Written by: Tony Schwartz
Last Updated: May 21, 2024
After carefully considering several golf gloves from various brands, Planet Divot has officially selected the Titleist Permasoft golf glove as the best golf glove of the year. In summary, Planet Divot's review team felt that the glove offered the most premium experience at the most affordable and approachable price. Read below for our full review of golf gloves to learn more!
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Our team is committed to bringing you objective, trustworthy, and fact-based reviews coming from firsthand experiences. Typically for the product reviews published on Planet Divot, our editorial staff is on a personal journey for finding the best golf equipment for their own time on the course. In this case, our Editor (Hi, that's me!) has played golf for more than 30 years and was looking for the best overall golf glove available on the market. I was most concerned with identifying a golf glove that would last, could be worn in many different weather scenarios, had a value-based price point, and was crafted with high quality materials.
Over the years, I have personally worn golf gloves made by brands like Nike, Titleist, Callaway, Mizuno, FootJoy, Wilson Staff, and many others. I have played hundreds of rounds of golf with a variety of golf gloves, and so I have had a lengthy period of time to determine the specific characteristics in a golf glove that I am looking for, which I outlined above. Please be aware that my set of criteria for selecting the best golf glove is subjective, based on my own personal needs, and that my needs could vary from yours. That's the beauty of golf, and so I hope that this guide to the best golf glove available on the market helps you find what you're looking for.
I personally use the Titleist Permasoft golf glove for every round of casual and competitive round of golf I play. I have found the glove to deliver a consistently high quality experience that supports my golf game in any situation, weather, or shot. That is why we've selected the Titleist golf glove as our Editor's Pick!
Titleist's journey began in 1910, initially as a rubber processing business called Acushnet Processing Company. It was founded by Philip W. "Skipper" Young, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, and his two college friends. They began by producing rubber products, but a pivotal moment came when Young's frustration with the inaccuracy of golf balls led to the x-ray of golf balls and the subsequent realization that the cores were improperly centered. This discovery prompted Young to create a superior golf ball, marking the beginning of Titleist's focus on golf equipment.
While Titleist was initially focused on golf balls and clubs, its acquisition of FootJoy in 1985 marked a significant expansion into golf gloves and shoes. FootJoy, established in 1857 and known for its golf shoes, entered the golf glove business in 1979 with the introduction of the Sta-Sof golfing gloves. The Sta-Sof glove, made of cabretta leather, quickly became the #1 selling glove in golf. FootJoy's innovative approach, such as being the first glove manufacturer to use water repellent cabretta leather (WR100 treatment), set new standards in the golf glove industry
After the acquisition, Titleist benefited from FootJoy's expertise and reputation in the golf glove market. By 1995, Titleist/FootJoy (Thailand) Ltd. was established, focusing exclusively on the manufacturing of golf gloves. This strategic move underscored the importance of golf gloves in Titleist's product lineup.
The historical story of Titleist's entrance into golf gloves is important because the brand combined subject matter expertise of another leader in the sport, FootJoy, to ultimately create a golf glove that is hyper affordable and made with quality materials. In this case, two companies coming together were better than one. The economies of scale here, at least from our perspective at Planet Divot, have gone on to benefit the consumer with approachable pricing for our favorite golf glove on the market.
Let's now describe the key features to look for in golf gloves, different types of golf gloves available for purchase, and tell you more about why we've selected the Titleist golf glove as our Editor's Pick for the best overall glove.
Choosing a quality golf glove involves a process of analyzing features, qualities, and characteristics so that you select a product that fits your golf game. When going through the process of buying a golf glove, we find a few key features to be the most important to consider: Durable Materials, Comfort, and Weather Resistance. Let us explain why these features are so important when selecting your next golf glove:
Golf gloves can be made with a variety of different materials based on their specific use case, and probably not surprisingly, the golf industry has made a golf glove for any scenario or situation. Yes, even snow! Let's explore a few of the different types of golf gloves, their use cases, and other details that you may care to know when selecting golf gloves for specific situations:
There are many different brands that offer golf gloves in 2024, and the list seems to continue to grow with new entrants like Malbon, G/Fore, and many others. Here is a breakdown of a few golf glove brands to consider when selecting your favorite option:
Over the years, I have personally worn golf gloves made by many different brands like Nike, Titleist, Callaway, Mizuno, FootJoy, Wilson Staff, and many others. I'm also looking forward to trying out new options such as G/Fore, Malbon, and others so that I can have a more well-rounded perspective on all options available on the market. As our team continues to test brands, we will publish new content, reviews, and information about those experiences for you to consider on your journey of buying golf equipment.
