Which Sunglasses Lens Color is Best for Golf?

Sunglasses for golf come in more than a half-dozen varieties of tinted lenses.

Some golf sunglasses are sold with more that one lens color to allow you to change lenses depending on the sky conditions. One brand sells two-toned lenses, with a gray tint on top and amber tint on the bottom. Your best bet is to try different-colored lenses and determine the colors that work best for you. Dark amber, copper, brown, green and gray lenses are among the recommended options for golfers. Golf-specific sunglasses are superior to regular sunglasses on the links – the lenses are cut differently to eliminate distortion on the bottom half of the lens, and that's the part of the lens you look through to see the ball.

Copper and Related Tints

Lenses with copper, dark amber, brown and cinnamon tones heighten contrast and visual acuity. They are recommended for golfers because they improve contrast on grass as well as against blue skies, so you can follow the ball in the air and enjoy sharp contrasts on fairways and greens. In addition, these colors increase contrast without significantly causing color distortion.

Green and Gray

Green and gray lenses are considered neutral, because they cut the sun's rays without substantially affecting true colors.

A green lens mildly increases contrast while retaining good color balance, and a gray lens reduces brightness while preserving true color recognition. You can buy golf sunglasses with dark gray lenses for the brightest days and medium gray lenses for partly cloudy days.

Rose and Red

These colors heighten contrast but distort colors. Such tints can be particularly effective on the putting green. When you line up a putt, the color green saturates the naked eye. Rose or red lenses highlight red and yellow hues in the color green that helps you see the contours of the putting surface, enabling you to read breaks better. However, other tints that don't distort colors as much are better suited to the tee areas and fairways.

Considerations

While the lens color in your sunglasses might help you play your best, the most important reason to wear sunglasses on and off the course is to protect the health of your eyes. Golf-specific sunglasses with tinted lenses protect your eyes from damaging UV rays that can lead to eye damage, so no matter what your color choice, put on the shades whenever you hit the links on a sunny day.