Golf has long had its own particular fashion, whether apparel, belts or shoes. And now the game is increasingly gravitating toward golf-specific eyewear.
Bubba Watson is one of Oakley’s PGA Tour endorsers. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)
For several years now, prescription sunglasses have been as much a staple of my golf game as balls and tees – not only shielding my eyes from the sun and glare, but helping avoid the dryness, dust and pollen issues that would constantly plague me on the course as a wearer of contacts.
When Oakley introduced its PRIZM lenses designed specifically for golf, I was among the first in line. Oakley might have been first, but other companies have followed with their own offerings designed to enhance golfers’ vision (and performance) on the course – whether or not you wear contacts.
Companies such as Under Armour, Nike, Peak Vision and ROKA also offer golf-specific sunglasses.
So why do golf lenses make a difference?
Visual definition is crucial on the course, particularly on the greens and also when course architects are trying to play tricks on your eyes with depth perception.
“There’s a lot of decision-making every shot,” says Wayne Chumbley, a vision performance lab manager at Oakley. “The question is: do I trust what I see? PRIZM for us is really an effort to allow you to see better and make some better decisions on the golf course.”
Oakley had contrast lenses for golf that predate PRIZM. The company, which sponsors PGA Tour players such as Bubba Watson and Hideki Matsuyama and was recently selected by the National Golf Foundation as one of the top 100 businesses in golf, in the early 2000’s offered a model called G30. Oakley started with sport-specific lenses for snow skiing and cycling before evolving to golf.
Oakley
The Oakley Targetline with PRIZM technology.
With product lines such as Flak and Targetline incorporating its PRIZM technology, Oakley is leveraging how golfers see the colors that are important on a golf course. A spike in blue light and a dip in green light enables golfers track a white ball over a horizon really well and better see transitions from fairway to green. “In order to do that, you need very specific dyes to control wavelengths,” says Chumbley, who has almost 20 years of experience in driving innovation in eyewear at Oakley. “That’s what really unique about the lens.” Oakley’s golf sunglasses range in price from $123 to $163. www.oakley.com
Under Armour Eyewear
Under Armour’s Tuned Golf lenses from Eyeking are available at PGA TOUR Superstores.
Under Armour continued to expand its reach across golf’s apparel and accessories market with the introduction this year of its UA Tuned Golf lenses from Eyeking. The sunglasses, available at PGA TOUR Superstores, feature light-filtering characteristics designed to provide the right level of contrast on the course, helping improve visual definition. The unique rose tint of the lens is supposed to help golfers better read greens, gauge depth, see terrain nuances and judge distances. The retail prices of the UA Tuned Golf lenses ranges from $74.99 to $149.99. underarmour.com
Nike Vision
Paul Casey sports the Nike Maverick sunglasses while winning the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship earlier this year.
Much like its efforts in apparel and footwear, Nike has merged modern style and innovative performance benefits in its 2018 golf sunglass collection. Nike this year unveiled five new ultra-lightweight styles with the brand’s course tint technology designed to not only block sunlight, but highlight form and enhance contours to help read greens and amplify the color of the golf ball. Golfers will also get innovative cushioning and ventilated rubber nose bridges to help reduce fogging when the course gets hot and steamy. Retail prices for the Nike Vision line ranges from $145 to $210. nikevision.com
Peakvision
Peakvision’s golf-centric GX5 sunglasses.
A company that’s partnered with Jack Nicklaus (and Nicklaus Eyewear) should make good sunglasses for golf and Peakvision delivers with the GX5, a full wrap-around sports design with adjustable nose pads. Peakvision CEO David Feaser says the GX5 lenses offer three times more visual information than the naked eye and exceptional clarity with the equivalency of crown glass. Peakvision’s dual zone lens technology manages oncoming glare while increasing contrast for no distortion on the putting green. The GX5 retails for $120. peakvision.com
ROKA
ROKA’s Kona line is designed to enhance the optical experience on and off the golf course.
A newer sports apparel and accessories brand with roots in endurance sports, ROKA debuted its eyewear collection in 2016. The company, which sent 18 of its athletes to the 2018 Summer Olympics and is the official swim sponsor of the U.S. Ironman Series, now has a line of ultralight sunglasses dedicated to golf. The nylon, titanium and alloy frames weigh less than an ounce and the ROKA’s patented Geko nose and temple pads ensure comfort and no slippage during the swing, even on the hottest days on the golf course. ROKA’s golf offerings range from $160 to $260. roka.com
RELATED CONTENT:
Mammoth Dunes: 20 Years After Bandon, David McLay Kidd Brings Fun Golf to Wisconsin Heartland
Brittany Lincicome Gets PGA Tour Invite, but has Nothing to Prove Against the Men
Let’s block ads! (Why?)
