Summer equipment...

littlepoison · July 11, 2006

how many gloves, & what do you do about sweat?

I know, I know, our friends to my south will probably poke a little fun at me for posting this, but what are some suggestions for summer practice and play in regards to hot and humid conditions?

I was hitting balls this evening, in what I thought would be cooler and more comfortable conditions versus the heat and humidity prior to our hail storms here in eastern Massachusetts today. Well, aside from bring some cool air, the storms basically left all of the moisture in the air, with basically the same dewpoints and ridiculously high relative humidity. I started off swinging the clubs beautifully. Striping straight balls and mild draws with the seven, four and three irons. About fifteen to twenty minutes into range session, I noticed that my glove was beginning to get a little wet. No big deal, I thought... Then I started to hit every other shot very sloppily ( I hope I didn't just invent an adverb there ) but was still able to reign it back in. I thought it was just me being lazy with my preshot routine. Nope, a few minutes later, my glove is soaked. I'm soaked. My grips are showing sweaty patches. I can barely hold onto the club. I change to my backup glove. Cool... back to the beginning and another several good, solid shots. Then the backup gets sweaty. By the time I threw in the towel, I was completely unable to make any kind of aggressive move at the ball. There was no "down and through" with "hands ahead." It was more "hold on for dear life, and I'm really really worried that I just threw myself into a rut of casting the club again, wasting my power.

Sooooo... what do you guys do to combat this? How many gloves do you carry? Are rain gloves a viable alternative during the hotter months? Do you incorporate wiping your grips down into your preshot routine? Summer's not going away any time soon, barring nuclear winter, so I figure I may as well adjust to be able to play and practice during my favorite time of year...

HELP! :drinks: :drinks:

frozen_rope · July 11, 2006

You answered your own question, use more gloves.

expunge · July 11, 2006

For some reason if I play early in the mornings I end up a gigantic sweaty bastxxx and end up going through 2 gloves a side. Not that they are wearing out, they are getting soaked and I can't even swing. Being 6'1 260 doesn't help much :drinks:

I carry a towel with me to every shot and wipe down my grips each time I swing the club. Helps me out a little, at least mentally.

As far as practicing I take a few gloves and try to take a break in between clubs. I'll hit 20 or 30 balls with my wedge and then break for a few mins and have some water. Then hit my 8. Keeps me cooled down and my hands from getting too sweaty. I don't normally have sweaty palms but being a big guy I get sweaty by the end of the day.

SwingMan · July 11, 2006

Play in the Hot South

1. Use corded grips in the summer,

2. buy Dry Hands ($6) - a solution that you shake and place a few drops on your hands - keeps the hands dry for a while, third,

3. a product called Pro Grip ($3) - it's like tacky vaseline - you put a little on your hands, rub it in and your hands become tacky.

And if you insist, a glove.

siennaslammer · July 11, 2006

I live in Houston so...this is a daily event..

we average 92-98 degrees with 88-92% humidity from May until October.

1) play early - very early... i get out between 6:30 - 8 AM.

- rather deal with dew than heat

- our group is usually the 1st or 2nd one out there so we finish with 3.5 - 4 hours

2) i hang 3-4 gloves on the cart & rotate them

3) drink lots of fluid

4) have a cooler & place a clean towel - to cool off on the course

plus a clean dry towel to wipe off.

5) sun screen lotion + full hat (not just open top = not covering your noggin from the sun) - got to have it --- melanoma is just too common

6) cool-sweat wicking - lite colored type shirt & shorts

--- i guess you can bring an eextra shirt & change at the turn...never done it.

7) spray down with mosquito spray - "deep wood" --- they are ugly down here

so its not too bad -- especially in the winter time...

you just can't beat it...and yes i play golf 12 months a year....

littlepoison · July 11, 2006

You answered your own question, use more gloves.

Yup, guess I can't be cheap anymore and will have to buy in bulk :drinks:

Expunge, I think it's the higher relative humidity when the temperature is near its low for the day... makes it harder for sweat to evaporate versus when the temperature is warmer and the air can hold more moisture, thus the same amount of sweat can evaporate much more quickly... I think :cheesy:

Swingman, I will check out both Dry Hands and Pro Grip... those sound like they'll help preserve my sanity... I hate to give up the Winn Grips, but I think you're right... chord is probably the only way to go... oh well, more stuff to buy! :crazy:

siennaslammer, those are all good suggestions... I just have to figure out how to rotate four gloves or so while hanging them off of my stand bag... the two towel idea is something so simple I can't beleive that I didn't even think of it :cheesy:

Thank you all for the suggestions! I hate to have sounded like a wuss, because I really don't mind the heat, but playing and practicing in it day in and day out is a bit new to me :drinks:

SwingMan · July 12, 2006

Check out the Dry Hands and Pro Grip.

I am going to buy some wristbands - you might try some out - keeps the sweat from trickling onto the hands from the arms. An easy part of the solution.

The Winn grips, I've used the G8 on a second set of irons, just don't seem tacky enough. I've been using Ping 703 cords and they are very nice.

