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FootJoy StaSof Glove Review

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Pros: Extremely soft, Cabretta leather. Well-placed seams. Exceptional durability.

Cons: Roughly $22 each. Available in just two colors, pearl and black.

Who they’re for: Better golfers are the ones who tend to buy premium golf gloves, but the durability and comfort of the StaSof means it’s not just a luxury item. There’s value here for all golfers.

Overview

The first thing I normally do after donning my usual “How cheap can I get them” golf gloves is to wiggle my thumb and fingers for a minute. Why? To adjust a seam (sometimes plural) that invariably isn’t where it’s supposed to be. No worries, since I probably paid about $7 per glove.

On a recent roadie, I played 20 courses across America with one glove: a 2015 FootJoy StaSof. I wear a Men’s Cadet Medium on my left hand. I chose the Pearl (white) color, but you can also opt for a black StaSof if you’re going for the J.B. Holmes look.

The glove was provided by FootJoy to GolfWRX for the purposes of this review, and it saw time in Texas, California, Oregon and Washington state.

Performance

StaSofGloveReview

 

I pulled on that StaSof and began to wiggle my fingers in that phantom way that your leg shakes when your cell phone isn’t in your pocket, but you think it is. Those wiggles are ingrained in me, but they weren’t necessary. The StaSof seams were precisely where needed. Incredulous, I pulled the glove off, spun around, did a jumping jack, and put it on again. Same result.

I emphasize this initial reaction because there’s not a lot to golf glove performance. Break it down like this: fit, comfort, grip, staying power. That’s it. Once you know your size, fit is all about the seams. The FootJoy StaSof scored A+ on the seam quiz.

Moving on to grip: If you drop the name “Pittards of England,” I go all gooey like the hyenas in Lion King, when the Whoopie Goldberg character says “Mufasa.” It’s Pittards! What it means is high-end leather, stitched together properly, ensuring a great grip in normal (and some abnormal) weather conditions. If it’s pouring, will the club slip? Yes, it will. FootJoy has other gloves to remedy that concern. But as long as the weather forecast is somewhat dry, you’re good to go with this glove.

Looks and Feel

FootJoyGlove

Unless you’re wearing psychedelic colors on your mitts, no one is going to comment on your glove. Or ask, “Dude, you stuck that approach so tight! Was it the glove?” You might be ready with the answer, “Yes, it was,” if the glove is awesome. And this one is. It feels luxurious.

It feels like the time I checked in to the Mandalay Bay, took a nap on my couch, and it was nicer than any mattress I’ve slept on. Never mind how nice the mattress was…that couch! That’s how this glove feels. It felt that way through all 20 rounds. I put it in the bag when I arrived back in Western New York (where the temps are mid-50s in December and we’re still playing golf) and pulled on the second glove they sent. Ooohh, Mufasa!

The Takeaway

A glance at the back of the glove package reveals these terms: Taction2 Advanced Performance Leather; Moisture-wicking Elastic Cuff; Finer Gauge Elastics; Angled ComforTab Velcro Closure; and PowerNet Mesh. Call them techie terms, or marketing mantras, whatever. I’ll address each one here and give you my final verdict.

  • Leather: Top notch. Softest thing I’ve felt on my skin since that couch at the Mandalay Bay.
  • Elastic Cuff: Part of the overall feel and nothing stood out as egregiously annoying or dysfunctional. The glove didn’t fit “too long or too short,” and even after all my rounds stretching was hardly noticeably in the cuff.
  • Elastics: These are the threads that secure the glove in the palm area. They did their job well.
  • Velcro Closure: It is angled and it does work properly. Is it better than a straight-across closure, the typical arrangement? I think so.
  • Mesh: Sewn into the knuckles with perforations for breathability. One issue I invariably have with my budget-rate gloves is a stiffening of the material after 5-10 rounds. Take a seat and listen up, son: this glove didn’t stiffen after 20 rounds. That’s saying something.

Final Verdict

Try on a FootJoy StaSof glove, and if you like the fit (you probably will) put it through the paces. If you’re paying $6 a glove like me and getting 7 rounds out of it, is it worth it to buy one premium glove instead of several cheaper ones? If you can get 25 rounds out of one glove like me, the answer is absolutely. Simple math that adds up!