We've created this guide to help you navigate the process of selecting the right golf glove for you based on what we've discussed so far. Let's put the process together in an easy step-by-step guide of how to choose the right golf glove for you so that the process makes sense, is easy to understand, and so that you get exactly what you want in a golf glove.
The Titleist Permasoft golf glove is my top overall pick because it merges quality construction, feel, durability, and value into a golf glove that I keep coming back to time and time again. I have a particular affinity for this golf glove, and it has become an extension of my game in a way that a guitarist might describe the instrument as an extension of their body. I feel the same way about Titleist's Permasoft golf glove in that it makes me feel more confident and secure standing over my golf shots. Now, it doesn't eliminate my fundamental swing issues or eliminate poor choices. Those still affect my game on each and every round, but at the same time, it's important that I feel as confident as I can above each shot. For me, having a stable and secure grip on the golf club is critical for playing successful shots.
I personally love the combination of materials in the Titleist Permasoft golf glove as it combines high quality Cabretta leather, mesh paneling, satin features, and quality stitching throughout. When you put this glove on your hand, it feels higher quality on your hand and the club as compared to brands like Srixon, Mizuno, Nike, or FootJoy. The tack feels more natural and better while the materials on your hand feel more comforting.
Durability is one of the most important factors in any purchase I make for golf equipment. The sport is expensive to play and equipment costs are on the rise, which is why I try my best to balance the scales of durability, value, and costs as much as possible. Over the course of playing with the Titleist Permasoft golf glove, I notice that it lasts more rounds than comparable gloves and even more costly options. The durability is really dependent on your grip pressure, perspiration from your hands, frequency of play, storage, care, and other factors. For me, Titleist golf gloves last several more rounds and I have found that the grip quality is maintained for a longer period of time. Towards the ends of the Permasoft's life cycle you may have to apply moisture to the glove to activate the grip. Once the grip quality is noticeably deteriorating, it's time for a new glove!
Pros
Cons
Whether you are a male, female, or non-binary golfer, the Titleist Permasoft golf glove is our favorite overall option available on the market. We love the materials, price point, durability, and overall feel of the glove so much that we'd recommend it to every golfer. Since our team has tried many different options and brands over the course of 30+ years playing the game, we feel extremely confident that this option is a fantastic value and well worth the upgrade from cheaper options. If you are buying low cost options at this point, Planet Divot would recommend purchasing the Titleist Permasoft from one of the links we've shared here with you (we are not paid for purchases you make from our links).
Cabretta leather is a sheepskin leather known for its durability, softness, and resilience for multiple uses. Cabretta leather has a natural elasticity which makes it very fitting for use as a glove material. Cabretta leather, especially for golf gloves, is considered to be the most durable material available on the market. Planet Divot's Editor notes that Cabretta leather golf gloves tend to last 2-4x the number of golf rounds as compared to other synthetic options.
25% of golfers fall into the cadet sizing category. Key characteristics of the cadet size in golf include shorter fingers, wider palms, and a wider back of the hand area as compared to the regular sizing category. We encourage golfers to visit a local pro shop or golf store to try on cadet sizing to see if it is the right option for you.
First, choose the right hand to wear your golf glove. For right-handed golfers, that'd typically be your left hand and vice versa for left-handed golfers. In some situations, golfers may choose to wear golf gloves on both hands. The weather can also be a consideration for choosing the type of golf glove to wear during your round of play.
Proper storage of golf gloves is critical for ensuring they last longer. Before storing your golf glove it is important to make sure that it is dry first. Then, you can store your golf glove in a ziplock bag. Some golf bags now feature a specific pocket for golf glove storage such as the Titleist stand bag. To extend the life of a golf glove you can also put it in the washing machine with a light detergent along with a load of laundry. This process can remove dirt, salt, and other undesirable materials from your golf glove.
You should be able to comfortably open and close your hand without feeling too much resistance or pinching in the hand. The glove should feel snug on your hand, but not too tight. Similarly, you do not want the glove to feel too loose.
Some golfers use a golf glove on every shot. Other golfers may only use a golf glove during specific shots on the course, such as every shot except on or around the greens. It is important that every golfer determine when a golf glove helps enhance pre-shot comfort and/or confidence. If using a golf glove helps you feel more confident or comfortable then we suggest using a golf glove on those shots. There is not a right or wrong time to be using golf gloves, and we suggest experimenting with using golf gloves during your round of play to decide what is best for you.
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