I do some leather grips when rebuilding persimmon and hickories. I purchase strips....cowhide (cheaper) or buffalo (more expensive but longer lasting). Getting the size correct is an interesting situation.
The reason golf went away from leather was cost and labor just like everything in golf equipment. It's taken the craftsmanship out of golf equipment. Least common denominator. The old timers never used golf gloves. Show me a pic of Hagen, Jones or Sarazen with a glove glove on. Even Nelson and Hogan didn't use glove gloves. I think Snead was the first pro that I can remember using a golf glove. I also think this is one of the reasons you see such individual swings from various old players was the grips and shafts they used.
Early 50's was the time that rubber golf grips came to be.