It amazes me that many people seem to have friends who would rip on them for the golf club brand they use. The best thing about the Kirkland Signature clubs is that it is a huge middle finger to the big brands which many people believe are overpriced.

I can understand your preference for a good 2nd hand club, but your bashing of Kirkland clubs in your title as a "huge rip-off" is a bit disingenuous. Proving that one is a better value does not necessarily mean the other is a rip-off. To a new golfer the 2nd hand market can be frustrating and confusing, a convenient rather inexpensive option can be a god send. Not to mention you are a top-notch golfer and even you had fractionally better results with the top name club, a beginner wouldn't even know the difference.

Thanks for another Kirkland exposure to us. Getting a good 'feel' of what it can/cannot do. I have a new appreciation for the Rogue driver too.

I would take the Kirkland all day long. Sure the big brands might out drive you, but beating my buddies with a Costco driver, PRICELESS,

I picked up a PXG 0311 Gen 5 for $199. So far so good. Now my slice goes 20 yards further.

I jumped on the PXG 0311 when I saw you with it last year. Couldn't believe I picked that up with custom spec for £200. Obviously as the new launch was coming up but I owe you a big thank you as that driver is great!!

I buy most of my clubs from the Callaway Pre-owned website. I deal with Cole, and he takes great care of me. He makes it WAY too easy to spend money. The "Like New" condition clubs are usually brand new clubs that pro shops don't sell and send back, then Callaway sells them as Pre-owned.

I tried the Kirkland driver today on the course. I have a fitted shaft in my ping g425 max and also my taylormade sim (not max version). I was blown away from the Kirkland! I bought it just to test it not thinking I would take it with my other fitted drivers. It went every bit as far as my sim and It felt extremely forgiving at the same time. Didn’t miss a fairway all day. 1/4 of the price compared to my other two drivers considering they have an expensive shaft upgrade in them.

The way I see this is that it's a no brainer for the Kirkland. That 2nd hand Rogue is pretty scruffy looking for the same money as new Kirkland, and thinking about what it cost new vs the Kirkland, for the few hundred dollars more that the Rogue would have cost, the performance difference is very minimal and probably inconsequential in a round of golf. Give me the new merch anytime! I absolutely love my Kirkland putter! P.S. I'm a Tour Edge guy, performance every bit as good as the way overpriced big guys.

Great video as always pal. There is so such value in the 2nd hand market. I just got myself the Srixon zx5 driver, with the Riptide small batch shaft for £195 just last week, brand new

I think you cracked the Kirkland/Callaway code... I will still stand by my original quote from back in the day when the ball first came out... Kirkland is Callaway. Balls feel and performs the same, Wedges even though look like Vokeys feel and perform like the old school Jaws wedge. The irons... Callaway is the only brand that hasn't released the standard looking filled heads like the TM, Sub 70, etc. The Kirkland irons are there version. Hope you are well! You should play a Kirkland bag against Gaz with his clubs and see what happens. Loser buys Cotsco hotdogs lol.

I completely agree with you James! The Costco golf products are amazingly good for the price (the driver especially), and provides lower cost options for the consumer. The point you made in the video concerning other purchase options, including used golf products, is surely an important purchase alternatives providing even more potential enjoyment value. Keep up this sort of content. You are keeping golf product consumers well informed. Thanks!

Thanks James, I appreciate you testing the more affordable options for those of us who don't want to spend between $500-$600 for a driver. Have you ever thought about comparing the PXG X-COR irons with the Takomo Irons? The X-COR's are now selling for $79 per club with the military/law enforcement discount and $99 without the discount, which is very similar to the Takomo's, but you can get the PXG's fitted. PXG also now has the Mitsubishi MMT 105 shafts with no upcharge through the fitter. Maybe worth a look?

Random question. The quality of your videos is always so good, crisp images, regardless of weather and light. Mind sharing the equipment you use?

The Costco ks1 putter is as good as any Scottie, Costco used to sell a complete set of Callaways with bag, perfect starter set for a golfer. I also quite like the gloves and I am excited to try the new yellow ball,

I rather be hitting Kirkland driver when hitting it in the fairway than those $500 name brand in the rough..

Had a poor experience 2 years ago with a set of fitted Srixons irons. Pro messed up my specs at a cost of £1200. Had to sell them 2nd hand after 6 months and took a big loss.. I brought a 2nd hand set of MP20's stand lie/length and managed to build my bag fully 2nd hand. My bag now consists of JPX921 5i, 6i, mp20 7i - PW. PXG driver, M5 3 wood, Titleist H1 4 hybrid. Titleist Sm9 52deg and 56deg. Everything apart from the wedges are 2nd hand. I've been playing 35 years and have spent lots on new equipment. I'm at the stage of the manufacturers are taking the Mick with prices. Go 2nd hand you will be surprised

I've just grabbed a NOS XR speed on this precise price slot! Seemed like a no-brainer when compared with newer club pricing and even similarly aged clubs like the rogue used! I've also recently picked up the steelhead XR 3 and HW... so it's lovely matchy match.

