Who Makes Kirkland Golf Balls? Manufacturer Revealed

Kirkland golf balls are perhaps the largest success written with regard to modern golf equipment. What began as a warehouse-store own label item, has become a major challenger in the golf ball industry. They are purchased by many golfers due to the value and others desire to experience whether it is possible to compete with high quality models such as those manufactured by Titleist, Callaway and TaylorMade. The question that comes up in various golf forums, in a Reddit discussion, in the reviews of different videos on YouTube, in search engines is the following: Who makes Kirkland golf balls? It is an interesting answer that many golfers are not aware of since Costco is not the one that produces golf balls. 

Rather, it collaborates with the manufacturer of specialized golf balls, which make the balls as per the design and quality requirements of Costco. This guide describes the manufacturer of Kirkland golf balls, the production process, history of various generations of the same ball, its comparison with other high quality competitors, and whether it is worth purchasing in 2026.

Who Makes Kirkland Golf Balls?

Qingdao SM Parker is a Chinese based sports equipment company that now manufactures Kirkland golf balls under specifications of Costco.

Costco is the owner of the Kirkland Signature label, yet they do not have any factories producing golf balls. Rather, the firm collaborates with established manufacturing companies that already have the technology, engineering skills and production unit to produce high-performance golf balls.

Quick Answer 

The existing Kirkland Signature golf balls, which are sold in Costco are largely considered to be of Qingdao SM Parker which specializes in golf related production and manufacturing of sports equipment.

Why Doesn’t Costco Manufacture Golf Balls Itself?

Costco has a similar approach with golf balls with which it operates in numerous Kirkland Signature products.

Rather than constructing their own factories, employing engineering teams and creating manufacturing facilities, Costco collaborates with established manufacturers and suppliers and those that already possess the skills and expertise within a particular industry. This solution will enable Costco to concentrate on distribution, pricing, and quality management and use the manufacturing potential of industry experts.

It is surprisingly difficult to create a modern golf ball. Manufacturers put millions of dollars into:

• Aerodynamic research
• Cover material development
• Core technology
• Compression testing
• Durability testing
• Launch monitor analysis
• Robotic performance testing

Constructing this infrastructure and dismantling an existing infrastructure would be of little business sense when there are seasoned manufacturers.

Due to this, Costco is able to sell kirkland signature golf balls at a significantly reduced price in comparison to many of the high-quality competitors without showing poor performance.

The Evolution of Kirkland Signature Golf Balls

Kirkland golf balls have no single story. Since the product has been on the market there are a number of generations that came with it and various other manufacturers were engaged along the way.

Kirkland Golf Ball Timeline

Those who remember the original four-piece ball best are many golfers because it provided unexpected performance at a low price and was soon acquired by a cult following.

The release brought such a buzz that golfers could hardly see stocks in Costco shops in their local areas.

Who Made the Original Kirkland Golf Balls?

Initially, Nassau golf ball manufacturing company in South Korea had to produce the original Kirkland Signature golf ball.

The initial four-piece ball created by the first generation made a mark in history of golfing as many golfers thought that it was functioning lightly superior to the high-tier golfing ball albeit at a much lower price.

Some of the features that made the first model popular were:

• High greenside spin
• Urethane cover construction
• Strong distance performance
• Premium feel
• Extremely aggressive pricing

On the day, golfers made a comparison of the ball to the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x as there were not many products that would be of similar construction on a low price point.

It is through this initial issue that was released that the name Kirkland golf balls enjoys its reputation even today.

Why Did Titleist Sue Costco?

A question that is among the most popular questions regarding the Kirkland golf balls is associated with the lawsuit against Titleist’s parent company.

What Happened?

Titleist’s parent Company, Acushnet Holdings, sued Costco over patent infringement when the original four-piece Kirkland golf ball was introduced.

Main Issues Raised

The case garnered tremendous publicity as most golfers considered the Kirkland ball a low-priced substitute to the high-end tour-grade products.

Even though the court case had provided headlines, it is also the case that raised more awareness, about Kirkland golf balls, as well as exposed golfers who never contemplated purchasing a golf ball at Costco.