[wrx_retail_links productid=”11″]

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

21 Comments

21 Comments

  1. Huub

    Apr 22, 2016 at 11:39 am

    My only (big) problem with leather gloves which are made in Asia is, that they usually made ??from dogs and cats. A terrible cruel industry!

  2. Chuck Zirkle

    Jan 13, 2016 at 8:08 pm

    Great review on the FJ glove. You are absolutely correct about buying cheaper gloves. You get what you are willing to pay for. Most gloves wear out sooner, because they do not fit properly.

  3. Pablo

    Jan 5, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    Nice review… You get what you pay for. Great product and well worth the extra pennies. Would also like to see a players/ sta soft comparison as I wear players glove. Just love that thin leather feel. Peace

  4. Steve

    Jan 5, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    Great article. Started with the Player’s Glove, moved to Sci-Flex but found a keeper with Sta-Sof.

  5. BirdieBarage

    Jan 5, 2016 at 1:19 am

    For a glove that provides the same level of performance at 60% less, you need to try/buy the MG Golf DynaGrip Elite Premier Cabretta Leather golf glove. Soft, durable and fits like a second skin. I have also used Titleist Players, FootJoy StaSoft and Callaway Tour Premium.

  6. Mike

    Jan 3, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    I hit a ton of balls and if money were no problem, I’d use this glove exclusively. I want to find something like this that is say, 1/4 the price.

    • Ronald Montesano

      Jan 3, 2016 at 1:44 pm

      Any leads?

      Alternatively, you could use a cheaper model on the range and save your StaSofs for the course.

      • 2chi

        Jan 4, 2016 at 11:12 am

        I usually play the Footjoy WeatherSofs. I buy them in 2-packs for roughly $20. I played 22 rounds in 2015, plus a fair amount of range time and got through the entire season with one glove…which gives me one in the hopper for next year!

        • Ronald Montesano

          Jan 5, 2016 at 6:42 am

          These are the two gloves for the same hand, right? Have you ever played the wet/cold weather gloves, that come with one glove for each hand?

          That’s an impressive tally for 2015. You must not strangle the club! So much of glove wear is a too-tight grip on the club.

          • 2chi

            Jan 8, 2016 at 11:32 am

            Yes, two gloves for the same hand. And I actually took a lesson a couple years ago, and the first thing he “fixed” was that I was gripping the club way too tight. Took me a while to loosen it, but it paid dividends when I did.

            But I have played with the cold weather gloves, that come with one for each hand. I believe they were also the Footjoys. I don’t remember the actual name for the glove. They were bought in a pro-shop before a 36-hole outing in April. Cold front came in and temp dropped 15 degrees from expected, shame on me for not checking weather before I went. They paid for themselves though. I’ve used them probably 4-5 more times and am pleasantly surprised with them. Sometimes I will also where a standard left hand glove (I’m a righty), and then the warm weather right-hand glove. or swap between them on between shots.

    • rymail00

      Jan 5, 2016 at 12:31 am

      CAUTION-mini glove “rant”

      Like another member poster in this comment thread named “Mike” mentioned I’m fortunate to be able hit tons of balls so I always went the cheap route with the Footjoy (I believe) WeatherSof gloves that were buy one get one for like $20. I always preferred the leather gloves but hitting the range, plus short game area for 2-2.5 before each round, roughly 3-4x’s a week really kinda wore them faster than I liked so the cheaper version helped because I could also retire gloves early due to the how cheap the price was. I use a new glove and once it’s wore to where I wanted to switch it out (probably to early but the two for one deal made it easier to switch them out regularly), a that glove then became my warmup/practice glove. Only because it’d get kinda wet from sweat and then I’d have a dry and fresh “gamer” glove, that would get 2-3 weeks before becoming a range glove, again do the how cheap they were. So the nicer and more desirable leather gloves got passed up for a cheaper style glove.

      Although I did recently switch to the MG Golf Cabretta leather gloves for the last month of our season. They’re cheap, like I believe $11-12 for two of their leather grips. They are Cabretta leather feel like the Footjoy and Titleist leather thickness wise. Also I tried their tour or pro leather glove that’s much thinner for as they say “better feel” but seems to wear quicker (their a couple bucks more) and stretch a bit from the original size like the author mentioned that these Footjoys don’t seem to do. I did a review on here on them. But it seems a lot members had Velcro problems letting lose during their swing which is the worse thing a glove could do.

