Are you worried about upsetting your playing partners because you aren’t sure when to use a golf glove or when to take it off or put it back on?
Don’t worry, this quick guide will help you confidently explain everything you need to know about golf glove etiquette.
Golf Glove etiquette is pretty simple. You should never take the golf glove off or put it on while someone is either in their pre-shot routine or hitting the golf ball. The velcro on the glove is very distracting and it would be disrespectful to do so.
You can wear a golf glove whenever you want; some golfers take it off only for putts, some take it off for any short game shot around the green, some golfers hit every shot with a glove, and a select few never wear a golf glove.
Check out our comprehensive Golf Glove Buyers Guide for more info on golf gloves such as a fitting guide, different types of golf gloves, different materials of gloves, etc.
When to take your Golf Glove on and off
You should never take off or put on your golf glove while someone is in their preshot routine or hitting a golf shot because of the distracting sound the velcro makes when you are putting your golf glove on or off.
You may not think the velcro zipping or unzipping is very loud but it is louder than you think and when golfers are heavily focused on their preshot routine or the actual swing, every little sound and movement seems to be amplified.
The common unwritten rule of golf etiquette is to not make any sounds or movements while someone is in their preshot routine or hitting the golf ball. This can disrupt a golfer’s concentration and can lead to wayward shots or a frustrated golfer restarting his preshot routine and slowing the pace of play down.
When to wear Your Golf Glove
When to wear the golf glove is a common question with no right answer. Wearing a golf glove is a personal preference on whatever you feel helps your game out the most.
Some golfers never wear a golf glove, some wear one for every shot, and some will take the glove off for certain shots such as chipping and putting.
Not Wearing a Golf Glove for any Shot
Major Champions Fred Couples and Lucas Glover swear by not wearing a golf glove because it ruins their sense of connection and feeling between the club and their hands.
Lucas Glover has said in interviews that he would instantly shoot 12-15 shots worse if he had to wear a glove because he had no real feel of where the clubface was at during impact.
Most golfers claim their sense of feel gets enhanced for putts while not wearing a golf glove, so it makes perfect sense that never wearing a golf glove would help your sense of feel out for the full swing.
Wearing a Golf Glove for Every Shot
Jack Nicklaus never took off his glove, not even for putting. Nicklaus said in an interview with Frank Thomas that “I never found an advantage or disadvantage to taking the glove off or leaving it on. I practiced putting many times without a glove on, and it never bothered me, nor was it ever an advantage.”
Nicklaus also said, “It should be about whether you knock the ball in the hole or not, not whether you are wearing a glove or not. If you are worrying about a golf glove, you’re not worrying enough about making a good stroke and making the putt.”
The last part of the quote is what stuck out to me, if you feel like a golf glove gives you confidence and you make a better putting stroke, go for it!
The ball does not care if you have a glove on, if you feel the most confident wearing a glove while putting, you should do whatever makes you the most comfortable and confident with every golf shot.
Taking the Golf Glove Off for Chipping and/or Putting
The majority of golfers will take their glove off for all putts due to the increased feel and connection between your hands and the club.
However, some golfers like Tiger Woods prefers his glove off in certain situations. Whenever the best golfer of all time gives out advice and reasoning, it’s smart to listen and possibly experiment with his protocols.
Tiger will take off his glove for more finesse shots where he wants the maximum amount of feel, such as chipping, putting, and flop shots.
He likes the feeling of a light grip maximizing his connection and feeling with the club. Tiger has said on a scale of 1-10, his grip pressure is usually around a 5 for putting and chipping.
As shown in this Golf.com article, Tiger keeps his glove on for shots that require a big swing such as full shots, pitching and bunker shots. He explains it as “I want the traction and speed”.
It makes sense, a glove is a great way to increase your grip on the club, which allows you to accelerate hard through the golf ball without worrying about the club slipping in your hands.