Golf gloves come in left-hand and right-hand versions, and the labels are easy to misread the first time. Here’s which one you need, and when golfers skip the rule.
The short answer: what hand to wear a golf glove on
Wear your golf glove on your lead hand. If you swing right-handed, that’s your left hand. If you swing left-handed, it’s your right. The lead hand sits at the top of the grip and holds the club through the whole swing, so it takes the most friction and needs the most grip.
Your lead hand is the one closest to the target when you set up to hit. Your other hand, the trail hand, sits lower on the grip, just below it.
Not sure which one is yours? Take your stance like you’re about to hit a drive. The side of your body facing the target is your lead side. Your swing side is what counts, even if you write with the other hand. A right-handed writer who swings lefty wears the glove on the right hand.
Glove labels follow the hand the glove goes on. A left-hand glove, often marked LH, is the one a right-handed golfer buys. Lefties shop for a right-hand glove.
Why the lead hand gets the glove
The lead hand does most of the holding. It wraps around the top of the grip, and the heel of your palm presses against the handle for the entire swing, from takeaway to follow-through.
Because your lead hand rests on the handle more than your trail hand, it’s the one more likely to blister and slip as you swing. Add sweat on a hot day or damp grips after a rain shower, and the club starts to twist in your hands.
A glove puts a layer between your skin and the grip, which cuts down on that rubbing and slipping.
The trail hand usually stays bare. It sits lower on the grip and mostly supports the club, and a glove there can dull the feedback you get from each shot.
Two gloves, no glove, or glove off to putt?
One glove on the lead hand is the norm, but you can wear two, wear none, or take yours off to putt.
The Rules of Golf allow a glove as long as it’s “plain,” meaning a fitted covering with a separate sheath for each finger and thumb, and no padding built into the gripping surface. That’s set out in the Rules of Equipment, and nothing in it limits you to one hand.
Here’s when golfers break from the single glove:
- In the rain, a pair of rain gloves helps, since they’re made to grip more the wetter they get.
- If your trail hand blisters too, a second glove is a fair trade.
- Some golfers skip the glove entirely because they prefer bare hands on every shot. If you’re new, try a few range sessions both ways and see what your hands tell you.
Putting is its own call. It’s common to take the glove off on the green for a better feel of the putter through the stroke, and some golfers leave it on all day.
A glove wears out faster than you’d think, so keep a spare in your bag. Our golf trip packing list suggests packing at least two for any trip.
How a golf glove should fit
A golf glove should fit snug, like a second skin, with no loose material at the fingertips or across the palm. A glove that’s too big bunches up when you grip, and that extra material can slide on the handle.
Check these things when you try one on:
- Your fingers reach the end of each finger sleeve, with no empty space at the tips.
- When you close your hand around a grip, the palm stays smooth, without wrinkles or folds.
- The closure strap should close comfortably without stretching it all the way to the end. If you can’t close it, go up a size.
- It feels snug, but you can still bend your fingers freely.
Leather gloves are usually made from cabretta, a thin, soft leather from hair sheep. Leather gives a little as it breaks in, so start with a glove that feels snug rather than roomy.
Sizes typically run small through extra-large, and some brands add in-between sizes like medium-large (ML) for hands that fall between two sizes. If you’re between sizes, the in-between option is worth trying first.
Your glove is the gear everyone sees
Since only one hand wears it, your glove is on show every time you set up over the ball and in every group photo, so it might as well say something about you.
Birdie Chaser golf gloves lean into that. Both are white cabretta leather, in sizes S, M, ML, L and XL:
- The Gurdy Crew: plain white on the outside, with Gurdy tucked into the lining and a script logo running down the thumb.
- The Gurdy Parade: a Gurdy parade down the thumb, plus a retro patch on the closure strap.
A glove is also an easy way to pull a look together. Match it to your hat or shoes, the way we do in our men’s golf outfit ideas, and the whole outfit feels planned.
Now you know which hand. Pick your size, pull it onto your lead hand, and go chase that next birdie.