Golf gloves are an essential part of golf play, almost every golfer uses at least one.
Wearing a golf glove is very important and necessary as it enables a better grip and protection from friction.
Which hand do you wear the golf glove on?
As a beginner, you need to know which hand to wear your glove on. The answer is simple: if you are a right-handed golfer, wear the glove on your left hand; if you are a left-handed golfer, wear your glove on the right hand.
Here’s why you should wear the glove on the opposite hand of your dominant hand: it’s simply the hand placement on the club. The “top” hand on a golf club is the lead hand through the swing, meaning its grip is of essence. Because of this, right-handed golfers wear a glove on their left hands, and vice versa.
Some golfers prefer to wear gloves on both hands to protect them from blisters and calluses, and also absorb sweat and keep their grips sturdy, so it will deliver better grip and a consistency of feel between the hands.
You might have seen some traditional golfers on the PGA Tour and at your local course wear their gloves for full swings, but then remove them for putting and shots around the green. By removing the gloves they can better feel on short-game shots.
How to pick the right golf gloves
Step 1, choose the right glove size
It’s very important to wear a well-fitting golf glove, it should be neat but not constrictive.
Since your golf glove is making direct contact with your clubs, it should fit properly like a second skin, so it won’t compromise your swing. It needs to be tight across the palm and fingers with no loose material.
The fingers of the glove should be snug. Make sure there’s no extra material at the end of the fingers.
Golf gloves come in a variety of sizes just like clothes. You want to find the right size for you by measuring properly. Here’s the guide to find your glove size:
Measure the circumference of the hand that you wear gloves on around the knuckles. For right-handed golfers, measure the left hand, for left-handed golfers, vice versa.
You will be able to find the length of your glove hand by measuring from the crease of the wrist to the middle finger.
Always check a brand’s glove size chart to make sure you will get the correct size. If you’re right between sizes, choose the smaller size.
Don’t wear a glove that is too tight that you feel it’s cutting off your blood supply.
With the right glove size, you will be able to stretch your fingers and hold a golf ball with your fist without the glove pulling or over-stretching.
Step 2, pick the glove material
There are several types of materials used in the construction of golf gloves, such as leather, synthetic, and hybrid materials. Which one to pick is up to your personal preference as each type has benefits and drawbacks, so what you should do is to choose one that provides the right balance of comfort, durability, and cost for you.
Check out our picks of gloves:
Leather golf gloves are quite popular with golfers who like a softer glove that enables close contact with the golf club. Because they can stretch with repeated use, so choose a slightly smaller size than you typically wear.
Synthetic golf gloves are flexible and durable. They are also more affordable than leather gloves.
Hybrid golf gloves use both leather and synthetic materials, usually they come with leather palms and synthetic joints fingers for a better grip.