Inspiration Golf The 11 Best Golf Sunglasses of 2023 By Justin Park Justin Park Syracuse University Justin Park has been working as a sports, fitness, and hunting/outdoors journalist for 20 years. He reviews outdoor gear for TripSavvy, like ski equipment and inflatable paddle boards. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 09/29/22 Share Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. TripSavvy / Chloe Jeong Golf sunglasses can make a huge difference in how you see the game in a sport where precise vision is so important. Today's lens options include technology that can significantly enhance contrast while filtering out bright light, helping you see the details on fairways and greens, and the frames are designed to wrap snugly around your head for stability during even the most violent of golf swings. While a polarized set of shades is best for those looking for a pair that will function across multiple sports, golf-specific glasses are actually better left unpolarized to avoid any distortion, but don't worry: the unpolarized glasses on this list still protect your eyes from bright rays. Read on for our picks for the best golf sunglasses. The Rundown Best Overall: Oakley Flak 2.0 XL Sunglasses at Amazon "These are particularly loved because of the scratch-resistant plastic used in the lenses." Best Budget: TOREGE Polarized Sports Sunglasses at Amazon "Here's a versatile set of golf sunglasses at a very low price." Best Classic: Oakley Half Jacket XL 2.0 Sunglasses at Amazon "This set offers UV protection, a good design, and an improved view of the golf course." Best for Women: Tifosi Jet Wrap Sunglasses at Amazon "Golf sunglasses that are simple, stylish, and effective." Best for Men: Nike Skylon Ace Sunglasses at Amazon"These are great not only for sports thanks to their rubberized grip zones at the temples and nose bridge." Best for Kids: Nike Youth Skylon Ace XV Jr. at Dick's"They've got cool factor and useful tech in a pair of sunglasses designed specifically for young eyes." Most Durable: Under Armour Igniter Sunglasses at Amazon "Boasts truly strong frames and tough lenses." Best Colored Lenses: Maui Jim Ho'okipa Sunglasses at Amazon "Its lens technology enhances the color in your surroundings." Best Style: Ray-Ban Justin Rectangular Sunglasses at Amazon "A classic pair of unisex sunglasses." Best for Prescription: Smith Tempo Max at Amazon"While you'll need to work with your optician to get the lenses, you can pick up prescription-ready shades such as the Smith Tempo Max on the open market." Best Multi-Sport: Duduma Polarized Sport Sunglasses at Amazon "For those who frequently play golf, tennis, bikes, skis, and fishes." Best Overall: Oakley Flak 2.0 XL Sunglasses Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Dick's Buy on Oakley.com Oakley's Flak 2.0 XL Prizm Golf Sunglasses Boost Visibility on the Course Oakley's PRIZM lenses have emerged as the gold standard in golf sunglasses. These bright and flashy pink-hued lenses may not be every golfer's first choice, but the results are undeniable. PRIZM lenses deliver high contrast, the best visibility, and the clearest views from tee box to pin. The Flak 2.0 XL sunglasses are just one of many Oakley options that feature the PRIZM lenses, which are often used for golf as well as baseball, cycling, and running. Golfers will particularly love the Flak 2.0 XL glasses because of the scratch-resistant plastic in the lenses and the 100 percent UV protection for their eyes. The plastic frame also features rubber grips to help the glasses stay on your head during windy days on the links—and during your swing. These Oakley options are rated the best sunglasses for golf because users say the lenses make the golf course look high-definition when they're out on the fairway. The golf iteration of Oakley's Flak 2.0 XL Prizm offers players an ideal level of contrast and color control that helps them follow a golf ball through the air more easily at long distances. Paired with lightweight, flexible yet rugged frames, the Flak 2.0 XL is a solid option for a golf-specific pair of lenses. "From tee to green, I found that shots hit in the air were much easier to follow down the fairway thanks to the contrast provided by these lenses," our tester reported. "The tuned colors and enhanced visibility kept me from losing the white ball against the clouds or as it landed near the tree line (we're talking more than 250 yards away!)