Sunglasses are important even if you don’t feel like you need them. Maybe when you’re out in the sun you don’t deal with pain, discomfort or irritation, but that doesn’t mean that your eyes aren’t getting damaged.
You should think about it in a similar fashion to how you think about wearing sunscreen even if your skin isn’t all that susceptible to being burned. Though evidence of the damage may not be obvious, exposure to UV rays will have an effect if you aren’t protected.
And the same applies to your eyes. If you play golf, you should give this some serious consideration. You are spending hours and hours at a time out in the sun and probably focusing a lot more on your game than you are on keeping yourself safe.
I understand that completely because the truth is, a lot of people are unaware of the potential dangers. But allowing your eyes prolonged exposure to UV rays can lead to a variety of conditions, including photokeratitis and pterygium.
These aren’t massively serious but they can be painful and can hurt your performance. On the more dangerous side, you could increase your likelihood of macular degeneration and your eyelids are also a very common place for skin cancer.
So while sunglasses on the golf course are important for preserving your eye health, they are also good for making you a better player. The sun can definitely get in the way of your performance, but a good pair of sunglasses can mitigate that effect.
Especially nowadays, there has been a lot of research and technological advancement in terms of performance-enhancing golf sunglasses. Let’s examine some things to look out for when making your decision:
Colour
You will often hear this described as ‘tint’ when you’re in the market for a pair of golf sunglasses and there are different benefits to the different tints available. So what can you expect from some of the more common tints?
If you get a brown tinted pair, you can expect much better contrast. This is very important because regular sunglasses tend to get in the way of your ability to see distinct colours, and that can prevent you from picking up on nuances in your field of vision.
Brown is neutral, and will ensure that contrast is improved both on the grass and in the sky so you can track your ball against both of those backdrops. Amber sunglasses will do a similar job.
But amber is more helpful in low light and is the best choice if you regularly play in overcast conditions. Just to be clear, if it’s summer and you are spending a lot of time on the course, you still need to wear sunglasses even if it’s overcast. Clouds won’t stop UV rays.
And then there is rose copper which might be the most popular tint. It looks great, and it will make red and yellow hues pop in your vision. This means that you can see the contours of a green very easily.
Comfort
Playing at the top of your game will require more than just being able to see, you will also need to feel comfortable while you’re out there. And there are definitely a few important things to think about outside of the tint.
First of all, you should consider glare reduction. Sometimes that becomes less of a priority for manufacturers who will instead put their focus on improving technical aspects such as the contrast.
The standard function of sunglasses can get lost in that. That’s fine for some people and you will still be protected, but if you’re generally sensitive to glare you should look for sunglasses that have concentrated glare reduction.
You should also think about things like adjustable nose and ear pieces so that you can adapt them specifically to your comfort. You can also get vented lenses which will whisk away sweat if you are prone to a lot of perspiration.
You should be thorough in your research before investing in a pair, and when you have your sunglasses, be sure to practice ahead of time and make sure they do the job.
I would suggest practicing at home with a golf simulator while wearing the glasses. This should help you to know whether or not they are still comfortable to wear while you are actively playing.
Price
If you are willing to spend more money, the likelihood is that you will end up with a better result. It all comes down to what you can actually afford, but if you are able to pay a little bit more it should be worth it.
When it comes to the brands to look out for, Oakley is one which will generally be at the top of the list. A well-respected name which specializes in the most advanced technology for sunglasses.
While they are reliable, Oakley can be pricey. If you find they’re too expensive you can also look into Nike, Adidas or Under Armour, all of whom are also notorious for strong products.
What you should be looking for here is a good blend of protection and performance. And as we said before, because there is so much research and advanced technology in this field now, you have a lot of options for high-quality golf sunglasses.
