I’ve always used a glove while golfing and I’m pretty sure the majority of other golfers do as well. I always knew they helped with the amount of grip you have but I wanted to do a bit more research to find out if there is any other purpose to a glove.
The main purpose of wearing a golf glove is the added grip. If you grip your club with your bare hands and it’s raining or you have sweaty hands, the club can easily turn while you’re making the swing. Another benefit of having the extra grip on your hand is that you don’t have to hold the club as tight. When you don’t grip the club as tight you’ll have a much more relaxed and smooth swing.
I’m sure there are other reasons why people like to wear golf gloves but the main reason is because of the grip. They can help keep your hands warm in the winter and they’ll help prevent blisters. Continue reading for the full details on when you should wear a glove and my favorite options on the market.
Why do golfers only wear one glove?
The main reason golfers wear a glove is because of the added grip. If you’re a right-handed golfer you’ll wear a glove on your left hand. The reason golfers only wear one glove is that you won’t get any added benefit from wearing two. You don’t need to grip the club very tight with your right hand (right-handed player) and it’s more of a stabilizer.
You’re pretty much only holding the club with your fingers and the added grip of a glove really doesn’t do too much. I’ll toss on a second glove when it’s cold out (to stay warm) or when I have a cut or blister on my hand (prevent irritation). Other than that, I’ll just use one glove and it’s all I really need.
Some people will tell you that a second glove will take some of the “feel” away but I don’t find that to be the case. I’ve used two gloves before and I don’t notice too much of a difference. I think the main reason people only wear one glove is that they don’t want to spend the extra money and are lazy.
If it’s not going to benefit you in any way, why would you spend the money on a second glove? Also, most people take their glove off while putting and they’re not going to want to take two gloves off every hole and put them back on. That’s just my two cents anyway.
Do you wear a golf glove when putting?
Most people take their glove off while putting and their reason is something along the lines of “it gives me more feel” or “it’s lighter and I have a better connection to my grip”. Both of those could be true I guess but I don’t see any difference in performance if I wear one or two gloves.
That’s why I always keep my glove on while putting. If I’m playing in the spring, summer, or fall, I’ll putt with one glove. If I’m playing in the winter, I’ll putt with two gloves on. I’ve tested it and there’s been no impact on performance.
I’m sure a lot of it is because of what you’re used to. If you’ve never used a glove for putting, it’ll probably feel awkward at first. That’s the case with anything new. If you use one for a couple of rounds, I’m almost certain you’d putt the exact same.
Another reason I don’t take my glove off is that it’s a hassle. I know it sounds lazy but I don’t want to be taking my glove on and off all the time. It’s the same reason I leave the pin in. It’s just one less thing to have to worry about and I can focus more on making the putt.
What is the best golf glove on the market?
I’ve always used a leather golf glove and the main reason is that it’s the only option. You can get fake leather gloves but they don’t normally last as long as the higher end ones. The one thing I didn’t really like about leather gloves is that they don’t let your hand breath very much so they get all sweaty.
When they get sweaty and wet they’ll dry all hard and crusty. You’ll have to put on a gross feeling glove next round and it’ll eventually crack and tear. Plus, they get really dirty and need to be replaced often. The good news is that there’s a better thing out there.
I’ve recently been using a new glove that’s improved all the areas that a leather glove was lacking. It’s called the Claw from CaddyDaddy (you can see our review here). It’s a glove with a breathable mesh on the top and a silicone palm. The mesh will help with ventilation and the silicon palm will add grip and be much more durable.
The main reason I like this glove so much is that it’s lighter and thinner so your hand has more flexibility. It instantly felt more comfortable when I griped my clubs compared to my old leather glove. That’s part of the reason why I putt with it.
It’s also much more comfortable in the summer. I can keep the glove on the entire time and it’ll have enough ventilation to keep my hand cool. That being said, it still is warm enough for winter golf (I was out recently in near-freezing weather).
The palm on it is supposed to last 3-4x longer than leather (haven’t had it too long but it still looks brand new) and the grip is just as good (if not better). It’s also machine washable so you can toss it in the laundry when it gets dirty.
Overall, I definitely think you should give the glove a try if you haven’t already. I don’t think I could go back to playing with a leather glove. You can check out our review of the Caddydaddy glove here and see where to get it.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
Looking to get some new golf gear? Click here to check out our recommended gear page to see the stuff we’re recommending and the cheapest place to get them.