Amateurs don’t have the luxury of playing with a new glove every round, especially in this economy. Fortunately, today’s gloves can be made to last by regularly rotating them and storing them properly. Everyone has their tricks -- I’m a big fan of plastic freezer bags but I have seen one player go as far as hanging gloves to dry in his trunk by attaching the velcro closure to the cloth under the lid.
The most popular golf gloves are made by the big golf companies, but one relative newcomer to the American market, HIRZL, makes nothing but gloves. HIRZL gloves, according to their literature “make the hand perform even more efficiently” whether it be for cycling, equestrian, or golf. Following is a review of three of the most popular HIRZL golf gloves.
SOFFFT Flex
This is one of the most luxurious gloves I have ever worn. The quality of the Cabretta leather is outstanding, and it’s thicker than most (but not to the point of losing feel). I wear a standard medium and found the sizing right on. There is a black lycra strip over the knuckles on the back, giving this glove a nice look (the glove itself is stark white) and better breathability/flexibility. HIRZL says that they go through 72 distinct steps to make this quality glove, and believe it or not it’s machine washable. If you play a Cabretta leather glove, HIRZL’s Soffft Flex would be an excellent choice.
TRUST Feel
Here is a glove that gets to the core of the HIRZL product line. Not content to provide a premium quality Cabretta glove alone (and they have definitely done that with the SOFFFT Flex) HIRZL’s TRUST Feel is an all weather glove that they claim has twice the grip in dry weather and four times the grip in wet weather. The white and black back is a combination of Cabretta and airtech mesh, while the palm is a uniquely treated smooth Kangaroo leather. When I first slipped it on the feeling was a bit stiff, but after several shots it started to break in. The slightly more structured fit allowed me to hit down with the back of my left hand, and I could see a player needing a bit more help with ball contact doing well with this glove. Plus, the 100% sweat free palm and wet weather grip are perfect for winter or wet weather golf.
TRUST Control
The TRUST Control is almost identical to the TRUST Feel except for one key feature - the palm leather has a slightly rough pebble grain to it. This is the glove to keep in your bag for wet conditions, or to use every day if keeping your left hand on the club is a challenge. Often rain comes and goes, and it’s difficult to decide whether to use a full set of cloth rain gloves (the kind that do best when completely soaked) or your regular glove. With a TRUST Control in the bag, you may not have to worry about it, because gripping will be a lot easier even with a steady rain. Plus, both the TRUST Feel and Control are hand washable, which means a little rain certainly isn’t going to ruin them.
HIRZL is the official glove of the Ladies European Tour and the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship. They are available in pro shops and of-course retailers.
