Some golfers believe that golf gloves are unnecessary. I’ve heard people at the driving range say that they hit the ball just as well without one.
While it’s true that some of the pros play great without a glove, for the average amateur, a good glove is essential.
What should I look for in the best golf glove?
There are two key things that you should look for in any golf glove: the material it is made of, and the fit. The material is a matter of personal preference. But the glove should fit like a second skin.
Today we’re going to discuss everything that you need to know about golf gloves, and we’ll recommend 10 of our favorites.
By the end of this piece, you will see why the right glove is so important.
Which Hand Do I Wear a Glove On?
Some golfers choose to wear golf gloves on both hands, especially in the rain or cold weather. But normally you will wear your glove on your top hand.
When I say top hand, I’m talking about your lead hand that is on top when you grip your club.
That means if you’re right-handed, you will wear the glove on your left hand, and if you’re left-handed, you will wear it on your right.
The reason why it’s better to wear just one glove is that it helps you to feel the swing better.
Gloves are optional, and some golfers choose not to wear them at all. But if you do wear a glove on one hand, it will help you with proper contact and timing.
What Is the Point of a Golf Glove?
The main reasons why golfers wear a glove are because it helps with grip and prevents calluses and blisters.
Gloves can also keep your hands dry and warm in wet and cold weather.
Grip
underline;”>Improving the grip is the number one reason why you would want to wear a golf glove on your lead hand. Golf gloves are tackier than your skin.
This is especially true in hot weather. When you wear a glove, you don’t have to worry about the club turning or slipping in your hand.
You will find the glove particularly helpful if you have a loose grip.
In some circumstances, like poor weather, gloves are a necessity to grip the club.
Callous and Blister Prevention
The repetitive swing motion of golf can take a toll on your hands. If you play without a glove, you will likely form callouses and blisters.
This is especially a problem if you grip very tightly. A glove may not prevent callouses entirely, but it will certainly help.
Some golfers will also tape their hands in the places where they tend to blister.
What Material Should I Look For?
There is no one perfect type of golf glove. They each have their pros and cons. The main three types of gloves are leather, synthetic leather, and hybrids.
1) Leather Gloves
The most common type of golf glove is leather. Leather gloves provide excellent feel and grip. They should fit and feel like a second skin.
Often leather gloves are made of high-quality Cabretta leather. This is the same material that baseball gloves are made of.
Leather gloves are very soft, and they are moisture resistant.
They’re also very breathable. The leather will stretch a little bit with wear, so you shouldn’t choose a glove that is too large to start with.
No matter what glove you choose, you should know that it is going to get wet. Sweat and water won’t hurt a leather glove.
If you dry it properly, it will continue to offer an excellent grip.
One of the only downsides to leather is that it is more expensive than synthetic gloves. Leather also wears out more quickly.
2) Synthetic Gloves
While leather is the most common type of glove, many golfers prefer synthetic leather gloves. Golfers who love this type of glove say that they offer greater flexibility.
Synthetic gloves are also more durable than leather. They can be just as lightweight and soft as leather, but they’re not as breathable.
If you’re looking for a great value, then you should go for a synthetic glove. They last longer and they’re less expensive.
The downside is that synthetic gloves aren’t as comfortable as real leather.
3) Hybrid Gloves
Now, if you’re looking for the best of both worlds, then you should go with a hybrid glove. Hybrids offer both comfort and durability.
They are made of both Cabretta and synthetic leather.
Usually, these gloves will have leather on the palm and fingers. The common wear areas, like over the joints, will typically be synthetic.
We like hybrids because they provide excellent feel while still being durable.
They’re also not as expensive as leather gloves.
4) All-Weather Gloves
All-weather gloves are often worn on both hands. The advantage they offer is in wet or extremely humid weather.
These gloves are more water-resistant than any other type of glove. If you’re playing in the rain or you’re sweating a lot, they will give you the best feel.
The all-weather gloves are usually made of breathable synthetic material.
It grips better when it’s wet. These gloves are also generally covered with a warmer thick material, so they will keep your hands warm in colder conditions.
If you’re going to play golf in the rain, the all-weather gloves are the way to go.
5) Thermal Gloves
Do you like to hit the links in the winter months? If you do, then you’ll want to go with thermal gloves. They will keep your hands warm in colder weather.