." The tester did note, however, the Prizms do make it more challenging to find the ball in the rough. The same goes for reading greens—our tester found it easier to determine grain and slope without the shades. "On cloudless days, I found my eyes wanting a darker lens and would switch to a pair of polarized Ray-Bans that block more light," the tester also said. "Under cloud cover or overcast skies, the Flak 2.0 XL Prizms work quite nicely, and my eyes felt comfortable. The scratch-resistant lenses are exceptionally durable. Over the course of three rounds, I dropped them several times and kept them inside a pocket in my golf bag, and there is no visible damage. In fact, they still look new." Price at time of publish: $184 TripSavvy / Nicholas McClelland Best Budget: TOREGE Polarized Sports Sunglasses Buy on Amazon TOREGE's Guardian Spirit Sunglasses Are Great for Golf Available in a dozen combinations of colorful frames and lenses, the TOREGE Polarized Sports Sunglasses are a versatile set of golf sunglasses at a very low price. They're perfect for golf but could double for fishing, skiing, cycling, and more. The seven-layer TAC lenses are 100 percent UV400 and protect against UVA and UVB light. Because the price is so low, these glasses are perfect for junior golfers or as a backup pair. Although inexpensive, the TOREGE sunglasses don't feel cheap—the lenses are scratch resistant, and the polycarbonate frame will bend without breaking; they also include a lifetime breakage warranty from the company. These glasses come with a range of lens options, including a rainbow lens that would work best for golfers. "While the TOREGE Guardian Spirit Polarized Sport Sunglasses sell for a similar price, they are far from cheap gas station shades," our tester said. "With polarized lenses wrapped up in a solidly constructed frame, these glasses are great for knocking around the golf course, the tennis courts, a long bike ride, or wherever an active outdoor lifestyle might take you." The polarized lenses excelled in the middle of the day when the sun and brightness were at their peak. And the rubber grips helped keep the glasses from sliding around during swings. "In less bright or overcast conditions, these sunglasses made things a bit too dark for me, and I found myself switching them out for an alternate pair of shades," the tester said. "Green reading was also challenging with the TOREGEs in front of my eyes. So, for putts over 6 feet, I took them off to glean the grain and slope." Price at time of publish: $20 TripSavvy / Nicholas McClelland Best Classic: Oakley Half Jacket XL 2.0 Sunglasses Buy on Amazon Buy on Oakley.com Oakley Half Jacket 2.0 XL Prizm Golf Sunglasses Review If you don't want to worry about all the bells and whistles offered by competing golf sunglasses, turn to a classic design: the Oakley Half Jacket XL 2.0. These outdoor sports staples boast the PRIZM golf lens for unparalleled contrast, clarity, and course vision. These sunglasses have 100 percent UV protection and non-polarized plastic lenses. You'll enjoy them if you're simply looking for quality sunglasses that offer UV protection, a good design, and an improved view of the golf course. Oakley's proprietary Prizm lens technology is built on years of color science research. All that knowledge makes the course pop like it's in 4K. While Oakley uses the tech across a wide variety of sports glasses, the golf lenses, in particular, provide pumped-up contrast and color control for spotting a golf ball in flight down the fairway. "At 40 years old, my vision isn't what it once was. My naked eyes have a little trouble watching drives finish, whether it's in the fairway or the rough," our tester said. "With the Iridium Prizm lenses, I was able to follow the ball farther toward the hole. Popped colors and enhanced visibility helped me see the white ball against the sky or as the tree line crept in. Seeing the ball finish helped me find it faster, improving my pace of play and confidence—wasting a few minutes searching for a ball can bring frustration as well as mistakes, needless strokes, and poor scoring." Like the other Prizm lenses mentioned above, our tester reported that these made it more difficult to find balls in the rough and read the grain of greens. Price at time of publish: $151 TripSavvy / Nicholas McClelland Best for Women: Tifosi Jet Wrap Sunglasses Buy on Amazon Simple, stylish, and effective, the Tifosi Jet Wrap sunglasses are a great unisex option for female golfers. These glasses avoid many of the larger, peacocking features of male golf