The Kirkland golf ball is one of the most talked-about products in our ball testing every year.
After spending a lot of time digging into the 2025 data, and putting it in play myself, it’s clear this isn’t a ball you judge as simply “good” or “bad.”
What matters is how it fits into your game.
Here are five things I think you should know about the Kirkland Performance+ before deciding if it belongs in your bag.
1. You shouldn’t expect winning distance
If you’re looking for a ball that pops to the top of the distance leaderboard, this probably isn’t it. With that said, at the most, it’s probably going to cost you only a few yards.
Across fast, mid and slow swing speeds, driver distance stayed right in the mix without relying on extreme launch or ultra-low spin. It may not be a distance first choice but it won’t hurt you to put it in play.
2. This is one of the urethane balls that doesn’t care how fast you swing
Some golf balls clearly favor speed. With the Kirkland Performance+ v3.5, driver ball speed and spin stayed tightly grouped across all swing speeds. There wasn’t a point where it suddenly fell off or got jumpy.
At mid swing speeds, Kirkland stands out for keeping spin in check without sacrificing distance. The data shows it behaves differently (and more consistently) than previous versions.
3. With irons, you’ll notice control before you notice height
The 7-iron data showed slightly lower peak height than many tour balls but spin stayed solid and descent angles remained very playable. Carry distance also stayed tightly clustered with the rest of the field.
What that suggests is that it’s a ball that doesn’t rely on extreme height or spin to stop. If you already hit the ball high enough, Kirkland tends to produce more predictable carry windows.
4. Around the green, Kirkland is about predictability
On 35-yard wedge shots, Kirkland spun more than ionomer balls but less than the highest-spinning tour balls. Launch was slightly higher and rollout was very consistent. I noticed exactly the same thing when I tested the Kirkland on the course.
If your short game relies on maximum grab, you’ll probably want something with higher spin.
Sample wedge spin rates from 2025 Golf Ball Test (35-yard shot)
| Golf Ball | Avg. Spin (RPM) |
|---|---|
| Titleist Tour Soft | 4,583 |
| Callaway ERC Soft | 5,189 |
| TaylorMade Tour Response | 5,578 |
| Maxfli Tour S | 5,580 |
| Callaway Chrome Soft | 5,593 |
| Kirkland Performance+ v3.5 | 5,612 |
| Srixon Q-STAR TOUR | 5,623 |
| PXG Xtreme Tour | 5,632 |
| Titleist AVX | 5,646 |
| TaylorMade TP5x | 5,812 |
| Vice Pro Plus | 5,823 |
| Maxfli Tour X | 5,948 |
| TaylorMade TP5 | 6,009 |
5. Where the Kirkland Performance+ delivers value
Looking at the full 2025 ball test (driver, 7-iron, 35-yard wedge), the Kirkland Performance+ v3.5 shows a consistent profile.
For the golfer on a budget choosing between a $50 tour ball and the Kirkland Performance+, the data suggests you’re giving up very little in overall performance across the bag.
Final thoughts
For more information on how the Kirkland Performance+ v3.5 performed across each swing speed, check out the results of our 2025 testing here: MyGolfSpy Golf Ball Test 2025.
Clifford A. Phifer
4 months ago
I like the comments, and info provided. I’ll be trying out the Kirkland next time I visit Costco.