This type of glove is thick. They are typically made of knitted or thermal material. And you wear these gloves on both hands.
They don’t offer quite as much feel as leather gloves, but if your fingers are frozen, you will have no feel at all.
Thermal gloves are an excellent option for keeping your hands warm on cold days.
6) Golf Mitts
Another type of glove that you may want if you play in cold weather is golf mitts. These are designed to fit over your normal playing glove, and they are meant to keep your hands warm.
You can’t play with mitts on; they are just for wearing in between shots.
7) Half Gloves
Half gloves are another option you have. These gloves are typically leather, and they cover your palm and half of your fingers.
Half gloves are popular with women who have long fingernails. They’re also helpful if you tend to sweat a lot while you play.
What About the Sizing?
Believe it or not, an estimated 50 percent of golfers wear a glove that doesn’t fit them properly. Most often, the glove is too big.
You want your golf glove to fit you like a second skin. There shouldn’t be excess material across the palm of your hand or at the tips of your fingers.
And don’t forget that leather gloves will stretch a bit with wear. When your leather glove is brand new, it should be snug.
If it’s roomy at the beginning, it will end up being too big once you play in it.
The Velcro fastener should never go beyond 75 percent of the way across your hand. If you can close the Velcro beyond that, it means that your glove is too big, so you’ll need a smaller size.
When you put your glove on, you should always work your fingers in first. Gently smooth out the glove over your fingers before inserting your thumb.
How Do I Measure My Hand of a Golf Glove?
The best way to fit yourself with the right golf glove is to try it on. Some companies size their gloves differently than others, so you can’t be sure unless you try the glove on.
If you are buying your glove online and can’t try it on, then you can measure your hand.
To measure your hand for a golf glove, you will either need a sizing chart from the brand of glove you are wearing, or you’ll need a tape measure.
To use the tape measure, you will measure from the point that your hand meets your wrist to the very tip of your middle finger in inches.
Then take that measurement to the sizing chart of whatever type of glove that you want to wear.
Another way you can measure is to wrap the tape measure around the circumference of your knuckles. The following will show you how that measurement translates into golf glove sizes.
Men’s Gloves
Men’s gloves usually come in sizes small, medium, large, X-large, and XX-large. If you measure across your knuckles, then the sizing will work like this:
- Small: 7 inches
- Medium: 7.5 to 8 inches
- Large: 8.5 to 9 inches
- X-large: 9.5 to 10 inches
- XX-large: 10.5 to 11 inches
Women’s Gloves
Women’s gloves generally come in sizes X-small, small, medium, large, and X-large. Your hand measurements will work like this:
- X-small: 6 inches
- Small: 6.5 inches
- Medium: 7 inches
- Large: 7.5 inches
- X-large: 8 inches
As you can see, several of the sizes overlap with men’s sizes. Women’s gloves tend to have more narrow fingers.
But if you’re a man with smaller hands and skinny fingers, you can wear a woman’s glove, and for women who have larger hands and fingers, they can easily wear a man’s glove.
Youth Gloves
Youth gloves are a little trickier to size. You should look at the sizing charts for the specific brand of glove that you want.
But generally speaking, you can find sizes for kids by their age. This is just a general estimate, so if your child has unusually large or small hands for their age, then you will want to adjust the sizing for that.
Youth gloves most often come in sizes small, medium, large, and X-large.
- Small: Ages 2 to 4
- Medium: Ages 5 and 6
- Large: Ages 7 and 8
- X-large: Ages 9 and 10
Kids over the age of 10 should be able to fit in a small or extra small men’s or women’s glove.
Cadet Gloves
Cadet gloves are made for golfers who have shorter fatter hands and fingers. Typically they come only in men’s sizes.
Cadet gloves are not usually made for women. However, if you’re a woman with an unusually large hand, you may fit fine in a men’s cadet size.
Cadet gloves typically come in sizes cadet small, medium, medium-large, large, X-large, and XX-large.
Usually, the fingers in cadet gloves are about one centimeter shorter than regular men’s gloves.
They are also around one centimeter wider than standard gloves.
How Much Do Golf Gloves Cost?
The good news is most golf gloves are quite affordable. You can find excellent gloves for anywhere from $5 to $30.