sunglasses without sacrificing the benefits of course vision. Golfers will enjoy the Jet Wrap sunglasses for their durability and range of designs. The glasses are offered with black, white, or brown frames and have gray, blue, brown, and red lens options. Additionally, the grilamid TP-90 frame and polycarbonate, shatterproof lenses are resilient to common golf hazards. The interior frame grips are ideal for traction, and the soft nose pieces offer consistency without losing comfort. Female golfers may also like its light, 26-gram weight. Price at time of publish: $40 The 15 Best Sunglasses of 2023, According to Optometrists Best for Men: Nike Skylon Ace Sunglasses Courtesy of Dick's Sporting Goods Buy on Amazon Buy on Dick's Buy on Kohls.com These are sport-specific shades great not only for golf but also more dynamic sports such as baseball and tennis, thanks to their rubberized grip zones at the temples and nose bridge. And the nose bridge rubber is ventilated to help prevent fogging when you’re breaking a sweat. The Nike Max Optics lenses are tinted specifically for outdoor sports and promise a distortion-free view throughout the field of vision. The lenses are also interchangeable, meaning you can swap in specific lens options such as polarized for fishing or even custom prescription lenses. Price at time of publish: $100 Best for Kids: Nike Youth Skylon Ace XV Jr. Courtesy of Dick's Sporting Goods Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart Buy on Dick's Your young golfer needs shades, too, and they'll be best outfitted with a multi-purpose, multi-sport pair. The Skylon Ace XV Jr.s fit the bill. They've combined cool factor and useful tech into a pair of sunglasses designed specifically for young people. Carl Zeiss lenses paired with Nike Max Optics produce a pair that tints optimally for outdoor sports, just like the adult version, but are also made specifically for developing eyes. They're outfitted with a ventilated rubber nose pad designed to permit airflow and help prevent fogging, meaning your child can use these not just for golf but more active sports like baseball, running, and biking as well. Priced at around $100, they offer more bang for your buck than a pair of golf-specific shades. Price at time of publish: $75 Most Durable: Under Armour Igniter Sunglasses Buy on Amazon Buy on Dick's Just about every pair of sunglasses on the market claims to be scratch-resistant and “unbreakable,” so it’s tough to tell which ones are actually durable. The Under Armour Igniter Sunglasses live up to their billing, boasting truly strong frames and tough lenses. Hydro- and oleophobic, the Igniter Multiflection lenses repel oily smudges and raindrops to give you an unobstructed view throughout your round. The lenses are also scratch-resistant and made of APVX, making them about ten times stronger than polycarbonate lenses. Golfers will also love how tough the AmourFushion titanium and grilamid frames are, resistant to torsion and breakage. In addition to their toughness, these golf sunglasses also protect against UVA, UVB, and UVC rays and provide a clear and high-contrast view for golfers. Price at time of publish: $105 Best Colored Lenses: Maui Jim Ho'okipa Sunglasses Buy on Amazon Buy on Mauijim.com Designed and produced in Hawaii, the Maui Jim Ho'okipa Sunglasses feature the brand's PolarizedPlus2 lens technology that not only eliminates glare but also enhances the color in your surroundings. Even more, its warm, HCL bronze lenses work well in low-light conditions. These premium golf sunglasses are also integrated with blue-light protection, helping shield your eyes from UV rays, and they are extremely durable thanks to polycarbonate lenses. This durability is further reinforced by lightweight and flexible Grilamid frames, making these sunglasses ideal for intense activities and long wear. Although they're on the pricier end, these golf sunglasses are backed by a two-year manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Price at time of publish: $210 The 10 Best Polarized Sunglasses of 2022 Best Style: Ray-Ban Justin Rectangular Sunglasses Buy on Amazon Buy on Macy's If you're not into the look of typical golf sunglasses, opt for this classic pair of Ray-Ban rectangular sunglasses instead. The stylish, unisex glasses offer 100 percent UV protection, so you'll look good while protecting your eyes on the golf course. The frames are made from high-quality plastic, and the lightweight lenses can be cut for prescriptions. These golf