When playing golf it is especially important to make sure that you not only find the right golf glove for you, but that you are also shopping in the right way.
You need to master the basics and you need to make sure that you are wearing your golf glove on the correct hand, or this completely defeats the point of wearing a golf glove.
Ultimately, by purchasing the correct golf glove for you then you will be able to improve your game and also the way that you take a swing.
Which Hand Is It?
If you are a long-time golfer then you will already know the answer to this question. However, if you are new on the golf scene then you will be pretty unsure as to what the correct hand is and that is totally fine. It all takes time and is part of the learning process – many folks don’t pick up the game because these small questions all seem intimidating, so we’re glad you’re here asking questions!
A golfer who plays right-handed will need to wear their golf glove on their left hand. The reasoning behind this is that with a conventional golf grip, your left hand will be placed at the top of the club and this will end up being the lead hand that is going through the swing. This ultimately means that the left hand has a stronger grip than the right hand and can take the brunt of torsion of the club upon impact.
Alternatively, if you play golf with your left-hand then you should wear your golf glove on your right hand.
That’s right, it is all about opposites. You can theoretically wear golf gloves on both of your hands, but we have to warn you that this is not a massively conventional approach (unless you’re wearing specially-designed gloves in the rain).
Why Should You Use A Golf Glove?
Ultimately, a golf glove is going to allow you to have that great grip with the correct application of pressure to the club while also protecting your skin from the results of the rubber grip twisting in your hand at impact.
The majority of users will be able to find that a good golf glove will be able to give you so much more effective grip than the skin can.
A golf glove will ultimately help you to have that extra level of authority and also confidence while you are making a pass at the ball.
While it probably can’t prevent callouses altogether for avid golfers, it can certainly prevent (or at least slow down) the creation of blisters.
How Do You Get The Right Size And The Right Fit?
It is true that most golf gloves will come in a wide range of sizes, and this is so that golf gloves can cater to and suit a vast majority of hand shapes.
When you are trying to work out whether or not a golf glove is a right fit for you, then you need to remember that your golf glove should be tight but not in any way constrictive. A key indicator of the correct fit is that there’s a gap of velcro showing under the label, as seen below.
There is a fine line with this though, because you will not want too much movement because this will be counterproductive and this will defeat the point of wearing a golf glove in the first place.
You will want to make sure that there is a snug fit across the palm and there should not be any loose material at the end of the fingers, but you are not going to want your golf glove to be so tight that it ends up cutting off the blood circulation in your hand. That would not be ideal.
A good test to try is to see if you can stretch your fingers, and also if you can make a ball with your fist without the glove pulling or overstretching in any way. Wearing a golf glove should not feel overly obvious, you should just feel like you are wearing a second skin. You will find that different golf brands and also models will give different fits and feel.
Does The Weather Make A Difference?
The kind of weather that you are playing golf in can actually make a difference to the kind of golf glove that you select.
For instance, in fine and fair weather you might opt for much more premium leather. There are a whole host of golf manufacturers who produce soft leather gloves – but this all really comes down to your personal preference.
Investing in a leather golf glove will really give you that ultimate comfort and it will also give you that great grip on your golf club. The leather golf glove will give you the most feedback and you will really be able to feel through the swing on the shorter shots.
However, leather golf gloves are not the most durable option and won’t survive a torrential downpour. If you play in weather conditions that are apt to change, then you will definitely find that an all-weather synthetic glove (or even the aforementioned rain gloves or winter gloves) will ultimately be your best choice.
This is because these gloves are made from much more durable fabric and this is what makes them that much longer lasting, and will perform well in wet weather and they will serve you much better than a leather option.
Conclusion
Ultimately, there are a whole host of golf gloves on the market – but you need to just go for the kind of golf glove that suits you the best.
The whole purpose of having a golf glove is to help your golf game, and not hinder it in any way. That totally defeats the point of making the investment in the golf glove.
Depending on which hand you play golf with, your golf glove should be worn on the opposing hand as this is what will serve you the best.
After failing to hit a curveball, Ryan turned to golf more seriously as a teen. He played in high school in and around Scottsdale, Arizona before taking a break through college and his 20s. Today, Ryan spends his weekends playing Torrey Pines as a San Diego resident, working to chip away at his single-digit handicap.
While he's had great mentors along the way, much of Ryan's game improvement has been from study of the game itself. Ryan hopes to give these keys to success to other golfers through his work here at Better Golf Online.
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