There’s no single best golf glove for everyone; the right one is the one that fits your hand and suits how and where you play. A glove that is the wrong size will bother you no matter how good the name on it is. Even a reviewer who names a pick for most golfers also names different gloves for low handicappers, tight budgets, rain, cold and arthritis. [1] You may also find this useful: Who Makes the Best Golf Bags?
That’s why this article sorts gloves by need instead of crowning one. Reviewers typically rate fit, comfort, grip, breathability, durability and value, and those are the lenses we use. [1] Related reading: What Are Golf Pants?
A quick disclosure: this is research-based, not hands-on testing. Sites we draw on may earn commissions from purchases through their links. [1]
How should a golf glove fit?
A golf glove should feel snug, like a second skin, but never tight. If you can’t close your hand comfortably around the grip, it’s too small. If the leather bunches or wrinkles in your palm, it’s too big.
Snug, not tight
The basic rule is that a good glove fits snugly without being too tight. [2] A glove that squeezes your knuckles or pulls at your fingertips will tire your hand over a round, which defeats part of the point of wearing one. A loose glove can slip on the grip, which is exactly what you bought it to prevent.
Let your hand breathe
The glove should also allow your hand to breathe. [2] Think about a hot August round: a snug glove with no airflow gets sweaty fast, and a sweaty palm slides. Try the glove on, make a fist, and hold a club for a minute. If it feels clammy or restrictive right away, try another size or style.
One glove, usually on the lead hand
Most golfers wear a single glove on the lead hand. For a right-handed player, that’s the left hand. [3] Seeing two gloves is rare among pros unless the weather is bad, and two can make it harder to overlap your hands on the club. [3] You may even have to relearn your grip and how tightly you hold the club. [3]
Size beats materials
A premium glove in the wrong size will grip worse than a basic glove that fits well. Material affects durability, breathability and grip, [2] but none of that matters if the glove shifts or pinches. Get the size right first, then worry about what it’s made of.
Leather, synthetic or hybrid: which material suits you?
Material comes down to what you value most: leather for feel, synthetic for durability and value, and the weather you play in to break ties. The most common glove materials are leather, synthetic leather and mesh. [2]
Leather: the feel choice
Leather is the traditional pick. It is durable and breathable and gives a good grip, but it can be expensive and needs more care than other materials. [2] Gloves are often sold as leather with Lycra added, such as the TaylorMade All Weather Glove, which lists leather and Lycra. [4]
If you like a natural feel and don’t mind looking after your glove, leather is where to start.
Synthetic: durability and value
Synthetic leather is a less expensive alternative that offers many of the same benefits, and it is more durable than leather and needs less care. [2] Synthetic gloves also come in compression-fit styles, like the Zero Friction Ladies’ glove, which lists synthetic and Lycra. [4]
That makes synthetic a sensible choice if you wear gloves out quickly or want to keep costs down.
Match material to your weather
Choose a glove that suits the weather you most often play in. [4] A glove needs to grip well in all conditions and let your hand breathe. [2] If most of your rounds are warm and dry, breathability matters more. If you play in mixed conditions, look at gloves built for them, such as the all-weather TaylorMade model above. [4]
The priciest is not always best
Bigger brands like TaylorMade, Bionic and Callaway make superior products, but that doesn’t mean every one of them will work for you. [4] The goal is the best glove for your hand and game, not the most expensive one. [4]
A mid-priced glove that fits well and lasts a few rounds beats a premium one that suits someone else.
Which glove is best for feel, durability or value?
The right glove depends on what bugs you most about your current one: feel, how fast it wears out, or the price. Here are picks from one independent review site’s testing, sorted by those needs.
Feel-first players
If you want the thinnest, most connected feel, the $31 Titleist Players is the pick for low handicappers. [1] If you want soft leather that works for most golfers, the $29 FootJoy StaSof is that site’s top overall pick, and it comes in almost every size. [1]
Players who wear out gloves fast
If you burn through gloves, the Callaway Tour Authentic is the recommendation for golfers who want leather that lasts. [1] Durability is one of the things reviewers rate directly, so look for it in a glove’s review rather than assuming leather or a high price guarantees it. [1] Another guide also notes that a good glove should hold up for more than a few rounds. [4]
Budget-minded high-handicappers
The FootJoy WeatherSof 2-pack costs $23, which makes it the budget pick. [1] Because it is a pair of gloves, you have a spare ready when the first one goes slick. Spending more is not automatically smarter, since the goal is the best glove for you, not the most expensive one. [4]
Researched picks versus tested ones
The picks above come from a reviewer that swings each glove in an indoor facility, then plays multiple rounds in it. [1] Its testers include a 3-handicap, a 12-handicap and an 18-handicap senior, so budget and high-handicap views are covered. [1] Other roundups, such as Golf Monthly’s list of nine favorite models, are useful for comparison, but treat any list as a starting point and let your own fit decide. [5]
What about rain, heat and cold?
