CaddyDaddy's new Claw golf glove scratches its way into glove space

There is nothing sexy about a golf glove, but every now and then one, like CaddyDaddy’s Claw, will grab a golfer’s attention

Let’s discuss what is provocative about a golf glove.

That was quick. Yeah, pretty much nothing.

Golf gloves don’t sport high-tech foam or kryptonite snaps or low centers of gravity or any sexy-as-a-red-convertible upgrades that major equipment manufacturers market in their latest greatest-ever clubs.

Gloves simply roll on. Some are better, some are pricier and some last longer.

End of story? Not quite. A few gloves are different enough to warrant attention. In 2005, there was the Bionic glove, which noticeably increased a golfer’s grip strength. Nine years later, there was the Zero Friction glove, which introduced the one-size-fits-all model, a semi-revolutionary idea.

The Claw's tackiness and durability are two of the new golf glove's best attributes / (Photo: CaddyDaddy)

The Claw by CaddyDaddy may be another as it combines three innovative concepts.

One, Claw features silicon mesh lines across the palm for better gripping power — even when it gets a little wet. I’m sold on Claw for that alone. It’s tacky in a good way, not tacky in the Kathy Griffin way.

Two, the mesh back, even on the fingers, is not only breathable but machine-washable, believe it or not. I tossed mine in the wash and it came out looking like a hundred bucks. Or at least my original $19.99.

Three, Claw is tougher than snow tires. I’ve put a dozen rounds plus a number of range sessions on Claw and it still looks younger than Charlize Theron. I watched some chucklehead wrap Claw around his putter head and drag it behind the golf cart as he drove back and forth across a fairway in fast-forward speed for his expert product-review video. Well darn, he tore a hole in the mesh on the back of the glove.

Durable is the word for Claw. In short, there’s a lot to like about Claw.

I am not necessarily Claw’s target audience. It was created as a hot-weather glove since CaddyDaddy is based in the Phoenix area. I live in Pittsburgh, which gets toasty for a couple of weeks every summer but not at the moment.

Playing in desert heat makes golfers’ hands sweat and that makes the glove’s leather crusty and crackly when it dries. Hence the mesh air-cool flow and the need for some palm tackiness to combat sweat. The latter led to the silicon-based microfiber lines. USGA rules required those to be as flat as possible. They are, yet they’re still surprisingly grabby and yes, USGA-approved.

“We originally got the idea from NFL football receiver gloves,” said CaddyDaddy co-owner Rod Dunlap. “We thought that might be applicable to golf gloves. We didn’t want to be as tacky as receiver gloves, though. The ribbing also works well in the rain, from the feedback we’re getting from some of our military retirees living in Florida.”

The Claw is manufactured to withstand the wear and tear that normal play can have on the glove. This particular glove has been worn for more than 85 rounds / (Photo: CaddyDaddy)

For me, the grip is the thing. The rest of Claw’s performance is gravy.

The endurance factor might be a bigger selling point for cost-conscious senior golfers, if it’s not redundant to call them that. Dunlap says he’s heard from one customer who used the same glove for 85 rounds and says it still looks new on the palm.

“We were going for super performance and longevity,” Dunlap said. “We’ve done some internal testing with Claw and a major brand. I won’t say our glove will last 85 rounds but we think it will last three to five times longer than most leather gloves out there. Synthetics last long, too, but they’re usually super uncomfortable.”

Claw is very comfortable.

“We looked at different materials,” Dunlap said. “The reason we came up with it is that in Arizona, leather gloves get beat up so quick. You get sweaty, you throw them in the bag to dry, and when they come out, they’re pretty crunchy. There wasn’t much on the market for what we wanted. So tried some different materials, trial and error.”