Which hand does a golf glove go on?

The short answer: a golfer wears one glove, on the hand that sits at the top of the club. For a right-handed golfer, that is the left hand. For a left-handed golfer, it is the right. If you are buying a gift and remember nothing else, remember this: most golfers swing right-handed, so most golfers wear a left-hand glove.

Why only one glove?

In a golf grip, the two hands do different jobs. The lead hand, the one at the top of the handle, holds the club firmly in the fingers and the heel of the palm and keeps control of it through the swing. That is where friction builds, where calluses form and where the handle wants to twist at impact. A glove on that hand gives a secure, consistent hold without the golfer having to squeeze.

The trail hand sits lower on the grip and rests partly against the lead hand. Many golfers prefer it bare, because the skin gives them more feel for the club. Some players wear two gloves, usually in cold or wet weather, but one glove on the lead hand is the standard.

Right-handed golfer, left-hand glove

A right-handed golfer stands with his left shoulder pointing at the target and his left hand at the top of the club, so he wears the glove on his left hand. A left-handed golfer is the mirror image: right shoulder toward the target, right hand on top, glove on the right hand.

This is where shopping gets confusing. Some shops label gloves by the hand they fit, others by the golfer who wears them, so a glove listed for a right-handed golfer is in fact a left-hand glove. We keep it plain on our glove page: choose Left hand (for right-handed golfers) or Right hand (for left-handed golfers).

How to tell which hand he swings with

Golf handedness does not always match the hand someone writes with. Some people who write left-handed play golf right-handed, and the reverse happens too. So rather than guess from how he holds a pen, look for one of these clues:

• His current glove. Check his golf bag, his car or the drawer where the golf things live. If the glove is shaped for a left hand, he swings right-handed. The size is usually printed on the tab, which answers your next question too.
• A photo from the course. In any picture of him mid-round, the hand wearing a glove is the one you are buying for.
• His playing partners. His regular foursome will know at once, and they are usually happy to keep a secret.

Still not sure? Choose left

If you cannot find out without asking him, choose the left-hand glove. It fits the great majority of golfers, because most people swing right-handed. And if it turns out to be the wrong hand, we swap it for the right one free of charge, with the same initials.

A few more gift notes

• Size: look inside the tab of his current glove, or read our guide on how to find a golf glove size.
• Initials: up to 6 letters, pressed into the strap in real gold foil. Use his initials as he signs them, with or without periods, for example J.W or R.F.M.
• Delivery: every glove ships in a rigid presentation box, and the order confirmation never goes inside the package, so you can send it straight to him.
• More than one golfer: in a bundle, every glove can have its own hand, size, color and initials, so one order can cover him, his son and his regular foursome.

One glove, on the right hand, with his initials in gold. It is a small gift, and one he will reach for every single time he plays.