You’re watching golf on TV, and you notice that some golfers aren’t using a glove around the green. Why aren’t they wearing a golf glove when they’re putting?
Should you use a glove when chipping/ putting? Most tour players take off their glove when putting for two reasons:
- To let their glove breathe and air out from hand sweat
- They have a better feel of their putter with two bare hands.
When chipping, golfers usually keep their glove on because they want to maintain a better grip throughout the swing.
Of course, golfers can decide to follow how tour players wear gloves or they can make their own decision on what feels best for them. You might find that wearing or taking off your glove during different swings may give you more confidence! At the end of the day that is all, we are looking for to score better.
Using a Glove When Chipping/ Putting
There is no right, or wrong strategy when taking off or keeping a glove on while chipping or putting. I have played with golfers that have kept their glove on the entire round. I have also played with golfers that never used a glove at all. It really is just a matter of preference.
Most golfers do however take their glove off when putting on the green. This allows the glove to air out and not build up a sweat which will improve the durability of the glove. Gloves, especially leather gloves, will become worn out quickly if too much sweat is collected.
Also, because putting is all about feel, many golfers like to be able to have two-free hands on the grip. This is more of a preference but I do have to agree that it feels better when your grip your putter with your bare hands over wearing a glove. But of course, it is your decision.
When chipping, most golfers keep their glove on because they want to give themselves the best chance at making good contact with the ball. Wearing a glove allows for better grip, and a better grip allows for more consistency. But again, you don’t have to follow the norm. When I first started playing, I never used a glove when chipping because I wanted my chipping stroke to feel like my putting stroke and it worked rather well. It’s all about what feels good and what is going to give you the most confidence.
Why Do Golfers Wear Gloves
Golfers wear gloves because of the extra traction that they give when gripping a club. You don’t want your hands to be sliding all over the place which is why gloves are made with leather and synthetic material so that golfers can keep a good hold on the club. Keeping a better grip leads to better consistency controlling the clubface too!
Also, gloves protect your hands from blisters. The constant sliding up and down without a glove what cause your hands to become beat up after a while. Many of us don’t play golf enough to develop strong enough calluses on our hands, so it’s a good thing we wear the glove
Here is a funny video from Mark Crossfield, you should watch if you have the time, about why he doesn’t prefer to use a glove when putting
Why Do Right-Handed Golfers Wear a Glove on their Left Hand?
For a long time, we have always worn a golf glove on our top hand. So if you are right handed, you would wear a glove on your left hand and vice-versa for lefties. Why do we do this?
What I believe after teaching and learning the game for many years is that when making our golf swing, we need the top hand to remain stable, like an anchor. We put a glove on the top hand to make sure that it stays in place so that we can develop good clubhead control and avoid sliding up and down the grip trying to rely solely on hand-eye coordination using the wrists to make contact.
Do You Have to Wear a Golf Glove?
Of course, you don’t have to wear a glove at all. There is no rule saying that you have to use one. Nor is there a rule saying that you can’t wear two-gloves. Again, it is all preference and whatever method gives you the best results.
If you do choose not to wear gloves, I would suggest that you make sure that you use newer golf grips. Using old grips and no gloves might cause you to lose a few clubs in people’s backyards! Also, beware that by not using a glove, your hands might get blistered after the first few times of playing.
Where Do You Put Your Glove After Taking it Off
There are a few different places that golfers like to put their gloves when taking them off.
- The back pocket: For many years, golfers have put their gloves in the back pocket, so it hangs out. It’s sort of fun to do because you feel like a pro, even though you are probably not.
- Near the flagstick: I have played with many golfers that take off their glove and lay in on the flagstick after they pull it from the hole. Just don’t forget it!
- Leave it in the cart or bag: The easy way to take your glove off is just to leave it in your cart or on your bag so that you can put it on for the next hole and you are ready to go.
Related Questions
Does wearing a glove increase driver distance? – Wearing a golf glove doesn’t increase a golfers swing speed. However, a golf glove can improve the chances of making square contact with the driver which can create further distances.
What type of leather are golf gloves made from? – Leather golf clubs are made from sheep hide called Cabretta Leather.
Do golfers wear two gloves? – Wearing two gloves can help a golfer avoid blisters and play in cold or wet environments. Most golfers do only use one glove because it improves their feel of the grip having one hand free and the other anchored by the glove.
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