Everyone is losing their minds over these Costco golf balls
Some of the best golf balls in America are apparently from Costco — and they've been sold out for most of the past two months. Sold for just $1.25 apiece, Costco's wildly popular Kirkland Signature brand golf balls are suddenly causing quite the commotion in the billion-dollar industry, The Wall Street Journal reports, with secondary market prices soaring. The balls are thought to perform as well as rival balls that sell for more than twice as much, "threatening one of the sport's long-held consumer beliefs: When it comes to the quality of golf balls, you generally get what you pay for."
Released in the U.S. last fall without much fanfare, the Kirkland balls were originally manufactured in South Korea by a company called Nassau Golf, which sold an "excess supply" of the balls to Costco. The retail giant ordinarily isn't very involved in the golf business, but when avid golfers discovered the impressive quality of the balls, they quickly became a fan favorite. Major players in the industry are apparently fascinated by the product as well, the Journal reports: "The ball was such a curiosity to one major equipment company that employees there cut one in half to study its interior, hoping to discern more about its origin and composition."
Costco removed the online listing for the item in mid-January after they went out of stock, and no one knows when or if they'll make a comeback. Golfers are now relying on eBay and other private sellers to get their hands on the "coveted" product.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"When Costco gets them back, I'm going to buy enough to last me another 10 years," one golfer told the Journal.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kelly Gonsalves is a sex and culture writer exploring love, lust, identity, and feminism. Her work has appeared at Bustle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and more, and she previously worked as an associate editor for The Week. She's obsessed with badass ladies doing badass things, wellness movements, and very bad rom-coms.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 1, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - broken eggs, contagious lies, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 humorously unhealthy cartoons about RFK Jr.
Cartoons Artists take on medical innovation, disease spreading, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Brodet (fish stew) recipe
The Week Recommends This hearty dish is best accompanied by a bowl of polenta
By The Week UK Published
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published