Surely it has happened to you on some occasion: the sun blinds your eyes, preventing you from seeing the field well, blinding you at the exact moment when you are about to make the shot of your life.
Sometimes it becomes so annoying that it makes your eyes start to itch and even bring tears to your eyes. But should i wear sunglasses when golfing?
Despite how uncomfortable, annoying and even dangerous this situation can be, the truth is that sunglasses are still considered by many as a dispensable accessory, of little importance, even as a whim. And the truth is that they are none of these things.
The use of sunglasses in golf is often totally necessary, to such an extent that they are the only way to guarantee that our game will be correct.
That is why we wanted to dedicate this special article to sunglasses, those great forgotten accessories.
Should I wear sunglasses when golfing?
No, do not think that this is an exaggeration, the eyes act in the development of the swing with the same importance as our legs, our arms or even our hands.
And it is through our eyes that we can perceive more than 80 percent of the messages from our senses. Can you imagine having to do without all this information to make your shots?
Of course, if you were even able to hit the ball, you would be a hero. Well, playing on a sunny day, the sun can affect our sight in such a way that it blinds us completely, forcing us to act without that 80% of necessary information. And that can only be solved with the use of proper sunglasses.
In any sporting activity, and golf is no exception, precise visual perception is required: alignment, green analysis and distance calculation are skills related to sight, and sight influences the game to such an extent that it has been proven that visual fatigue can even affect a golfer’s ability to concentrate.
But the use of sunglasses is not only necessary for the game, but it is also essential to safeguard our visual health. It has been proven that exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays causes golfers who play often to suffer from cortical cataracts. In addition, the use of sunglasses will protect the skin around the eyes (extremely sensitive).
Just take a brief look at the professional circuits and we can see how more and more professional players opt for the use of this complement and that is undoubtedly because they get great advantages. Undoubtedly, impaired vision will always reduce the golfer’s performance.
Advantages and disadvantages of wearing sunglasses when golfing
The advantages of wearing sunglasses have already been mentioned and we consider that they are sufficiently important not to overlook them: the care of visual health and the need to have a correct visual perception for the proper development of the game.
In addition to these, there are other advantages that are worth knowing about:
- Protection of the eyes against dust and pollen, carried by the wind, which can cause serious complications.
- Reduction of eye dryness problems, which will worsen on windy days.
These two points make us consider that the use of glasses is not only necessary on sunny days.
As for the disadvantages, there is only one drawback that could be mentioned: the possible discomfort that comes with the use of glasses during the game.
Indeed, there are many players who are not used to wearing glasses and their use can be uncomfortable because they can slip with sweat, they can be heavy and they can be annoying.
Of course, nothing that cannot be solved with a correct choice of glasses and with habit; if you choose glasses that fit you correctly, with a light frame, in a short time you will not even notice that you are wearing them.
How to choose golf sunglasses
If we want to get the best out of our sunglasses, we will need to make the right choice.
Just as the clubs should be as adapted to our game as possible, the sunglasses should be adapted to our needs and characteristics if we intend to spend long hours of play with them.
When choosing your sunglasses, bear in mind the following points:
The color of the lenses
No doubt you will be surprised to see in the market how the same model of glasses is marketed in multiple tones like yellow, gray, blue. But what advantages does each of them offer and how do I know which one I need?
Keep in mind that some colors, especially the lighter ones, block the blue end of the light spectrum, so some colors produce the sensation of seeing more clearly, as if you were wearing glasses with a prescription.
In addition, lenses of different shades can enhance the player’s ability to distinguish the contrasts of objects on a background.
It goes without saying that dark colors are the most suitable against visual fatigue, since they greatly reduce glare.
Taking all this into account and in order not to make a mistake in your choice, you should know about the different colors:
- Yellow: absorbs 14% of visible light transmission (TLV). They are optimal for somewhat cloudy days, since on sunny days they may force us to squint to avoid glare.
- Red: absorbs 50% of TLV. Also suitable for cloudy days.
- Cinnamon: absorbs 54%. Undoubtedly a favorite among golfers.
- Citrus: absorbs 65%. Optimal on sunny days.
- Gray: absorbs 75%. For cloudy days. In case it is very dark, it can reduce visibility.
It goes without saying that the final choice will depend on the tastes of each individual, as well as his or her visual sensitivity, age, the conditions in which he or she normally plays and the characteristics of the field where he or she plays (bear in mind that if there are many lakes, they reflect the sun enormously, generating dazzling effects).
Manufacturing material
The current obsession of manufacturers is focused on the search for new materials that improve the performance of their eyewear.
We can now choose unbreakable, scratch-resistant and even interchangeable lenses, which offer the possibility of choosing the color depending on the specific characteristics of the day and the place.
Choice of the frame
You should demand two qualities in your frame: light and resistant. This will allow you to wear your glasses comfortably, without hardly noticing that you are wearing them, and you will not have to be constantly on the lookout for them falling off.
Size
Of course the size of the glasses is a matter of taste and what “fits” us best aesthetically speaking, since the glasses should always adapt to the shape of our face.
But it is still important to bear in mind that the glasses must avoid shadows, which are very uncomfortable for a correct perception of the terrain, and at the same time they must not limit the field of vision.
Protection against UVA rays
Although nowadays practically all models include this protection, it is worth checking that this is the case and that it is guaranteed.
Of course, in addition to all these points, important issues such as the available budget and the personal tastes of each player must be taken into account.
The market offers a multitude of options in both directions, both in terms of price and design, so finding the ?ideal? glasses will be relatively easy.
