Most PGA players on tour wear a single golf glove, but that wasn’t the case in the early days of golf. It wasn’t until the 1940’s that prominent golf figure Sam Snead popularized the wearing of the golf glove as players were noticing that he was winning a lot of his games wearing it.
When looking for a golf glove, it’s important that you choose a left hand glove if you are a right handed player, and choose a right hand glove if you are a left handed player. This is because your non-dominant hand, a.k.a lead hand, goes at the very top of the club and is responsible for the rotational movement of the golf club which therefore controls the direction of the clubface.
But apart from choosing left hand or right hand golf glove, there are several features that makes up a good quality golf glove. Here is what to look for in a golf glove:
- Golf Glove Should Provide Added Grip
- Golf Glove Should Be Made Of Leather
- The Glove Should Fit Your Hand Like A Second Skin
- The Golf Glove Should Be Lightweight
- The Golf Glove Should Offer 100% Protection
- Golf Glove Should Be Waterproof
- The Cost Of The Golf Glove Should Average $15-$25
Table of Contents
1. Golf Glove Should Provide Added Grip
The main feature to look out for when buying golf gloves is added grip. The purpose of a golf glove is to provide better grip, thus preventing the club from turning in your hands.
The material and technology used to design the golf glove will make the outside tackier, allowing for a tighter and more comfortable grip.
When you’re holding the club with your bare hands, you have to tighten the grip to ensure the club doesn’t loosen out of your hands.
But when you wear a golf glove, you don’t have to exercise any additional grip as the golf glove will help do that for you.
This leads to a relaxed grip and a more composed golf swing. Therefore, the golf glove should help you keep a lighter, more consistent grip pressure which can improve your accuracy and overall swing speed.
If you are a golfer who has very sweaty hands, then buying a golf glove or two will help out with that problem. Often on the golf course, your bare hands become sweaty and slippery especially on warm days.
This cause the club to turn in your hands during the swing and in worst cases, loosen out of your hands completely.
A slippery grip will amost always cause a wayward shot and an inconsistent golf swing which can negatively affect your golf score and chances of winning the round.
So what material makes the golf glove tacky? This leads us to our next point…
2. Golf Glove Should Be Made Of Cabretta Leather
When deciding what golf glove to wear, it’s best to go for one that is made of premium leather, particularly cabretta leather. There are other materials such as synthetic and hybrid, but the cabretta leather has an impressive ability to hold up over time without taking feel away from the player. The grip that the glove provides is simply impeccable.
Cabretta leather is the most popular choice used by PGA players. It’s very durable, soft, supple and have incredible feel and grip, and is made from the skins of hairy sheep.
Cabretta Leather Golf Glove
While there other types of leather gloves, they are just not best suited to provide the essential grip like cabretta. Moreover, the pattern on faux leather glove will often peel and fade away. Faux leather is not naturally moist and oily like cabretta leather, so it won’t be supple and soft as one would expect.
3. The Glove Should Fit Your Hand Tightly And Comfortably
One of the most important feature that you should look for in a golf glove is how tightly fitted the glove is around your hands and fingers.
The golf glove should be thin and fit your hands like a second skin such that is it is wrapped tightly across the palm of your hand and through the fingers. It should not be loose around the fingers.
A loosely fitted golf glove will not provide a firm grip needed to swing the club. This will in turn affect your shot as you wont be able to keep hold of the club when you swing.
To determine the correct size golf glove that will fit your hands, measure the circumference of your lead hand around the knuckles. (left hand for righties; right hand for lefties)
Or you can check out the complete golf glove size chart and fitting guide on Footjoy’s website
4. The Golf Glove Should Be Lightweight
A lightweight golf glove will ensure you get a clean grip on your golf clubs, whether that be your irons, wedges or woods.
Most golf gloves should weigh under 1 pound. A heavy golf glove can actually affect the swing weight of the system, but it’s not going to make much difference as the weight of the golf glove is close to the axis of rotation.
Nevertheless, a lightweight golf glove provides more comfort and prevent the hand from sweating when out on the golf course. You’ll typically find most lightweight golf gloves specifially designed for women, though they are a great choice for men also.
5. The Golf Glove Should Offer 100% Protection
Weather conditions vary on a golf course. A good golf glove will help protect your hands from elements like rain, due, or even snow. But more importantly, the golf glove prevents blisters on your hands which is important if you play often.
These blisters are formed when your hands continually rub against the club grip. Usually it’s recommended that you wear one golf glove on your non-dominant hand, but if you find that you need added protection, then it doesn’t hurt to wear two golf gloves on both hands.
Scientific research has also found that wearing golf glove not only provide the extra support and mild compression in the golf grip, but it helps reduce pain and discomfort from swollen and sore joints.
This is especially useful for players who have arthritis in their hands as the glove help to stabilize the joints in the hand.
6. Golf Glove Should Be Waterproof
Another important feature that you should look for in a golf glove is the ability to resist moisture. If you go with something like a standard glove, it becomes very ineffective as soon as it gets wet and you’ll be struggling to hold onto your golf grip.
A waterproof golf glove will reduce the challenge of playing golf in the rain as it will prevent you from losing control of your clubs, improve traction and even keep your hands warm.
We found that golf gloves made from cabretta leather are water resistant and works best in such wet conditions. You’ll be able to maintain the same amount of grip pressure and control even on those rainy days.
7. The Cost Of The Golf Glove Should Not Exceed $30
There is no need to spend excessive amount of money on a golf glove. Most golf gloves are priced between $15 to $25, whereas the premium golf gloves can go as high as $30, so you shouldn’t be paying any more than that.
Some of the popular brands you can find are Titleist and Footjoy as their products are made of high quality. The amount of money you’ll be paying for a golf glove is extremely worth it because you are getting added grip especially on your drives and long irons, thereby preventing the club from slipping out of your hands.
