Bionic golf glove review: Stable and Performance grips
15 Sep 2011
by Lynne Cowan of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Equipment Reviews
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Golfers have been convinced that a golf glove should be thin. We've come to recognize a quality glove as one that's more an extension of our hands than an extra piece of equipment.
When golfers grip the club, they're using joints in their fingers. This helps break down the fat pads on our fingers, thereby, reducing the cushioning effect over time.
This is where Bionic gloves come in handy.
The padded Bionic golf glove, which has been on the market nearly seven years, was invented and designed by renowned orthopedic hand surgeon Dr. Kleinert. Kleinert put padding --- called anatomical relief pads by the company --- in specific places in the fingers and palm to aid in the grip of the golf club. Because the padding is raised in the areas between the knuckles, it allows your hand to get full surface contact with the grip on the club. This allows you to grip the club lighter, reducing hand fatigue.
Most of us don't realize how sore our hands are after a round of golf. If you have any hand issues like carpel tunnel syndrome or arthritis in the joints, you want to test out a Bionic glove and see if it gives you a better grip.
I've been using Bionic gloves for more than six years and I simply can't go back to a conventional glove. I now have arthritis in my left pinky finger and the Bionic glove helps with cushioning.
Bionic gloves come in two models: the Stable Grip (formerly known as the Classic) and the Performance Grip. They are available for men and women in right and left hand. The men's Stable Fit comes in white and black. The women's come in an all white, white and pink and a pink breast cancer awareness glove. The Performance men's and women's comes in white and blue. The Stable Fit retails for $24.95 and the Performance retails for $29.95. Although the price seems a bit high, ask any Bionic fan and they'll tell you that they last two to three times longer than conventional leather gloves.
The Stable Grip glove has been deemed by the USGA to be an aid and not legal for tournament play, although players with hand issues may use the glove under the USGA's guidelines for using a medical device. The Performance Glove is approved by the USGA. The main difference between the two models is the thickness of the padding; the Stable fit is three times the thickness and the Performance is two times the thickness and has an extra row of pads in the fingertips. The Performance glove also has more areas with lycra that help your hand bend easier and gives more ventilation so it's great for hot summer days or if your hands perspire a lot.
Even if you don't have hand issues, a Bionic glove could help you improve your game. If, in between rounds, you spend a lot of time at the driving range, the gloves will provide the extra padding needed to keep your swing consistent.
To learn more about Bionic golf gloves, click here