How to Dry a Golf Glove

Nothing ruins the feel of a great golf shot faster than a grip that slips, and nothing feels worse than sliding your hand into a stiff, crusty glove that feels more like cardboard than leather. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your golf glove soft, tacky, and lasting longer, it all starts with how you dry it. This guide will walk you through the simple, effective methods for drying your glove both during and after a round, ensuring it feels great every time you tee it up.

Why a Properly Dried Glove is Not Just a Luxury - It’s a Performance Tool

Before we get into the methods, let's talk about why this even matters. A well-maintained golf glove isn't just about comfort, it's a vital piece of equipment that directly impacts your performance. Here's what proper drying and care protect:

• Grip and Control: The primary job of your glove is to create a secure, consistent connection to the club. When a glove gets soaked with sweat and then dries improperly, the leather or synthetic material gets stiff and loses its natural tackiness. This forces you to grip the club tighter, creating tension in your hands, forearms, and shoulders - the ultimate swing killer. A soft, supple glove allows for a lighter grip pressure, promoting a more fluid and powerful swing.
• Durability and Longevity: High-quality Cabretta leather gloves aren't cheap. Constantly replacing them because they've turned into rock-hard shells is a drain on your wallet. Proper drying prevents the oils in the leather from being stripped away and stops the material from cracking and splitting. A single glove can last dozens of rounds if cared for correctly.
• Feel and Confidence: There's a mental benefit to using equipment that feels right. Slipping your hand into a glove that’s ready to play builds confidence. You aren't distracted by discomfort or worried about the club twisting at impact. You can focus on one thing: hitting a great shot.

The Glove Killers: Destructive Drying Methods You Must Avoid

More gloves are ruined by bad drying habits than by actual on-course use. Your instinct might be to dry it as fast as possible, but that's precisely the wrong approach. Here are the common mistakes that will destroy your glove.

The Tumble Dryer

Throwing your glove in the dryer is the fastest way to turn a supple, high-performance tool into a shrunken, brittle mess. The intense, direct heat bakes the leather, sucking out all the natural oils that keep it soft. A glove that goes through even one Cyle will likely never feel the same again, and its lifespan will be drastically cut short.

Direct Sunlight (The Car Dashboard Method)

Leaving a damp glove on your car's dashboard to bake in the sun is just as bad as using a dryer. The concentrated UV rays and intense heat have the same effect, cooking the material and leaving it stiff and discolored. It might seem like a convenient post-round solution, but you're doing irreversible damage.

Radiators and Heaters

Any source of direct, high heat is the enemy of a golf glove. Draping it over a radiator, blasting it with a hairdryer, or setting it near a heat vent will lead to the same outcome: cracked, stiff, and uncomfortable leather that has lost all its performance benefits.

Aggressively Wringing It Out

When your glove is wet, especially a delicate Cabretta leather one, twisting and wringing it to get the moisture out is a terrible idea. This action over-stretches the fine fibers of the material, causing the glove to lose its original shape and fit. You'll end up with stretched-out fingers and a baggy palm, which is awful for maintaining a secure grip.

Stuffing It In Your Golf Bag

This is probably the most common glove-destroying habit. At the end of a round, you take off your sweaty glove, ball it up, and toss it into the deepest, darkest pockets of your bag. Deprived of air circulation, it will sit there stewing in its own moisture. Not only will this cause mildew and make your glove smell terrible, but it will also dry in a crumpled, rock-hard shape that is nearly impossible to restore.

On-Course Triage: How to Manage Moisture During a Round

On hot, humid days or when it’s raining, a single glove often won't make it a full 18 holes. Managing moisture *during* the round is fundamental to maintaining your grip. Here are a couple of pro-level strategies to use on the course.

Strategy 1: Rotate Your Gloves

This is the simplest and most effective solution. Carry at least two, preferably three, gloves with you. Wear one for the first few holes, and as you feel it starting to get damp, switch to a fresh one. By rotating gloves every two to three holes, you give the one you just took off a chance to air out and dry naturally before you need it again.

Strategy 2: The Cart and Bag Method

When you take a glove off, don't stuff it in your pocket. Open it up and use the Velcro tab to attach it to your golf bag's handle, a towel loop, or the rain hood snaps. If you're in a cart, you can attach it to the windshield frame or steering column. The key is to expose it to as much air as possible. This slight airflow between shots is often enough to keep a glove from becoming saturated, allowing you to get more holes out of it before needing to swap.

The Perfect Post-Round Drying Method: A Step-by-Step Guide

What you do in the first hour after your round is over will determine the fate of your glove. Follow these steps meticulously, and you'll keep your glove feeling new for much longer.

Step 1: Get Back to a Flat Shape

The moment you take your glove off for the last time, smooth it out. Lay it on a flat surface like a table or the seat of your cart and flatten it with your hand. Gently pull the fingers straight and smooth out any wrinkles in the palm and back of the hand. This prevents it from drying in a crumpled position and is the most important first step.

Step 2: Dry in a Cool, Ventilated Area

Once you get home, take the glove out of your bag immediately. Do not leave it overnight. The ideal drying environment is room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and with good air circulation. Simply laying it flat on a dry towel on a counter or dresser works perfectly. Let it air dry naturally. This is a slow process - it can take several hours - but patience is what preserves the glove. Avoid bathrooms or damp basements where moisture in the air will hinder the drying process.

Step 3: Consider a Glove Shaper (The Pro Move)

For those who want to take their glove care to the next level, a plastic glove shaper or keeper is an excellent investment. These simple contraptions are shaped like a hand, and you slide your damp glove onto one after your round. It does two things fantastically well:

1. It forces the glove to maintain its perfect, original shape while it dries. Say goodbye to curled fingers and crinkled palms.
2. It promotes airflow inside the glove, helping it dry more evenly and often a bit faster without using any heat.

They are inexpensive and often extend the usable life of a glove by a significant margin.

Step 4: Proper Storage After Drying

Once your glove is completely dry, don't just throw it in your bag. To maintain its softness and shape, slide it back into the original cardboard and plastic packaging it came in. This keeps it flat and protects it from being crushed. If you've lost the packaging, placing it GENTLY an air-tight Ziploc bag works just as well. This helps retain a little of the leather's natural humidity, preventing it from drying out too much between rounds.

Leather vs. Synthetic: Minor Adjustments in Care

While the principles remain the same, it helps to know how different materials react.

• Cabretta Leather: This is the premium material known for its incredible feel and softness. It's also the most delicate. Leather gloves are more susceptible to damage from heat and improper drying. Be extra gentle with them and follow the air-drying steps religiously. They don't react well to excessive water, so when cleaning, just wipe them down with a damp cloth, never submerge them.
• Synthetic or Hybrid: These gloves are more durable and can handle a bit more moisture. They typically dry faster than leather and are less prone to stiffening. While you should still avoid high heat, they are generally more forgiving if you're a little less careful. The same air-drying principles apply, but the stakes are slightly lower.

Final Thoughts

Mastering a few simple drying techniques is all it takes to transform your golf glove from a disposable item into a lasting piece of performance equipment. By avoiding heat and allowing your glove to air dry properly, you preserve its grip, feel, and shape, which gives you more confidence and control over the club. It’s a small detail that makes a noticeable difference on the course and to your wallet.

Just as dedicating a little time to glove care helps you have total confidence in your physical connection to the club, we built Caddie AI to give you unbreakable confidence in your mental connection to the game. When you’re stuck between clubs or facing a difficult lie, it provides clear, expert advice in seconds, removing any guesswork so you can focus and commit to your shot. Its a simple way to play smarter and with less uncertainty, every time you step on the course.