      I guess you really get what you pay for with gloves. If I had tons of disposable income I’d play these Footjoy or their new (limited edition glove with black emblem I believe). Or a Titleist leather glove.

      • Ronald Montesano

        Jan 8, 2016 at 12:39 pm

        Rymail00

        Thanks for that eloquent and expansive breakdown. I envy your opportunity to practice. Many people have the time, but not the desire. You seem to have both. Tour players, who don’t pay for gloves, can afford to wear a thinner glove for feel; not always so for the paying public.

  7. Scott

    Jan 3, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    You know what’s funny, I totally agree with this article. I used to use the Scieflex and when I switched to mutlicompound grips after a round or a hole would start in my palm. I started to think I was gripping too right. Anyways, the next time I went to buy a glove they only had StaSofs so I was like, “screw it, guess I’m paying more today.” I’m pretty sure I still have that glove and it’s in decent shape. Laugh all you want people, great article by Ronald.

    • Ronald Montesano

      Jan 3, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      Thanks, Scott. I understand the jovial reactions of guys who think a tried-and-true product need not be reviewed. If anyone rests on their laurels, though, we’re not doing our job. I ordered a pair of black StaSofs on the web, I was so taken by this product.

  8. Ronald Montesano

    Jan 3, 2016 at 1:14 am

    And for Tim and David on Facebook, thanks for the laughs. I can take what you dish out. For all the people that are new to golf (and there are new people to golf, friends!) we hope that this review will help them in their search for the perfect golf glove.

  9. Poppa

    Jan 3, 2016 at 12:18 am

    I want a review of the Titleist Player’s Glove next. Complete with comparisons and differences to this FJ product. Thanks!

  10. Dude

    Jan 2, 2016 at 5:27 pm

    Great glove but too long in the pinky finger.

  11. Square

    Jan 2, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    You know you’re in the silly season when there is a review of the best glove already on the market.

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Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

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On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Motocaddy M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC electric cart review

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I have been thinking about electric golf push carts, or trollies, ever since I started playing in my league seven years ago.

Motocaddy has been making high-quality electric, and non-electric, carts since 2004 and has a couple of great options for the golfer who loves to walk. Motocaddy was nice enough to get their M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC in my hands to try out on the course for a few weeks.

I have had a lot of people stop me to ask about the carts, and the one thing I keep telling them is that these carts are just flat out fun to use on the course.

Motocaddy M7 Remote

The M7 Remote was very easy to get set up right out of the box. All you have to do is charge the battery, install the wheels, and you are pretty much ready to go. The M7 folds up pretty small, just a little larger than the 3-wheel pushcart that I had been using for years. Getting it to the course should be no problem with just about any trunk space. Now, the one downside to an electric cart is the weight when moving it around, and both carts come in at around 35 pounds each. Even with that extra weight, I didn’t have much trouble lifting them in and out of the back of a pickup.

The M7 unfolds quickly with the flick of two levers and extends the front wheels automatically. Once unfolded, you drop in the battery, plug it in, and secure your bag. If you own a Motocaddy bag, they have developed a really nice system called EasiLock that involves two metal studs that fit into the bottom of the cart. This system also includes a molded base that prevents the bag from rotating at all, even on the roughest terrain. You can still use the M7 with almost any other golf bag as it includes elastic straps that wrap around the top and bottom of the bag.

As soon as you plug in the battery the LCD screen comes to life and you are ready to go. You can use the M7 without the remote by using the dial on the handle to control the starting, stopping, and speed. But the M7 has a remote that is activated by a simple press of the power button to get going. The remote is very simple with just five buttons to control where the M7 goes.

Getting a feel for the M7 takes no time at all and by the time you drive it from your car to the 1st tee you will be in complete, and confident, control of the cart. You simply press the “+” button to start moving forward and the cart takes off gently without any rattling of your clubs, and you can press that same button again to increase the speed. The cart will go from a slow crawl, for bumpy or tight areas, too, as fast as I could run with just a few presses of the button. The big red “stop” button in the center stops the cart immediately, and when stopped it is locked in place, even on steep hills. You don’t have to worry about remembering to set the brakes or anything because it is done automatically.

