Golf Glove Throwdown: Sam’s Club Versus Kirkland

Depending on the product, Kirkland golf gear has performed well or not so well in our testing. 

Having said that, one of the items we swear by is the Kirkland golf glove. As the reigning value champ (for four years running), it’s obviously tough to beat its combination of performance and price. 

But … a challenger approaches. 

Sam’s Club has entered the golf space.

Welcome to what I’m dubbing “Battle of the Bulk.” Can the new Member’s Mark golf gloves dethrone our current value champ? 

I’m willing to bet a chicken bake and a hot dog combo that Sam’s Club will give Kirkland a run for its money. Let’s find out. 

Kirkland Versus Sam’s Club: On Paper

Cabretta leather $29.99 (Kirkland) versus $22.98 (Sam’s) per pack of four S, M, M/L, L and XL sizing in both Available online or in store (membership required to purchase)

Hand-in-Hand Comparison

At first glance, the Kirkland and Sam’s Club golf gloves look eerily similar. While I don’t know where the gloves were manufactured, it’s not lost on me that many manufacturers go to the same factories to produce gloves.

Heck, even the packaging is nearly identical. 

But on closer inspection (and after a lengthy wear test), there are a few key differences I need to point out. 

“Thicc” vs Thin

The most noticeable difference (although not clear to the naked eye) is the thickness of the Cabretta leather construction. Where the Kirkland golf glove is thin, the Sam’s Club golf glove is thick. 

This bears out in two big performance differences. First and foremost, the Sam’s Club golf glove will be more durable. That said, the thinness of the Kirkland glove provides a much better club feel; it’s easier to feel the grip and what your hands are doing in the swing.

Stitching 

When I go down the product review rabbit hole, I go deep. Yes, that means I look at menial things like stitching to determine which is better. The answer here is clear: Kirkland does it better in regard to both the stitch pattern AND placements of said stitching. 

Here’s what I mean. On the Kirkland golf glove, the stitching around the knuckles is far enough towards the fingers that it doesn’t pinch the top of my hand when making a fist. The less-tight stitching pattern also contributes to this. 

On the other hand (pun intended), the stitching of the  Sam’s Club glove sits almost directly on top of my knuckles, which does pinch quite a bit when making a fist. It’s also more tightly woven which I think adds to the overall restriction in that section of the glove. 

It’s also worth noting that the palm/thumb overlay of the Kirkland Signature glove is reinforced with double stitching whereas the Sam’s Club glove relies on only a single stitch to keep this high-wear area intact.

Perf

The last big difference between the two gloves is perforation. A good glove should have perforation in the fingers to allow for airflow. Sam’s Club skimped a bit here. Its glove features only a single row of perforations per finger whereas Kirkland’s has twin rows of breathable perforation holes. 

It’s a small difference, sure, but the extra breathability comes in handy when playing in warm conditions. 

Anything Else?

Outside of the differences I noted, the gloves feature very similar (borderline indistinguishable) grip and great fit. 

It’s also worth noting that Kirkland offers right- and left-handed golf gloves but lefties are out of luck at Sam’s Club. 

And the Winner Is …

Is it cliche to say that the consumer wins? Having more budget-friendly golf gloves is always a good thing. However, if you twisted my arm and made me choose, I think it’s clear that Kirkland put more thought (and a little more money) into their gloves than Sam’s Club. 

Subtle differences are still differences, after all. And if double stitching and double perforations cost a little bit more to produce, Kirkland still did it anyway to create a superior golf glove at an unbeatable price. 

As for me and my house, I’ll stick with a chicken bake in one hand and a Kirkland Signature glove on the other. 

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