Today's Highlights

• Fits like a glove
• Humble beginnings
• Poll: The envelope, please ...

NEWS

Lija adds to tour roster

Lija signs tour pros Ashley Hoagland, Briana Vega, Courtney Erdman, Jennifer Greggain, LeAnna Wicks and Maru Martinez to endorsement deals. The six women -- five of whom are under age 30 -- represent the LPGA, Ladies European and Futures tours.

APPAREL

Fits like a glove

By Vartan Kupelian
GPA Fashion Correspondent


Perceptions surrounding golf gloves are as unassuming as the product itself. It most likely has to do with a single fact: In an industry where big-ticket items are commonplace and cherished, premium gloves cost less than a dozen value-priced balls.

That makes gloves a most easily disposable item when, if a few simple steps are practiced, they are designed and manufactured to offer performance and longevity.

Gloves are right there next to shoes as the piece of equipment and apparel that get the least respect from consumers.

Cabretta leather remains the most popular material for premium gloves but manufacturers, like Etonic Worldwide, have introduced synthetics that add life and performance to gloves.

"Cabretta really is a unique material," said Ken Kotowski, business manager for golf gloves at Etonic, manufacturer of the popular G>Sok model. "It's the only thing you can get that thin and still have it retain its strength. It offers unsurpassed feel and softness. In trying to make synthetic leathers, nothing comes that close for the palm of the hand."

In other parts of the glove, synthetic works just as well -- and, in some cases, offer enhancements.

"On the back, the newer synthetic leathers actually work better," Kotowski said.

Burning question: Where does cabretta leather come from? It is a product from sheep which grow hair instead of wool. The best cabretta comes from equatorial locations in Africa -- Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria among them; Indonesia, Yemen and other isolated pockets around the globe. Etonic's G>Sok glove is made from Ethiopian cabretta. Cabretta is strong enough to make it ultra-thin for softness and feel while maintaining a required level of strength. A material other than cabretta when shaved so thin could not withstand the stress. Tip of the day: Don't discard old gloves. They weigh next to nothing and take up almost no room. Put three or four old gloves in one of the point of purchase envelopes provided by manufacturers and leave them in a long, zippered pocket of the golf bag. They're perfect for rainy days when it becomes necessary to have dry gloves. Plus, it saves your newer gloves from getting wet.

Using a combination of materials is a common application these days and helps keep the price down

The following is a primer on the proper fit and maintenance of gloves.

Fit


Golf professionals will tell you a golf glove should fit like a second skin. In selecting the proper fit, it's better to choose a tighter fit at the point of purchase because the glove will never fit any tighter than it does on the first day. If you get it too loose to begin with, chances are it's going to cost you a good fit in the long run.

"Fit is a personal thing," Kotowski said. "Better players tend to like a really snug fit. Tour pros like to have it snug and tight so there's no movement of leather in the hand when they're swinging."

Gloves will stretch width-wise but not length-wise. There is a right way to put a glove on and take it off.

The wrong way is to grab it at the base of the palm and pull. The proper way is to work the hand into the glove, not only when it's new but every time. Beginning with the fingers, move them carefully into the glove until the fit is snug. Then complete the process by smoothing the glove into the palm. Once it is on and snug, tighten with the fastener.

"As general rule, when you pull the Velcro tab over, I like to see about a quarter inch of the bottom layer still showing," Kotowski said. "It leaves a little room to tighten up."

Maintenance


Most golfers, either out of indifference or haste, ignore proper glove maintenance.

The most common question: How long will an $18 glove last?

So many variables factor into the equation it is difficult to plug in a number of rounds although there is no question manufacturers are making better, longer-lasting gloves.

The quality and thickness of the glove, the type of grips (soft rubber or leather or cord), even the level of a golfer's ability and the correctness of how his hands come together on the club all impact the life span of gloves.

One example: A loose grip at the top encourages slippage and sliding, and abrades the leather.

The climate is another consideration. Is it very hot and humid? How much does a golfer perspire? A constant wetting and drying of the glove only bleaches out the tanning in the leather.

"Moisture is the No. 1 enemy," Kotowski said.

Proper storage and rotation of multiple gloves can add many rounds to the life of each of them. The most damaging scenario is to ball a just-used glove, particularly if it is wet from perspiration or precipitation, and toss it into the golf bag. If left in a wadded position, a glove will become hard and brittle and crack when it is unfolded.

Subjecting it to artificial heat can be equally damaging. Instead, smooth out the glove and allow it to air-dry before returning it to a pouch or golf bag.

If you have two or three gloves, rotate them, especially during the hot summer months. It will add life to the gloves.