You’ve seen him smash drives and question every convention in golf, so it's natural to wonder what golf glove Bryson DeChambeau uses. The answer, however, is not as simple as naming a brand, because his approach to gloves is as unconventional as his swing. This article will not only tell you what glove he does (and doesn't) use but will also unpack the game-changing philosophy behind his choices and show you how to apply those principles to your own equipment.
The Surprising Truth: Why Bryson DeChambeau Often Plays Gloveless
First, let’s get right to the most common scenario: on many shots, especially around the greens and even with some full swings, Bryson DeChambeau uses no glove at all. This practice, while rare on the professional tours, is central to his entire "golfing scientist" methodology. For him, the game is all about feedback, data, and repeatability. Going gloveless provides the most direct connection to the club possible, allowing him to feel every nuance of the clubface through his hands.
This decision is not a random whim, it's intricately linked to his signature equipment choice: his extra-large JumboMax grips. Standard golf grips are designed with a taper, getting thinner where the lower hand rests. Bryson argues this promotes uneven grip pressure and encourages overactive hands, leading to inconsistency. His JumboMax grips are extremely thick and uniform in size from top to bottom.
Here’s how the grips and the "no glove" philosophy work together:
- Reduced Tension: The sheer size of the grips makes it almost impossible to squeeze the life out of the club. They fill his hands, promoting a much lighter, more relaxed grip pressure. When you aren't gripping tightly, the need for a leather or synthetic glove to prevent a "slip" becomes less of a factor.
- Maximum Feedback: Without a layer of leather or fabric between his skin and the grip, Bryson feels he gets a purer sense of where the club is during the swing. This raw feedback is something he values highly for calibrating his complex swing mechanics. He wants to feel exactly how the club is releasing, and a glove can slightly dampen that sensation.
- A More Body-Driven Swing: By taking the small, twitchy muscles of the hands and wrists partially out of the equation with huge grips, Bryson forces a swing that is powered by the big muscles of the body - his torso, hips, and shoulders. Playing gloveless reinforces this, as any excessive hand action would feel pronounced and jarring without the buffer of a glove.
When He Does Wear a Glove: The JumboMax Connection
While he often plays without one, there are times - especially in humid conditions or for maximum-power drives - when Bryson does opt to wear a glove. When he does, he sticks with the brand that is foundational to his entire setup: JumboMax.
It makes perfect sense. JumboMax didn’t just design grips, they developed gloves specifically engineered to work in concert with them. The thinking here is holistic. If you create a revolutionary grip, you should also offer a glove that enhances its benefits rather than works against them.
What Makes JumboMax Gloves Different?
JumboMax gloves aren't just a standard glove with a different logo. They are built around the same principles as the grips. The primary model he has been known to use is the JumboMax JMX StrangleHold™ Golf Glove. Here are a few features that set it apart:
- Proprietary Grip-Tac™ Palm: The tackiness of the palm is designed to complement the texture of their grips, promoting that light, single-pressure hold an d preventing any twisting at the top of the swing or at impact.
- Pure Feel Premium Cabretta Leather: Like most top-tier gloves, it uses exceptionally soft Cabretta leather for a fantastic feel and a snug fit. This ensures that even when a glove is necessary, the loss of sensation is minimized.
- Finger-Lock Gussets: They incorporate a sweat-absorbing material in the finger gussets to lock the fingers into place, offering more support and control without needing to add extra pressure.
By using a glove from the same family as his grips, Bryson ensures that his entire connection to the club is a single, unified system optimized for his specific goal: light, even pressure that allows his body to be the engine of the golf swing.
The Lesson for Amateurs: How to Think Like Bryson
You don't need to switch to single-length irons or start drinking five protein shakes a day to learn from Bryson's approach. The core lesson is about system thinking. Your grip and your glove are not two separate pieces of equipment, they are a single interface between you and the golf club. Getting this interface right is fundamental to consistency.
Here’s how you can apply this to your own game:
Step 1: Audit Your Grip Pressure
The next time you're at the range, pay attention to your hands. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is barely holding on and 10 is a death grip, where are you? Most amateur golfers are in the 7-9 range, choking the club with tension. A great golfer's grip pressure is consistently light, probably a 3 or 4.
If you're gripping too tight, a common symptom is a worn-out spot on the palm or thumb of your glove after just a few rounds. This excessive wear is a red flag that you're introducing tension, which shortens your swing, restricts your shoulder turn, and kills your clubhead speed.
Step 2: Are Your Grips to Blame?
If you have identified excessive grip pressure, the problem might not be mental - it could be your equipment. Grips that are too small for your hands force you to clench your fingers tightly to feel secure. This is incredibly common. The "standard" grips that come on clubs are often too small for a large portion of the male population.
Consider getting sized for grips at a local golf shop. Moving to a midsize or even jumbo grip could be a revelation. You might find that your tension melts away, allowing you to swing freely with your body, just like Bryson.
Step 3: Match Your Glove to Your Needs
Once your grips are corrected, you can find the right glove. Don't just buy what's on sale. Think about its function:
- For the Feel Player (Dry Conditions): A premium, thin Cabretta leather glove is unmatched. It feels like a second skin and gives you excellent feedback, perfect for players with proper-sized grips and light pressure.
- For the Durability Player (and Sweaty Hands): A mix of synthetic materials and leather patches on the palm and thumb offers great durability. These gloves last longer and hold up better against moisture and friction from less-than-perfect pressure.
- For the All-Weather Golfer: If you play in rain or high humidity, rain-specific gloves are a phenomenal invention. They often work *better* when they get went, providing incredible tackiness that a leather glove just can't match in the wet.
Thinking about your glove and grip as one system that serves your swing will have a more significant impact on your game than you might imagine.
A Golfer's Guide to Finding the Perfect Glove Fit
Copying Bryson by going gloveless is an interesting experiment, but for 99% of golfers, a properly fitting glove is the key to consistent grip and confidence. A poorly fitting glove is worse than no glove at all. Here is how to find your perfect fit.
Follow the "second skin" rule. The glove should fit snugly across the palm and fingers with no loose material.
- Check the Palm: Lay your hand flat. If you can pinch any material in the palm of the glove, it’s too big. That extra material will bunch up during the swing and interfere with your connection to the club.
- Check the Fingers: There should be absolutely no extra space at the tips of your fingers. The material should be taut against the end of your fingertips. If there's an air pocket, size down.
- Test the Velcro Tab: When you secure the closure tab, it should only cover about 75-80% of the Velcro pad. This allows for slight stretching over time. If the tab completely covers the pad from day one, the glove is likely too large.
- Understand "Cadet" Sizing: If a standard glove size (like Medium or Large) fits your palm well but the fingers are too long, you need a "Cadet" size. A Medium Cadet glove has the palm width of a Medium but the shorter finger length of a Small.
Final Thoughts
Bryson DeChambeau’s glove choice - or lack thereof - is a direct extension of his unique philosophy of minimizing hand tension to maximize body rotation. Whether he’s gloveless for ultimate feel or using a JumboMax glove in specific conditions, his preference is always dictated by what works best with his jumbo grips.
For your own game, this highlights the huge benefit of synchronizing your equipment with your swing instead of just buying parts off the shelf. As you analyze all the components of your game, from a tricky lie in the rough to your club selection on a par 3, Caddie AI is built to be your personal on-demand golf expert. I created it to give you tour-level strategic advice and answer any question, turning uncertainty into confidence so you can commit to every swing.