Can a Cheap Costco Driver Fly As Far? - SHOCKING RESULTS! 

Doing this test with your top drivers of the last 5yrs would be interesting

8mph wind helped you carry an extra 30 yards. turn it off!

Growing golf depends on good performing club options at all price levels. Don’t expect Kirklands to outperform the best clubs in any category. Just expect Kirkland to perform well enough to keep that buyer-golfer playing and enjoying the game. It’s 100% successful in that way in all its products. Hope Kirkland continues to do well because traditional makers are intent on raising the price levels all the time, which isn’t good for growing the game.

Some people think that club technology is limited more by the laws of the game than the technology itself. I’m not sure that’s completely true. More expensive drivers/clubs can incorporate more exotic materials, materials that can add to the springiness of a club face, adding distance. Also, the manufacturer can incorporate more tech behind and in the head to add to distance and/or forgiveness. I will agree that there is a point of diminishing returns. How much “more” do you get when you pay more. I’m of the mind that for mid to high handicappers, the Kirkland would serve us just fine, or even a 5 year old used club from a major manufacturer. I’m also a firm believer that today’s shafts have more to do with performance than the latest and greatest head design. Thanks, Gabe, for the great content as always!

So for an addition $800, you can pick up 1 yard of distance! 😂 I Love Golf!!

That was awesome. Looking good by the way Gabe, you working out? Did you crank the Kirkland down a degree, or did you use the stock 10.5•? That would get your launch angle & spin down. Perhaps even use the draw setting, so you hit the fairway, rather than the rough. That way you can get the most out of the Kirkland. You could even put your Mizuno shaft, or any other Mizuno shaft in there to optimize that Kirkland driver. Then again, that kinda defies the purpose of this “budget” driver. For me, having tried the evenflow, ventus blue and hzrdus blue in stiff shaft, I found the evenflow also kicky at the top and got about +350 spin on the ball, compared to the other two. Between the Ventus blue & Hzrdus blue there wasn’t much in it. The launch with the Hzrdus was a little lower, more penetrating, so I chose that one. With an optimum launch angle of about 14, swing speed of about 95mph, I get 2500 spin, and about 245 carry and about 265 roll out. Which makes sense, every 1mph is about 3-5yrds gain.

Do you have a Ping g400? I saw another video where the G400 was very similar to a G430 10k max and a fraction of the price.

So, Mere Mortals don’t need anything more than Kirkland. And, they’d be “suckers” to spend anything more.

Another great video !!!! I really enjoy it 😁

Gabe, l play the Ping G430. I always split the fairway. I sacrifice a little distance for accuracy. I love that club 👍.

Awesome review! Love all your reviews!!

I have TM Sim2 max, PXG, and mizuno ST. Like the feel of mizuno the most. Not too concerned about the total distance if struck perfectly…

Bought a Mizuno ST-X 230 platinum which is supposed to be 12degree but I found you can get them as 10.5 with hzrdus shaft for 175 shipped, so people can keep an eye out on that at maple hill or pga superstore

Love the test. As you said, I think the shaft made a HUGE difference allowing the PIng to be in the fairway on nearly every swing letting it get the most rollout. But no way I would spend $1k on a driver/shaft combo over either of the other options. I think if you put that shaft in the other 2 heads they would all end up being even more similar in total distance and dispersion. As some others have said, for my money I'd probably go with the Mizuno and a shaft that I know works for me. Or look at one of the Cobra's on sale (you can still get a new Aerojet for I think $299).

need a comparison vid for the takomo 101s, vs the maltby ts1,3,and 4s

I wonder how the Costco would work with that Mizuno shaft. You stated that you liked that shaft a lot. I know personally that the shaft can make a real difference.

Would also love to see a head to head with an older version, not too old, like the new Ping Max vs the 400 Max. I tried the new one but didn’t see any difference. Thus the question, has tech improved that much recently?

Tried them all. Most are really solid. I'm a Mizuno iron fan so now love my STX-230 Mizuno. Does what I need it to do. Not a fan of the Linq shaft. I have the Aldila Ascent Red shaft. Wanted the Graphite Design but not for another $300. However, one of the best and longest per dollar driver ever is my 2021 PXG 0211with Riptide CB shaft.

Recently purchased the Mizuno ST Max 230 it’s phenomenal so easy to hit, so straight and long. easily as good as the higher priced options out now

Can you tell us who manufacturers the Kirkland driver?

I thought it was awesome that you compared a driver in each price category. Maybe you can have a budget driver comparison. I wish the Kirkland irons and driver were available at my Costco. 😢😢

when/if you test the callaway mini driver can you please do the 11.5 model?