sunglasses are also polarized, meaning more enhanced contrast and clarity and less eye fatigue and glare. For bonus style points, there are various frame and lens colors to choose from. Price at time of publish: $175 Best for Prescription: Smith Tempo Max Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart Contacts aren’t always an option or preferred for those with corrected vision, and that’s where custom prescription lenses in your golfing shades come in. While you’ll need to work with your optician to get the lenses, you can pick up prescription-ready shades such as the Smith Tempo Max on the open market. The Tempo Max shades offer a slightly larger field of view than the original Tempo, as well as a medium fit that should be good for most golfers. Smith’s ChromaPop color enhancement is outdoor-ready, and the frames are built for trail, links, or any active pursuits. Price at time of publish: $104 Best Multi-Sport: Duduma Polarized Sport Sunglasses Amazon Buy on Amazon If you’re an amateur athlete who frequently plays golf or tennis or enjoys biking, skiing, and fishing, it’s probably worth investing in a pair of glasses that can do it all. Duduma’s Polarized Sport Sunglasses are an inexpensive option that can help you with all of these activities and more. These golf sunglasses feature a very simple design that performs well. Made with polycarbonate frames and UV400 TAC polarized lenses for 100 percent UV protection, the Duduma glasses are tough; they also come with a lifetime frame warranty. Additionally, golfers can choose from a dozen color combinations to match their style. Price at time of publish: $20 The 10 Best Fishing Sunglasses of 2023 What to Look for in Golf Sunglasses Price How much time you spend out on the course will impact how much you want to spend on golf sunglasses. If you play golf regularly or if you’re planning on making these your everyday glasses, spending a little more for comfort, style, and ultimate protection is probably worth it in the long run. Style Sure, practicality is important, but so is the style of the sunglasses. Besides protecting your eyes from UV rays and gusts of sand blown from a nearby bunker, sunglasses are ultimately an accessory. So choose a style you'll want to wear—perhaps even off the course. Technical specs Sunglasses today are really advanced when it comes to special features. From lenses that enhance clarity out on the course to pairs designed to keep sunscreen from dripping in your eyes, there are tons of options to choose from, some of which might even help save you a stroke or two. Frequently Asked Questions Do I need polarized lenses? Polarized lenses are most important on the water or snow where glare can ruin your day. Not so much on links, and many golfers avoid polarized lenses due to possible distortion of vision so critical in the sport. If you’re planning to use your shades for fishing or other water sports in addition to golf, you may want to go ahead and opt for polarized to make sure they work on the water. Additionally, if you’re very light sensitive, polarized lenses can help by blocking horizontal wavelengths of light. If you’re buying exclusively for golf, however, avoid polarized if you can. How do I clean my lenses? Avoid using cleaning products unless specifically recommended by the manufacturer. Because of the variety of coatings used on lenses, it’s difficult to discern what chemicals will or won’t harm the lens and it’s coatings. Keep a microfiber cloth handy and try to dab rather than rub. Even with an appropriate cloth, aggressive rubbing can harm lens coatings. What color tint is best for golfing? Most advanced lenses offer some kind of tint and contrast enhancement to improve your vision outdoors. The Oakley Prizm lenses in our top pick use golf-specific tints meant to enhance greens and fairways. Regular sunglasses tend to simply darken incoming light, while the best golf sunglasses will enhance contrast while dimming bright daylight. Common tints for golf include browns, ambers, and coppers. Why Trust Tripsavvy? Justin Park is a freelance writer and videographer based in Breckenridge, Colorado, and raised in Syracuse, New York. He thought sunglasses were just for looking cool until he experienced the glare of the sun off snow at 14,000 feet above sea level and realized that sunglasses really are eye protection. The 12 Best Places to Buy Sunglasses of 2023 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Continue to 5 of 11 below. Continue to 9 of 11 below.