Golfers’ Sun Safety: Protect Your Skin and Your Eyes

It’s a fact. Extended exposure to El Sol, especially on the golf course, can pose serious health risks to the skin and eyes. Golfers can protect themselves by taking simple precautions, especially during the warm summer months. Notoriously lax in the past about self-protection, golfers have begun to change their ways based on the evidence.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, recreational golfers are at a high risk of developing skin cancer every hour while on the course. Golfers likely receive 3.5 to 5.4 times the amount of UV radiation exposure needed to cause a sunburn.
More than that, bunkers are hazards in more ways than one. Sand can reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays emitted by the sun, so that the skin absorbs the radiation twice. To clarify the point, Quivira Golf Club is basically one big bunker, given that much of the course is carved from desert and sand dunes.
More than one in five Americans will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer by the age of 70. Skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S. and worldwide, affects more than 3.5 million Americans, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
What to do? In the mid-2000s, the United States Golf Association (USGA) launched a sun protection campaign for golfers. Its efforts were later supported by the PGA and R&A.
Before heading out to play a round, the USGA recommends the “Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap” rule. In other words, slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on a pair of sunglasses. A wide-brim hat is recommended, as is wearing protective clothing to reduce sun exposure. Opt for comfortable, breathable clothing in light colors. Shop for golf shirts with a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of at least UPF 50, which only lets 1/50th of the sun’s harmful rays reach the skin.
Players should apply at least SPF 30-plus broad-spectrum sunscreen every two hours. In addition to lotions, golfers can use sunscreen sprays and stick applicators to keep their hands grease-free. Insider tip: apply sunscreen 20 minutes before heading to the first tee.
In addition to the face, arms and legs, golfers should apply sunscreen liberally to the ears, the back of the neck and especially the nose, which gets the most sun per square inch of any body part.
Scheduling early and later tee times to avoid the sun’s most intense rays can make a difference, especially at the height of summer. Since 80% percent of the sun’s UV radiation can penetrate clouds, the same rules apply on Cabo’s rare cloudy days.
Polarized sunglasses with 100% UV protection are the best way to shield the eyes from harmful rays, especially in Cabo’s bright sunny environment. Players should experiment with different lens tints as the ability to read greens can be influenced by certain colors. In general, neutral gray and bronze / amber lenses tend not to distort golf course colors. Tinted lenses can affect clarity, which golfers need most when reading a green.
Since putting is 50% of the game, seeing and reading the greens accurately is one key to golfing success!