Now that you have purchased your brand new golf glove how do I look after it and can I clean it?
First Time Use
It always amazes me sometimes when I see golfers in their pro shop trying on new golf gloves, they seem to forget that they are delicate and they pull at them as if they are welding gloves! Although Cabretta leather is quite strong, golf gloves will last a fair while longer if looked after properly, when all said and done common sense should tell you that as they are thin they are still delicate and some caution should be taken. For a start they have to be tight-fitting and when they are new they can be very tight indeed so we suggest that you slide your left-hand fingers and thumb into the glove gently and then with your thumb and index finger on your right hand that you reach in as far as possible and holding onto the middle of the palm gently ease the glove on. Do not pull at any part of the glove near or around the stitching area as this is the most vulnerable part of the glove, after a few holes your new glove will stretch a little and will mould to your hand and you can then be less cautious.
Common Wear Issues.
To get the most out of your new glove you must be aware of the following, sweat and oil from your hand will affect the inside of the glove and will help deteriorate it so if you suffer from sweaty hands particularly in the summertime then we would suggest that you rotate gloves so they have a chance to dry out, clip them to your bag and allow the sun or dry air dry them out, If your glove does becomes wet at any time lie it on a flat surface and allow it to dry naturally never put it close to any heat to help dry it out.
Also many golfers are unaware of how much the condition of their grips play a part in wearing out your gloves, if you have dirty or worn grips then they will seriously affect your glove, for instance if your new glove becomes very dirty around the palm area quite quickly then your grips could possibly do with a good scrub with water and a little washing-up liquid, look also to see if any part of your grip is damaged in any way and replace if necessary. Another major factor with glove wear is if you quickly get a hole in the bottom of the palm of your glove this will almost be a grip issue with holding the club to close to the end of the club so check with your PGA pro for a grip check.
Washing Your Glove.
Yes it is possible to give your new glove when soiled a quick wash here's how.
Fill a bowl with cold water and add a little washing up liquid, stir the water and create a few suds.
Place the glove in the bowl and give it a gentle swish around, with your fingers rub suds into the badly soiled areas and all over the glove with a light scrubbing action, use a soft cloth if you prefer.
Gently rinse the glove in cold water to remove any suds, remove all the soap as this will cause to the leather to dry out too quickly.
Place the glove on a clean kitchen towel and leave to air dry, allow to dry until it is just a little damp then put the glove on, this will help stretch the leather back into shape,
Leave flat to dry do not under any circumstances put the glove on your radiator or next to any form of heating, the glove must be allowed to dry naturally.
When after a round of golf always try to put your glove flat in your bag, use a glove sleeve if you have one.
Following these instructions carefully you will find that your new glove will last quite a bit longer!
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