Like many other accessories, gloves can be an overlooked piece in your bag. That can be a problem.
Gloves help keep your grip on the club dry and allow you to swing with confidence.
Almost every golfer wears a glove on their off hand. That is to say, a right-hander wears a glove on the left hand. That is the top hand of your grip and receives the bulk of the stress in the swing.
A very small number of golfers play with no glove, and perhaps a similar number wear gloves on both hands.
A good glove also can help prevent blisters by placing a barrier between your skin and the grip of the club.
Regardless, this is an important piece of equipment and one you should not take too lightly. To that end, here are some of the better choices for golf gloves on today’s market.
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Nike Tour Classic II
Like many of the top golf gloves on the market, the Tour Classic II features Cabretta leather. It also has perforations on the fingers and back of the hand for breathability.
The spandex inserts are quite flexible, enhancing the fit of the glove. Despite the range of sizes available, these inserts allow this glove to be a good fit for almost every hand size. An angled tab to close the glove tightly also helps with fit.
Pros
- Soft leather feel
- Perforations allow air to enter
- Flexible inserts
Cons
- At this price, you might expect more
FootJoy StaSof
This is among the best sellers from one of the biggest names in golf gloves, and for good reason.
The StaSof imports its Advanced Performance Leather from Pittards in England. Pittards is a leather company that has been in business since 1826, and has been supplying leather for everything from yachtsmen to the military. And, of course, golfers.
The leather in the StaSof is known for its durability and, as the name suggests, the ability to retain its softness.
Elastics are added for better fit, while strategically placed perforations and meshes help maintain breathability and flexibility.
This is a fine glove.
Pros
- Leather supplied from Pittards
- Durable
- It does, in fact, stay soft
Cons
- A few users complain about sizing being too big
Callaway Tour Authentic
Like other top gloves, this high end glove from Callaway features Cabretta leather. In a twist, Callaway has added what it calls GripTac, which the company says will improve the grip by 20 percent.
Callaway also says the glove has the fit and feel of second skin. Whether you agree with that bit of marketing or not, there is little doubt this is a quality glove.
Like other quality golf gloves, the Tour Authentic has perforations for breathability, and an adjustable closure system to keep the glove on tight.
It also has what it calls the Opti Dry Cuff, intended to wick moisture from the cuff.
Pros
- Added tackiness for better grip
- Fits tightly
- Opti Dry Cuff to wick away moisture
Cons
- Durability may be a problem.
Titleist Players
Titleist may not be the biggest name in gloves, but in all of golf it’s a monster. And this glove is the one the company says is used by leading touring professionals.
The Cabretta leather in this glove is kept thin for greater feel and performance. To add durability to the thin leather, Titleist has added satin reinforcements at the cuff and thumb, two areas that get a great deal of abuse.
The company has given great thought to the placement of the seams, helping make this a tight-fitting and comfortable glove.
The glove is available in a wide variety of sizes for men, women, and juniors.
Pros
- Ultra-thin leather
- Quality construction
- Great size variability
Cons
- Some users did not like lack of durability
Under Armour Iso-chill
Golf is often played in warm weather, and the thought of wearing a glove on a hot summer day seems daft. The Iso-Chill glove gets its name from the fabric that Under Armour says pulls heat away from your skin, making your hand feel cooler.
This glove also features micro-perforations intended to increase air flow. The material is designed to wick away moisture and dry quickly.
Like other top gloves, a closure tab helps create a customized fit and Cabretta leather provides softness and a solid grip.
Pros
- Pulls heat away
- Wicks moisture
- Dries quickly
Cons
- Only 60 percent of glove is made from leather
TaylorMade Tour Preferred
The Tour Preferred has everything you would expect in a top-notch glove. That’s unsurprising since this is the glove worn by TaylorMade’s pro tour golfers. Given that, there is likely to be plenty of development involved here.
The result is Cabretta leather construction with perforations for breathability. The stretch fit tab and contoured wrist lining combine for a snug fit.
A moisture wicking wrist band will help keep hands dry.
What sets this glove apart from others of its ilk is the glove’s anti-microbial properties.
Pros
- Anti-microbial
- Moisture wicking wrist band
- Fits snugly for any golfer
Cons
- Some users have durability concerns
Zero Friction Cabretta Elite
While this glove shares the Cabretta leather used in other gloves on this list, it does have a few notable differences.
For one, this is a one-size-fits-all glove utilizing compression-fit technology. It also has reinforced areas in the fingers, back, and palm for added durability.
At one time, almost every golf glove featured a removable ball marker. That is rare today but this glove has one. The problem with these is that they are too small to be useful and are easily lost. And the glove adds a place to carry a tee, which is almost never seen, now or in the past.
Pros
- Reinforcements for durability
- Lycra color choices
- Design is quite breathable
Cons
- One-size-fits-all is undesirable for many
- Ball marker too small to be useful
Mizuno 2020 Tour
As is the norm, this premium glove from Mizuno features Cabretta leather. It also has what the company calls a FitBridge, which is a contoured fit on the back of the glove.
Double stitching on the thumb makes this a durable glove.
