Golf essential: A pair of rain gloves

I used to hate playing golf in the rain. I didn’t mind getting wet but there was nothing worse than trying to play with wet grips. Even if your hands were not going to slip, this just did not compute with my brain. This all changed some years back when I discovered the most useful accessory in all of golf: a pair of rain gloves.

My pair of FootJoy rain gloves took up permanent residence in my golf bag. When the rain began to fall, I would don my pair of black beauties no longer fearing that my eight iron might travel further than the ball and all was well in the world.
I recently received a pair of MacWet gloves to try out. These are the gloves worn by Aaron Rai when winning the Scottish Open in some pretty foul conditions. Between lockdowns, I had the chance to road test the MacWet gloves and compared them with my tried and tested pair from FootJoy.
Look and feel
Both pairs have a similar look but the FootJoy glove feels more comfortable, probably due to them being slightly thinner. The MacWet is a more substantial glove and takes a bit more getting used to when gripping the club, particularly if you use an interlocking grip.
Verdict: If I were choosing a glove based purely on feel the FootJoy would be the clear leader.

Grip
Both gloves deliver on grip although there is a noticeable difference when it starts raining as the FootJoy gloves do not immediately perform. The FootJoy gloves have a shinier feel and the grip improves as both the grips and glove get wet.
The MacWet grips the club well from the start and its performance stays pretty much stable as both the glove and grips get wetter.
Verdict: Both gloves deliver on grip and it is hard to distinguish between the two products on this criteria.
Warmth
The FootJoy experience is like wearing two ordinary golf gloves and I would suggest is designed to provide grip rather than warmth. The glove performs best when wet and so in the rain, you have a permanently damp hand. If the conditions are cold, the natural result of a damp hand is a cold one.
As already mentioned, the MacWet has a thicker feel and I found that it gave more protection from the wind and cold. The glove does get wet and like with the FootJoy this does lead to a colder hand. However, I found the MacWet did not seem to get as damp on the inside compared to the FootJoy and my hands felt warmer as a result.
Verdict: Give its construction and materials used the MacWet would be my choice when it is cold.

Overall Verdict
If I played in a warmer climate where the cold did not accompany the rain, I would plump for the FootJoy gloves based on the superior feel. 
However, as I live in the UK and play regularly in wet and cold conditions, my vote goes to the MacWet gloves as the extra warmth and protection are important to me. Yet, my FootJoy gloves will also be popped in the bag when the sun comes out again.