Golf Glove Buying Guide: Leather vs Synthetic, Fit & Care (2026)
Better Birdies · Reviewed for 2026
A good glove gives you grip and control without a death-hold on the club. It's cheap insurance for your swing — here's how to pick the right one.
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Which hand, and why wear one
A glove improves grip, reduces blisters, and lets you hold the club lighter — which is better for your swing. Right-handed golfers wear a glove on the left hand (the top hand); left-handed golfers wear it on the right. Some players wear one only for full swings and take it off to putt.
Leather (cabretta) vs synthetic (all-weather)
Premium cabretta leather gives the softest, most connected feel and the best feedback — but it wears faster and doesn't love moisture. Synthetic 'all-weather' gloves are more durable, keep their grip when wet, and cost less, at the expense of a little feel.
A common approach: a cabretta glove for feel on dry days, and a cheaper all-weather glove (or a multi-pack) for practice, heat, and rain. If you buy one, an all-weather glove is the more forgiving everyday choice.
Fit and care
A golf glove should fit like a second skin — snug across the palm and fingers with no loose tips and no bunching. Between rounds, take it off and let it air out flat rather than balling it up in your bag; that's the single biggest thing that extends its life. Replace it when the palm gets shiny/slick or the fingers wear through.