Golf Prescription Sunglasses & Progressive Lenses:

A common question we get is: “Should I get progressive lenses for golf sunglasses?” Like all good questions, the answer is…maybe.

There are a few things to take into consideration when determining whether progressives for golf sunglasses are for you. We’re here to help you determine if progressives are right for your golf sunglasses based on your experience and vision needs!

Defining Progressive Lenses:

First things first…what exactly are progressive lenses in a pair of prescription sunglasses? “Progressives are multi-focal prescription lenses that work to correct vision at all distances. Without the use of a line, progressive lenses provide a smooth graduation of lens powers, from far to near vision and everything in between.”

Progressive Lenses, Progressive Golf Sunglasses

To Get Progressive Lenses In Your Golf Sunglasses or To Not?

The general problem with progressives is that the reading segment can get in the way when addressing the ball. The reading addition segment of the lens is meant to allow you to focus about 1-2 feet away. Depending on your height, the ball is usually 5-6 feet away, which presents a problem. With the reading addition being at the bottom, you will be looking through that portion of the lens during your swing while keeping your chin up. This can leave the ball out of focus. In order to focus on the ball with a progressive, you may need to dip your chin down to avoid looking through the reading segment. Golf sunglasses are designed to enhance your golf game, not hinder it by messing with your form.

Here are some things to consider if you have this question:

  • The first type of player has been wearing progressives for many years, and is happy with progressives in daily life. However, when playing with progressives they feel that the lenses interfere with how well he or she is able to address the ball, which affects their form. In this instance, it would probably be best to skip the progressives in their golf-specific glasses. If there is need for help with reading a scorecard or phone, we can help by making a pair of customized lined bifocals with the segment set low enough that it’s out of the way of your swing, but still functional for reading. The other option is just skipping the reading altogether, but that obviously is not a perfect solution.
  • The next type of player has been playing in progressives and has never noticed an issue with their vision on the course. Well, for that person, if they’re getting golf specific sunglasses to help improve their game, sticking with progressive lenses is probably a good idea. With this being the case, we usually set the progressive segment in an ideal place for use on the course so that it is more out of the way. This ideal segment placement is determined by the prescription and frame choice and is also taking into considering the individual’s preference. It ultimately allows for a wider field of view for distance so the progressives are not bothersome when teeing up.
  • Another type of player with this question is someone who wears prescription, but just got introduced to progressive lenses, and is in the market for a new pair of golf sunglasses. In this case, we would generally suggest skipping the progressive option. If you’ve gone this long without it, you may want to start with adjusting to progressive lenses in your daily life, and hold off on golfing with progressive lenses, at least initially. After you’ve gotten used to progressive glasses and determined that you like them and they meet your vision needs, then you may want to consider getting progressive lenses for your golf sunglasses.

All in all, whether to incorporate progressive lenses in golf sunglasses will ultimately depend on the person, the frame, and the prescription. There’s not really a right or wrong answer, as there is a good deal of consideration for preference. That is where our expertise comes into play! We think it’s important to assess the situation, so we recommend speaking with one of our opticians to help you determine what might be the best option for your personal vision needs. Give us a call! We will walk through all the options and figure out if a progressive lens for your golf sunglasses is the best option. If it’s not, we’ll figure out the best way to cater to your vision needs so that we can ensure your golf sunglasses are a true game enhancement tool out on the course.