Do Pool Gloves Help? Why Some Pros Use Them And Others Don’t


girl playing pool

Have you ever seen a pool player wearing gloves and wondered what they’re for? Pool gloves are popular among professional players, but do they actually work? Let’s find out why some pros use gloves, and others don’t right now! 

Pool gloves help reduce friction between the bridge hand and the cue stick. Many players wear them in order to keep the stick moving quickly and smoothly through the bridge hand; however, others don’t like to play in gloves as they think the cue moves too quickly for control. 

Keep reading if you want to understand all the pros and cons of using gloves while playing pool. We’ll talk about how they can help your game but also how they can be detrimental so you can decide if gloves are a good choice for your game! 

Pros of Pool Gloves

Here’s the thing, pool gloves can definitely help your game. In fact, there are a lot of advantages to wearing pool gloves when you play. 

  • Reduces friction between the bridge hand and the cue stick. 
  • Protects the stick against sweaty hands. 
  • Improves control and consistency.
  • Provides a smoother stroke. 

The basic idea of pool gloves is that they ensure a smooth and consistent shot every time. They can improve your game because no matter what stick you’re playing with, smooth or flawed, the stick will run fluidly across the glove. 

Now, before you go out and buy a pair of pool gloves, you should also know that some players actually find gloves detrimental to their game. 

Cons of Pool Gloves

So, now let’s talk about the downsides of wearing gloves when you play pool. 

  • Decreases control as the glove makes the cue stick move too fast. 
  • Uncomfortable feeling. 
  • Restricts movement.

The bottom line is that pool gloves are beloved by some players and annoying to others. The many pros and cons of wearing gloves really depend on the player!

Why Do Some Professionals Use Them & Others Don’t?

Of course, now you understand what pool gloves can do and the many advantages and downsides of wearing them. 

So hopefully, you already know why some professionals wear them, and others don’t! 

But, essentially, those players who have sweaty hands or feel more control with gloves like to wear them, whereas those who feel it makes the cue stick move too quickly and, therefore, lose control don’t choose to use them. 

Who Should Wear Pool Gloves?

If you are a professional pool player, the chances are you have already tried to play with a glove and know whether they improve or impede your game. 

However, if you are an amateur player and want to know if a glove will work for you, there are a few things you should understand. 

New pool players or those trying to improve their game to get past the level of playing as a hobby and into the amateur division should at least try using a pool glove to see how it affects your game. 

It could make a huge difference and step up your game to the next level! But remember, it will change the way you shoot, so you should definitely practice with it before using it in a game.

Do Pool Gloves Help?

Let’s circle back to our original question: Do pool gloves help? The answer is yes; pool gloves can absolutely help, as long as you like how they feel! 

Realistically, whether or not pool gloves will help you specifically depends on whether or not the glove feels good on your hand. 

If your hands get extremely sweaty and you feel you are losing control of the stick, a pool glove can certainly help with your game. 

Final Thoughts

As promised, you now know everything there is to know about pool gloves! Including the many pros and cons, why some professionals wear them, and others don’t, and whether or not you should use them when you play! 

Here’s what you need to remember: Pool gloves can help a player’s game to improve control and consistency; however, some players feel as though the glove makes it trickier as the stick moves too quickly over the material. 

If you want to improve your game, go ahead and give a glove a try. It just may make all the difference! But if you don’t like the way it feels, you’re not alone. Tons of professionals skip the glove as they prefer to feel the stick on their hands. 

Benny

Benny is the owner of Supreme Billiards and has been shooting pool and teaching people how to shoot pool for a few years now. He enjoys showing new players techniques and drills to improve their pool game.

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