I would use wristbands and the dry hands and pro grip before I change grips. Changing grips is the last resort.

As to grips,

I've also used Lamkin G3 Quarter Cords - they work well because the cord is only on the back top quarter.

I've also thought of the Lamkin Torsion Control for grip - but am waiting for the Torsion Control Pro coming out, supposedly early next year.

good luck.

reebus · July 12, 2006

Like the others have said, rotate at least three gloves.

I regularly play in 90+ degrees and over 80 percent humidity, so

I can sympathise with you concerning the sweat. Carry plenty of

towels and do keep one wet to wipe your face down.

I use the MasterGrip leather slip-ons and LOVE them in these conditions.

just wipe them with a dry towel and they are great. If these are too

pricey for you, them full cord grips are the way to go if you practice a

lot......

littlepoison · July 12, 2006

Check out the Dry Hands and Pro Grip.

I am going to buy some wristbands - you might try some out - keeps the sweat from trickling onto the hands from the arms. An easy part of the solution.

The Winn grips, I've used the G8 on a second set of irons, just don't seem tacky enough. I've been using Ping 703 cords and they are very nice.

I would use wristbands and the dry hands and pro grip before I change grips. Changing grips is the last resort.

As to grips,

I've also used Lamkin G3 Quarter Cords - they work well because the cord is only on the back top quarter.

I've also thought of the Lamkin Torsion Control for grip - but am waiting for the Torsion Control Pro coming out, supposedly early next year.

good luck.

Thank you again, SwingMan... I love the G8 blue compounds that I currently play, but I may first try the regular black/red grips. Seeing as my grips are currently completely destroyed from hitting balls, I'll have to regrip anyway, so I think I'll take your advice and delay the plunge back into a full chord.

Reebus, I have not considered the Master Grip leathers, but that sounds like something I'll have to check out...

One thing I haven't heard yet from anyone... have any of you tried a rain glove in these conditions? Would the natural skin oils in sweat defeat the grippiness of these gloves since they were designed basically for more pure rainwater?

BCULAW · July 12, 2006

I am down in Central Florida, and have to deal with this problem regularly. Sounds too simple, but my best advice during the round is to remove your glove after every shot. I used to leave my glove on from tee to green, and found that I was drenching it with sweat in between shots. I went from using 4 gloves per round, to just two.

SwingMan · July 12, 2006

I forgot - wash your gloves with a mild soap after the round and rinse well - then flatten them out in a towel - and wrap the towel around them to dry overnight.

If you don't wash, the sweat gets them very slick.

I'd suggest going from least drastic to most drastic measures. Try something like sweat bands and dry hands or pro grip; next, glove, next, 3 gloves, etc.

shook23 · July 12, 2006

I'll throw one out there that I used. Gold Bond powder (I'm sure baby powder would work too). I keep a little travel size one in the bottom of my bag, break it out to dry my hands quickly.

frozen_rope · July 12, 2006

I've never washed a glove, but now that you mention it I will try it.

Do you submerge the whole glove in warm soapy water ?

frozen_rope · July 12, 2006

You answered your own question, use more gloves.

Yup, guess I can't be cheap anymore and will have to buy in bulk :drinks:

On a hot day Tiger uses as many as twelve gloves, which Nike can afford.

Expunge, I think it's the higher relative humidity when the temperature is near its low for the day... makes it harder for sweat to evaporate versus when the temperature is warmer and the air can hold more moisture, thus the same amount of sweat can evaporate much more quickly... I think :cheesy:

Swingman, I will check out both Dry Hands and Pro Grip... those sound like they'll help preserve my sanity... I hate to give up the Winn Grips, but I think you're right... chord is probably the only way to go... oh well, more stuff to buy! :crazy:

siennaslammer, those are all good suggestions... I just have to figure out how to rotate four gloves or so while hanging them off of my stand bag... the two towel idea is something so simple I can't beleive that I didn't even think of it :cheesy:

Thank you all for the suggestions! I hate to have sounded like a wuss, because I really don't mind the heat, but playing and practicing in it day in and day out is a bit new to me :drinks:

Sam-Tee-Time · July 12, 2006

I live in hot steamy Texas, and simply rotate 3 gloves each hole. SEems to keep them pretty dry - by the time you get around to the 3rd glove -it's dried out.

cmarkmyers · July 12, 2006

As to grips,

I've also used Lamkin G3 Quarter Cords - they work well because the cord is only on the back top quarter.

I checked Lamkin's site and can't find anything on these grips. Do they still make them? I would love to give something like this a shot as I too suffer from sweaty hands and slick gloves.

Tomba29 · July 12, 2006

Get them from GolfWorks

300_yard_drives · July 12, 2006

have you tried the rain gloves, my friend said they keep the glove dry when your hands get sweaty

sheppy335 · July 12, 2006

Here is PA i only use one glove per round. I am sweety but my hands dont get to wet. I always carry a towel and will dry my hands if needed, usually dont. I will take my glove off soon as i dont need it anymore, any where from 50 yards and in. So that helps me alot.