by Catherine Marien

The majority of Pro golfers do not wear sunglasses. The reason is that they simply never have, and the best condition to get used to golfing with sunglasses is to start wearing them in your youth. Wearing sunglasses can distort depth perception and contrast, but is that enough of a reason to discard them altogether on the golf course ?

Of course, not. More and more recreational golfers and professional players of the new generation start wearing sunglasses to relieve their eyes from intense sunlight. An increasing number of alarming reports have made a connection between exposing eyes to sunlight and cataract and other degenerative eye diseases.

Here are a few key points to consider, if you decide to wear sunglasses on the golf course.

 

1. Polarization and nanometer rating

Choose polarized golf sunglasses with a high nanometer rating, which effectively block UV rays.

 

2. Frame

Your golf sunglasses should have an unbreakable and comfortable frame that perfectly fits your face so you won’t have to be distracted by continually adjusting them. Prefer frames that wrap well around your face so as to leave no room for wind, dust or debris to enter your eyes. A closely fitting frame would also prevent UV rays from entering the top or sides of the eyewear.

 

3. Lens Color

An excellent option for golfers are multiple interchangeable lenses (often offered in three or four different colors) that can be swapped out to adapt to your current golfing needs. Typically, these sun glass packages will include brown lenses for high glare conditions, grey lenses for general golfing conditions, yellow lenses for clarity when golfing in partly cloudy conditions, and clear lenses for times when you don’t need sun protection, but still wish to protect your eyes from wind and dirt on particularly windy golf courses.

As the sense of sight and especially depth perception, contrast and a full 180-degree are fundamental, golfers should choose sun glasses that do not limit their peripheral vision, depth perception, and reading of shadows.

 

4. Weight

Golf sunglasses should be lightweight as they are worn for quite some time during a round.

Further reading:
Newton on the tee