The premise behind a golf glove is simple; primarily worn on a golfer’s upper hand, the addition of a golf glove offers improved grip between a golfer’s hand and their golf club. Golf gloves can help mitigate variables that could make a club slip in a golfer’s hands while taking a golf shot, such as palm sweat or rain.
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So why would a golfer NOT use a golf glove?
Anything between a golfers hand and the club is naturally going to reduce the feedback they receive from the club when taking a shot. When attempting shots that require great precision: such as a chip onto the green, a tricky shot out of a sand bunker, or a putt to birdie the 18th, nearly all golfers will remove their glove in order to maximize the ‘feel’ they can attain. On the contrary, where you will see most players utilize gloves is when they are going for max effort strokes where the finer details are less important. In these instances, the need for greater grip often outweighs the potential benefits of an improved club feel.
Why do Pro Golfers take their glove off after every shot?
After watching your favorite golfers such a Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, or Dustin Johnson bury a powerful drive down the fairway, you will always see them whip of their white golf glove before walking towards their next shot, so why is this?
The primary reason you will see golfers take off their gloves between shots is simply to allow their skin to breathe. Keeping their hands in a warm, sweaty environment for 4+ hours is a breeding ground for uncomfortable skin conditions such as hand dermatitis (a form of eczema). In addition to allowing their skin to breathe, taking their glove off between shots also allows the glove itself to air. The whole point of a glove is to maximize a golfer’s grip on the golf club, and if their gloves are hot and sweaty while they tee up for a drive, the glove’s sole purpose is defeated. After a lifetime of tee-offs and birdie putts, the professionals know that taking their gloves off between shots is a no-brainer.
Secondly, a more hypothetical reason why a pro may remove their glove between shots, or perhaps be more selective around when they use a glove, is to use the ‘glove on’ cue as a powerful mental trigger. Placing their glove on could signal that a mentality change is required; ‘glove on‘ means game time! Elite sport is won on fine margins and finding clever ways to find an advantage over your opponents. A ‘glove on’ cue for a pro could be the difference between hitting a tee drive down the middle of the fairway and the ball drifting off into the trees.
Do any Pro Golfers not use a glove?
Since golfing icon Sam Snead was first seen wearing a golf glove by fans in the 1950s, golf gloves have become a staple accessory of both the keen amateur as well as the PGA golf pro. But do any pros abstain from using a golf glove altogether? Well, there are a few golf personalities who have proven that the addition of a golf glove is not necessary to excel on the biggest stage. Ben Hogan, Arron Oberholser, Fred Couples, and ironically, Lucas Glover (2009 US open winner) have gone through their professional careers without a golf glove. Glover cites not being able to ‘feel the club’ when using a golf glove, stating that he has ‘never ever used one.’
Wrapping Things Up.
If you are just starting out on your golf journey, are an experienced amateur, or are a fully-fledged professional, utilizing golf gloves in the right moments can be a valuable addition to your game. However, it is by no means necessary, and even today, not all golf pros use gloves, and some are very selective about when they do. Unsurprisingly, the most important determinant regarding your success as a golfer will always come down to the hard work and practice hours you put in.
Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with investing in a spicy golf glove to make you look a little bit sexier while you slave away on that driving range.