Best Sunglasses For Golf

There’s nothing better than a round of golf on a beautiful sunny day – but you do need your sunglasses for golf! The problem is, with standard sunglasses, you’ll find you have to remove them to get the best view for your shot. If you’re constantly taking off your sunglasses, why wear them in the first place?

This is why you can now buy sunglasses designed for outdoor sports, with lenses that are specially made for the needs of a golfer. Good sunglasses for golf will protect you and enable you to better see the terrain of the golf course and the golf ball (both in flight and once it’s landed).

The question is: which pair is right for you? There are many to choose from, with top brands getting in on the act too, so we’ve had a look at some of the best. Let’s get down to business.

The 6 Best Golf Sunglasses of 2022

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Costa Del Mar Men’s Saltbreak Sunglasses

Golf Sunglasses Evaluation:
Costa Del Mar Men’s Saltbreak

Lens Material	Polycarbonate
Replaceable Lenses	Yes
Lens Color Options	6 options
Polarized Lenses	Yes
Lens Anti-Reflection Coating	Available
UV Protection	Yes
Frame Style	Wrap-Around Rectangular
Frame Material	“Bio-based Nylon” 👍
Weight	“Lightweight all day wear-ability”
Frame Colors	5 options
Price	Higher than average
Manufacturer/Brand/Seller Reputation	Excellent
Customer Reviews	Excellent

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Epoch Eyewear Brodie (Epoch 1) Golf Sport Sunglasses

Golf Sunglasses Evaluation:
Epoch Eyewear Brodie (Epoch 1)

Lens Material	Polycarbonate
Replaceable Lenses	No
Lens Color Options	3 options
Polarized Lenses	Optional
Lens Anti-Reflection Coating	Optional
UV Protection	Yes
Frame Style	Sport
Frame Material	Polycarbonate
Weight	“Lightweight”
Frame Colors	4 options
Price	Very Affordable
Manufacturer/Brand/Seller Reputation	Good
Customer Reviews	Good

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Costa Del Mar Men’s Blackfin Sunglasses

Golf Sunglasses Evaluation:
Costa Del Mar Blackfins

Lens Material	Polycarbonate or Glass
Replaceable Lenses	Yes
Lens Color Options	4 options
Polarized Lenses	Yes
Lens Anti-Reflection Coating	No
UV Protection	Yes
Frame Style	Square/Sport
Frame Material	“Bio-based Nylon” 👍
Weight	“Lightweight all day wear-ability”
Frame Colors	3 options
Price	Below Average
Manufacturer/Brand/Seller Reputation	Excellent
Customer Reviews	Excellent

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Oakley Men’s Valve Sunglasses

Golf Sunglasses Evaluation:
Oakley Valve Sunglasses

Lens Material	Plastic
Replaceable Lenses	No
Lens Color Options	5 options
Polarized Lenses	Yes
Lens Anti-Reflection Coating	No
UV Protection	Yes
Frame Style	Square/Sport
Frame Material	Plastic
Weight	“Lightweight”
Frame Colors	6 options
Price	Below Average
Manufacturer/Brand/Seller Reputation	Excellent
Customer Reviews	Excellent

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Maui Jim Banyans

Golf Sunglasses Evaluation:
Maui Jim Banyans

Lens Material	Polycarbonate and Glass Composite
Replaceable Lenses	Yes (By Mfg’er)
Lens Color Options	3 options
Polarized Lenses	Yes
Lens Anti-Reflection Coating	No
UV Protection	Yes
Frame Style	Semi-Rimless
Frame Material	Grilamid
Weight	“Lightweight”
Frame Colors	3 options
Price	High
Manufacturer/Brand/Seller Reputation	Excellent
Customer Reviews	Excellent

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Maui Jim Barrier Reef Sunglasses

Golf Sunglasses Evaluation:
Maui Jim Barrier Reef Sunglasses

Lens Material	SuperThin Glass
Replaceable Lenses	Yes
Lens Color Options	1 option
Polarized Lenses	Yes
Lens Anti-Reflection Coating	No
UV Protection	Yes
Frame Style	Wrap-Around Rectangular
Frame Material	Nylon
Weight	“Lightweight”
Frame Colors	1 option
Price	High
Manufacturer/Brand/Seller Reputation	Excellent
Customer Reviews	Excellent

Our Picks

It’s not for us to pick the sunglasses that you will prefer as there is so much in the way of personal choice here, so what we’ve done is chosen three that we think stand out in one of a trio of ‘classes’: Premium, Mid-Range, and Budget, so here goes!

Premium Pick – Maui Jim Barrier Reef Sunglasses

Probably the best outdoor sports sunglasses out there, you’ll pay the price but you get everything you need and won’t ever have to upgrade – you’re already on the top rung of the ladder with these. Checkout the specification and remember that this is a brand par-excellence. Truly top quality sunglasses, but at a price.

