The Reason Why Pro Golfers Take Their Gloves Off After Every Shot

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If you have watched professional golf tournaments, you’ve likely witnessed a seemingly odd event. The golfers will put on their gloves to take a shot. Then, they’ll take them off again. Often, these gloves will then be given away to the fans. So, why do pro golfers take their gloves off after every shot?

The reason why pro golfers change gloves will depend on the player. Sometimes, they are playing on a hot day. Because of this, their hands will start sweating inside the glove. In other cases, they want to keep the way the club feels in their hands consistent.

Sometimes watching a pro golf tournament can give insights into how casual players can improve their game. Keep reading to learn more about how wearing gloves can help you land more shots.

How Gloves Help Pro Golfers

The best place to start is by looking at why pro golfers wear gloves in the first place. Usually, it all comes down to how it affects their grip on the club. When you are wearing gloves, you can hold the club more securely, this gives you more control over the swing. As a result, you will be able to more accurately hit the target.

The use of gloves is also influenced by the time when these tournaments are taking place. Most of these events will occur during the summer months. Because of this, it’s common for your hands to start to sweat. This raises the potential that the club will slip out of your grip. Occasionally, this can be exacerbated by the material that is used to make the handle. For example, rubber can become very slippery when wet. Wearing gloves will add an extra layer of stability.

When you are gripping onto a wet club, it can slip in your hands. Because of this, there is the possibility that you might get blisters. Wearing a glove will be able to prevent this.

Lastly, the weather won’t always make for a good game. Sometimes, you will want to play on a cold or rainy day. On these occasions, wearing gloves will keep your hands warm. This will make it a lot easier to focus on your swing.

Cons of Wearing a Golf Glove

While there are plenty of benefits that can come with wearing a glove, there are also a few disadvantages that you should take into account. These downsides include;

  • Your hand can get very hot inside the glove. This is why most pro golfers take the glove off when they are walking to get their ball.
  • They can get worn down easily. Because of this, they will need to be replaced frequently. Often, this will happen every six to ten rounds for amateurs.
  • Unlike professional golfers, hobbyists don’t have a slew of sponsors willing to give them free products. For some, the benefits of wearing gloves can’t overcome the price involved with buying them.
  • It affects the way that the club feels in your hands. For some playing styles, this can have a big impact on accuracy. Because of this, some professional players don’t wear a glove. The most prominent examples are Ben Hogan and Fred Couples.

How Often Do Pro Golfers Change Gloves?

Another intriguing element that you might have spotted is that golfers seem to be changing gloves frequently. In some cases, they might change their gloves after each hole. Some have been known to do this more frequently. For example, Tiger Woods has 16 pairs of gloves, one for each round.

However, this isn’t the case for all pro golfers. Some will want to have worn their gloves before the tournament. This ensures that they are familiar with the way that they feel.

Taking Off Their Gloves After Each Shot

Though the process of changing gloves frequently might seem odd, there is a good reason why they do this. In some cases, it will be because their hands have started to sweat inside the glove. This can make for a very uncomfortable situation.

At other times, the pro might want to change gloves because they want to keep the way that the club feels consistent. This will make it easier for them to hit the ball.

Lastly, they might be changing so frequently because of sponsorships. After all, they want their products to look as good as possible. They won’t want their product to be associated with dirty gloves or ones that have holes in them.

How to Know When it’s Time to Replace Gloves

While you don’t need to change your gloves as frequently as a pro golfer, you will need to switch over eventually. It’s often recommended that you do this every six to ten rounds. There are a few signs that it might be time to do this. These include;

  • Holes appearing in the gloves. This will affect your grip on the club.
  • Sometimes they will expand or shrink, so they no longer fit you properly.
  • When the gloves get stiff. This often happens when they get wet.
  • The glove is no longer comfortable

Extending the Life of Your Gloves

While most gloves have a limited lifespan, there are some things you can do to extend how long they last. These include;

  • Making sure that it is dry when you put it away. To stop it from getting wet you might want to put it into a Ziploc bag.
  • Take it off between holes. The longer you leave it on the more moisture it will absorb.
  • Keep it clean by putting it into the washing machine. Then, you’ll need to leave it to air dry.

Incorporating Gloves Into Your Golf Game

Now that we have a better idea of why pro golfers enjoy wearing gloves, we can look at how you can use gloves in your game.

Picking the Right Gloves

There are dozens of types of gloves on the market. But not all of them will be the right choice for you. There are a few things that you should be looking for before you make your decision. First, you’ll want to find something that fits you. Because of this, it’s often best to try it on in the store. The glove will need to be smooth against the back of your hand.

The next thing to consider is the material that the glove is made from. Synthetic gloves tend to do the best in hot weather. However, leather will be able to last for longer. You might be able to find a mix of synthetic and leather, in a hybrid model. These are the most costly, but they will last for a long time.

Often, the price of the glove will be a consideration. The good news is that you don’t need to pay a fortune for your gloves. You should be able to find a good budget pair for under $10. If you want to spend a little more, a high-quality golfing glove will cost around $25.

Wearing Gloves on One Hand

Once you’ve found the right gloves, you’ll need to think about how you intend to wear them. Some people will want to wear gloves on both hands. Others, though, prefer to leave one hand ungloved. Typically, the glove will be worn on the lead hand. This allows them to feel the club. It’s best to try both approaches. This will let you find the one that works best for you.

Final Thoughts

Many pro golfers have become known for going through dozens of golf gloves each tournament season. Some will want a new one for each shot they take. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a professional player to appreciate the benefits of wearing golf gloves. These will allow you to improve your grip on the club. This, in turn, improves your swing and enhances your accuracy. However, the gloves will have a finite lifespan. Because of this, you’ll need to change them every few rounds.