When FootJoy’s Senior Director of Golf Gloves, Maria Bonzagni, offered to put me through a glove fitting, I didn't think I would have much to learn. After all, I’ve been wearing the same size golf glove all my life and haven't given it a second thought in years.

Oh, that's easy. "I'm a medium," I told her nonchalantly.

Then, when I put my hand up at her request, I saw Maria crack a big smile. It was pretty obvious this "glove whisperer" knew something that I didn't.

“It’s kind of a magic trick,” she joked. “I can look at someone’s hand and tell them their glove size 95% of the time.”

As she handed me a beautiful FootJoy StaSof glove to try on, Bonzagni asked me not to look at the size, to avoid being biased. If you haven’t guessed the answer by now, I’ll tell you. The glove felt great, but it wasn’t a medium, it was a “cadet” medium. It turns out I have slightly shorter fingers and that the cadet size makes for a better all-around fit.


“Most golfers wear a glove that’s too big for them,” explained Bonzagni. “That results in the glove wearing out more quickly, and more importantly forces you to grip the club too hard.”

Knowing full well the poor shots that can be the result of gripping the club too hard, I nodded in agreement and made a mental note of my new glove size. And I left the fitting thinking it’s pretty cool that a glove company would want to educate people on something that would result in them buying gloves less frequently.

And I soon realized there is more to the story. By offering new products for different player types, and the four seasons, FootJoy is growing the size of the glove market while providing players a reason to own different gloves, for different seasons.


I’ve long carried a pair of FootJoy “RainGrip” wet weather gloves. I swear by them. They never leave my bag, except to dry out after a rainy day. FootJoy’s latest white/grey color option is a nice alternative to the black ones I use. (The solid black is still available though.) The great thing about RainGrip gloves is that not only do they come in a pair, they actually are meant to be wet. So when you take them out you simply rub a little rain water on them and you’re good to go. I usually find a clean piece of wet fairway and rub my hands lightly over it. At $25 a pair, FootJoy RainGrip gloves are an essential piece of equipment for anyone who plays in the rain.

But even with a couple of leather gloves and a pair of RainGrip gloves in my bag, it turns out I’m still missing out on some of the other options that can make golf more enjoyable in extreme weather, either hot/humid or cold.

For summer heat waves or island vacations, FootJoy now has a glove aptly named the “Tropicool” which is designed to be more tacky when your hands perspire — perfect for those hat, muggy conditions — or any day if you’re prone to hand perspiration. At just $16 each, Tropicool make a smart choice even for once-in-a-while use.

And then there’s my favorite new glove — and it also comes in a pair — the StaSof Winter.

Here you have a supple white CabrettaSof leather n the front combined with a soft and warm grey fleece material on the back that looks and feels amazing. And which I could immediately tell will keep my hands warm next time I have either a chilly 7:00am tee time.

With FootJoy's glove offerings for all four seasons added to my arsenal, I’m going to be prepared. Old Tom Morris would approve.

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