Weather is where a specialty glove can earn its spot in your bag, and the review site we drew on rates warmth and water resistance as extra criteria for winter and rain gloves on top of the usual fit, grip and durability. [1] Here is how each condition breaks down.
Rain gloves and water resistance
If you play in wet weather, a dedicated rain glove is the obvious choice. That review site’s wet-day pick is the FootJoy RainGrip pair. [1] Buying a pair rather than a single glove is handy, because you can swap to a dry one mid-round.
Winter gloves and warmth
For cold rounds, look at a glove built for warmth rather than layering over a standard one. The same review names the FootJoy WinterSof pair as its cold-weather pick. [1] Warmth is judged separately from grip, so a glove that feels great in July isn’t automatically the right one in November. [1]
Breathability for hot rounds
In heat, breathability matters most. A good glove should fit snugly without being too tight and still let your hands breathe. [2] Leather is durable and breathable, and mesh is a lightweight, breathable material that is more comfortable but less durable, which makes it worth a look if your hands run hot. [2]
For an all-climate option, the FootJoy StaSof is the review’s pick for most golfers, with soft leather that grips in any climate. [1] If you only play in fair weather, that may be all you need.
What should parents look for in a junior glove?
Parents should treat a junior glove like an adult one: fit comes first, and the price tag matters much less. A glove that is too big bunches up in the palm, and one that is too small pinches. Either way, your child will not enjoy wearing it.
Fit matters as much as for adults
Kids’ hands are smaller, but the same rule applies: snug, not tight. Have your child grip a club in the store, if you can, and look for loose fabric across the palm or fingertips that feel jammed. Ladies’ and smaller-size options exist in many lines, and some brands make gloves in a range of colors that kids tend to like, so a good fit is rarely hard to find. [4]
Do not overspend as hands grow
Junior hands outgrow a glove quickly, so the most expensive option is rarely worth it. The best glove is not the priciest one on the market, and that holds even when a big brand makes a superior product, because not every product from a famous name will suit every golfer. [4] A premium leather glove that fits for one season is money you could have spent on lessons or range balls.
Basic synthetic options can be enough
For a beginner or a growing kid, a basic synthetic glove is a sensible place to start. Synthetic gloves are a common category, often blended with stretchy fabric like Lycra, and they tend to hold up for more than just a few rounds. [4] That durability is handy when your child is still learning and tossing gear in the bag.
A simple rule: buy a well-fitting, inexpensive glove now, and upgrade only if your child sticks with the game and wants a different feel.
Quick questions about golf gloves
Do you need a glove?
No. Golf gloves are only a preference, not a requirement. [6] Plenty of golfers like a bare hand because it can improve their feel of the swing, which helps timing and contact. [6]
Where a glove earns its keep is grip. If your hands get sweaty or wet and you swing hard, the club can slip, and a glove helps prevent that. [6]
Do you wear it when putting?
Most golfers take it off. Many remove the glove for chips, short pitches and putting, since those shots rarely risk slippage. [6] If you want to keep it on for a few extra feel-free swings, nothing stops you, but pulling it off before you reach the green is the common habit.
How long does a glove last?
There is no fixed number of rounds that fits everyone. One of the questions golfers commonly ask is how many rounds a glove should last, and the answer depends on how much you sweat, how hard you grip and how often you play. [3] A better rule of thumb is to watch the grip: once the glove stops holding the club securely, it has done its job.
Is it okay to wear two gloves?
It’s legal, but rare. Pros seldom wear two gloves unless the weather is bad. [3] Two gloves can make it harder to overlap your hands on the club, and you may have to relearn your grip. [3] Most golfers also avoid them because they say it loosens the grip and leads to more inconsistent shots. [6]
Picking your glove
Start with fit: a glove that fits your hand beats any fancy material, so try sizes before you worry about brands. Once the size is right, pick the material for the weather you usually play in, and let your budget decide how much to spend. The most expensive glove isn’t automatically the best one for you. [4]
Your next step is simple. Grab one glove in your size, play a few rounds, and see how it handles. When the grip fades and the glove stops holding the club the way it used to, swap it for a fresh one.