Golf
The Best Golf Gloves for Style, Comfort & Fit
When you’re packing your golf bag before a day out on the course, there are a few things you absolutely cannot forget.
For example, if you happen to be a slicer who loses a lot of balls, you’ll need to stock up on some cheap golf balls. You’ll also need a bag of tees, your golf shoes and your collared shirt (duh!). Depending on the weather, you may also need to equip your golf umbrella, and no matter the weather, some players will always make sure to shove at least three ice-cold drinks into the bag as well. Finally, besides your trusty divot-fixer, every golfer of every skill level needs a good golf glove.
But what are the best-rated golf gloves to buy? It depends on your preferences! See below for a list of the best golf gloves in 2022, along with some helpful information about how to choose between them.
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What to Look For in a Golf Glove
Just like a pair of shoes, you shouldn’t be using them unless they fit absolutely perfectly. Otherwise, you’re headed for trouble. For example, if the glove is too short or too thin, it will be uncomfortable (or you may not even be able to get it on). If it’s too large, just like a pair of shoes, the glove may end up giving you a blister after a short period of use. Ideally, there should be no loose material, and the fit across the palm should be both smooth and tight.
Besides the fit, the other characteristics you’ll want to pay attention to when choosing the best golf gloves for you are the fabric, the look, the features and the price.
Price, Style, Features, Fabric
Price: Most golf gloves can be purchased for under $15 dollars, but even the more expensive ones only go for around $30. Since your glove will last for at least a season (unless you’re golfing multiple times per week), simply choose the one that feels the best on your hand.
Style: This one is self-explanatory. As with pretty much anything you wear, the more stylish the better — as long as function isn’t sacrificed. Most golf gloves come in a classic white, but some companies (e.g. see G/FORE below) have branched out to bolder colors and patterns.
Features: Unlike adjustable drivers and rolling golf carts, there aren’t too many bells and whistles on a golf glove, so pick the one that matches your needs. Maybe you like a velcro strap to keep the glove secured to your wrist, or perhaps you prefer a glove that clips together with metal buttons — ones that double as detachable ball markers. Or maybe you want a breathable glove, or one made of real leather. It’s up to you.
Fabric: The material of the glove you choose will affect how it feels on your hand, how effective it is, as well as how long it will last. There are synthetic leather gloves (which tend to last longer) and real leather gloves (which have a softer feel, but can stretch). There are also ones with a combination of real and synthetic. Some are designed to be moisture-wicking, and others not. The key when choosing a fabric is to make sure that sweat doesn’t become a factor, and that you can maintain a solid grip on the club, no matter the weather conditions.
The 6 Best Golf Gloves in 2022
Best Statement: G/FORE
From a distance, most men’s golf gloves are indistinguishable, but not so with the most recent offerings from G/FORE. This colorful collection offers you 12 colors to choose from so that you can perfectly match your new glove with your outfit — or if you prefer, simply so you can stunt on them haters.
And these unique and gorgeous gloves are not simply eye-candy, they are also made from premium AA Cabretta leather, which provides a combination of comfort and grip. If you want to stand out with more than your swing, you definitely need a pair of these — if not for you, for someone you love.
The glove is precision-crafted, highly durable, and can be worn by men and women. The only possible downside is that they may wear out a little more quickly than some other synthetic leather options. That said, these are still well-made, and will keep your hands cool and dry, even on the muggiest of muggy July days.
Best for Sweaty Hands or Rain: FootJoy RainGrip
No matter where the moisture originates, whether it’s rainy or humid out (or because you tend to have sweaty hands), getting a pair of FootJoy RainGrip golf gloves for your golf bag is a must.
But a pair, you say? Don’t most golf gloves come in either a left-handed or right-handed version? Yes, they do. But when buying for wet weather, you’ll want all the grip you can get, which is why it is recommended to wear gloves on both hands to prevent slipping.
While this pair might not be the best choice for a dry, sunny day (a leather grip is best in that case), a RainGrip pair actually seems to get better as they get wetter. This is probably because the glove features a material FootJoy has designed themselves. It gains a certain tackiness the more moisture it encounters to prevent slippage. These gloves are also good for playing in cooler weather, especially helpful for the golfers that love to play right into late October.
Most Durable: Srixon Premium Cabretta Leather Glove
For the cost-conscious golfer, having a glove that lasts – even one as reasonably priced as the Srixon Premium Cabretta Leather Glove – is always worthwhile. That said, we wouldn’t exactly consider this glove’s main characteristic its affordability. There are actually plenty of reasons to love this glove.
