As Winter comes to a close I wanted to share with you my favorite new tool for playing and provide a quick review of PDGA approved Disc Golf Gloves I tried all season long.
You may be so lucky, or not depending on your point of view, to live in an area where the sun is always shining and the thought of playing in the snow is dreadful. For me, mountain life is the way, and I appreciate the changing seasons (to a point). As much as I like the snow and all that comes with it (skiing!), when I am holding onto a cold piece of plastic trying to maintain my balance and not become part of the Friday Fail club, having a bit of warmth and additional grip is essential to my play/practice time.
Using a glove is such a new thing for me, and I believe is starting to take hold in the community in general. As you play more rounds you might notice a particular part of your hand or fingers start to rub and callus over. Now, take it from a rock climber, this isn’t the end of the world, but it does help to eliminate the annoyance. Further, you will spend some time out in the weather, that is the point after all, to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. So having a glove that can help protect your digits from cold, swet, and abrasion might come in handy (2 points for Gryffindor – Ha).
Note, while you can use a general winter glove for the cold, and possibly other types of gloves you have laying around (MTB glove, Baseball glove), there is good reason these gloves are specific to the disc throwing sports of Ultimate and Golf. They tend to have rubber coverage in just the right spots and yet keep enough sensitivity to allow for the nuances needed when gripping a disc. So, don’t skimp and short yourself, pick up a pair specific to your sport. Below are some stellar options for your new disc golf glove addiction…
Layout Ultimate Frisbee Gloves
These gloves were originally designed for the game of Ultimate Frisbee, something I suspect other Disc Golfers like me have played or currently still enjoy. Ultimate players take their game as seriously as the rest of us and therefore look for a good product. I don’t personally own this set but they get great reviews on Amazon. However, I doubt they are as weather protective as my Friction pair. Might be worth trying, and I will certainly check them out the next time I am in the market for a new pair.
Layout Ultimate Frisbee Gloves
Friction Disc Golf Gloves – Consistent Grip in All Conditions!
Friction designed their glove based on their best selling Ultimate Frisbee line. They added some specific features for the Disc Golf community and have become the go-to glove for the sport we love. Some of the features include grip (rubber) on the throwing fingers that wrap all the way around the finger, making it suitable for both backhand and forehand throws. The thing I like the most about these gloves is that I get a bit of protection from the weather, while still being able to feel the disc roll off my fingertips. Is it odd that I still wipe my hands with a towel while wearing a glove? Perhaps it’s just a habit, or the fact that I need to wipe away that frosty beverage condensation…either way I always think it’s funny. The truth is, that not only do these gloves give a bit of cool weather comfort, they also keep your grip solid on the hotter days. I haven’t gotten to use them in the middle of summer. But, we had some oddly warm and sunny days in the fall and I was happy to have my gloves when playing. Grab some Friction gloves here:
Are Gloves Legal In Disc Golf?
Officially yes, the PDGA states in section 813.02 illegal devices the following:
“Devices that reduce or control abrasion to the skin (such as gloves, tape, bandages, or gauze), items applied to the skin to improve grip (such as talc, chalk, dust, or dirt) and medical items (such as knee or ankle braces) are allowed.”
So the next time your buddy gives you a hard time about cheating because of your awesome gloves, remind them that they are completely sanctioned for tournament play. As a side note, I would always verify the glove you choose has been approved for tournament play…as have the above 2 options I shared.
Review of Friction Gloves
Need more info about playing with disc golf gloves. Check out this video review below from Michael Holt:
More Disc Golf Gear
Regardless of being new to the sport or not, we all like to find things that make our #discgolflife a little easier. Well let me help you out with just that…a few links below to some gear reviews that will help you enjoy your day out on the course. Included in the list is our disc golf bag series, be sure to check those out for some bag reviews.
Disc Golf Bags:
High Five!
Ok, you now know of a couple of options for your hands to stay cozy in the cool weather, dry in the warmer months, and keep your digits from getting to rough from all that practicing you’ve been doing. I hope you enjoyed the information…I like to get to the point as much as possible and keep you with time to spare on the course. So, dash out and play some Disc Golf today!