Most of them will be between $10 and $25. The most expensive glove on our list this year is under $30.
Keep in mind that leather gloves are going to cost a bit more than synthetic or hybrid gloves.
How Do I Take Care of My Glove?
You will likely need more than one glove for each round, especially if you sweat a lot. But if you take excellent care of your gloves, they will last for the full season or longer.
Take care when you put the glove on and take it off and clean it when it gets dirty.
Putting the Glove On
As I mentioned earlier, you should put your glove on with the fingers first. Gently press the glove down around each finger using your opposite hand.
Once your fingers are in place, slide your thumb into place. Then gently pull the glove down so that it fits on your hand.
Finally, you will fasten the glove into place with the Velcro closure. And then curl your gloved fingers into a fist to stretch the glove.
Taking the Glove Off
Start by unfastening the glove. Then gently tug on it from the end of each finger and your thumb until it becomes loose on your hand.
Grab ahold of the loose fingers and slip it off your hand. You should not pull the glove off from the wrist.
Caring for and Cleaning the Glove
No matter what material your glove is made from, you should try to keep it as dry as possible.
If you sweat a lot when you play, you should bring along more than one glove. That way, you can rotate them as you need to throughout the game.
You should lay the unused glove straight and flat to air dry in between uses.
If your glove gets dirty, and it will, you can clean it with a soft damp cloth and clean water. Try not to over-wet your glove.
Then simply lay it out flat to air dry. Just be careful not to lay the glove in direct sunlight or near any source of heat. Once the glove is dry, you can put it back on to stretch it back into shape.
You can also hang your glove to dry when it’s not in use. The thing you don’t want to do is to wad the glove up and throw it into your golf bag.
Should I Take My Glove Off When I Putt?
You’ve probably noticed that most of the pros take their gloves off when they putt. This isn’t because they’re worried about funky tan lines.
They take their gloves off because it gives them more feel when they putt. Some of them also take the glove off when they hit short irons for the same reason.
The thing is, the more material you have on your hand, the more your feel is reduced. Because putting is all about feel, the glove could be a hindrance.
That’s why the pros remove their golf gloves on the putting green. And you should too.
The Top 10 Best Golf Gloves
Here are our favorite gloves this year. We have them listed in no particular order.
1) Callaway Golf Men’s OptiColor Leather Glove
The first glove that we recommend this year is the Callaway Golf Men’s OptiColor Leather Glove. This glove is all leather, and it provides an optimal feel, fit, and comfort.
It offers increased breathability and moisture reduction. There are perforations on the thumb, fingers, and palm for added comfort. This glove is thin and light, and it features an adjustable closure for the perfect fit.
You can get it in sizes small, medium, medium-large, cadet large, large, extra-large, extra-extra-large, and cadet extra-large.
The Callaway glove is available for either the right or left hand. And it comes in seven different vibrant colors. It’s also available in women’s sizes.
2) TaylorMade Men’s Tour Preferred Flex Golf Glove
The TaylorMade Men’s Tour Preferred Flex Golf Glove is another one that you should consider. This synthetic glove offers excellent flexibility.
The nylon stretches four ways so you will get a perfect fit and plenty of comfort.
This glove features enhanced breathability with perforations for increased airflow. It also has an optimal fit wrist band that provides moisture-wicking.
The TaylorMade glove is available for either the right or left hand.
And it comes in many different sizes, including cadet sizes small through X-large, and regular sizes small through XX-large.
3) Titleist Men’s Players Golf Glove
Another excellent glove this year is the Titleist Men’s Players Golf Glove.
This one is ultra-thin, so it provides maximum feel. The synthetic material in this glove is breathable for comfort and lasting performance.
The Titleist glove has satin reinforcement at the thumb and cuff. This gives it added strength and durability.
You can get this glove for either the right or left hand. And it comes in sizes cadet S, S, cadet M, cadet M-L, M, ML, cadet L, cadet X-L, L, X-L, and XX-L.
4) Finger Ten Men’s Rain Grip Golf Gloves
Some excellent all-weather gloves are the Finger Ten Men’s Rain Grip Golf Gloves. These are great for playing in the rain. But they also work well if you sweat a lot on a sunny day.
The Finger Ten gloves come with both a right hand and a left hand. You can wear them on both hands for added grip and feel, especially in wet weather.
