Ever notice the perfectly white, snug-fitting glove that Tour pros meticulously adjust before every full swing? While it might seem like a small detail, that glove is one of their most important pieces of equipment. The connection between their hands and the club is everything, and the right glove is the interface that makes it all work. This article will break down exactly what golf gloves the professionals use, why they choose them, and how you can apply that same thinking to find the perfect glove for your own game.
If you're looking for one simple answer, here it is: the vast majority of professional golfers on every major tour use a glove made from premium Cabretta leather. This isn't just a marketing term. Cabretta leather is sourced from the hides of hairesine sheep, which grow-haired rather than woolly coats. This results in a leather that is exceptionally soft, fine-grained, and remarkably thin, yet still strong.
But why is this specific leather so dominant? It comes down to a single, all-important word for an elite player: feel.
The trade-off for this incredible feel and performance is durability. Premium Cabretta leather gloves are not built to last for dozens of rounds. They are sensitive to moisture (from sweat or rain), can stiffen if not cared for, and will wear out in high-friction areas much quicker than synthetic alternatives. For a Tour pro, who is given a fresh supply of gloves by their sponsor every single week, durability is a non-issue. For them, peak performance for one round is all that matters.
Walk down the range at any PGA Tour event and you'll see one glove more than any other: the Titleist Players Glove. This is the gold standard that pros like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa, and Will Zalatoris have trusted for years. It's the quintessential premium Cabretta leather glove, prized for its ultra-thin construction, buttery soft feel, and consistent manufacturing. Titleist goes to exceptional lengths to source the thinnest, highest-grade leather and has perfected a tanning process that maximizes softness and tackiness. The precisely placed seams and satin reinforcement at the cuff and thumb are all tailored for the highest level of performance.
While Titleist holds the top spot, several other elite brands produce premium gloves that are also widely used on Tour. The theme remains the same: it's all about high-grade Cabretta leather delivering an exceptional feel.
FootJoy is another titan in the golf glove world, with a reputation for quality that rivals Titleist. Their flagship offerings are just as popular with the pros, and many players have used them their entire careers.
To serve superstar staff players like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, TaylorMade needs to deliver a top-tier glove. Their Tour Preferred Glove is exactly that. Crafted from AAA Cabretta leather, it’s designed with strategically placed perforation to enhance breathability, helping keep the hand dry and maintain grip throughout the round. It’s another Tour-quality option that focuses on a contoured fit and superior feel.
Callaway’s top-shelf offering, the Tour Authentic Glove, is trusted by players like Jon Rahm. It combines premium Cabretta leather with Callaway's proprietary Griptac™ technology an infusion of tackiness to the leather's surface. A combination of perforations on the fingers and an adjustable moisture-wicking cuff provides both breathability and all-round comfort for playing at the highest level.
Interestingly, no. While well over 95% of touring professionals use a glove on their top hand (the left hand for a right-handed player), there are a few notable exceptions. The most famous example is Fred Couples, who has played his entire legendary career "bare-handed."
Players who choose not to wear a glove do so for the ultimate feeling of connection. They prefer the direct feedback of their skin on the grip. However, this requires incredibly soft and well-maintained hands and often means using softer, tackier grips like those with a high-degree of rubber content and cord.
It’s also very common for *all* players, even those who wear a glove for full shots, to take it off for chipping and putting. Around the greens, the need for raw power is replaced by the need for delicate touch. Many find they can feel the subtle movements of these shorter strokes better without the leather barrier.
A soft Cabretta leather glove becomes a slippery liability in the rain. This is where you see every pro make a change. Tucked away in their bag, every professional has a pair of dedicated rain gloves.
Unlike standard gloves, rain gloves (like the famous FootJoy RainGrip) are typically worn on *both* hands and are made from a specialized synthetic material. This material has a unique property: it becomes tackier as it gets wetter. Holding a club with these in a downpour gives a shocking amount of security and prevents the club from twisting in their hands on a wet day. This is a non-negotiable piece of equipment for any serious golfer.
So, the pros prioritize feel above all else and aren't concerned with durability. How does that translate to you, the amateur golfer who pays for their own gear?
The answer depends on what you value most.
If you have the budget and want the absolute best feel possible to help you control the clubface and refine your touch, buy a premium Cabretta leather glove. A Titleist Players Glove, FootJoy StaSof, or TaylorMade Tour Preferred will give you the same amazing connection the pros get. Just know what you’re signing up for: you'll likely need to replace it more often, and you should store it properly (flat in its sleeve) to extend its life.
If you play frequently and don't want to buy a new glove every few weeks, look for a "performance" or "durable leather" model. Many gloves combine Cabretta leather in the palm and thumb for feel with more durable synthetic materials across the knuckles and back of the hand for flexibility and longevity. Brands like FootJoy (WeatherSof) and Callaway offer fantastic options that provide a great balance of feel, durability, and value for your money.
More important than Cabretta vs. Synthetic is the fit. A golf glove should fit like a second skin. There should be no loose material or wrinkles in the palm when you make a fist. The fingers should be snug all the way to the tip, and the Velcro tab should only close about 75-80% of the way across, leaving a little room for it to stretch over its first couple of uses.
In short, the world’s best players almost universally choose thin, premium Cabretta leather gloves for the unmatched feel they provide. They rely on manufacturers like Titleist and FootJoy to build an interface that lets them finely control the club. For the non-professional, understanding that the pros prioritize feel over durability helps you choose a glove based on your own needs in terms of budget and performance goals in your golf bag.
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