What Is the Current Kirkland Signature Performance+ Golf Ball?

It is now called the Kirkland Signature Performance+, a three-piece urethane-covered ball. This model is the original golf ball of Costco and the one that most golfers would buy nowadays.

Performance+ Specifications

The Kirkland has a urethane cover as opposed to many budget golf balls which are covered with ionomers. This is important since urethane generally provides more greenside control and spin on the putting surface.

It is that one characteristic that can be used to explain why a variety of golfers regard Kirkland as one of the best bargains in golf.

How Do Kirkland Golf Balls Compare to Titleist Pro V1?

The comparison of kirkland golf balls and the pro v1 seems to feature in nearly all golf debates. The truth is not as simple as the Internet arguments would suggest.

Kirkland vs Pro V1 Comparison

When engaging in an easier round, most amateur golfers would find it hard to see significant differences. But the differences in: are common to elite amateurs, college players, mini-tour players and PGA Tour players.

• Distance consistency
• Spin predictability
• Ball flight stability
• Multiple-round lifetime.

To average golfers the difference in performance is often significantly smaller than the difference in price.

Are Kirkland Golf Balls Actually Good for Average Golfers?

Yes, and here is one reason why they are still selling so well. A typical golfer will lose a couple of balls or more throughout a season. Outlaying quality cash on every single ball in golf can be very costly pretty soon.

Why Many Golfers Choose Kirkland?

• Budget price Urethane cover.
• Strong short-game performance
• Consistent feel
• Comes in bulk supply.
• Good price per dozen.

A golfer who is shooting between 80 and 100 is usually better served by consistently using a good ball, as opposed to changing between various manufactures of high quality balls.

Consistency also enhances practice and distance control, so according to many teaching professionals, the same model should be used over and over again.

How Far Do Kirkland Golf Balls Go?

One of the hottest aspects of Kirkland golf balls is distance. Years of independent testing have found Kirkland balls overall competitive, but there has been some inconsistent results, with some studies indicating that Kirkland balls put up with some slight distance loss compared to the longest premium tour balls.

Distance Expectations

To the average amateur golfers, the discrepancy is usually just a few yards and not dramatic differences as advertised over the internet.

Conditions under which the course is played, the standard of strikes, weather, and the conditions under which the ball is launched typically have a much larger influence on score than the difference in the ball speed.

What Other Golf Equipment Does Costco Sell?

The success of kirkland signature golf balls stimulated Costco to launch into other categories of golf. Golfers today have the opportunity to buy some of the products of the Kirkland brand.

Popular Kirkland Golf Equipment

Some of these products have received favorable feedback since Costco is using the same formula which made the golf balls a success: quality products at aggressive prices.

The KS1 sets of putters and wedges, especially, have established good reputation among the cost-effective golfers.

Should You Buy Kirkland Golf Balls in 2026?

Yes, to the majority of golfers. Even professional golfer or elite amateur, who requires the highest level of consistency and performance, Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Bridgestone or Srixon premium balls may have some benefit to you. But to the vast majority of recreational golfers, Kirkland is providing outstanding value.

Kirkland Golf Balls Are Best For

• Beginners
• High handicappers
• Mid handicappers
• Casual golfers
• Budget-conscious players
• Golfers who have lost more than one per round.

Premium Balls May Be Better For

• Professionals
• Elite amateurs
• Tournament players
• Players who want to be as consistent as possible.

The urethane cover, high greenside performance, and Costco price make Kirkland one of the best golf ball purchases ever.

Final Thoughts

Its product maker is an easy question to answer since kirkland golf balls are sold by Costco under the Kirkland Signature brand, and the current generation is made by the Qingdao SM Parker based on the specifications of Costco. There were previous models made in Nassau Golf in South Korea, which consisted of four parts, which created a successful reputation of the product.

Kirkland golf balls are the most common budget friendly golf ball today. They do not need to knock every upscale tour ball out of the market, yet they think they perform remarkably and have urethane construction and dependable playability at an unmatched affordable price. That is precisely why Kirkland has been causing disruption in the golf ball market every year and this is what makes Kirkland intriguing to most golfers.

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