The high-quality 3D performance mesh gives you the perfect fit. The synthetic material is very breathable, and it offers plenty of moisture-wicking.
These gloves come in men’s sizes small, medium-large, medium, large, and extra-large.
5) Ping Tour Men’s Golf Glove
The last men’s glove on our list this year is the Ping Tour Glove.
This one is made of premium Cabretta leather, and it uses Micro-Pur technology. The fingers on this glove are pre-curved for a natural feel and fit.
We love this glove because it is super soft. That means it provides excellent feel and performance. This glove also has finger vents and perforations to maximize breathability.
You can get the Ping glove for either the right or left hand. And it is available in sizes S, cadet M, cadet M-L, cadet L, cadet X-L, M, M-L, L, X-L, and XX-L.
6) FootJoy Junior Golf Glove
For the kids, we recommend the FootJoy Junior Golf Glove. This is a synthetic glove made of flexible spandex and mesh. It features a super soft, Microwatt palm that provides a comfortable, durable grip.
The stretchy spandex on this glove is nice because it can accommodate growing hands. The stretch panels also give this one a customized fit.
This junior’s glove will fit both boys and girls, and it is available for either the right or left hand. It comes in sizes small, medium, medium-large, and large.
7) Finger Ten 2018 Kids Junior Golf Glove
Another of our favorites for the little ones is the Finger Ten 2018 Kids Junior Golf Glove. This unisex glove is appropriate for kids ages 2 to 10.
It is made of a stretchy microfiber material that provides a perfect fit for little hands.
The Finger Ten glove is soft, lightweight, and flexible with unbeatable grip performance. It’s also very breathable and quick drying.
You can get this glove for either the right or left hand. And it comes in several sizes, including small, medium, large, and X-large.
The small will fit kids ages 2 to 4. The medium fits kids ages 5 and 6. The large will work for ages 7 and 8, and the X-large will fit kids ages 9 and 10.
8) Under Armour Women’s Coolswitch Golf Glove
For the ladies, we recommend the Under Armour Coolswitch Golf Glove. This one is a hybrid. It’s 50 percent leather, 42 percent polyester, 5 percent polyurethane, and 3 percent elastodiene.
One of the things that we really love about this glove is that you can throw it in the wash when it gets too dirty. It also uses CoolSwitch technology to pull heat and moisture away from your skin so that you stay cool.
This glove has micro-perforations for increased ventilation, and the soft Cabretta leather provides comfort, durability, and excellent grip.
The Under Armour glove is available for either the right or left hand. And it comes in sizes small, medium, and large.
9) Titleist Women’s Perma Soft Golf Glove
Another of our favorites this year is the Titleist Women’s Perma Soft Golf Glove. This is a synthetic glove made with high-performance materials, including CoolMax mesh.
One of the things we love most about this glove is that it has strategically placed seams giving you a virtually seamless connection to your clubs.
It also provides exceptional breathability, comfort, and support. The satin reinforcement at the thumb and cuff gives you extra strength and durability.
This Titleist glove is available for either the right or left hand. And it comes in sizes small, medium, and large.
10) Bionic Ladies Stablegrip Golf Glove
Our final contender for the best golf glove this year is the Bionic Ladies Stablegrip Golf Glove.
This is a hybrid glove that is part leather and part stretchy and breathable lycra.
One of the things we love most about this glove is that it is super soft. It fits like a second skin, which is excellent for the feel. It also features an anatomical relief pad system that is placed strategically along the hand.
This allows the pressure to be evenly distributed throughout the glove when gripping, which prevents fatigue and increases strength.
The Bionic glove comes for either the right or left hand. And it is available in three sizes, including small, medium, and medium-large.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you can significantly improve your game if you wear the right golf glove. They will also protect your hands from callouses and blisters.
There are many to choose from. But the two most important things you should consider are the materials the glove is made of and the fit. The material is subjective. I suggest trying on several different types of gloves to feel which one is most comfortable for you.
The other important thing to consider is the fit. Too many golfers wear gloves that don’t fit them properly. Usually, that means that the glove is too large. You don’t want that. Instead, your glove should fit like a second skin.
The right glove can make a huge difference in your game. It’s just as important as the right shoes and clubs.
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