Golfing giant TaylorMade has entered another copyright lawsuit. In 2017, PXG dragged TaylorMade to court for infringing its patents by developing P790 iron sets. This time, as well, a lawsuit has been filed concerning the same set of equipment.

However, the company that TaylorMade sued is a wholesale giant and comparatively new to the golf scene. The firm has alleged that new products from the company are directed to infringe on what P790 is made of. On the whole, it infringes on five patents, and TM wants to stop anyone from copying its products.

TaylorMade files an infringement case against the biggest discount store in America

In early December 2023, Costco (Market cap nearly $300-$312 billion) released its Kirkland Signature irons for $499, designed by Southern California Design Company (SCDC). The iron sets were sold out in 24 hours as they were affordable. However, a month after their release, TaylorMade filed a complaint seeking that Costco infringed on five patents for the TM P790 Irons.

The company states that “the accused products copy many features and technologies [cavity-filled clubs] from TaylorMade’s P790 irons and the asserted patents,” the suit read, filed in the District Court of the Southern District of California. Moreover, the equipment giant has accused Costco of misleading their buyers. The Costco irons were to be filled with a urethane insert; however, TM claims that there are no inserts in the signature irons.

It finds the declared filled Kirkland irons are “literally false, or in the alternative, are misleading and, on information and belief, have actually deceived or have a tendency to deceive consumers in a way that influences purchasing decisions.” Meaning that it falsely suggests that Costco irons are similar to TaylorMade P790 irons.

TM has shared 11 different exhibits to prove that Costco has infringed design patents regarding P790 irons, including face construction, aperture, and cavity design. The statement seeks “compensatory damages, including opportunity costs and enhanced damages in an amount to be proven at trial.” Moreover, TaylorMade has made two more astonishing claims against Costco’s iron sets.

TaylorMade used to employ a part of Kirkland Signature Irons.

In their lawsuit, TaylorMade has made a statement declaring that the design company, SCDC, employed a former TM engineer who was a part of the production of the P790. And that the company claimed that the Southern California Design Company is working under the trade name Indi Golf’.

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The claims by TM accused Indi Golf of manufacturing “infringing products in, or imported infringing products into, the United States” and selling the same to Costco. The wholesale company has not provided any comments on the issue. Whereas TaylorMade stated to Golf.com, “Our P790 irons have been synonymous with distance and forgiveness for golfers of all levels, and this is why we decided to file suit against an inferior imitation under the name Kirkland Signature Player’s Irons from Costco and Indi Golf.”

The lawsuit may be settled by the two firms or go on for months before a judgment is passed. Did you happen to buy the $499 Kirkland Signature irons from Costco? Tell us in the comments.

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