This is a well-constructed and classy looking glove.
Pros
- FitBridge contoured fit
- Double stitching on thumb
- Aesthetically pleasing
Cons
- A bit more expensive than others
Nike Dura Feel VIII
Cabretta leather is nowhere to be found on this budget option from Nike, replaced with synthetic leather.
Still, this is a perfectly reasonable glove from a well-known name. And not all of it is synthetic. Real leather is stretched across the palm for maximum feel in that important area.
A stretch fabric across the back means this glove will have a snug fit for a variety of hand sizes.
Pros
- Reliable manufacturer
- Real leather across the palm
- Stretchable fabric in back for good fit
Cons
- No Cabretta leather
FootJoy Pure Touch Limited
From a budget option to one that is most definitely not. The Pure Touch Limited gets its name in part because of limited availability due to what the company calls “exclusive leather specifications” and “strict manufacturing process.”
The exclusive leather is Cabretta, which is common. But FootJoy maintains it has preparatory techniques that are proprietary and sets the glove apart from its competitors.
FootJoy also promises a precision fit made possible by strategically placed elastic.
This may be the finest golf glove you can buy.
Pros
- Highly engineered manufacturing
- Super soft and durable
- Elastic in back makes for great fit
Cons
- The glove is fantastic but is it worth the price?
Callaway X-Spann
This is the updated version of a popular glove that was perhaps the first to hit the market with compression fit.
The update includes an adjustable Opti Fit closure device that is intended to provide an even better fit. Like other gloves from Callaway, the X-Spann is infused with GripTac, said to be 20 percent tackier than normal.
It has Cabretta leather and wicks moisture as you would expect from any high-end glove.
Pros
- Compression fit
- GripTac improves tackiness
- Offers 50-plus UV protection
Cons
- Many users displeased with changes from original version
Titleist Perma Soft
Titleist is all about performance. To that end, the Perma Soft glove has strategically placed stitching that is meant to avoid interfering with your grip on the club.
The Perma Soft also is resistant to rain, staying dry while maintaining is gripping properties.
A CoolMax mesh panel allows the glove to breathe, while helping provide a great fit and comfort.
This is a fine glove from a trusted name.
Pros
- Strategically placed stitching
- CoolMax mesh panel allows for breathability
- Resistant to rain
Cons
- Durability concerns
Under Armour Strikeskin
Another excellent glove from Under Armour. The leather on this glove, Cabretta of course, is designed to stay soft and feel great on every swing.
A closure tab and impeccable manufacturing process results in a terrific fit.
A large number of sizes, including those for junior golfers, means virtually every golfer can find the right size.
Pros
- Plenty of sizes to choose from
- Highly engineered
- Super soft leather
Cons
- Durability concerns
TaylorMade Stratus
There’s only regular leather here. No Cabretta.
While that means this glove may not be as soft as some others, there is still plenty to like.
Micro-perforations are strategically placed to make this glove very breathable. And the four-way stretch material on the black makes it flexible and a good fit for almost any golfer.
The wrist band is contoured for better fit and wicks away moisture.
Pros
- Breathability with micro-perforations
- Four-way stretch material for good fit
- Wicks away moisture
Cons
- No Cabretta
Golf gloves have a number of features, with most of them being universal.
Leather
You might see some kind of faux leather in gloves of dubious quality, but almost all of the top gloves are made of Cabretta leather. (This may not be true for specialty golf gloves, such as those designed for rain or cold.)
The name Cabretta comes from cabra, the Spanish word for goat. That is odd, since this is definitely not leather made from goats. Cabretta leather is made from sheep hair, specifically sheep from South America.
It is processed to remove the hair, then tanned and grained. The result is a very soft leather that is commonly used in gloves and shoe uppers.
Flexibility
A good glove fits tightly around the hand but needs some flexibility due to the force expended during the swing.
That flexibility is achieved through a few methods. One is to create a small gap between the fingers. Another is through perforations in the fingers and/or the back of the hand area. Those perforations also help with air flow. Another is by adding some kind of flexible material, such as spandex, that has the ability to stretch more than leather.
Closure
Most golf gloves are closed with some kind of Velcro fastener. This fastener often takes the shape of a flap that closes over the back of the glove. This allows for some adjustment in the size of the glove, although a good golf glove is definitely not one-size-fits-all.
Care
Any glove will have to endure wear and tear on the course, but you can extend the useful life of your glove with some common-sense moves.
Take your glove off between shots, especially on days when you are sweating. Attach the glove to the cart or your bag to allow it to air dry.
Between rounds, a good move is to do the opposite, prevent air from getting to it and drying out the glove. Some golfers like to store their gloves in a zip-up plastic kitchen bag.
If you want to clean your glove, do so gently and avoid soap if you can.
Recommendations
You might find that any of the above-listed gloves are a good choice, although going cheap could be costly.
Try to think value here and not just price. A great choice for almost anyone would be FootJoy’s StaSof. But any number of them could be right for you.
Even the best golf gloves do not last forever, so it’s a good idea to keep two or three on hand at all times. This is a good way to try out a different glove until you find the right one for you.
