Aaron Rai, the Indian-British player on the PGA Tour, wears gloves on both hands for every shot except putts. The habit briefly drew attention when he claimed his first PGA Tour victory in 2024. After his recent win at the PGA Championship, one of the PGA's major tournaments, his glove-wearing routine became more widely and thoroughly known.
Rai is said to have cherished the pair of gloves his father gave him as a childhood gift more than anything else. After his father once forgot to pack one of the gloves and Rai went on to play poorly that day, wearing both gloves became an iron rule for him.
Even Rai, however, takes off his gloves when putting. Feeling the touch of the putter face meeting the ball with bare hands allows for more precise distance control. Weekend golfers typically do the same.
Park Hyun-kyung of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour is known for keeping her glove on even when putting. She putts with her left-hand glove still on. "I once read an article saying (Kim) Hyo-joo tried hitting wedge shots with bare hands during a tournament. Playing on Korean grass after a long time, she said she did it to feel the sensation in her hands more precisely. But I'm the complete opposite case on the green," Park said. "When I occasionally take off my glove on the practice green and try, I don't feel that distinctive grip sensation, and it feels really strange." Park added, "I will absolutely keep wearing the glove for putts going forward."
Park's "love of gloves" owes much to her "dad caddie" Park Se-soo, a former tour player. "Back in the day, there were only about four putters worth using for players. The grips were all thin and felt uncomfortable," he recalled. "One day I tried it with a glove on, and I thought, 'This is the feel.'" Park Se-soo was known during his playing days as "the guy with a killer putting stroke." His daughter, who picked up even her father's small habits, has grown into one of the best putters on the tour.
Jack Nicklaus, the legend with 18 major titles, and Lexi Thompson, the long hitter on the LPGA Tour, also putted with their left-hand gloves on for the same reason as Park — grip feel. Conversely, Fred Couples, considered the textbook of swings, and Mexican golf queen Lorena Ochoa played even their full shots bare-handed.
Glove on or off, what ultimately matters is feel. In golf, a "game of probabilities" where players must minimize mistakes by any means, the conventional wisdom of "this is the proper way" may not carry much weight.
Sometimes the stories the scorecard doesn't tell are the more interesting ones. We will bring you a variety of tales from in and around the venues of the professional golf tours.
