Most experts agree that wearing sunglasses is important for golf players, emphasizing the need for human eyes to be protected from direct sunlight whenever possible.
However, more and more golfers are starting to realize that eyewear can also improve the overall golfing experience, allowing players to see better and further, make clear distinctions between an otherwise endless sea of green, improve contrast, and even brighten up a cloudy day.
Today we’ll talk about the importance and benefits of golfing eyewear. Let’s go!
Eyewear & Hand-Eye coordination
Simply put, there’s a direct link between having a firm, strong grip, taking an accurate shot, and hitting the mark at whim. The hand-eye coordination is key to most sports, golfing included; if the eyes aren’t properly shielded, the hands will struggle to execute given commands, and vice versa.
Many golfers tried to regrip their club countless times, thinking that their shaking hands are a byproduct of slippery grips. In most cases of golfers not wearing protective eyewear, their visual-spatial perception was hindered by sunlight, ‘misguiding’ their hands.
By protecting your eyesight, you are allowing your eyes to smoothly receive (and perceive) visual information, as well as allowing them to transmit it to your hands. Intermediate-level players and professionals rarely even think about orchestrating their hand and eye movements into a fluent piece.
The hand-eye coordination is absolutely crucial for golf players, as it is an ability that you will need to rely on instinctively from the beginning until the very end.
Eyewear and UV Rays protection
One of the most notable benefits of using golfing eyewear is the protection it can offer against ultra-violet rays. Essentially, not all UV rays are lethal and exceptionally dangerous, but on the flip side, not all eyewear products are capable of offering adequate protection.
In a nutshell, Ultra-violet rays can be grouped into three categories, including UVA, UVB, and UVC. Ultra-violet A (UVA) rays have the longest wavelength; they are most common and least harmful to humans, and we all experience them whenever we go out in sunny days.
Ultra-violet B rays (UVB) have a shorter wavelength and they can cause skin burns. Some studies have shown that these rays can cause cancer at high intensities and when people are exposed to them for remarkably long periods of time. Protection against UVB rays is needed for golf players, as they typically spend many hours on the field, often even staring directly at the sun.
Ultra-violet C rays (UVC) have the shortest wavelength and are potentially lethal. Fortunately, they are blocked by the ozone layer; it’s debatable whether they can even theoretically reach the ground. We can still experience UVC rays through man-made devices (for example, arc welding).
It is recommended for all golf players to find appropriate eyewear that can block UVA and UVB rays while protection against UVC rays is typically unnecessary.
Eyewear with different lens tints
Each color brings a different set of benefits. For example, brown-tinted lenses are known to dramatically improve contrast and consequentially green-reading. Most players agree that brown-tinted lenses are best-suited for golf, although amber-tinted eyewear is pretty close behind it.
Amber lets more light pass through; they provide a similar experience and benefits, although they work better in low-light ambients.
Copper-tinted sunglasses are somewhat of a middle child in the brownish spectrum, enhancing both contrast and green-reading while adapting to varying lighting conditions. Additionally, copper-tinted eyewear may improve your ability to read details and smaller objects at longer distances.
Most people avoid ‘invasive’ tints, which can be of any color as long as it is unnecessarily emphasized. Green-tinted sunglasses are also to be avoided, as they could hinder your vision and green reading (given that you will be surrounded by greens, to begin with). Many players have reported that they are too ‘dark’ for golf.
Fetch Eyewear™ is a brand many golfers, both rookies and professionals, have turned to for quality sunglasses. The brand offers an eclectic catalog of sunglasses of numerous tint colors, differently sized frames, and fairly approachable prices.
Jack Sun is one of the most sought-after models on the list, as its dark amber tint and robust frame are perfectly suited for golf. Sydney Sun, on another hand, is a slightly more versatile (and more expensive) model that comes available in five different colors. For players looking for a well-rounded pair of sunglasses, Tony Sun is non-invasive, comfortable, and offers a smooth experience.
Polarized Eyewear & Glare
Glare causes unnecessary pressure on your eyes, which can lead to a series of issues, from headaches, over dizziness, to ringing ears and throbbing pain. Polarizing sunglasses were designed to eliminate glare, which essentially means that you will be able to either completely evade these problems, or at the very least make them less impactful.