Every club in my bag is second hand except putter and driver. I enjoy the fact that I have about $1500 in my setup compared to over 3k if I had bought every club new. Pity you didn't give that m3 a chance. Gamed it for a bit and was a super great club. I've tested just about every ball on the course and it's quite shocking just how little the ball matters. I don't spin the ball a super amount on approach and pitch shots so I've found the double dozen wilson staff zip ball for $24 for 24 balls is quite a steal. It does cost me a few yards off the tee with driver but who cares. It's perfectly painless to dunk one or hook it into the woods. If you do a little research, you can get great clubs for great prices. I tell anyhow who will listen to me that golf is as expensive as you want it to be. From clothes, to clubs, to shoes to glove, to ball and even the courses you play, you can do it affordably.

You've certainly opened my mind to the secong hand driver market

Never buy brand new. You’ll always get a bargain. You don’t need a full set of brand new clubs if u aren’t a pro or play everyday.

Kirkland head cover looks class.

Sounds like it’s time for a full bag Kirkland challenge - Driver, irons, wedges, putter, balls, glove and snacks / drink!

Apparently the Kirkland heads accept a Mizuno adapter 🤔

I’d love to see what a tour pro could shoot with a full Kirkland bag!

I think since the Callaway has lost it biggest part of its value already and the Kirkland being brand new that the "resale/trade-in" value would also be much better with the Callaway when you choose to upgrade.

James, you’ve just saved me £500 😊. I’ve played the Callaway Rogue since 2018 and while very happy with it, was temped to change driver this year. But your recent videos have convinced me that the gains would be so marginal that it’s probably not worth doing. I’ll just take a few lessons instead. Cheers 👍

I use a Kirkland ball absolutely love it 😊

I would have a lot of respect getting paired up with a fellow mid-handicapper (or high handicapper) that is gaming this instead of the latest $600 driver. Buy lessons, not expensive gear.

Pity you couldn't have found a club with a Riptide shaft to try it against. This test maybe just suggests the extra stiff shaft in the rogue driver suits you better. Ive heard the Mizuno shafts fit into the Kirkland head. Maybe you could test a Mizuno against the Kirkland and try both shafts in both heads?

Quality second hand clubs are the way to buy some great clubs I never buy new anymore

what on course launch monitor are you using ?

Agree with you 100%. Great way for any new player to begin. They will either be bitten by the game or not. If they are, they can begin their journey into new/used equipment!

Cant wait to see you play with Gabe. Heads up. The Bermuda grass in Florida is brutal.

PXG 0211 for $199 and Mizuno STZ 230's for $250.....BRAND NEW!

Since shafts don't dictate spin, I'm wondering if a low spinning ball like an of the "x" golf balls would have the Kirkland be so much better. Tp5x, prov1x, etc..

James question if you like your driver head which could be a couple of years old wouldn't it be easier to upgrade the shaft in the club rather than buy a new driver?

Tbh if I was choosing between the two I would choose the Kirkland. Just think with everything being similar except the new shiny head, shaft and grip would do it for me . Might have to do something about that tight head cover though.

Hi James, whenever new drivers are released everyone focuses on the head of the driver. How important is the correct shaft on the driver and do they get updated?

How difficult is it to choose a new shaft for the Kirkland, i guess you would need to have the adaptor removed from the existing shaft and installed on your shaft of choice. Although i like to tinker with my bag using the resale market, i rarely keep the shaft, i fit my shaft of choice, and sell the shaft out of the club i purchased. If you deal in a savvy manner, you can get clubs very cheaply, also the resale value with an upgraded shaft can make you money. I have access to shafts at a great price, so up selling clubs is fun, couple of months with a new club, and move on. I would love to give the Kirkland a bash, but not with its stock shaft.

Can you do a test with a new budget driver against the Kirkland driver? It would be a good comparison if someone had $200 to spend and may want something new. I can’t see buying the Kirkland driver over things in the used market but for someone that doesn’t know anything about golf and sees the prices of new name-brand stuff they might consider Kirkland. Thanks for all the great stuff you do.

I have the Kirkland wedges. Not an expert player by any means, but they are plenty good enough for me, and very cost-effective. 52, 56, 60 together for the price of a single wedge from other more established brands.

Love this video ..I would try a second hand driver or even the Costco driver!

