All You Need Is Glove

Teachers field all sorts of questions during a golf lesson. Not all of them are about the golf swing. In fact, many are not. During a recent lesson a student asked about golf gloves. A serious golfer, she wanted to know if she had to wear one and why. It was a good question. It struck a chord with me. Since golf teachers don't always cover gloves in golf instruction sessions or written golf tips, I thought 1′d cover them in a longer article.

Golfers don't have to wear gloves. There's nothing in golf's rules that say they must. In fact, many players with low golf handicaps, including some PGA professionals, play without one. But for those of you who don't have a low golf handicap or are not a professional player, I recommend wearing one. It can make a difference in your game, especially if you have a high golf handicap. A glove offers key advantages that can improve play.

Got Glove
A glove enables you to grasp a club firmly without adding pressure. Without a glove, you must squeeze the club tighter. This adds tension to your hands and inhibits flexibility in your top-hand wrist joint. Golf gloves are made with a heal pad. When a pad is placed between two surfaces, you don't have to tighten your grip as much, lessening pressure on the grip. Less grip pressure, in turn, enhances wrist join flexibility and increases club control.

In addition, gloves have features that can improve play. Made from micro-fiber, cabretta, and synthetic leather, they provide sufficient give to allow for a full range of finger flexion, which increase club control. Gloves also keep your hands warm, prevent blisters, and improve dampness control. In short, gloves improve feel and control. In golf, anything that improves feel and control is a big plus.

Buying The Right Glove
The most important considerations when buying a glove is comfort and fit. The glove must be comfortable and fit well. Find one that fits snugly across your palm and fingers, and that has a Velcro strap that fastens easily. If the Velcro strap doesn't go all they way across the back of your hand, try another glove. If the glove is too loose, try another one as well. Loose material causes blisters. Also, make sure the glove's fingers aren't too long or too short.

You also want to buy a glove with the right features. Some gloves come with a strap for holding tees or slit for a wedding ring. Others come with a ball marker. And then there are those gloves that have features specifically for players who have problems with their hands. Recently, the USGA approved the wearing of a special glove for people with arthritis. Manufactured by Hillerich & Bradsby Co., which also produces the famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat, the Bionic Golf (www.bionicglove.com) glove features the design of an orthopedic hand surgeon. The glove improves hand strength and reduces pain for people with arthritis.

Additional Considerations When Buying
In addition to finding a glove with the right features, make sure you're buying one for the correct hand. A right-handed golfer needs a left-handed glove, the left hand being the top hand. A left-handed golfer needs a right-handed glove. Also choose a glove with the most comfortable materials. Gloves come in leather, nylon, knitted material, or other synthetic material. It's a matter of personal preference which material feels the best.

Finally, try on different sizes before making a purchase. Ask the attendant if you can see how the glove feels while gripping a club. If it doesn't feel right, try another glove. If the attendant refuses to let you try on different sizes or test the glove while gripping a club, try another store. Testing the glove is the best way to determine if the glove is right for you. Occasionally, I like to check a player's glove during a golf lessons to see how well it fits, but not many teachers do, so you need to be on top of this yourself.

An ill-fitting golf glove can drive you crazy. It can be the kind of distraction that can be infuriating during a round of golf. More importantly, an ill-fitting glove can cause slippage and loss of control, costing you strokes. That, in turn, can hurt your confidence. And in golf, you need all the confidence you can muster, if you want to make a serious dent in your golf handicap.


Copyright (c) 2008 Jack Moorehouse