The Popular Pick – Oakley Men’s Valve Sunglasses

There is absolutely nothing wrong with these sunglasses at all, and we are surprised that such a well-known brand pitches in at a surprisingly reasonable price. Perhaps a few will be put off by their youthful look, but they are stylish, neat and great quality sunglasses.

Budget Pick – Epoch 1/Brodie

If you shop around you can find this pair of very impressive golf sunglasses for less than $20 – list price is much higher – so get out there now and buy them while they’re at what is a simply amazing price for quality golfing sunglasses.

Golf Sunglasses Buying Guide: How to Choose (2022 Update)

Buying golf sunglasses is about getting the right pair to help your game. You probably also want to look good, but mostly it’s about wearing a pair of sunglasses that allows you to play without interference to your vision and perception. Here’s what you need to consider:

The Lenses

Lenses are, of course, among the primary considerations when buying golf sunglasses (or any sunglasses, for that matter) but there are many factors regarding the lens that you need to look at in detail. Let’s run through them:

LENS MATERIAL

For playing golf, you want a lens that is strong, scratch resistant, and lightweight while still allowing for clear vision.

The most common lens materials are glass and polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate is an excellent option as it is strong (resists breaks and cracks), scratch resistant, and lightweight.

Glass is also good (as long as it has some kind of scratch resistant coating), but it will tend to be heavier.

REPLACEABLE LENSES

The very best golf sunglasses will come with lenses that can easily be interchanged, and will be supplied with a few different options. This is because different colors, tints and coatings help in different situations and light.

LENS COLOR

Green and grey: these are colors for bright sunny days, yet they are also very neutral. They will cut out the brightness, allow for great distance viewing, but won’t enhance contrast. Green will enhance color balance, however, so these are often worn on cloudy days.

Yellow: the color for depth perception, which it will enhance, but not often used as this is its only purpose – other than looking good!

Red: will distort colors but will also enhance red and yellow; great on the green, which is where many golfers choose to use them.

Amber to brown: by far the best color for golf are those that lie in the amber through to brown shades, as they help you track the ball in blue sky and on green. The most popular shades are in this area.

Polarization, Anti-Reflection, and UV Protection

What is Polarization?

Polarization is a lens manufacturing process. In this process, a special chemical is applied to the lens to create in a particular pattern on the lens. This pattern blocks certain types of light (glare and reflections) from reaching your eyes while still allowing you to see clearly!

Why is Polarization Important?

Clearer Vision: A reduction in glare means you will perceive a slight increase in contrast between the objects you view. Glare reduction also means you’re better able to see the real colors of any given scene.

Increased Comfort: Because glare and reflections are blocked from reaching your eyes, you won’t need to squint your brows or strain your eyes.

Anti-Reflective Coating

Anti-reflection (AR) coating is a layer or layers of ultra-thin reflective molecules, which, similar to polarization, helps reduce the amount of glare and reflection that you see. Additionally, AR coatings make your eye more visible to those looking at you.

AR and polarization sound like they do the same thing, right? So should you only choose one or the other? No. AR and polarization reduce glare and reflection in different ways, and work well together. In other words, we recommend getting sunglasses that have both!

UV Protection

It is extremely important to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays that are parts of sunlight. Why?

Prolonged exposure to UV rays can result in burns, and, over time, can increase your risk of skin cancer. If that’s not enough, repetitive UV exposure can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium, and keratitis.

Playing a round of golf can lead to 4 hours of UV light exposure to your eyes–so you’ve got to protect them!

So what should you look for in sunglasses to protect your eyes? UV Protection:

UV Protection: These are different kinds of material coatings–organic dyes and metallic oxide pigments–that prevent UV-A and UV-B from reaching your eyes. This might be the single most important feature to have in sunglasses for golf because it ensures your health and safety.

The Frame

There are a number of aspects of frames that need to be considered: the material they are made from, which influences the weight, is one, and the style of the sports sunglasses will also have an influence on you. Here are our thoughts:

• Style: do you want traditional-look rectangular frames, or are you a fan of the wrap-around designs that are very popular these days? The latter can add extra peripheral vision advantages, and do look good, so have a good look at each before you buy.
• Material: those on our list vary between types of plastic or polyamide, and metal mix frames. The latter tend to be less versatile – if often better looking – but are still a selling point for some, while the polyamide frames can be very light indeed, which is a major bonus.
• Weight: see above; you want to wear glasses that you barely know are there, and most of these fit that bill.
• Color: a fashion choice, and nothing more, but there are some excellent colors around that will make you stand out if that’s what you want! For shrinking wallflowers, black or grey are the most popular.

You also want to consider the fit – these glasses should be a tight yet comfortable fit that will not slip when you are walking around – and also the adjustability for comfort, especially around the nose pads.

