What Hand Do You Wear a Golf Glove On? Golf Gloves Explained
Somewhat surprisingly to us, many of the most common questions we see from new golfers pertain to golf gloves. In this article, I'll answer your questions and cover some of our favorite golf glove choices.
- What Hand Do You Wear a Golf Glove On?
- Our Favorite Gloves
- Why Wear a Golf Glove(s)?
- Should You Wear a Glove On One Hand, Both Hands, or Not Use One At All?
- Should You Wear a Glove for All Shots?
- Additional Golf Glove Tips
What Hand Do You Wear a Golf Glove On?
Typically, golf gloves are worn on a player's non-dominant hand or their front hand. For right-handed golfers, this means wearing a glove on the left hand. Left-handed golfers will usually wear a glove on their right hand.
Our Favorite Gloves
FootJoy WeatherSof Glove
Our Thoughts:
- One of the most popular golf gloves and an Amazon bestseller.
- Very well priced vs the competition.
- An all-around great glove that will hold up in wet conditions.
- A great mix between protection and comfort.
- My go-to golf glove.
FootJoy WinterSof Cold Weather Golf Gloves
Our Thoughts:
- Offers protection from both water and wind.
- They're not too bulky for winter gloves, allowing you to maintain a reasonable level of feel while wearing them.
- Less pricey than other cold-weather golf gloves.
Titleist Players Flex
Our Thoughts:
- Though Titleist's Players Flex Gloves are a bit more costly than others on our list, they offer fantastic fit and security.
- You can be confident the glove won't move on your hand, though some may find it feels uncomfortably tight compared to other options.
Srixon All Weather
Our Thoughts:
- Often the most affordably priced golf glove.
- Despite its wallet-friendly price tag, it still fits quite well and stays secure during your swing.
FootJoy Contour FLX
Our Thoughts:
- Like the Titleist Players Flex, I've found FootJoy's Contour FLX glove to be incredibly good fitting and secure.
- Available in cadet sizes for golfers with wide palms and short fingers.
Why Wear a Golf Glove(s)?
Wearing a golf glove on one or both of your hands helps to prevent your clubs from slipping and sliding in your hands. They're especially useful when your hands are sweaty or when playing in rainy conditions.
Gloves will also limit the damage to your hands accumulated throughout a round or range session. If you wear a glove on one of your hands, you'll likely find that the other hand becomes far more callused than the one protected by a glove.
Footjoy's WeatherSof is a great, affordable option for most conditions.
Should You Wear a Glove on One Hand, Both Hands, or Not Use One At All?
As I mentioned above, most golfers, from PGA Tour Professionals to weekend warriors, choose only to wear a glove on their weak hand for most shots. The reason most opt for just wearing a glove on the front hand is that the front hand does the bulk of the work holding onto the grip of your club.
While it's not that common to wear two gloves, you'll see it done more often in wet and rainy conditions.
It's also fairly common to wear two gloves in colder weather, including golf gloves specifically made for that purpose.
Footjoy's affordable WinterSof cold-weather gloves, for example, come in packs with both a right and left-handed glove.
Personally, I often have problems with my grip due to sweaty hands. I'll sometimes wear two gloves on hot days, though it can be a bit of a pain to take two gloves on and off repeatedly.
Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey represents one of the few golfers who has played on the PGA Tour that consistently wears gloves on both hands.
For most players, I'd strongly recommend playing with a glove on at least your front hand. Ultimately, however, whether to wear one, two, or no gloves comes down to personal preference. If you don't feel you need to wear one, don't do it.
There are Tour Pros that don't use a glove at all, like the inappropriately named Lucas Glover.
Should You Wear a Glove For All Shots?
Most players remove their gloves for putts and shots around the green. This is because players like to maximize their "feel" for these shorter, touchy shots.
Some may see wearing a glove when putting as a bit of a golf faux pas, but again, you can do whatever you find comfortable.
Additional Golf Glove Tips
For those still reading this, here are a few things related to gloves that I've picked up over my years playing golf.
Choose a Relatively Tight Glove That Stays In Place
Though super tight gloves can be uncomfortable, you don't want a glove that slides or rotates around your hand. A loose glove that moves along your hand is arguably worse than a grip slipping from sweat.
Titleist's Players Flex is one of the best gloves at staying secure on your hand, though it may fit a bit tight.
Keep Two Gloves In Rotation During Your Round
If your hands sweat a lot as mine do, I'd recommend keeping two or more gloves available for each hand you plan to wear a glove during each round. If I forget to take my glove off between shots in hot weather, it can get really sweaty. When this happens, I'll switch gloves and let the first one dry out.
No Point To Pay Up, Buy Affordable Gloves In Bulk
I'm not too particular about what glove I'm playing, so long as it fits nicely and stays securely on my hand. I don't feel there's much of an advantage to be had among pricier gloves, and cheaper gloves let me to throw out worn gloves without a second thought. Typically, you'll find that you can play a glove 6-15 rounds.
Occasionally, you'll find deals if you buy gloves in bulk. Regardless, I typically purchase multiple gloves at a time on Amazon because they're often cheaper than buying them at a pro shop, and I'll use them eventually as I wear gloves out.
Srixon's All Weather Gloves are another great budget-friendly option.
Consider Cadet Sized Gloves
Cadet sized golf gloves are made specifically for golfers with relatively wide palms and short fingers.
If your hands fit this description, look for a model that comes in cadet sizes.
One such option is FootJoy's Contour FLX golf glove.