How do you rate a more “discounted” driver like the PXG0211 compared to the Kirkland Signature driver? Performance should be better from the £200 PXG, right?

grab a shaft with a mizuno loft sleeve James! They fit the Kirkland driver, your mate from the states (Lets Play thru) showed it :)

The real benefit of Golf Clubs 4 Cash is that you have a week to use the club and return it if you don’t get on with it - though you really need to be close to one of their shops to make best use of this.

One nice thing about the Kirkland is that you can take it back at any time. There really is no limit. Heck, you can take it back six months to a year later and still get a full refund. So you really aren't out anything if you find something later on that works for you. As for, name brands, I don't give two snits about the logo. I have a TM Stealth2 Plus, great driver. It should be for the price. I actually bought a Kirkland on a lark, hitting it for the first time today. It probably won't play as well but is fine for a backup and if it does do better than my Stealth2 guess what is going in the bag.

I keep my shaft and just buy a new callway head every couple of years. I just recently bought the newer Roque max driver head in mint condition for $150.

That cobra amp cell was shockingly easy to hit for me. You should give it a try

James, this was an interesting video. I will say if I had only $199 to spend on a driver, I would NOT buy the Kirkland nor the older Roque. I'd be looking at the PXG 0211 or the PXG 0811 GEN4. Either of them is $199 brand new and that includes getting a full fitting for them.

As your counterpart Mark Crossfield points out, we often spend far too much for our clubs, and if we aren't brand snobs we don't need to!

Yes but Costco is 10 minutes from where I live and that store might as well be in Timbuktu, so you headline is for most of us just a pile of rubbish.

Great series, how do you like the Ohio bag????

I'm retired and a high handicapper on a fixed income. I'm playing a 2016 Callaway XR because I can't afford a $500 driver. I would pay $200 for a new driver, though. I would never notice the 3 yard difference in carry distance.

Now compare that rogue driver to a newer paradym. I still game the rogue driver and honestly never thought about changing until this whole 10k talk came out , but I'm still skeptical that there would be a massive difference

Also keep an eye out for run out models even some less popular brands. I picked up a new Homna TW747 for $240 Aussie dollars, retail was $800.

I personally played with a $15 driver for a couple of years... Made sure my friends I played with knew it too. After a drive when they were way back there I would say nothing, of course... they were friends...

People who feel they can't see themselves playing with less costly equipment have some serious ego problems. The club doesn't make a good golfer. A good swing does. No mater the name on it.

Man the absolute disrespect of pulling a head cover off a brand new driver then tossing it on the ground lmao

I almost went with the Rogue Sub Zero as a second hand…but fell in love with the Paradym and got it second hand. I do believe some of us purchase because of the brand and what it looks like in the bag instead of value.

They aren't really the same price though. If that's your starting point for comparison, in a few years there will be used ones for both and Costco will be much better. If I'm going to get similar performance out of both, I'm taking the new one every time.

Good head to head James and the Kirkland driver does look good

At the $200 "new" level, the PXG 0211 and offerings from places like Maltby and SMT are infinitely better deals than the Kirkland. Why? Because you can actually BUY them!

Thanks James, I wouldnt use a Kirkland club because i would allways doubt it was good enough. The heritage brands are just more trustworthy! You get what you pay for generally

James, why dollars!!! Keep it UK and forget the revenue. Value for money all the time! As a Yorkshire man....short arms, and deep pockets! Keep going matey

I have the Callaway rouge that i bought used an love it i just can't buy a club with a big Kirkland logo on it

James the Callaway will always be the best it still works it may look worn but that doesn't change the performance only the looks.

Thing is it’s nice to have new items every now and again but as golfer for 40 years this year (yes started play at the tender age of 9) and a mid to high (8 handicap) single figure player I just buy 2nd hand and not even expensive items too I m no pro, I don’t make a living from it, very rarely compete I just enjoy the game and play with what suits me New or old Christ my driver is a Tayloramde R5 duel! Basically what I’m saying use what works consistently makes no odds how much it is or what it looks like.

Do Costco sell anything else besides golf gear, loo roll and ketchup? 😂

I’m a high handicapper and would love to try any Kirkland golf clubs! Especially the wedges and putter!

can u change out the shaft and see what a premium shaft does to it

Wont by a new driver in a couple of years. They are overpriced and the differens between older drivers are too smal to defend the prices on the new drivers

I wish the Kirkland driver came in LH option.

The lefty putter and wedges aren't in the store usually and the driver and irons are right hand only. Not that I would but either, but still.

For $250, I can get more technology in a new M4 TaylorMade or a new Adams driver. So for $50 more have more tech. I'm personally going on a budget with more tech. But that's me. Thank you for another fantastic informative video, James! Keep up the great work. Cheers!

