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Best Golf Gloves 2026 - Our nine favorite models thoroughly tested

Your hands are the only point of contact with the club, therefore it's crucial you have a glove that performs. Here, we take a look at the best on the market

Best Golf Gloves
(Image credit: Future)

A golf glove is one of the most under-appreciated pieces of golf equipment you can purchase, with the hands the only point of contact between you and the golf club. Not only do they help with grip, but they protect you from blisters, allow for confidence when addressing and striking the ball, as well as provide great feel through impact. A good golf glove is one of the best golf accessories you can invest in so, it stands to reason, that you purchase one that has style, durability and longevity because, although it may not seem it, it is an item which can improve your game without you even noticing.

What's more, there are a number of different options on the market that cater to a magnitude of different aspects. For those seeking the quality and feel trusted by top professionals, the premium leather offerings could be just the ticket as these gloves offer great comfort, breathability and unrivaled feel. Then, there are models from brands that perhaps aren't as recognized, with their offerings going for style and innovation.

Best Golf Gloves 2026

How we test golf gloves

In terms of testing golf gloves, we should say our process is similar to all the other golf gear reviews we produce in that manufacturers cannot pay for a good review, and we tell it how we see it.

We seek to try and be as comprehensive as possible in testing and reviewing the product, which means we have used it over a number of rounds and in different conditions because this often gave us great insight into things like durability, fit, quality and so on. For example we test for variables like grip over time, performance in different conditions and how durable a glove is.

golf gloves lying on the ground

(Image credit: Golf Monthly)

It is worth acknowledging that our dedicated testing team reviews a lot of golf clubs and that allows them to test golf gloves considerably as well, whilst the entire Golf Monthly team are regular golfers as well which allows us to be as honest and insightful as needed.

Specifically for gloves, this section is overseen by a wide range of golfers in the Golf Monthly team because this allows us to test for fit, feel and performance across a range of abilities.

What to look for in a golf glove

You may not think the golf glove is that important compared to other pieces of equipment; however it really is as, after all, it is the only part of the body that remains connected with the club throughout the swing.

So, what are the things you need to think about when looking into purchasing a new golf glove? Well below are some factors and pieces of advice to consider.

1. Which hand?

For the beginners out there, a golfer who plays right-handed will typically wear a golf glove on their left hand. This is because the left hand is the lead hand in the swing, provided the player has a conventional grip. Golfers who play left-handed typically wear a glove on their right hand.

Related: Which Hand Do You Wear A Golf Glove On?

2. Type

First things first, know what type of glove you want. You may be after a premium leather model which will perform totally differently to a synthetic, or even, a wet weather model. These do different things and, more importantly, feel different, so think about what you like to feel when wearing a golf glove.

3. Material

The material will also be important too. The top premium leather models are designed to feel soft whilst also giving you a good feel of the grip during the swing. They are essentially designed to be like a second skin. Some gloves also have synthetic parts on them, which are designed to offer more stretch, especially along the knuckles. These synthetic gloves also might be more durable than the leather designs. Finally, wet weather gloves are more about protection than feel. The material on most all-weather models offers more grip the wetter they get so, if you play in an area with a lot of rain, definitely consider a model designed to deal with it.

4. Fit

We can hear you asking how should a glove fit? Well, the golf glove should feel like a second skin with no excess material either across the palm of the hand or at the end of the fingers. Make sure there’s a snug fit across the palm and there’s no loose material at the end of the fingers. But you also don’t want a glove to be so tight that it feels like it’s cutting off the blood supply. You should be able to stretch your fingers and make a ball with your fist without the glove pulling or over-stretching.

5. Breathability

This is a big point to consider when buying a new golf glove especially if you're playing in warmer conditions where your hand can sweat and slip along the grip of the golf club. For that reason, you need to consider buying a golf glove that can keep your hand well-ventilated on the course. For more advice on the best golf gloves for breathability, check out our guide on the best golf gloves for sweaty hands.

FAQs

Why do professional players take their golf gloves off to putt?

Pro golfers often take their gloves off to putt and sometimes chip as some feel it gives them greater control and feel on the putter and the wedge. That means you are more able to hit dinky shots and judge the speed of the ball better.

What glove should I wear for golf?

We would always recommend wearing a golf glove that has been designed for the game because this will ensure grip, stability and confidence. In terms of which hand, a golfer who plays right-handed will typically wear a golf glove on their left hand. The reason for this is; with a conventional grip, the left hand is placed at the top of the club and is the lead hand through the swing. It's essential that the left hand provides a firm attachment to the club. The opposite is true for left-handed players.

Do golf gloves actually help?

The simple answer here is yes. Golf gloves provide grip and are tackier than normal gloves which allows the player be able to grip onto the golf club with more confidence and stability. If a player is not using a golf glove then the club may twist in their hands which could lead to errant shots. Golf gloves are also designed to be able to deal with sweat and wet conditions as well, both of which can have a detrimental impact on grip throughout the golf swing.

For more golf buying advice, check out our guides on the best golf rangefinders, best golf drivers, or best push carts.

Joe Ferguson
Staff Writer

Joe has worked in the golf industry for nearly 20 years in a variety of roles. After a successful amateur career being involved in England squads at every age group, Joe completed his PGA degree qualification in 2014 as one of the top ten graduates in his training year and subsequently went on to become Head PGA Professional at Ryder Cup venue The Celtic Manor Resort. Equipment has always been a huge passion of Joe’s, and during his time at Celtic Manor, he headed up the National Fitting Centres for both Titleist and Taylormade. He’s excited to bring his knowledge of hardware to Golf Monthly in the form of equipment reviews and buying advice.

Joe lives in North Devon and still plays sporadically on the PGA West region circuit. His best round in recent years came earlier in 2023 where he managed a 9 under par 63 at Trevose GC in a Devon & Cornwall PGA Tournament.

Joe's current What's In The Bag?

Driver: Switch between TaylorMade Qi35 and Callaway Elyte TD - both with Fujikura Ventus Black 6-X

Fairway wood 1: TaylorMade BRNR Copper Mini Driver - Fujikura Ventus Black 7-X

Fairway wood 2: Callaway Apex UW 17˚- Fujikura Ventus Black 9-X

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB 3-PW with Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts

Wedges: Callaway Opus 50, 54, and 60 degrees - Project X LS 6.0 shafts

Putter: LAB Golf Oz.1 (zero shaft lean)

Ball: TaylorMade 2024 TP5x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 60R

Bag: Vessel Player IV Pro DXR Stand

With contributions from