I think my take away is ping is the straightest but if you want a longer driver you need to have one that hits the fairway 1st otherwise don't go for distance

Some of the best content on RU-vid.

Loving the content Gabe! 🐊🏌⛳️🦅🇺🇲

LOL 101mph swing speed and 285 yards drive. juiced.

So if we pay $100 to $800 more for a major brand driver we can get 2 additional yards? Sounds like a deal to me. 😂

Forgot to mention - don’t forget about getting fit! Good video!!

Gabe I would take the Mizuno ST 230 Max all day long. Has become my gamer.

Lets get you a $200 Maltby TC Pro that would beat all 3 of these in stats. 😁 All jokes aside, it easily outperforms my Mizuno ST-Z 230.

Gabe.. I fast forwarded to the results chart and saw 307 average, thinking you've gone beast mode .. then noticed "To pin" at top of that column. Still a good test.. will watch again later..!

What if you put the Mizuno’s Ling shaft in the Kirkland?

Disappointed that nothing can come close to the ping. 1.5 yards off line vs almost 15 for the Kirkland ping is the straightest driver ever and has better distance then the ping g400max

Something wrong with your settings. 100 mph swing speed doesn't carry nearly 270 yards, especially with a lower smash factor than 1.5. Great video's though.... Love your enthusiasm.

Great test. Love the enthusiasm. Don’t throw your back out. The driver is not my friend.

All drivers go the same distance when hit perfectly... it's been regulated into the game since the late 90s... You are paying for forgiveness and R&D... Driver distance is limited by the laws of physics... everything else is marketing...

Could you please review cost effective hybrids

Go pick up an old R580XD for $40 I bet it will hit as far as anything out

Dude. If you're trying to get distance just use the driving range setting on the screen

Why wouldn’t you do it in an open fairway sim ?!?

This one played out as more of a story of shafts.

Teton Pines elevation is 6,200….

No need to replace my radspeed. Maybe in a few years

I see GigaGolf has a new $200 Carbon driver now. Looks rather nice. (Hint, hint)

Am I crazy or does the primary difference between the Kirkland and the ping just come down to the launch angle and peak height?

How was the dispersion?

Great video as always Gabe. Unless i am mistaken, it looks like you picked up quite a bit of speed since your early videos, and you also seem to have lost weight and look fitter. Would love to see a video about how you have been working on your speed and fitness.

The mizuno woods are some of best value in golf right now. They look so good. Just not a fan of Kirkland, would much rather buy used for $200 budget. There are usually prior year new Cobras on sale for $299 or Tour Edge. Just no reason to ever touch a Kirkland golf product

Can a "cheap" driver perform as good.... Cheapest driver costs as much as my most of my set combined. Me, looking awsy in shame: I am not sure that word means what you think it means.

wow you picked up speed. Must be all the weight loss :)

Who cares about smash factor. The results show that the Kirkland is as good as your super expensive ping.

I feel that the better golfer you are the less benefit you get from drivers these days. If you’re a 7 handicap or better, what’s the point of shelling out all that cash for a Ping?

I would never spend in Canada $1000 on a Ping 10K driver if I could buy the Kirkland or the Mizuno for less. If you put an expensive shaft into the Kirkland or Mizuno, as what was in the Ping, you may even increase the numbers on those drivers even more. In Canada, the Ping 10k driver with taxes is $993 CDN. Sorry, but that’s just ridiculous. When you look at the numbers here it’s basically splitting hairs and it’s also just human testing not a robot. So taking everything with a grain of salt, all you can say is that this is so hairline close it’s a matter of preference, budget, But in the end, the numbers and forgiveness are going to be so close on an average course for a regular golfer is negligible. Great video 👍

Gabe I have a question, where do you buy a Costco driver? Not in any Costco store in my area and there are 5 in my county. Nor on the website also no drivers or right handed putters or irons or wedges. Why are you RU-vidrs giving all this Kirkland content on gear you can’t get…

Need to explain why you aren’t gaming the Miz… smash factor is silly. You were just better with the Miz. Period. Kirkland did fine. Ping 10k for a g? Play the Miz.

First

I keep seeing RU-vidrs compare and try to justify this Kirkland driver. But in reality the lack of forgiveness, the price point, and the customer base (high handicapper), its going to cost more shots than the value. Makes me wonder are all these RU-vidrs being paid to push this driver? I guess long gone are the days of unbiased reviews...

What a waste of time , you are comparing apples to bananas to strawberries! At least use the same shaft in all 3 to get a fair test !!!

Enough with the F’n Kirkland crap!