I’m not sure about you, but for me the anticipation on the first tee of a round I’ve been looking forward to brings with it a certain buzz. The sticks are clean, brand new pearls are stocked in the bag, and after a decent warm up on the range, the game is ready . . . but one last thing, I like to break out a fresh new glove before the peg goes in the ground. That ritual signifies that this day is aimed at being memorable. A table setter of positivity (if you will), and that always puts me in the right frame of mind to play my best.
Recently, we spent the day with the two founders of Red Rooster Golf, Brad Fritsch and Kerry Moher (along with Rick Young from SCORE Golf in Canada). Brad and Kerry have known each other for over 30 years, where they played junior golf together in Canada. Their partnership is born out of their mutual love for the game. Brad went on to play on the PGA Tour, and Kerry is a serious stick who played college golf, so these guys know a thing or two about having top-shelf gear (and giving back to the game). During our day together in Winter Park, Florida we discussed their new company and a macro-view of the golf glove market. Their initial crowd funding campaign on Kickstarter in 2020 raised over $100K, and the company has only grown since then. As an ode to the game, and what it had given to them as kids, Fritsch and Moher developed a “Play It forward” initiative – when you purchase a Red Rooster glove, a new glove will be donated to a junior golf program. So when you become customer, you’re supporting junior golf.
It was when I returned home from the PGA Show and a package arrived with several different types of gloves, that I knew they were on to something special. And in their words, that something special is a “really freaking great golf glove”.
Gloves certainly are not mandatory for playing the game, but in the southeast U.S. where I play most of my golf, it would be tough to execute golf shots in extreme humidity without a proper fitting and feeling glove. Specifically, here in Florida where cabretta leather work just fine November thru April, but once temperatures and humidity rise, you can sweat through several very expensive leather gloves in one practice session alone. Therefore, if you play a majority of your golf here – diversifying your glove portfolio is almost a must to maximize your performance while also being aware of cost. For some, the expense of golf gear isn’t an issue. but for most it is.
There are several different types of golf gloves for each type of golfer and weather condition, below is Red Rooster’s summary of each:
Leather – If you’re looking for a glove that offers a comfortable feel, durable material, and increased performance, you can’t go wrong with a cabretta leather golf glove. A leather golf glove is the most common choice for golfers of all skill levels.
Synthetic – golf gloves are lightweight, stretchy, and breathable. A synthetic glove is a great choice for warmer weather to keep your hands cool and also offer a great fit by contouring to the shape of your hand
All-Weather – For players who play in adverse conditions and want to be prepared for the worst, an all-weather golf glove offers superior protection against the elements. All-weather gloves are perfect for humid and moist conditions.
Hybrid – golf gloves combine the best of both leather and synthetic gloves to create a winning combination. The leather portion is often through the palm and fingers to enhance grip while the synthetic material is used in the joints to offer flexibility. The only downside of the hybrid gloves is that they are often more expensive – but definitely worth it.
Thermal – Although many players might opt for not playing in colder weather or might not live in a climate where this could be an issue, but thermal golf gloves can help keep your hands warm during the coldest of golf rounds. The thick material helps maintain heat and keep your hands warm during the colder weather.
Sizing
The type of glove you play is important, but proper sizing is imperative. Red Rooster is adamant about getting you into the correct fit, and therefore has the most in-depth sizing chart I’ve ever seen. A well-fitted golf glove should feel like the glove is almost another skin layer, as if it’s been painted on – snug to all of your fingers and palm. It will minimize the chance of any slippage at the top of your swing in transition and any unwanted clubface rotation at impact. The correct fit helps keep you relaxed and confident before you ever take the club back.
*I’m typically a size large (the RR sizing chart will verify your correct size thru measurements you make to various parts of your hand), but because hands/fingers can be somewhat disproportionate – the thumb fit is always what lets me know if a brand and their sizing will work for me (index to pinkie finger I’m a standard large, but my thumb is a tad shorter than standard, thus the cadet Large is the correct fit for me).
One of the coolest and most practical accessories in golf is the Red Rooster Glove Compartment – this semi hard shell case clips onto your bag and stores and protects all of your gloves in one place. A circular velcro patch on the outer casing allows you to attach the glove you’re presently using on the course to the case – brilliant stuff. The Glove Compartment sells separately for $34 (but can be had for $17 when you join their subscription program).
Kerry Moher talks a bit about what makes Red Rooster unique:
“When we went over and met with the manufacturers and went to the tanneries, we realized we could make a glove with as thick a weight as we want. We tried to get something that straddled the line between feel and durability. In general, our current line of gloves, err on the side of durability. As a result, there was a hole in our lineup . . . the Cape and the Silky are our performance line that have extra stretch to the knuckles and palm. Both are the same softness and thickness, but we often get asked, what is your softest and thinnest glove? The answer was, they’re all the same.”
In response, the Sussex was created for those players who want the thinnest softest glove available and are less concerned with durability, and are more focused on having the ultimate feel and softness. Moher added, “Having that thin-soft performance glove in our lineup, I’d say that’s the piece that separates us.”
Testing
On course testing of both the Cape model (left) and the recently introduced Sussex (right) has yielded impressive results (we haven’t tested the Rain Rooster or Range Rooster yet). The Cape has a similar feel to the FJ ProFLX with its stretch/flex capabilities in the knuckle area and the superb fit and performance is what you’d expect from a worthy cabretta leather glove. The Sussex is the flagship of the line (closest comparison would be Titleist Players glove), thinner than probably anything you’ve tried and ultra-soft, think of it as premium gear for your most important rounds. The quality and craftmanship of both models is off-the-charts.
The Cape and Sussex gloves revealed some obvious traits right away, first – although the quality of both is fantastic, the Cape is more versatile and durable. Going on 7 rounds now with the Cape, and it still has a bunch of good rounds in it (keep in mind, I don’t use either model for my practice or range time. I’ve been cycling out some older, cheaper models for that abuse. The Range Rooster is about to be employed for that purpose). The Sussex has 9 holes under it’s belt, felt amazing and will be saved for a few important media invites I have coming up. It clearly is the prima-donna of the collection. Fantastic feel and performance, created for the limelight, not the heavy lifting of a bunch of 36 hole days or a marathon practice sesh. This is the glove for a bucket list round or trip.
Summary
There’s nothing not to like here, the leather and craftmanship with Red Rooster gloves is off the chain good, all hand stitched. They feel and fit as good on your hand as anything you can find in the industry. Keep in mind, quality isn’t cheap – if you buy your gloves at Costco, Red Rooster may not be your thing . . . but why not diversify your gear, get your Kirkland multi-pack and use them exclusively for high repetitive situations like beating that large bucket on the weekend, or an evening at Topgolf . . . and get yourself some premium leather for those invites or the club championship when you want something of the highest quality and feel. Red Rooster’s Cape is $27, and the Sussex is $29. We get it, for most people this would be considered a luxury to play wearing a $29 glove. If that sounds like you, they do offer a subscription program that offers 10% off, and allows you to replenish at the frequency that best works for you.
When you walk up to the 1st tee for that much anticipated match, there’s only one connection to the club – your hands.
Check them out at: https://redroostergolf.com/
