My late father used to rip gloves so often that he eventually turned to not wearing one.
His stubby hands were not built for regular gloves. If only he had been alive to see a glove with a wider palm and shorter fingers.
A cadet glove optimizes the comfort of players with hand-sizes like my father. In this post, I explain what a cadet golf glove is and assess how it compares to a regular design.
By the end of the article, you will know whether to toss your standard design out and switch allegiance to the cadet golf glove.
What is a Cadet Golf Glove?
Cadet golf gloves feature shorter finger lengths and a wide palm and back than regular golf gloves. Basically, if you possess broad palms and short wider fingers, you may find that the cadet golf glove is an ideal fit for the shape of your hand.
In addition, Vice Golf suggests that 20% of golfers require cadet size gloves. This design should increase your comfort and the lifespan of your golf glove. That prevents you from purchasing a new glove every few months.
Cadet vs Regular Golf Glove
Now that you know the features of a cadet glove, let us see how it compares to a regular golf glove. A regular golf glove is constructed for players with a proportional hand and comes in ladies’ and men’s sizes. Plus, it features a narrower palm and longer fingers.
Besides the width and finger length difference, the cadet golf glove size chart differs significantly from a standard glove. For starters, cadet gloves are only constructed for men. However, ladies who find the wide palm and short fingers comfortable can wear this type of glove.
Secondly, standard designs range from small to four extra-large golf glove. As a result, even larger hands are protected. Conversely, cadet sizes start at small and end with XXL.
FootJoy’s golf glove size chart showcases the comparisons between a cadet and regular design. For example, a small cadet glove has the palm width of a standard men’s medium. However, it features the finger length of a woman’s large design.
Furthermore, a cadet medium golf glove possesses the width of a standard medium. But, its short fingers bring it on a par with a men’s small golf glove.
A cadet large glove offers the same palm and finger length as a men’s regular medium-sized golf mitt. Surprisingly, the palms on these gloves are as wide as some extra-large and XXL gloves. However, the shorter fingers are where the difference lies.
If you are a complete golf nerd, there is a table in the final section giving you details of cadet sizes.
How to Determine if You Need a Cadet Golf Glove
The quickest way to determine if you need a cadet golf glove is to use this size chart from MG Golf. If your non-dominant hand does not fit the cut-out, the best option is to consider a cadet golf glove.
Those unconvinced on the effectiveness of this endeavor can get the measuring tape out. Measure your left-hand palm’s circumference if you are right-handed. Then, refer to the sizing guide by Bionic Gloves.
If the length of their fingers falls between 2.7 to 2.8-inches and the circumference 2.80 to 3.30-inches, golfers best suit a small cadet glove. Contrarily, if your fingertips reach 2.90 to 3.05-inches and your palm is 3.54 to 3.74-inches, an XXL cadet glove is the way forward.
Additional alternatives to the above methods are self-testing gloves until you find one with optimal dexterity. I don’t suggest this route because it is costly and stubborn. Finally, you can always head down to your local pro shop or retail outlet and ask for assistance.
Different Sizes of Cadet Gloves
Unlike regular golf gloves, cadets are generally not produced for women or left-handers. It’s discriminatory, I know, but what can you do. Ladies, as I said before, nothing is stopping you from wearing a cadet glove. If you find that it enhances your grip and comfort, go for it. I do feel for lefties though.
Based on what we learned from the FootJoy size chart, the best cadet golf gloves are typically a size less than a regular design. For example, a small cadet has similar specs to a large ladies glove. However, a cadet medium is on par with a standard men’s small size.
Cadet Golf Glove Size Chart
| Size | Fingers | Palm |
| Small | 1 – 4 inches | 3 – 5 inches |
| Medium | 3 – 4 inches | 5 – 6 inches |
| Medium Large | 4 – 5 inches | 6 – 7 inches |
| Large | 4 – 6 inches | 7 – 9 inches |
| Extra Large | 5 – 7 inches | 8 – 9 inches |
Matt Stevens
Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.