The Price

Price, and what you get for that price, is an extremely important consideration. We track hundreds of sunglasses designed for sports, with prices ranging from less than $10 to more than $300, with an average of $125. Prices can be confusing and nonsensical.

Are you paying for the material, labor, and logistics? The quality? Or just the brand name? In reality, probably a mix of all three! At the end of the day, you just want to make sure you’re getting good value for your hard earned money.

Just make sure that you adjust your expectations based on the price you’re paying. You should not expect the same level of quality from a $10 pair of sunglasses as you do from a $300 pair.

Keep in mind, we only recommend sunglasses for the purposes of golfing, and we only recommend those sunglasses that we believe deliver great value for the price!

The Brand/Manufacturer and the Seller

As online shopping continues its unstoppable rise, the number of fly-by-night brands and counterfeit products have also soared. So, understanding who is making your sunglasses and who is selling them is more important than ever!

Keep in mind, the manufacturer and the seller of your sunglasses are often not the same company. You need to make sure you trust both (if they are, in fact, different).

So, how do you ensure you avoid scams, untrustworthy manufacturers, and counterfeit products? Make sure to check out who is making and selling your sunglasses by checking the following:

• WEBSITE Is there an independent website for the company? Not just a profile on Amazon, but a real, reputable, professional looking website. Does the website list an address in your country?
• CONTACT INFORMATION: Can you easily locate contact information for the company’s customer service department? Phone number and email address?
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Does the company have a presence on social media? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap, and/or TikTok? Not all legitimate companies do, but its fairly common these days.
• LOCATION: Does the company have a physical presence in your country? If you look up that location on Google Maps, does it look like a factory or warehouse?
  • This is a very important consideration for sellers, particularly on Amazon. Most of the counterfeit products found on Amazon are from China, so check to see if the seller is located there. Remember, just because you’re buying on Amazon, doesn’t mean the actual seller is Amazon!
• REPUTATION: Have you ever heard of the company? If not, its not the end of the world, but most people have heard of brands like Oakley, Under Armour, and Nike.
  • Here are some reputable sunglasses manufacturers:
    • Oakley
    • Costa Del Mar
    • Nike
    • Under Armour
    • Ray-Ban
    • Callaway
    • Maui Jim
    • Columbia
    • adidas
    • Revo
    • Hurley
    • Epoch Eyewear

If you answer “no” to more than one of the questions above, proceed with caution.

Customer Reviews

Make sure the sunglasses are well reviewed and that there are many reviews. Read a small sample of customer reviews to see if there are any common problems. If quality issues come up consistently, this should be a red flag.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best sunglasses for playing golf?

The award goes to the Maui Jim Barrier Reef Sunglasses, they’ve been so well received throughout the community, they’re durable and tailored for athletes by one of the best eyewear company’s around. While fairly expensive, they’re worth every penny.

Are polarized lenses good for golf?

Yes, polarized lenses are great for golf, they’re designed to remove any potential glare as the sun reflects off the fairway or other surfaces. The only drawback is when it comes to green reading, it’s recommended you take them off before you putt, polarized lenses have the potential to interfere with your perception of depth. The general rule of thumb would be to remove them around the greens.

Should you wear sunglasses when playing golf?

It’s down to personal preference, the majority of pro’s don’t wear them simply because they’re used to playing without them and it could have detrimental affect on their game. However, for amateurs, since you’re playing for fun, not huge prize money, if the sun is causing you an issue then it would definitely be worthwhile grabbing a pair of golf sunglasses and judging for yourself.

Why don’t professional golfers wear sunglasses?

It’s true, many pros don’t wear sunglasses while playing because they think they detract from their golf game. Their thinking goes, sunglasses decrease contrast and hinder depth perception. They consider having sharp vision to be better than dealing with bright sunlight during a golfer’s swing.

This is all well and good for people who are competing for large sums of money professionally. For the rest of us, sunglasses should be worn during golf. It’s a matter of health and safety. They help us avoid sunburns, and, over the long term, decrease our risk of skin cancer, cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium, and keratitis.

What kind of sunglasses are best for golf?

The best sunglasses for golf have:

• Lenses that are
  • Polarized
  • Coated with Anti-Reflection material
  • Polycarbonate material
  • UV-B and UV-A protective
• Frames that are
  • Polycarbonate or Plastic material
  • Lightweight
• Made by a reputable manufacturer
• Have excellent customer reviews and ratings

We believe the best sunglasses for golf are the Maui Jim Barrier Reef Sunglasses.

Our Final Thoughts

Sunglasses for golf are about getting the right level of protection without interfering with vision. The 10 designs we have listed are, of course, just a few of the best-selling models on the market, but they do represent those we reckon give you a good idea of what is available and help you on the golf course.

Have another look and check out the specifications, and get your golf game back on track with a great pair of quality sunglasses for golf.