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Kangaroo leather fits like a glove

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Posted: Tuesday October 12, 1999 10:37 AM

Sizzle sells, whether it's fashion, automobiles or golf equipment. The flash in golf is usually focused on the longest new driver, the sharpest new iron, the deadliest new putter or the hottest new ball. Gloves? Gloves are about as sexy as socks.

There's not much sizzle in gloves, even though these days gloves are more comfortable and durable than ever. Sometimes, I get in a streak where I quit wearing a glove for a while. It feels good, actually. Then I pound too many balls on the range, get sore hands or the beginning of blisters, and go back to a glove.

THE SHORT GAME It hardly seems all that important at the moment, but an East Lake Golf Club insider tells me the 2005 U.S. Open has pretty much turned into a duel between East Lake, located near downtown Atlanta, and Whistling Straits, near Kohler, Wis. Last year's Tour Championship was at East Lake and the course, sporting ferocious bermuda rough, was a dead ringer for a U.S. Open course. On the other hand, Herb Kohler, the rich-guy golf enthusiast from Wisconsin, wants another major in the worst way. His other course, Blackwolf Run, hosted the U.S. Women's Open and the Straits, which opened to the public in July 1998, has already hosted the National Club Pro Championship. Either course would be worthy. Next year's Millennium Open will be at Pebble Beach. Start practicing.

The search for the perfect glove continues, and there is a new leading contender. It's from HOK. You've never heard of it because it's an Australian company. HOK stands for House of Kangaroo, and that's why this glove is so good. It is made from kangaroo leather. The company says its gloves are more than 25% thinner than its competitors' models and considerably more durable. I'm not going to debate those claims but I'll say this -- I've been using one for three weeks and it's the best glove I've ever worn. There is no question about feel; this glove does feel thinner than anything else I've worn. Despite at least eight rounds of golf, it barely looks worn. It is very, very durable, and if the black stuff wearing off my grips didn't discolor the glove, you would think it was near new. I've been pretty impressed.

I've been a fan of the Mizuno and Etonic Difference gloves in the past because they have those flex areas over the knuckles, which are comfortable. HOK has those, too, and the fit is snug. The thinness seems to alleviate the starched-collar problem some gloves have. You know -- after a hot, sweaty round, the next day your glove is rigidly stiff and able to stand up all by itself. So far, my HOK has remained as soft and supple as ever.

My absolute favorite glove is HOK's wet-weather glove. It is cut from the same mold as the regular model but the palm and fingers are made from a different material and have a ribbing on them, sort of like fish scales. They give the gloves good gripping power. In fact, I like the gripping power so much, I've been wearing the wet-weather glove in sunny weather. The material in the palm is water resistant. While wearing the glove, I poured water on my hand. Most of it ran right off like beads of water on a freshly waxed car. A portion of the water was absorbed into, and right through, the glove. My palm got damp but the palm of the glove was dry and still gripped the club as well as ever. It really comes in handy when you play in the morning and, say, mark your ball on a dewy green and absent-mindedly pick it up with your gloved hand. A regular glove gets slick. This one doesn't. In a serious rain -- I haven't been able to test that yet -- I would probably like to have a wet-weather glove on each hand.

The regular glove will carry a suggested retail price of $16.99 and the wet-weather model will be $24.99. They are available through several national golf retail chains but I don't know how soon, or how easily, you will be able to find them. In my opinion, the HOK gloves are worth a look.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Gary Van Sickle is a regular contributor to the magazine's Golf Plus edition.

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.

 

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