves are likely not for you, but if you want a leather glove at a good price, you’ll be super happy with these.
Golf insider verdict
The Kirkland Signature brand golf gloves are some of the cheapest leather gloves on the market. They are slightly thicker than premium Titleist, TaylorMade, or Callaway gloves, and with that thickness, you lose a little bit of feel.
However, the extra thickness in the pad of the glove increases durability.
The key selling point or attribute of the Kirkland Signature is that it’s leather and offered at such a fair price. Golfers looking for a strong value will find it in Kirkland. In addition, if you go through gloves quickly, the Kirkland four-pack can ensure you have fresh gloves in your bag more often.
Am I going to switch to the Kirkland Signature golf glove? No. It doesn’t compare to the Titleist player’s glove, but if you’re after an above-average glove at a great price, you’ll struggle to find many options that match the Kirkland golf gloves.
Good alternatives to the Kirkland gloves
As I’ve mentioned, the Kirkland golf gloves almost create a section of their own in the golf glove market. The gloves have leather materials and are better than synthetic gloves, but they still don’t have the same premium capability as high-end leather golf gloves.
Here are a few alternatives to the Kirkland, although there is nothing else exactly like it on the market.
FootJoy WeatherSof
The FootJoy WeatherSof may be a little thicker than the Kirkland golf gloves, but it will be right around the same value. Weathersof gloves are synthetic and tend to hold up for quite some time.
In addition, FootJoy added a breathable mesh to the glove to make it just a little more comfortable to wear when the weather conditions get difficult. Many people like the WEatherSof because it has a premium closure and quality control (as you can imagine, it is a little better than Kirkland).
Essentially, FootJoy made a product that golfers can count on, and that’s why it has done so well. The only thing to remember here is that with the Kirkland being leather, you may like the feel just a bit better.
Callaway Dawn Patrol
The Callaway Dawn Patrol is made with leather material, very similar to that used in the Kirkland glove. However, this is still not the top-of-the-line golf glove from Callaway.
Some of the positives of the Dawn Patrol are perforation on the top of the hand and fingers to help with breathability. In addition, the Opti Fit Adjustable Closure feels really tight (which is a good thing for most players).
The Dawn Patrol golf gloves are often on sale and can get pretty close to the pricing of the Kirkland golf gloves.
FootJoy Contour FLX
FootJoy Contour FLX is more expensive than the Kirkland Signature golf gloves, but they are made with slightly more premium Cabretta leather. The Contour FLX has a soft feel, and you can certainly tell that these gloves have a little more engineering and design that go into them.
In addition, I like the moisture control and breathability that the FootJoy Contour FLX have, something Kirkland kind of skipped over in their design.
Lastly, a 3-directional comfortable closure allows your hand to feel secure without feeling like it’s being pulled into place by your glove. If you have a few extra dollars to spend, this could be a good solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the best golf gloves on the market
What brand is Kirkland golf gloves?
Costco manufactures Kirkland golf gloves. Even though Costco makes Kirkland golf gloves, they are available to purchase online through various outlets and not just directly in the Costco stores.
What are Kirkland golf gloves made of?
Kirkland gloves are leather golf gloves; they are good quality leather gloves but not quite as premium as some of the other premium products on the market.
Are Kirkland golf gloves worth it?
If you are not incredibly particular about feel in a golf glove and you want a leather glove for a fair price, the Kirkland signature gloves are great value.
Final Thoughts
This article came about due to golfers asking us what the Kirkland gloves were like. I think at first I didn’t want to like them, however I’m pretty impressed with what Costco have achieved here. And more choice and great value products is always a win for golfers.
Happy golfing – Will
