HIRZL Enters
Golf Glove Arena
BY JOHN STEINBREDER
As Gary Sheppard, the CEO of HIRZL North
America, sees it, golf gloves are much more
than player accessories.
“In reality, they are important pieces of
equipment,” he says, adding that his company,
which specializes in high-performance gloves
for sports like cycling and horseback riding,
boasts three lines for golfers.
One is known as TRUST Control, which is
designed for medium- to high-handicappers
and features a palm
made of kangaroo
leather. Sheppard
claims that mate-
rial is not only soft
and durable but
also pro-
vides three
times
more
grip
in dry
weather
conditions
over leading
golf glove
brands and five
times more when
things are wet, thanks
to a special tanning
process.
The HIRZL TRUST Feel is
designed for optimum feel.
The backhand of this product is made of a
combination of Cabretta leather and Airtech
mesh, and the glove can be hand washed. “It
will never dry up or crack,” he adds. “You can
wear it 50 times and never lose your grip.”
Headquartered in Switzerland with North
American operations based in Granbury, Tex.,
HIRZL also has the TRUST Feel, with a thinner
kangaroo leather palm designed to appeal to
better players looking for optimum feel. Shep-
pard says this offering has two times more
grip in dry weather conditions and four times
more in wet weather.
It, too, has a backhand made of Cabretta
leather and Airtech mesh, and can be washed
in cold water as well. Sheppard also points out
that the TRUST Control and TRUST Feel gloves
were used by more than 80 percent of the field
at last fall’s RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship, and claimed victories in five of the
seven divisions there.
Then, there is the SOFFFT Flex, made
mostly of Cabretta leather that goes through
72 separate manufacturing steps in an attempt to create superior fit and feel. Sheppard describes this as the ultimate tour player
performance glove, and adds that LPGA major
winner Anna Nordqvist wears one in competition. This product is machine washable, he
says, and is designed to be as long lasting as
the HIRZL models made of kangaroo. l
