Costco has exploded into the golf equipment scene in recent years with its Kirkland brand. First with their Kirkland golf balls, then following up with Kirkland golf gloves, Kirkland Wedges, and now with their very expensive Kirkland Signature KS1 putter.
Here we review the Kirkland Signature KS1 putter and give you our opinion of whether it is worth the price, or if you should look elsewhere. The Kirkland wedges, golf balls and golf gloves really impressed us so we were keen to see how the putter performed.
Looks
At first glance, the Kirkland putter looks like a premium putter – I see where people are coming from, saying it looks like a Scotty Cameron. Undoubtedly, Costco intended to make the putter look that way.
There is a large Super Stroke putter grip, and it comes with a nice-looking headcover (Again, kind of like a Scotty Cameron).
The trouble is when you stand over the ball and look at the club from the top down. The top-down look feels a bit chunky, with a bit more of a boxy look to the club head compared to a Scotty Cameron or similar high-end putters.
Feel
The Kirkland Signature Putter has a decent feel off the clubface. It is not the purest putter we’ve ever tested, but it will offer a nice feel for most golfers out there. However, where we run into some issues is the overall feel of the putter when making a stroke.
As I mentioned, the Kirkland Signature comes with a SuperStroke CounterCore Mid Slim 2.0 putter grip. This SuperStroke grip is large, and it is incredibly heavy. In fact, it’s so heavy that it throws the balance of the putter and makes it difficult to feel the club head when putting.
The putter head has adjustable weights, so you can play with the heel and toe weight and move things around, but the weight kit is sold separately and if you’re paying this much for a putter you’d expect that to be included in the price.
As a side note, make sure you know that the weight kit does not come with the Allen key, so you will have to play around with this yourself to get the weighting just how you want it.
Overall, we would not say the Kirkland Signature KS1 putter shines when it comes to feel. feel off the face is fine, but the overall balance and feel of the putter is something that will put a lot of better golfers off. There are better value, better feeling putters out on the market.
Forgiveness
The boxy, heel-toe weighted clubhead makes this relatively stable at impact, and miss-hit putts don’t lose too much in terms of speed.
The larger SuperStroke grip will also help most golfers keep their wrists quieter when putting, which is a common fault for beginner and high-handicap golfers. So we’ll give this putter a thumbs up there for increased forgiveness.
If you are a golfer with a lot of inconsistency in your stroke and where you strike putts, you’ll likely need forgiveness, the KS1 putter is good but we’d suggest you look for other putters with high MOI. Premium putters have a bit more technology regarding things like descending loft, material composition, and even weighting in the club head.
Alignment
Getting the Kirkland Signature putter lined up to hit is not hard. The sharp leading edge to the face and simple alignment aid is a great design for new golfers and those who have played for many years.
Of course, this is a blade-style putter, so you have to be used to a shorter line than you would find with a mallet, but this is more of a preference in putter types than an issue.
The SuperStroke CounterCore Mid Slim 2.0 sits nicely in the hands and can encourage better alignment of the club face thanks to its size.
Value
What we’ve learned to expect from Costco is lots of products at a great price. They often lack the variety or custom options that you will find elsewhere, but their selling point is price and value.
The Kirkland Signature has a decent-looking clubhead and a fancy grip, but when all these components are put together they just don’t make a great performing putter in our opinion.
I would think differently if this was under $80/£80*, as there is little worth buying in that price range. However, at this price, they are competing with Wilson, Cobra, TaylorMade & Cleveland to name just a few brands. As a coach, I would much prefer players to try out some of these putters instead of buying the KS1 putter.
*Note: At the time of buying this putter the UK and US prices were £149 / $149.
Golf Insider verdict
We had high hopes for the Kirkland Signature putter after testing the Kirkland Signature wedges. The wedges were offered at a great price and had impressive quality and performance, we can’t say the same for the putter.
The competent parts are all well-made, but they don’t come together to make a high-performing putter. If you are a beginner or high-handicap golfer, the Kirkland Signature putter will work well, the large Super Stroke putter grip will help you make a less ‘flicky putting action‘, but we’d suggest you look elsewhere for a new or 2nd hand putter and save any extra cash for play golf or some lessons.
Alternatives
We plan to do some additional product testing of other value-type golf putters like the Kirkland Signature KS1. However, two options out there initially came to mind that could be a good alternative for better quality and feel.
The first is the Odyssey DFX line of putters. You won’t get the same premium Stroke Lab performance that you see from other Odyssey putters, but it’s a good value for a nice-looking and well-received putter for amateur players.
Another option I would consider trying is the Cleveland Huntington Beach line. The look can be pretty similar with a superior feel and balance. In addition, the Cleveland Huntington Beach line at least allows for some different models and lengths, so you can get something that’s a perfect fit for your golf game.
Kirkland Signature KS1 Putter Specs
Here are the basics of the Kirkland Signature KS1 putter:
- Only comes in Right-handed
- CNC Milled 303 Stainless Steel
- SuperStroke CounterCore Mid Slim 2.0 putter grip
- Adjustability in Heel and Toe Weighting
- Length: 34.5 inches
- Head Weight: 340g
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the Kirkland putter.
Is the Kirkland putter the same as Scotty Cameron?
The Kirkland signature putter seems to be modeled closely to a Scotty Cameron putter, but it has a much different feel and performance on the course. When comparing a Kirkland to a Scotty Cameron Newport from a distance they will look pretty similar, but close up and when putting you will notice a difference and quickly realize the Cameron is a very different putter.
What is the Kirkland putter?
The Kirkland putter is a blade-style putter with premium components and mid-range pricing. The Kirkland putter has some great reviews from amateur players, but from our expert testing, we’d suggest it is good but not great. There are better alternatives out there for the price.
How heavy is Kirkland putter?
The Kirkland putter has a head weight of 340g. It is not an overly heavy putter, and with the SuperStroke CounterCore grip in place, it becomes hard to feel the club head as the swing weight of the club (the balance point between the grip and club head) is low.
How long is a Kirkland KS1 putter?
The standard Kirkland putter comes at 34.5 inches, and there is no option for other lengths from the manufacturer.
Is the Kirkland Signature Putter worth it?
From our testing, we feel the Kirkland Signature putter was not worth the money. The component parts are well made, but the overall feel and performance of the putter is not great for the price.
Does the Kirkland Signature KS1 putter come with the weight kit?
There is a weight kit that you can purchase additionally when you buy the Kirkland Signature KS1 putter. The fully adjustable heel and toe weighting is a nice benefit, but the additional weights are purchased separately, and our putter didn’t come with the wrench to adjust the putter head.
Feel free to leave any additional questions below.
Happy golfing – Will @ Golf Insider
