Tiger ! Tiger ! Tiger !
We are talking about a working lab ? Not a fitting center ?
Working lab would produced a prototype from scratch, and not many OEM has one. Nike had one called "the oven" capable from design with CAD to forming prototype with metal or resin to custom fitting.
Rumor had it when the Oven sent several irons ( wedge )to TW for testing and selecting, he could feel the difference of a couple of grams variation in head weight. which Nike R & D denied saying they were identical but later found out TW was correct.
In the meantime, TMAG might sell a gazillion M2 drivers and fairways just because he appeared on TV with them. Imagine what will happen if/when he and Rory (and other Nike players?) sign with TM.
I'm sure Bridgestone got the better of this deal. They get to use his name and image in marketing; he(supposedly) gets only $1-2mil./yr.. He'll never see a cent of that figure after taxes, with his other income figured in. He may not have the pull of years past, but his name/image(physical) is still worthy of attention. He says he is 6 yds. longer than he ever was, with every club. If it could be attributed to the ball change, then B/stone will definitely profit from having him on board. I'm sure we will see this statement used as a marketing tool for their balls, if he allows it.
side note....I just read where the K-sig balls will be in stock 12/20. Same price deal.
Release u really think Costco and the Kirkland signature ball will start a revolution? With the price of balls in 17? I don't see it that way....they def have a cult following on wrx and have been wildly popular over there, but it is a Costco product, only available at Costco or online Costco. They are proving it can be done, that is offer a urethane ball for cheap. Been done before, just not on this scale, with this kind of distribution they have. Its an open model ball, basically a rebranded ball, there is no r and d into the ball by cistco, there is no tour presence and never will be....imo they won'timpact the bigs in any way. They may have an impact on some of the other smaller players in the market, which imo is not a good thing. Especially those that are trying to develop a product, putting r and d money towards that development, advertising dollars, etc. No way a company like that can sell a ball for the price that costco does. I hope you are right that these ball companies will lower their prices, but imo it ain't happening, it's more wishful thinking than anything.
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ode I've read some of those reviews on wrx. Several say they play exactly the same as the Prov1 and they like it just as much. They then go on to say they will only play the Prov1 when it comes to tournaments and such. WTF? Those Dickheads are the reason the big OEM companies & brands do well. Facetious pricks, they are, imo.
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Par4QC in a way they are....many look down on components and consider them clones or inferior, yet when it comes to this product, they have no qualms about playing an open model ball, rebranded for Costco. It is interesting for sure....I suspect it's a decent product, but price it at prov1 price or b330 or z star or chrome...then give me a review.....it reminds me some of the TM red TP ldp, not much talk about this ball at full retail, but then it goes clearance and it's a long, low spin monster....where were the bulk of those reviews when it was full retail?
Anyways, I don't buy that much will change with the ball market, it's just Costco doing what they do.
ode Costco states they have no idea about the balls specs/makeup, and they don't care. It was offered to them at the price point they could handle in order to sell them as cheaply as they are. Something tells me they may be leaving themselves open for a helluva lawsuit.
Makes no diff to me as I do not play 'expensive' balls($15/doz.).
You're right about that. No love until there's a deal involved, then boom - greatest thing since sliced bread! LOL
I played the TM TP Red for a couple of years and thought it was a great ball, especially when they were being heavily discounted because they were discontinuing the model in lieu of their debut of the Penta.
I seriously doubt that I will ever find a ball that I feel more confident with than the Titleist ProV1 X, however comparable most all premium balls are today. It has something the rest don't have with me: a good history.
But I ain't one to pass up a good deal either.
I predict the general price for all major brand of golf balls will drop in 2017 comparing to the 2016 price line if Costco has the continuation of supply for the K.S. golf balls.
I don't think the ProV1 will ever drop to $17 per doz. for new in the box, but competition will keep the potential price increase at bay.
There will always be suckers paying more for brand names so they could be different. Like those idiots buying the entry level European automobile and pay over $300 per hour for maintenance. The entry level luxury automobile has the logo and the marker of the brand, and that's all. The quality is less than what other brands offer, but, there are those wish to drive a logo down the street.
Costco's business model had been successful. Everyone I know will get their bathroom paper and other stuff from Costco , for the re-branded stuff is the same or better than the name brand in other stores.
We shop Costco for 80% of our household supply. Living close to one of the warehouse makes it convenient to stop by each week.
People who can afford new Suburbans and Tahoes aren't worried about fuel going back up to 4 bucks per gallon.
People who predominately play ProV's (or whatever other $46/doz premium ball) ain't concerned about how much they cost.
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Release Costco is interesting to me....I have two good friends/coworkers that are quite liberal, buy local, can't stand Wal Mart and would not be caught dead in one ofthe stores, yet they are avid Costco shoppers....I realize Costco and WM are different, but it's still interesting to me. They rave about the products and savings. Have they made a difference like you are suggesting they will do in the ball market, in any other market? Curious?
I still dont see the big guys changing their price structure significantly, why would they, ? No way they can adjust price enough to come even close to the Costco ball. I don't see them as competition anyway, as most follow what the pro,s play and then there are golfers like us, wrx, etc. Who are kinda on the fringe and techy, knowledgeable more so then the avg now golfer, at least about gear and especially about being a ho for gear. We are in the minority.
IMO this hurts Snell, Vice, MG, etc. And if they do have an impact it will be to squeeze these guys out, which would be a shame really.
I thought THIS was a Tiger thread! 
In short, this will hurt everyone in the industry, whether they have the endorsement from T.W. or not.
To force the price line to be more reasonable so the brand name buyers will not abandon ship.
I know no one whom has a Costco membership still shop at the traditional grocery stores / chain stores for items like bath tissue , laundry detergent, organic egg..................
Why would someone pay 200% to 500% mark up instead of a 15% mark up ?
Best to start another thread for I'm thread jacking my own thread.
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It's Christmas. You ask me what kind of ball I would like as a gift. I'm not telling you Kirkland's new ball from Costco. I'm telling you Titleist Pro V1X.
And I would wager everything I own that players (like me) will go with the tried-and-true before they would go with a generic brand.
It's just the way it works. The generic could, in theory, be better in some aspects, even. But people are going to associate the quality perception, and Titliest has, for a long number of years now, enjoyed the distinction of being the most popular ball brand on the planet.
Never saw an "I'd rather be driving a Callaway" bumper sticker on a car, but I have seen numerous "I'd rather be driving a Titleist" ones.