Unlike most tour professionals who wear gloves from their major equipment sponsors, Phil Mickelson has famously sported a lesser-known brand for years. He uses the Clutch Tour Glove, made from premium Cabretta leather by a company called Clutch Golf. This article breaks down exactly why a Hall of Famer like Phil trusts this specific glove, how the right glove can improve your own game, and what alternatives offer a similar tour-level feel.
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The Exact Glove Phil Mickelson Wears
To be precise, Phil Mickelson wears the Clutch Tour Golf Glove. This isn't a recent switch due to his move to LIV Golf, he was wearing these gloves even during his PGA Tour days, including his historic 2021 PGA Championship victory. It’s a deliberate choice based purely on performance and feel, so much so that Mickelson is not just an endorser but also a partner and investor in the company.
This is noteworthy because in professional golf, every piece of gear is a curated choice. For a player of Phil’s stature to go with a boutique brand over an industry giant like Titleist or Callaway speaks volumes about the product's quality. He's choosing the equipment he believes gives him the absolute best connection to the club, which is the most fundamental aspect of control and feel in golf.
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Phil’s decision isn't based on a single feature but on a combination of material, design, and a philosophy that a glove should be so good you never want to take it off. As a coach, I see his choice as a masterclass in prioritizing the fundamentals. Your grip is your only point of contact with the club, and the glove is the interface for that connection.
The Material: Premium Cabretta Leather
The Clutch Tour Glove is crafted from 100% premium Cabretta leather. For golfers, Cabretta is the gold standard, period. Sourced from the skin of hairsheep (which have hair, not wool), this leather is exceptionally soft, fine-grained, and supple. Here’s why that matters:
Unmatched Feel: The thinness of Cabretta leather allows you to feel the club in your hands with incredible detail. This feedback is essential for controlling the clubface and executing delicate shots around the green.
Superior Tackiness: A good Cabretta glove has a natural tackiness that provides a secure hold without requiring excessive grip pressure. As a coach, one of the biggest swing flaws I see is golfers strangling the club. A tight grip creates tension in the hands, arms, and shoulders, completely inhibiting a smooth, powerful swing. The right glove promotes a lighter, more relaxed grip, which is the foundation of an effortless motion.
Breathability and Fit: The leather molds to your hand over time, creating a custom-like fit. This prevents the annoying slipping and twisting that you might experience with thicker, synthetic gloves during the swing.
The Design and Fit: Precision and Performance
Beyond the premium material, the Clutch glove incorporates subtle design elements that are vital for a professional. A glove for a player like Mickelson can't just feel good, it has to perform consistently under pressure. Every swing generates immense force, and the glove must maintain its structure.
The Clutch Tour Glove features precisely placed perforations on the fingers and thumb to enhance breathability, keeping your hand cool and dry - a must during a long, hot round. The angled closure tab is also a thoughtful touch, it provides a more ergonomic and secure fit across the back of the hand. This design ensures that the glove doesn't stretch or bunch up in the palm, which could subtly alter your grip from one shot to the next. For a player who relies on feel, that kind of consistency is non-negotiable.
The "Wear a Glove on Every Shot" Philosophy
Perhaps the biggest insight into Phil’s choice lies in his unique habit of wearing a glove for every single shot - from driving to chipping and even putting. Most tour pros remove their glove for short-game shots to maximize direct-to-grip feel.
Phil’s reasoning is rooted in consistency. By keeping the glove on, the feel of the golf club in his hands remains identical whether he’s ripping a 3-wood or stroking a 6-foot putt. He eliminates a variable. For this to work, the glove has to be exceptional. It must be comfortable enough to not be a distraction when putting and durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of a full round without losing its shape or tackiness. A lesser glove would quickly become a sweaty, stretched-out mess, but the Clutch Tour Glove is clearly built to maintain its integrity.
From a Coach's Perspective: Why Your Glove Choice Matters
You may not be hitting a PGA-clinching cut shot like Phil, but the principles behind his glove choice apply to every golfer. Too often, amateurs treat their golf glove as an afterthought, using the same cracked, crusty one for months on end. This is a huge mistake, and here's why improving your glove situation is one of the easiest ways to improve your ball-striking.
1. Your Glove Is Your Lifeline to the Club. Don't underestimate this. If your glove is worn and slick, your subconscious reaction is to grip the club tighter to prevent it from slipping. As we discussed, this tension is the ultimate swing killer. It ruins tempo, restricts your backswing, and prevents you from delivering the clubhead with any real speed. A new, tacky glove gives you the confidence to hold the club lightly and let your athletic swing happen naturally.
2. The Right Fit is Mandatory. A glove that's too big is just as bad as a worn-out one. If there's excess material in the palm, it will bunch up at the top of your backswing. If the fingers are too long, you lose that critical sense of feel. A golf glove should fit like a second skin. When you put it on, it should be snug across the palm and fingers. A good test: you should not be able to pinch more than a tiny bit of material at the very tip of your fingers. If you can, go down a size.
3.Proper Care Extends Performance. To get the most out of a quality Cabretta leather glove, give it a little TLC. After your round, don't just wad it up and throw it in your bag. Smooth it out flat and let it air dry. Storing it in its original packaging between rounds is a great way to help it maintain its shape. It will last longer and, more importantly, retain its tackiness for better performance.
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While the Clutch Tour Glove is an outstanding choice, its availability in stores can sometimes be limited. The good news is that several other brands offer tour-quality Cabretta leather gloves that provide that same premium feel and performance. Here are a few excellent options at different price points:
Titleist Players Glove: This is the benchmark against which all other premium gloves are measured. Worn by countless tour pros, it's known for its incredibly soft feel, consistent fit, and classic look. It’s a no-nonsense, high-performance glove made from the finest Cabretta leather.
FootJoy Pure Touch Limited: If you want the absolute softest, most luxurious feeling glove, this is it. The Pure Touch is for golfers who prioritize feel above all else. Its construction is meticulous, yielding a glove that fits perfectly and feels like you’re not wearing anything at all.
Callaway Tour Authentic Glove: A direct competitor to the Titleist Players Glove, Callaway's premium offering is fantastic. It combines soft Cabretta leather with strategic perforations and a moisture-wicking cuff, giving you a great blend of classic feel and modern-day technology.
Kirkland Signature Glove: The budget hero of the golf world. Sold at Costco, these 100% Cabretta leather gloves offer performance that rivals premium brands at a fraction of the cost. If you play often and go through gloves quickly, the Kirkland Signature four-pack is arguably the best value in all of golf.
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Phil Mickelson's choice of the Clutch Tour Glove is about optimizing the single most important connection in golf - his grip. He values its premium Cabretta leather construction and precise fit because it allows him to maintain a light, consistent grip pressure on every shot. For any golfer, finding a glove that fits perfectly and provides good tack is a simple but powerful step toward better, more consistent ball-striking.
Getting your equipment dialed in, like finding the perfect glove, is one part of shooting lower scores. The other is closing the gap between your on-course doubt and the right strategic decision. Uncertainty about which club to hit or the correct line to take can easily create tension in your hands, no matter how good your glove is. Using our app, Caddie, offers an immediate way to build on-course confidence. If you're ever stuck between two clubs or unsure how to play a tricky lie, you can get tour-level advice in seconds right on your phone. Removing that doubt makes it much easier to commit to your shot with a relaxed grip and a confident swing.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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