Many golfers choose to wear golf clubs for different reasons, but most of them will usually wear only one glove. While this may seem interesting, there’s actually a reason behind it—and it has nothing to do with being a requirement to play golf.
So, why do golfers wear one glove?
Golfers wear one glove for protection, comfort, and technique-related reasons, especially when practicing driver shots. They might take it off between shots, too. However, others might wear the pair or none at all.
Keep on reading to find out more!
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Why Do Golfers Wear One Glove?
Generally, golfers wear one glove on the non-dominant hand (usually the left hand) to get a better grip while swinging the golf club.
Since golfers don’t use their dominant hand much in swinging the club but use it to provide stability, they often won’t need to wear the second glove. Plus, some golfers find that wearing two gloves feels weird and disconnects their coordination.
However, that’s only a matter of convenience. Some pro golfers like Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey wear gloves on both hands, regardless of the weather.
Other golfers don’t wear gloves at all. So, wearing golf gloves is entirely up to your preference and finding what works best for you.
When Should You Wear Golf Gloves?
Wearing gloves can be beneficial on some occasions, like reducing your grip tension, protecting you from blisters, and supporting your performance in bad weather.
Let’s take a look at some of the common benefits of wearing golf gloves:
Reduce the Grip Tension
Probably the main reason people choose to wear golf gloves, especially if they’re still trying to perfect their grip, is because it reduces the tension.
When working on your golf swing, you’ll want to focus on perfecting your grip. You don’t want to grip the golf club with too much pressure and create tension in your arms.
With extra tension, you’ll restrict your swing arc, causing you to lose power and speed, resulting in a weak, short-distanced shot.
On the other hand, you don’t want to grip the club lightly, either. It’ll only slide through your hands while swinging, making it harder to hit a straight shot.
Wearing a golf glove will help you increase your grip without added tension. This way, you achieve constant pressure throughout the swinging movement, improving your overall performance.
Keep the Blisters Away
While many people enjoy golf, it certainly has some downsides. Practicing long-distance shots and trying to perfect your technique can take a toll on your hands. Usually, golfers’ hands have calluses and blisters after long practice sessions.
Constant rubbing is the main reason your hands develop friction blisters, and your skin starts to peel.
When the golf club rubs against your hands, it separates the outer layer of your skin and exposes the underneath layers, causing the area to sting. Your body responds by building up fluid, eventually forming the blister.
Now, if your hands are already full of blisters, you’ll want to tape them and wear gloves to avoid making your symptoms worse. Even if your hands don’t hurt, you should still wear them to prevent direct rubbing against your skin.
However, if you’re not comfortable with golf gloves, you can wear them only while practicing driver shots and ditch them when hitting a put. For some people, removing the glove might help with achieving better precision.
Detect What You’re Doing Wrong
Your gloves’ state can help tell you what you’re doing wrong in your swing technique. Golf gloves usually wear out at the palm of your hands or the thumbs because of friction.
If you notice a hole in the palms of your gloves, that could indicate that you place your leading hand too far over the golf club. So, when you swing the club down, it moves in your hand and rubs against your palms, wearing the glove out.
Pulling the club down at the top of the swing can also wear your gloves. When there isn’t enough gripping power in your non-dominant hand, it can cause your other hand to pull the club while swinging it, gliding through your thumb and palms, eventually tearing your glove.
Not hitting the golf ball using the center of your club is another reason why your gloves have holes. If you don’t use the center of the club to hit the ball, the club head twists and comes back, creating a rubbing motion in your hands, so your glove loses its quality over time.
Support Your Grip in Bad Weather
Wearing golf gloves is a matter of preference and isn’t mandatory. However, in some weather conditions, like rain or cold, it’s better to put on a pair of gloves to help you perform better.
Rain golf gloves give a firmer, more secure grip the wetter they get, preventing the club from slipping from your hands. Not only are golf gloves handy in the rain, but they can also protect your fingers from numbing.
Why Do Golfers Take Off Their Gloves After Every Shot?
Golfers take off their gloves because their hands get sweaty, particularly in hot and humid weather. Leaving the golf gloves for hours will make your hand slippery, losing the desired firm grip.
In addition, sweat provides a great environment for bacteria to grow and causes an unpleasant odor, making your gloves smell bad. What’s more, sweat can aggravate certain skin conditions like eczema and cause heat rashes.
Having to air the fabric is why some golfers wear only one glove, so they don’t have to take off an extra glove and put it back on after each shot.
Conclusion
So, why do golfers wear one glove?
Usually, golfers wear one glove on the non-dominant hand to get an added grip to help them perform better and to protect their hands from developing blisters.
Meanwhile, some golfers prefer skin contact with the golf club to perfect precision shots.
Whether you choose to wear a golf club or not is a matter of personal preference. After all, a relaxed, secure grip makes all the difference to your golf performance!
