Aaron Rai stands out from the crowd on the golf course, and it’s not just because of his brilliant play.
The English golfer is one of just a handful of professionals who wears two gloves while competing – a habit that began when he was just eight years old.
“I just happened to be given these two gloves the guy who actually makes them sent a pair over and I got into the habit of wearing them,” Rai explains.
The gloves in question are MacWet Climatec Wet Weather models, and Rai simply can’t play without them now.
Aaron Rai has been wearing two gloves since a child
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When his father once forgot to pack both gloves, the results were disastrous.
“It was terrible. I couldn’t play, I couldn’t feel the grip, so I’ve always stuck with the two gloves ever since,” he says.
But the gloves aren’t the only thing that makes Rai unique – he also uses iron headcovers, which plenty of golfers would scoff at.
There’s a touching reason behind this practice, though.
It all started when Rai was just four, with his father paying for all his equipment despite money being tight.
“He’d always buy me the best clubs,” Rai recalls.
His dad would carefully clean every groove with a pin and baby oil after practice sessions, then protect the clubs with covers.
The 28-year-old has kept iron covers on every set since, simply to appreciate the value of what he has.
Aaron Rai also uses iron headcovers to appreciate what he has
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Rai’s equipment choices don’t stop there, either.
He’s still swinging a TaylorMade M6 driver, which first hit shelves back at the start of 2019 – ancient by professional golf standards.
And here’s something you’d normally spot at your local club rather than on tour: Rai tees up his ball using an orange castle tee.
It’s the kind of thing weekend golfers use, yet this PGA Tour winner wouldn’t have it any other way.
These quirks have made Rai quite the character in professional golf, but don’t let the unusual habits fool you – he’s got the game to back it up.
The meticulous Englishman has claimed two victories on the DP World Tour and secured his maiden PGA Tour title at the Wyndham Championship with a stunning final round 64.
Aaron Rai’s methods are unconventional – but seem to be doing the business for him
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It turns out you can wear two gloves, protect your irons like treasures, and still compete at the highest level.
Rai’s approach proves that success in golf doesn’t require following convention – sometimes the most distinctive players are the ones who stick to what works for them.
