Why cold hands ruin the round

Your hands are your only contact with the club. When they get cold, it's immediately noticeable in your strokes.

Cold fingers lose sensation and fine motor skills. This makes it harder to maintain a consistent grip pressure and to feel where the club is in your hand. The result is often a tighter grip – and a grip that is too tight results in a tense, shorter swing.

The problem is that a golf glove is built to be thin and feel, not to provide warmth. So when the temperature drops, you need something extra – without giving up what makes your glove great.

Want more tips for cold rounds? Read our guide Golf in the cold: how to stay warm and maintain your grip →

How WinterMate works

WinterMate is an insulating mitten that you pull over your regular golf glove – and take off when it's time to hit.

So you play with your regular glove the whole round. Between shots, on the walk to the next shot and while waiting for the tee, you have the WinterMate on. Your hands stay warm, and when you're about to hit, you can take it off in a couple of seconds.

• Extra warmth: insulating synthetic material that protects against cold and wind.
• Water-repellent surface: keeps hands dry in moisture and light rain.
• Easy to use: slips smoothly over your regular golf glove.
• Flexible design: does not affect freedom of movement.
• One Size: fits most hands and is sold in pairs – one for the right and one for the left hand.

Why an overglove – and not just a winter glove?

So that you don't have to choose between warmth and feeling.

A winter glove that you play in has to be thin enough to hit with. That puts a limit on how warm it can get. An overglove doesn't have that limitation – it just needs to be warm, since you take it off before hitting.

It also means you can keep playing with the glove you already trust . Same size, same grip, same feel as in the summer. WinterMate only adds warmth when you need it.

If you'd rather have an insulated glove that you play with throughout the round, there's FROST → – and the two are great to combine on really cold days.

New: WinterMate Ebony

WinterMate in its most exclusive form.

The WinterMate Ébano has the exact same fit and function as the original. The difference is on the outside. Instead of synthetic materials, the outer is made of black, water-repellent cabretta leather – the same type of thin, soft sheepskin used in premium golf gloves. And where the original has a printed logo, the Golfvante logo on the Ébano is embossed directly into the leather.

• Black cabretta leather: soft, supple and with an exclusive feel.
• Water-repellent leather: protects against moisture and light rain.
• Embossed Golf Glove logo: embossed into the leather for a stylish finish.
• Same warmth: same warm construction as WinterMate.
• One Size: fits most hands and is sold in pairs.

Ébano is for those who want warm hands and a winter glove that looks like more than just equipment. It's also a great Christmas gift for the golfer who already has everything.

WinterMate or Ébano – which one is right for you?

The function is the same. The choice is about material and feel.

A simple rule of thumb: if you just want to keep your hands warm – choose WinterMate. If you want the same warmth in a material that feels and looks exclusive – choose Ébano.

How to use WinterMate on the track

It is between the strokes that heat is gained – or lost.

Put it on right away. Put on WinterMate on your way to the first tee, before your hands get cold. It's much easier to retain heat than to lose it.

Take off just before the shot. Take off the WinterMate when you have decided on your club and are about to line up, and put it back on as soon as the shot is made.

Have a place for it. Stick the WinterMate in your pocket or clip it to your bag while you hit, and you'll always have it close at hand.

Walk rather than ride. Movement keeps circulation going, and together with WinterMate, your hands stay warm for much longer.

Care

Proper drying ensures longer life and warmer gloves.

WinterMate: wipe dry when needed and let air dry after use. Avoid tumble drying and direct heat.

WinterMate Ébano: wipe with a damp cloth when necessary and allow to air dry at room temperature. Avoid tumble dryers, radiators and other direct heat – this can dry out the leather. As with all genuine leather, the surface softens with use and the embossed logo may become slightly less clear over time. This is completely natural and part of the leather’s character.

Read more in Which golf glove lasts the longest? →

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the WinterMate with my regular golf glove?

Yes, that's exactly what it's made for. Both WinterMate and Ébano are pulled over your regular golf glove.

What is the difference between WinterMate and Ébano?

The fit and function are the same. Ébano has an outer surface in black, water-repellent cabretta leather with an embossed Golfvante logo instead of synthetic material.

What is cabretta leather?

Cabretta is a thin, soft and supple sheepskin known from premium golf gloves. It provides an exclusive feel and a stylish, durable surface.

What size should I choose?

Both are available in One Size and fit most hands.

Are they sold in pairs?

Yes, you get one mitten for the right hand and one for the left hand.

Can they withstand rain?

Both are water-repellent and protect in light rain and humid conditions.

Simple rule of thumb

Keep your glove. Add the warmth.

WinterMate keeps your hands warm between strokes without having to change your grip. Ébano gives you the same thing – in black leather.

Summary

Cold hands result in poorer feel, a harder grip and worse shots. WinterMate solves this by putting it over your regular golf glove between shots and taking it off when you're about to hit - so you retain both warmth and feel.

The new WinterMate Ébano has the same function and fit, but with a black, water-repellent cabretta leather exterior and embossed Golfvante logo. Choose WinterMate for a smart winter solution, or Ébano for its most exclusive form.