The golf glove should not be considered just another luxury for the player; on the contrary, it fulfills a series of functions that are of great importance for the correct development of the game.
A golf glove is a must have golf equipment you should bring to every golf course. Once you get used to using it, we are absolutely sure that it will become a fundamental element of your bag.
Do you really need a golf glove?
The use of a golf glove is highly recommended. With it we will avoid the inopportune slips of the club, at the same time that will allow us a much firmer grip, which usually translates into more consistent strokes.
The grip becomes more comfortable and secure throughout the swing.
Many use it simply to avoid the more than common chafing and sores that arise after long hours of play, which can lead to those uncomfortable and painful sores that bother so much in any daily activity.
On some occasions the use of gloves is practically imposed by the weather itself. On rainy or cold days this element will prevent loss of adherence or pressure.
And going one step further, there are gloves that, bordering on the unregulated, mark the player’s correct hand position during the swing, helping him to place his hands on the grip.
Of course, as with so many other things, there are always those who are in favor and those who are against it.
Some players (even some professionals) consider that the use of the glove is uncomfortable, since it is an unnecessary and unnecessary element that is imposed between the club and the hand, subtracting sensations.
In the end it is all a personal choice: those who get used to using it will almost certainly not be able to go out on the field without it, it even becomes a psychological aid, something totally necessary and vital to be able to develop the game correctly.
How to choose a golf glove?
As with so many other items of equipment, choosing a good golf glove has its “science”.
Many will think that they are all the same, that they all fulfill the same function… in fact it is so at a basic level.
However, a glove that does not adapt perfectly to our hand will not allow us to work the swing correctly and that will always harm our game, in one way or another.
To know that a glove fits us properly, we must make sure that it does not move during the swing. This movement may be very slight and you will hardly notice it, but if it happens, you will undoubtedly notice how the glove wears more than usual in different areas over time; if this happens, it means that the model was not suitable for you.
Keep in mind that the only area of the glove in which wear is normal is the finger area, since it is the area that suffers the most during the development of the swing.
The glove should fit your hand as if it were a second skin, which is why many consider it advisable to always buy a model that is rather tight, rather than one that may be a little loose.
Keep in mind that a glove that is somewhat small (never to the point of being uncomfortable) can be widened slightly, until it fits perfectly; but if we take a glove that is too big it will move in the hand, preventing a proper grip of the club.
Normally golf gloves are made of leather, and there are different varieties:
- Kid leather: specially treated for a softer feel, better grip and water resistance.
- Cowhide: they are cheaper than the previous ones, but thicker, so many people discard them because they do not transmit the feel of the club correctly.
- Synthetic leather: undoubtedly the most used by amateur players. They have the advantage of having a soft touch, while they are specially prepared to ensure maximum durability; in addition, their aesthetics perfectly mimics the real leather gloves. They will allow us to get a good grip in wet conditions, however their touch becomes a little rougher when they are dry.
Reading a golf glove
It is indeed possible to read a glove and it will tell us a lot about the player who has used it:
- If a glove does not have any particularly damaged areas: it will mean that it is the right model for the player: the grip is correct, which means an adequate grip on the club throughout the swing.
- As we have already mentioned, there may be some worn areas on the fingers, but this is not a bad thing, on the contrary: when a player has a correct grip, he/she usually holds the club more with the fingers than with the palm of the hand.
- If a glove is worn by the thumb: it indicates that the club slips during the swing between that finger and the right hand.
- If the glove is worn at the heel of the palm, it means that the hand is slack at the top of the backswing. In other words, the shaft moves and when the grip rubs against that area of the glove as the shaft moves back into place during the downswing. This is undoubtedly one of the most common wear (in fact, most gloves now have a special reinforcement in this area).
Other gloves appear worn on the part of the palm closest to the thumb: if this is the case it will be caused by excessive grip; the fingers wrap around the grip too much.
This is usually caused because the grips of these clubs are too small for the player’s hands, which causes this type of chafing on the glove.
How do you take care of a golf glove?
The use of the glove is highly recommended as it allows a better grip, especially on hot days or when the rain soaks the material. However, once it hardens or wears out, it becomes uncomfortable and should be replaced by a new one.
Keep in mind that anything that impairs your concentration is a direct detriment to your game.
- Leather gloves are incompatible with rain: use a synthetic one that will also help you to better secure your grip.
- Be very careful when putting them on (it is one of the first and most common mistakes made with this part of the equipment). Do not pull the rubber band around your wrist: try to put it on correctly using the thumb, index and middle fingers of your right hand.
- Always keep it straight, in its original shape. Do not store it crumpled in the bag as it will end up keeping the wrinkles, giving an unkempt and old appearance in a short time.
- If your glove is wet, dry it slowly at moderate temperature. Do not store it wet, you run the risk of it getting moldy.
- Many golfers have several gloves in their equipment, this allows them to have one glove available while the others are left to dry properly.
- If your glove has hardened or worn out, its use can be detrimental to your game: do not hesitate to replace it as soon as possible with a new one.
- Another fundamental element for the conservation of the glove is its correct cleaning, for this we recommend the following “trick”: put on the glove and take an old toothbrush; wet the brush in soapy water and go brushing the glove by all its parts, after this process you should let it dry naturally, in the open air.
