When it comes to the best sunglasses for golf, you can become easily susceptible to choice-blindness. With so many brands offering a myriad of models, it can be challenging to make an affirmative choice.
Not only that, but how do you know what will be the best fit for your needs? Do you require greyscale lenses, or will a copper lens be more suitable? Half frame or full-frame?
Luckily here at Golferpros, we have not only reviewed what we consider to be the best options on the market, but also compiled a comprehensive buyers guide. Filtering down to the core features to consider when purchasing your next set of sunglasses.
Short on time? Heres a quick roundup of our top 3 picks and why you need them!
Product | Photo | Cost | Pros | |
*Best Overall |
| $$$ | The Oakley brand is renowned when it comes to sunglasses and they’re known for quality | |
*Runner Up |
| $$$ | An active fit for active people, the soft rubber nose and earpieces provide all-day comfort and excellent fit. | |
*Also Great |
| $$ | Designed for running, cycling, and hiking, the Tifosi Slip Sunglasses are also an excellent pick for golfers. |
Top 5 Best Sunglasses For Golf
1. Oakley Men’s Flak Jacket XLJ Sunglasses
Best brand with exceptional durability and comfort
Made in the United States, these sunglasses are so lightweight, it has been known to forget that you’re even wearing them, and their durability makes them the perfect choice for the modern athlete. The Flak Hacket XLJ’s are definitely worth some consideration by those keen golfers who are lucky enough to live in sunnier climates, as they afford a 100% UV protection coating.
Quick Summary
The Oakley brand is renowned when it comes to sunglasses and they’re known for quality; their Men’s Flak Hacket XLJ Sunglasses are no exception to this rule.
Made in the United States, these sunglasses are so lightweight, it has been known to forget that you’re even wearing them, and their durability makes them the perfect choice for the modern athlete.
They boast a design that fits extremely well to the shape of your face, reducing the likelihood of slippage, and they emphasize the color spectrum; ideal for the budding golfer as it allows them to easily make out their golf ball when in the rough, and the semi-rimless design means there’s no frame rim to block downward view.
The Flak Hacket XLJ’s are definitely worth some consideration by those keen golfers who are lucky enough to live in sunnier climates, as they afford a 100% UV protection coating.
The socks, nose pads and lenses are interchangeable, allowing the user a more customizable feel, and they even come with extra accessories.
WHAT WE LIKED
what we didn't like
2. JiMarti JM01 Sunglasses
Affordable but good quality!
The JM01 bendable TR90 memory frame is designed for sports and outdoor activities to weather whatever you put them through. The JiMarti JM01 Sunglasses ring in at a friendly $30 without compromising on quality, making them an excellent inexpensive choice.
Quick Summary
The JiMarti JM01 Sunglasses ring in at a friendly $30 without compromising on quality, making them an excellent inexpensive choice.
The JM01 bendable TR90 memory frame is designed for sports and outdoor activities to weather whatever you put them through.
An active fit for active people, the soft rubber nose and earpieces provide all-day comfort and excellent fit.
Additionally, the polycarbonate shatterproof reflective flash lens comes in 8 different colors, ranging from timeless greys and blacks to stand-out shades like cobalt blue and orange.
The green lenses are exceptional for dusk, morning, overcast conditions and for riding through areas of bright sun and shade.
The grey lenses are a little darker than the green and are nice and clear in the bright sunlight.
Although this range only comes in one size, the half-frame makes them flexible enough for all face shapes and sizes.
WHAT WE LIKED
what we didn't like
3. Tifosi Slip Sunglasses
Outstanding grip and design!
Designed for running, cycling, and hiking, the Tifosi Slip Sunglasses are also an excellent pick for golfers. Additionally, there’s a ventilation gap on the upper side of each lens that reducing fogging by encouraging a small amount of airflow behind the glass.
Quick Summary
There’s nothing worse than your sunglasses slipping down your nose, Tifosi claims that these sunglasses grip better when wet, perfect for hot days on the course.
Designed for running, cycling, and hiking, the Tifosi Slip Sunglasses are also an excellent pick for golfers.
The lenses are made from decentered polycarbonate plastic, which is designed to flex slightly.
Frames across the Tifosi range vary in shapes and sizes, the Slip Sunglasses’ plastic frame has Grilamid TR-90 homopolyamide nylon components for strength and flexibility rather than brittleness.
Additionally, there’s a ventilation gap on the upper side of each lens that reducing fogging by encouraging a small amount of airflow behind the glass.
However, it’s useful to remember that the Slip Sunglasses may not be suitable in dusty conditions due to the ventilation gaps in the lens.
Ventilation gaps are often more useful when they’re on the side of the frames.
These glasses are great if you have a smaller face because the distance from hinge to hinge is 150mm.
WHAT WE LIKED
what we didn't like
4. Oakley Men’s 009144 Half Jacket 2.0 Rectangular Sunglasses
Performance, protection, and comfort!
The sleek design offers all-day comfort thanks to its durable and stress-resistant O Matter frame material. All lenses are made from Plutonite to filter out 100% of UV rays, meeting the recommended standards for impact resistance and optical clarity. These unisex sunglasses have a Three-Point Fit that, unlike ordinary glasses, won’t hook on to your ears, allowing for a personalized fit.
Quick Summary
Performance, protection, and comfort are chiseled into a new era of style with an interchangeable lens design that keeps you ahead of changing light conditions.
Oakley’s 009144 Half Jacket 2.0 Rectangular Sunglasses’ patented high definition optics (HDO) provide superior optical clarity and razor-sharp vision at every angle.