To start, the look of the Srixon isn’t bad, although it certainly ranks among the most “traditional” designs – a fashionable G/FORE it is not. But what it lacks in unique design it more than makes up for comfort and breathability. It has perforations not just on top of the hand, but along the sides of the fingers as well, which helps reduce moisture and increase grip.
For a high-performance, premium look that won’t break the bank – and for a soft leather feel that helps deliver great feedback from whatever club you’re using – get yourself a Srixon (or two!) today.
Best for Low-Handicappers: TaylorMade Men’s Tour Preferred Glove
The reason these gloves are the favorites of low-handicap golfers the world over has to do with the combination of flexibility, grip, breathability and comfort.
Featuring not just AA, but AAA Cabretta SoftTouch™ leather, TaylorMade has put together a truly amazing glove with a moisture-wicking wristband as well as enhanced breathability and increased airflow, thanks to the strategically-placed perforations and engineering. This means the palm of your hand stays dry and cool.
This glove also features a nylon insert to increase flexibility. The nylon insert runs from the outside of the hand all the way to the middle knuckle, so when you grip the club it stretches along with your hand, helping the glove last longer and keeping you comfortable in the process.
Most Comfortable: Wilson Staff Conform Glove
Besides the G/FORE gloves listed above, the Wilson Staff Conform is probably the second-most good-looking glove on our list. This glove is for the golfer that is looking for a mix of comfort and breathability, but that also needs to know his Cabretta leather came from Abyssinia, which is a fancy way of saying Ethiopia.
That’s right, Wilson’s Staff Conform glove features Abyssinian Cabretta leather (which, by the way, simply means leather from the skin of sheep, as opposed to leather from our bovine friends). But it also has an anti-microbial performance terry cloth mesh on the knuckles and palm dissipates heat and moisture. And if there’s one thing a golfer can’t abide, it’s microbes.
The velcro allows for a tight closure around the hand, the reverse thumb seam allows for a smoother feel between your palm and thumb, and this glove comes in both regular and cadet sizes. It also comes with Scotchgard protection, meaning it will last longer.
Best Overall: Mizuno Elite
Considered by many to be the best of 2021’s crop of new gloves, the Mizumo Elite stands out above the rest for its combination of high-tech fabrics and premium leather, its durability, its flexibility, and frankly, the style.
It wouldn’t be a golf glove if it didn’t feature top-quality (you guessed it) cabretta leather. However, this glove features a mix of fabrics, and the leather is only included on the palm, delivering a soft and comfortable feel on the palm of the hand. The top of the glove (made of synthetic, stretchy and breathable materials) is what helps it maintain its shape, which ultimately creates a more durable product.
This glove is the only one on our list to also feature FlexMesh material along the knuckles, which only adds more to a golfer’s freedom of movement during a swing. Because this glove is comfortable, durable, breathable, stylish, stretchy and affordable, it checks off all the boxes. You can’t go wrong with a Mizuno.
FAQs
The reason you wear gloves when you’re golfing is the same reason you wear gloves when you’re raking leaves or shoveling dirt: to protect your skin while performing repetitive motions. Swinging usually requires a firm grip, and swinging hard even moreso. It’s hard to enjoy yourself if you end up with a painful blister on your hands or fingers every time it’s your turn to swing.
2. What does “cadet” mean in golf gloves?
Golf gloves, just like golfers, come in all shapes and sizes. The term “cadet” refers to the length of the fingers in the gloves. While no two pairs are exactly alike, the length of the finger in a cadet golf glove is generally around an inch shorter than regular golf gloves. Because they are meant to fit hands with shorter fingers, they also have a slightly wider palm area as well.
3. Which hand does a golf glove go on?
Much like Michael Jackson, most players only wear one glove. However, the choice is not for style, it’s strictly about comfort. A right-handed player will wear a glove on their left hand, and vice-versa. The reason for this is because most of the friction that occurs during your swing will be experienced by your “top hand,” the one that is furthest away from the club head.
You should only clean your gloves relatively rarely to avoid wearing out the leather, so save these cleaning sessions for when your golf gloves are looking extra-ratty. You can clean them by hand by using a mild detergent like dish soap until the dirt, grime and sweat are gone, or if you prefer throwing them in the wash, make sure to do it on a mild or delicate cycle.