Equipment

Titleist responds to Costco’s suit with 284-page countersuit

Published

9 years ago

Aug 16, 2017

Wondering how Acushnet/Titleist’s legal team would respond to Costco’s pursuit of a judgment that the Kirkland Signature ball didn’t infringe on any Acushnet patents? With creativity and overwhelming force, it seems.

Almost five months removed from Costco’s suit, Acushnet is predictably denying all claims, as well as filing a 284-page countersuit of its own. The substance of the suit: Alleging the Costco ball infringes on 10 Acushnet patents.

But this isn’t all: Titleist is also taking issue with the Kirkland Signature Guarantee. You know, the company’s proclamation that, “Every Kirkland Signature product is guaranteed to meet or exceed the quality standards of the leading national brands.”

Acushnet suggests there’s no way a Costco private label product of the same quality as the Titleist Pro V1. Thus, in this case, the Guarantee amounts to false advertising.

In this case, the Kirkland Signature Guarantee, Acushnet alleges, is intended to deceive consumers into believing the Kirkland Signature ball “meets or exceed the quality standards” of Titleist’s Pro V1 line. Further, Acushnet doesn’t believe Costco has conducted the comparison testing required to make the such claims and guarantees.

Acushnet, in the countersuit, indicates it has done the requisite comparison testing between the Kirkland Signature ball and the Pro V1/Pro V1x. The company found Costco’s ball didn’t go as far across a range of swing speeds, had less back spin, and was less durable.

Not only should the court declare Costco is infringing on the 10 patents in question, the countersuit says, but Costco should pay three times “adequate damages” for the infringement. Even further, Acushnet wants Costco to hand over three times Costco’s profits on the K Sigs.

As of now, Acushnet is not asking for a specific amount in damages. Rather, the company is seeking a jury trial to determine infringement and damages.

This all began with a letter from Acushnet in December. The Pro V1 manufacturer told Costco it believed the company was engaging in false advertising and infringing on company patents. Costco filed its aforementioned suit in mid-March. Acushnet 284-page countersuit represents a response to that motion.

Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

11 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.

Joel Thelen

Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.

First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.

Mitchell Meissner

Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.

Whats in the Bag

Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)

Published

11 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX

Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

See more in-hand photos of Bud Cauley’s clubs here.

Equipment

Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

11 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.

@Lamosteve began:

Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine

Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”

Entire Thread: “Name every set of irons you’ve owned.”