The best sunglasses for golf
Golf is a visually challenging game in the sense that it requires a golfer, whether experienced or amateur, to have high quality vision. Due to the fact that it is an outdoor sport, a lot of conditions like different lighting, course distances, backgrounds and wind can impact the performance of a golfer. To play the game skilfully, a golfer needs to concentrate on three significant things which are quality of vision, visual skill and the right sunglasses.
The right sunglasses for golf need to have a combination of functionality, durability and protection from harmful UV rays and glare. It is very essential that you play with a pair of sunglasses that are made for golf. If the sunglasses are not made for golf, they could have rims that will block your vision and also make it harder to maintain the proper depth perception when playing.
Are polarized sunglasses good for golf?
Generally speaking, yes, polarized lenses are good for your golf game. The lenses in polarized sunglasses are made with a special filter that blocks the glare and improves visibility. So, polarized lenses can be a great choice for golf because they have the capacity to cut out the glare completely when sunlight is reflected off horizontal surfaces.
However, there are many who are of the opinion that polarized lenses can make it difficult to read the greens in the golf course. This is because of its anti-glare property. Golfers use the shine that comes off the green to figure out the lay of the grain. When polarized sunglasses get rid of glare, the sheen off the green makes it harder to read.
Also, glare is not that much of an issue in golf. Direct sunlight affects golfers more. Unless you frequently find yourself stuck by the water or sand traps, even on very bright days, you aren’t going to need polarized lenses to deal with nagging glare.
Another con of polarized lenses is that it can distort vision. Some people have claimed that it can affect depth perception, change the way you track the ball and induce eye strain when you’re tilting your head back and forth.
Overall, polarized sunglasses are worn specifically to reduce the effects of glare. They are particularly useful in an environment where high glare is inevitable such as on a wide stretch of water or when taking part in snow-based sports. So, as it is unlikely that many people will experience levels of glare on a golf course, polarized lenses are not really necessary.
The right sunglasses for golf
The perfect golf sunglasses, as mentioned earlier, will help protect a golfer’s eyes from harmful UV rays as well as aid performance on the golf course. The time of the day that you are most susceptible to UV rays is during the hours of 10am-4pm which are the prime golfing hours. This translates to the fact that bright, direct sunlight can be a big issue for you when playing. Therefore, it is very essential to wear good quality UV400 rated sunglasses that will eliminate solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and the damaging UVB radiation.
Having established the importance of UV protection, good golf sunglasses have both a polarized layer and a UV 400 layer within the lens. Using sunglasses that are both UV-protected and polarized give you the greatest chance of shielding your eyes against cataract damage or other vision impairments, while at the same time reduces the amount of sun glare (if any) that penetrates the lenses.
