Golf Glove or No Glove???

[Paradox]

I used to use gloves but they seemed to be more of a hinderance than help.  I haven't worn one for two years now and feel much more connected to the club.  On sweaty days, I just use a towel to keep my hands dry and usually after I play enough I have to start taping my index finger between the last two knuckles to avoid a blister..but thats it.

[Zeph]

I threw away the glove a couple of years ago and never regret the decision. If anything, my grip feels better. Playing in rain is not an issue. Don't recall a club slipping ever, in my life. http://thesandtrap.com/t/45599/no-glove-better http://thesandtrap.com/t/38330/golf-glove-or-no-glove

[irishmike27]

I've never worn a glove and have had no problems with slippage-even in rain. On days where I play more than 18 (generally only occurs on my annual golf trip) or am at the range for an extended time, I'll apply tape just as Paradox described, to avoid a blister. Otherwise, no glove, no problem.

[joekelly]

For those guys, and gals, who do not use a glove, where do you get the callus? I have a callus spot on my left palm near the outer edge across from the base of my thumb. But nothing particular on any finger.

[boogielicious]

I don't like wearing a glove and will only wear one in extremely hot humid weather or rain and only really with the driver.  I do wear sweat bands on my wrists in the summer because I sweat a lot.  Good grips make a big difference.

As for calluses, I get build up in my left index finger between the last two knuckles and a little one near the base of the left pinkie.  Sometimes I will put tape around my left index finger.  I think this is from the finish of my swing as the club rolls in my hand.

[nevets88]

Same here, no glove. I'm more aware of grip tackiness and tend to change grips sooner. I think the glove gives you a little more traction if the glove itself is good, but better changing grips a little earlier.

[erock9174]

I've been experimenting my last few rounds without one.  My hand is small (6.5" from wrist to tip of my middle finger) and I use an interlocking grip.  My lock feels tighter without a glove as the material on the glove seems to hinder the lock a bit.

My one hybrid doesn't have my grip of choice on it and for some reason is real slippery without a glove so I normally put it on for that shot then forget I am wearing it and it tends to stay on the remainder of the round even for putting as I always wore my glove for everything.

I have a nasty callus on my palm right below my ring finger and another one below my middle finger knuckle.

If I spend alot of the time in the simulator at the store then it usually blisters, but on the course its usually callused up by then and doesn't really hinder me or cause any pain.

I'm going to change that grip on my hybrid this week and then it should be glove free the remainder of the season.
It's funny, one thing I noticed was I bought a new glove last week and after one range session and 1 round it actually wore the first layer of synthetic leather off the bottom of my palm.  However when I golf without a glove that portion of my palm seems fine, no callus, no blisters.  Maybe the skin there is just tough and used to it.

[Jwat381]

I prefer to play without one, I only put on a soft FootJoy if I feel my hands are really tore up. But I'm with you, I feel better connected without a glove on. And golf too

[GaijinGolfer]

Not wearing a glove is fine when its dry and cool out but when its hot and humid and your hands are sweaty, you wont have as secure of a grip.  Even if you wipe off your hands and grip before every shot, they still arent going to be completely dry and arent going to be as tacky as a glove.  Theres a reason why every tour pro wears a glove, folks.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Not wearing a glove is fine when its dry and cool out but when its hot and humid and your hands are sweaty, you wont have as secure of a grip.  Even if you wipe off your hands and grip before every shot, they still arent going to be completely dry and arent going to be as tacky as a glove.  Theres a reason why every tour pro wears a glove, folks.

Not every PGA Tour pro wears a glove. And what if that "reason" that a lot of them wear them has to do with the fact that you'd probably wear one to take your shower if someone was willing to pay you $250/week to do it. :)

I don't wear a glove. Ever. My hands don't get terribly sweaty, it's a pain to take on and off, they're costly, etc. Unless it's raining (when I wear rain gloves designed to get wet), my hands and grips remain nice and dry all on their own.

I've seen people wear gloves in sweaty, humid conditions. They soak through and rip and become more of a pain than drying your grip and hitting the shot before your palms and fingers sweat (really, whose palms and fingers sweat that much? I'm sure some people's do, but really? Their palms and the undersides of their fingers?).

[Zeph]

As mentioned, no problem with hot and humid or rainy days for me. Stating that you can't have a good enough grip without a glove is simply wrong. Some might have issues, but that does not make it a rule. Like Erik mentioned, I dropped the glove because I was bored with putting it on and off and I don't get paid to use one. Not a single incident related to playing gloveless for two years. Kind of like walking with spikeless shoes. Some consider it ludicrous, but I don't have any issues with it? Just because 99% use it, including pros, doesn't mean you need it.

[TourSpoon]

I stopped wearing a glove @ 1992 when the Golf Pride Tour Wraps come out.  A tour pro turned me on to them as all you needed to do was wipe them with an end of a towel that was damp and then dry them with the other end.  I haven't looked back and have saved a lot of cash.

Still not looking back... :-O

[Dad-2-3]

To quote myself in this thread from 2010

Originally Posted by Dad-2-3

No glove here.

and still no glove here. To say you can't get a proper grip without a glove in hot humid weather is ludicrous. We have some pretty hot and humid summers here in the mid-west and have never had a problem with gripping a club.

[Rednax1530]

I have almost always used a glove just because I was told that it was better for grip. A couple times I have found myself without and although it takes a couple swings to get used to I can't say that its really felt that odd to swing without a glove on.  Starting this season I think I will try playing without and see how that feels for me.

I recently had some clubs made up with leather grips that really felt tacky when I was trying different grips. They are supposed to increase grip in warmer weather as well as with increased moisture. Well at least thats what they say. I will have to find out how they feel this season and I will post a thread or review on them once I actually get some rounds with them.

Mitch G

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by joekelly

For those guys, and gals, who do not use a glove, where do you get the callus? I have a callus spot on my left palm near the outer edge across from the base of my thumb. But nothing particular on any finger.

I get calluses on the thumb side of my index finger between the last two knuckles, on the underside of my ring finger between the last two knuckles and at the base of the pinky.  All on the left hand(righty golfer).

The callus/blister on the index finger comes from my overlap grip, the rest are from the club.

[Maverick]

When I had WINN grips I didn't use a glove..and loved it..but if my grips are GP's than yes, glove.  I'm just cheap/poor to re-grip everthing to the WINN's.  It does feel ALOT better without a glove..and no need to take it off and on when putting or wedge work.

[nobackswing]

no glove for me ever.  honestly the #1 reason was i hated having to take it on and off 18 times a round.

but golf is such a precision sport, every bit of feel is important.  i don't know why anyone would wear a glove unless they needed to because of wet hands or blisters or something.

[Rednax1530]

Originally Posted by nobackswing

no glove for me ever.  honestly the #1 reason was i hated having to take it on and off 18 times a round.

but golf is such a precision sport, every bit of feel is important.  i don't know why anyone would wear a glove unless they needed to because of wet hands or blisters or something.

I think allot of people wear it because it as seen as the normal thing to do when you start. You don't really know why when you start, but everyone does so I guess thats the proper thing to do. I think thats the mind set anyway. And then after a while not wearing a glove may start to feel really foreign and odd.

For myself I have stopped wearing a glove because I found it did not help my game at all.

Mitch G