Steering is just as easy: simply press the right or left button to turn the cart. Small, quick presses will just slightly adjust the cart as it moves down the fairway while a long hold of the button can make it turn on a dime to the right or left.

Almost everyone asked me how stable the cart was and if it would tip over. I can proudly say that it has stayed upright even on some unseen bumps at maximum speed. Side hills, ruts, and even curbs are handled with ease with the help of the small rear wheel.

I really enjoy strolling down the fairway with nothing but the M7’s remote in my hand — it just makes golfing more fun!

Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC

After using the M7 and its fancy remote, I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t like not having it. But to be honest the M5 was just as fun to use, but for a different reason.

As the name suggests, the M5 has a built-in GPS with 40,000 courses preloaded into it. The screen is a good size, pretty responsive to the touch, and easy to read in direct sunlight. Having the GPS directly on the cart is great, you drive up to your ball and immediately have yardage to the front, back, and center of the green as well as bunkers and hazards. You can easily toggle between screens on the GPS and it offers a couple of different views to help navigate the hole. The M5 can also keep score and let you know shot distances right on the screen. Motocaddy even includes nice little touches like a screen protecter kit to ensure durability.

Driving the M5 is just as easy as the M7 with using the dial on the handle. And speaking of the handle, the grips have a great tacky rubber that grips well even in hot and humid conditions. To start the M5 you just press the dial down and the cart will gently start down the fairway. You can turn the dial to increase or decrease the speed — I found between 5-6 to be the most comfortable for me. But the speed can go up to a very fast pace if you are looking to set a record for fastest round of the day.

As you walk down the fairway, or rough, stopping the cart is as simple as pressing he dial again. When stopped the M5 engages a parking brake automatically so you don’t have to worry about it running down a hill without your approval. The M5 has tons of power to go up just about any hill and the Down Hill Control (DHC) keeps the speed consistent even when going down a steep decent.

Since the M5 has so much power, and it is a little heavy, I thought steering would be a little bit of a challenge. It wasn’t, at all. Guiding the M5 took very little effort and slight adjustments going down the fairway were very easy. Really tight turns took a slight bit more effort as the torque can want to go forward a little more than turn. Again, once you get the M5 from the car to the first tee, you will be a master at driving it.

Overall, Motocaddy has created two great carts that provide additional enjoyment to walking your favorite 9 or 18. Having the ability to walk without carrying or pushing your bag, clubs, and whatever else goes with you. I like them so much that it is going to be hard to get the M7’s remote out of my hands when I go play!

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Crossrope weighted jump rope & app

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An 18-hole round of golf averages out to just under five miles of walking, which on its own is a good workout. Once you throw in some potential uphill trekking you get some serious cardio too, but if you all looking for a quick workout between rounds of golf look no further than Crossrope.

Crossrope – The details

Crossrope is a system of the weighted jump rope that allows you to quickly switch the weight of the ropes you are using to boost your workout—they range from 1/4 lbs all the way up to 2 lbs depending on the kit you start out with. There is an accompanying app that helps you go through multiple workout routines and is available free, or you can upgrade to the entire library of workout routines along with more workout tracking options.

This is NOT your middle school jump rope

The handles are heavy duty and feature precision bearings to allow the rope to move smoothly around as you go through a routine. They are also ergonomic and fit into your hand naturally, which making gripping easy, something that is really nice when you’re swinging a 2 lbs coated steel cable around. The handles also come with a fast clip system to make changing cables depending on your selected workout easier too.

The ropes themselves are made from braided steel and are almost impossible to tangle, allowing them to be easily transported and stored when not in use. All in you are getting a premium piece of workout equipment that is effective and easy to store—hard to same the same thing about a treadmill.

When it comes to a workout, skipping rope is one of the most effective cardio workouts you can do, and with Crossrope, you can get both cardio and low impact weight training when using the heaviest ropes, and follow along with the guided workouts.

As someone that hadn’t used a jump rope in over a decade, starting out lighter was a nice way to ease in before moving up, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy and fun some of the workouts in the app were. If you are looking for a fun way to add something to your workouts, or you just want to try something new to get you into golf course walking shape, this could be right up your alley. To learn more check out crossrope.com

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