I bought a used TSi3, rated as "worse than average". I figured that worse than average for a 1 year old club would still be OK. Wrong. The club was seriously worn, more worn that any 20 year old club I have ever seen. I decided to pay considerably more, and bought a Stealth 2 in above average condition. It looked good, but the face fell completely off the club on the second hit. I've had good luck with used irons and fairway woods, but I'm now very, very leery of the used market for drivers.

How does this driver compare to the driver in the Calloway Edge Costco set?

Would never buy a Kirkland as the resell value is near zero if you want to get rid once your mates have stopped laughing 😢 although you may hit it well. No matter what people say, much better offerings in the second hand market as long as you know your specs.

So the costco driver really isn't a huge rip off ? Sensationalist headline - disappointing James.

Question? If I had the money, would it be better to get fitted for a new driver or go second, I am a high handicapper 24.1 and struggle with a slice of the tee?

If i could guarantee hitting a drive 270 down the middle 90% of the time, i would not care if it was flourescent pink with mickey mouse on it

The pxg ball is actually made in the factory as the Kirkland ball. Probably very similar

Been using Kirkland balls for a few years and you cant beat the gloves, the lads i play with just know mine when we have a ball chuckup.

My only thing with second hand is you do not know what you are getting over a new driver. You dont know how much it was used and abused.

the only downside will be when you want to sell the Kirkland , compared to a second hand big name driver . if your still paying 199 for a 6 year old Callaway , what will the Kirkland be worth in 2 years or more ? Just saying . I prefer buying second hand and getting a great driver at a good price then sell later for not much less then I paid for it if I want to change it out . comes down to personal preference in the end . Like all your videos keep them coming .

The numbers are basically the same. So choice would be based upon other “soft “ factors……. Personal preferences. I dont like the look of the Rogue but I also think the Kirkland head cover looks too Costcoish. So I choose a PXG because the numbers will be similar, used price is cheaper and the look is more pleasing to my eye. 11 index

Your golf bag has a lot of the markings of the AI Smoke driver. (Smoke, that is)

Kirkland is good for people who insist on buying new, but I’d rather buy a second hand Ping or buy brand new a model that’s been replaced. I bought a new G425 max last year for £300. It sounds like a frying pan, but that doesn’t bother me. It p****s my mate off 😂.

I'm sure Kirkland don't make their clubs in Left Handed, so I couldn't consider buying them even if I wanted to. So Kirkland/Costco can do one!!!

The cost isn't as fair a comparison as you think. In 12 months you can sell the Calloway and you might not lose anything. You'll be lucky to get half your money back selling the Kirkland. Go 2nd hand because you'll hardly lose much from selling on later down the line.

The moment you buy any new club it will loose value. You buy the Kirkland (as long as they have plenty of stock) will drop in value, as people would rather buy a brand new one than a 2nd hand one, they will need to be compensated by paying a lower price for a 2nd hand one. The same reason last season's model is cheaper than the current model. The 2nd hand driver would have lost it's value already, so if you don't like it you can always sell it at a similar value, sometime even more, so the risk is lower with the 2nd hand driver if you don't get on. In addition if you are getting it from a pro shop, they will normally allow you to hit in the nets before you buy - you can't do that LEGALLY in Costco. Go 2nd hand - even cheaper if you buy 2nd hand Kirkland clubs.

As a practical matter, with the numbers you have put up here, there is no critical difference between the two. Observing how Costco manages its golf equipment going forward will be interesting. The big boys will have some real competition if Costco gathers consumer feedback and improves its offerings. The current offerings have no real options for different shafts and grips. Nevertheless, what is significant is that Costco is helping to make golf more affordable while offering good quality products.

I recently played my 10th round of golf in my life and my brother and his friend were using the latest and greatest drivers, while I had my new to me Taylor made SLDR 460cc driver I just bought from 2nd swing for $94. For some reason I was out driving these guys 75% of the time. I got lucky with a few 280 yard drives but I was so happy showing out with a cheap used driver!

being an amateur golfer with expensive equipment is actually probably the most uncool thing you can do. It's way more badass to show up to the course and smoke your buddies with cheap clubs.

Costco also has a great return policy if the clubs break

The costco driver will be on sale this summer.

Would a 5 hcap from 40 years ago have more natural ability than todays 5 hcap due to the equipment available ?

James are you playing in the Good Good tournament?

👍👍👍

if you are worried about what your friends are thinking about what clubs you are using, you are doing yourself a disservice. The ball has no idea what is hitting it and to be honest, its fun to beat your buddies with something they sneer at