One of our premium priced picks, the sleek design offers all-day comfort thanks to its durable and stress-resistant O Matter frame material.
The original Half Jacket has become a timeless classic amongst golfers; version 2.0 takes the proud heritage to the next generation of design.
The 2.0 sunglasses’ are made with O Matter frame materials and Unobtainium components that keep them comfortably in place even when you’re dripping in sweat.
The interchangeable lenses are great for when the sun dips in and out, swap your lenses for the new set, and you’re ready to play without visual disturbance.
All lenses are made from Plutonite to filter out 100% of UV rays, meeting the recommended standards for impact resistance and optical clarity.
These unisex sunglasses have a Three-Point Fit that, unlike ordinary glasses, won’t hook on to your ears, allowing for a personalized fit.
WHAT WE LIKED
what we didn't like
5. Hulislem S1 Sport Polarized Sunglasses FDA Approved
Bright sunlight? No problem!
Are you a novice golfer that’s yet to play in bright sunlight? These glasses are perfect for you. Each of the lenses are cut from one single Toric lens, incorporating the Dual Lens Polaric Ellipsoid Geometry, which provides fantastic depth perception, color contrast, and clarity.
Quick Summary
Are you a novice golfer that’s yet to play in bright sunlight? These glasses are perfect for you, even better, they’re bank-account friendly!
The Hulislem S1 Sports Polarized Sunglasses have been designed to be exceptionally lightweight for those that don’t often wear glasses.
The S1 Sports Polarized Sunglasses are great for men and women thanks to their flexible Polycarbonate frame.
The lenses provide complete UV protection against UVA, UVB, UVC and Blue Light, and any light with a wavelength of 400 nanometers and below.
The Stress-Resistant O Matter frames are sturdy and rugged enough to keep up with your active lifestyle.
Each of the lenses are cut from one single Toric lens, incorporating the Dual Lens Polaric Ellipsoid Geometry, which provides fantastic depth perception, color contrast, and clarity.
Additionally, these sunglasses have an AcuTint coloring system that enhances your vision without being warped, allowing you to see color in all its natural glory.
The added holes on the frame of the glasses create effective air ventilation to reduce head.
WHAT WE LIKED
what we didn't like
How important are golf sunglasses?
In the early days of golf, sunglasses would never have been considered an essential piece of kit for golfers. These days you will be hard-pressed to find golfers, both hobbyists, and seasoned pros, without at least one pair of sunglasses packed in their golf bag; with many owning several pairs.
Sunglasses designed explicitly for golf differ in numerous ways from the regular sunglasses you may pick up at your local grocery store. But most importantly, they are rated very high for UV protection.
Golfers will spend a long time exposed to the harmful UV rays the sun emits, especially during the summer months. Because of this, eye protection is crucial; as prolonged exposure to these rays can increase your risk of cataracts and other eye complications.
Lenses
Many sunglasses designed for golf with come with several interchangeable lenses, allowing you to swap and choose based on the weather and course you are playing that day. When shopping for new sunglasses, you will want to ensure the process of changing lenses is straightforward and not overly complicated.
You will also want to stock lenses of differing colors as they each offer their own drawbacks and benefits;
Lens Colors
Green/Grey Lenses
Grey and green lenses should be considered a more neutral lens, suitable for all situations. Blocking excess brightness well, green will improve the color balance while greys will be better for days that are overcast.
Yellow Lenses
Yellow lenses are fantastic if you want to improve depth perception or contrast.
Red Lenses
Great for emphasizing reds and yellows on the green, work well in putting situations, but be aware that color can become distorted with red lenses.
Amber Lenses
Overall, amber lenses are the best choice for golfers, providing high contrast, distance vision, and depth perception. Amber lenses provide excellent ball tracking against both blue sky, and on the green.
Modern lenses will generally be constructed from polycarbonate, providing benefits over glass lenses such as; reduced weight, durability and scratch resistance. Lenses that are photochromic are also an advantage, as they adjust to changing light conditions.
Fit
As you will be wearing sunglasses for extended periods of time as you play, you will want to ensure they deliver a fit that remains comfortable throughout. Many modern sunglasses will have adjustable or interchangeable nose and temple grips.
Standard sizes are small, medium, or large. It will make the process of buying new sunglasses much smoother, knowing your size beforehand.
Design
The design of sunglasses you choose will be a much more personal choice, as only you will know what you like when it comes to the aesthetics of your glasses. Although, you will want to ensure that any sunglasses you do choose are durable enough to survive years of prolonged use.
Price
For many of us, when it comes to choosing a new pair of sunglasses, the price will be a significant deciding factor. That’s why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to review the products we feel offer best bang for the buck when it comes to your eye protection needs.
Recap
At Golferpros, we feel that the Oakley Men’s Flak Jacket XLJ sunglasses will provide you with the most amount of kit for your money. Being extremely comfortable and lightweight, they are also durable enough to survive years of use.
Your optician will also be pleased with this choice as they offer a 100% UV protection coating, with a semi-rimless frame ensuring a full field of view.
Do you agree that these are the best sunglasses for golf? Or do you find yourself reaching for a different model? Let us know in the comments below if you have found this article helpful, and if there are any topics you would like us to cover at Golferpros.
Our Top Pick Again
#1. Oakley Men's Flak Jacket XLJ Sunglasses
Best brand with exceptional durability and comfort
The Oakley brand is renowned when it comes to sunglasses and they’re known for quality; their Men’s Flak Hacket XLJ Sunglasses are no exception to this rule.
