CaddyDaddy Throws Down the Gauntlet

The Talon, a golf glove inspired by NFL receivers, grabs attention.

No one plots advancements in golf gloves, or speaks zealously of golf glove innovation. Well, certainly not to the degree they do drivers or irons.

Rest assured however, golf handwear has not escaped the technological revolution. Today’s leather glove is softer, more breathable, more durable and, thanks to the mesh strips many manufacturers fit across the knuckles, more flexible than that sorry flap of cowhide your granddad used to wear.

And though the same company—Footjoy—that made your granddad’s glove is clearly today’s market leader, a number of newer glove-makers have encroached on its market share. SKLZ, G/Fore, Bionic, Glove It, Wolff, Intech, Zero Friction, HJ, Hirzl, and Kakadu are all making quality products.

Now you can add CaddyDaddy to the list.

Based in Chandler, Ariz., CaddyDaddy has been in business since 2002 when its first product—a nine-pack beverage cooler—proved extremely popular at charity events and tournaments. It soon moved into golf travel bags and other accessories, and in 2014 began developing its first golf glove, the Talon.

A new glove wouldn’t normally warrant much attention, but the Talon does appear exceptional. “We tested a lot of the leather and synthetic gloves on the market but had a difficult time finding something that met the criteria we were looking for,” says Rod Dunlap, the company’s vice president of sales. “We looked for a combination of amazing grip, comfort and breathability and something that remained intact and as effective after half a dozen rounds as it was in its first.”

Dunlap and his colleagues, all football fans as well as golfers, began testing gloves used by receivers thinking their gloves looked stylish, comfortable and above all tacky. But the material was too thick for golf, so the company worked on producing something that performed similarly but was much thinner.

“We were in development for eight months,” says Dunlap. “We mixed various materials and technologies and came up with something that was not only comfortable but tacky too. And we wanted it to be machine-washable, and for it to actually regain its tackiness after being washed.”

The suede at the top is plenty comfortable and flexible, but it is the tacky palm that sets this glove apart. It’s unlikely the Talon will trigger an all-out glove war, but it probably raises the bar a notch higher.

$17.99; caddydaddygolf.com

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Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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