Opinions on Oakley lenses for golf

[Kalnoky]

...Oakley, OR other other comparable products... In other words, eye-wear made specifically for sports.  

Do they really help you see the greens better? Do they help you track your ball in the air better? What type of sunglasses do you use for golf, and what kind of lighting conditions exist on your home course? Will name brand eye-wear withstand an impact better than knockoff sunglasses purchased at the gas station (for example)?

Are expensive sunglasses for sports worth the money? Or is it all hype?

 

 

[Hatchman]

I've used the classic RayBan's to the lighter Oakley's.  I've played and umpired outdoors for 40 plus years and now prefer the more modern lighter wrap around glasses in a lighter shade lens.  But it's kind of what works for you the best with least distortion.

[jsgolfer]

The  Oakley Prizm's are great for golf.  Greens do standout.  Here's a previous thread.

 

[HitAndGiggle]

I've been playing in Oakleys for many years. I started doing it for eye protection when I took a terrible mud divot that I had to dig out from the recesses of my eye. I started with the black M-Frame in standard gray lens and also now wear the standard Radar model. Both are really nice for golf. Both are so nice that you forget you're wearing them. I busted my nose a couple times as a kid and, as a result of my fat bridge, it's hard for me to find sunglasses that fit. For the Oakleys I snap the rubber nose piece off and dremel an angle into the hard plastic mount for the nose piece so that it fits comfortably on my nose. Works great for me.

I'm wearing a very nice Oakley golf polo shirt as I type this...

[OrangeHog]

I got a set of Oakley Flak Jacket glasses at a charity scramble a few years back and have been using them ever since.  The stock lenses are kind of orange(ish) and are supposed to help track the ball better.  I haven't noticed it too much to be honest.  I tried out some polarized lenses and that was a bad move for the golf course.  I had a hard time focusing on the ball with those lenses.

[Kalnoky]

Thanks to everyone for responding. I even read the previous thread from April of 2015.

For the past two years I have been using some cheapo sunglasses w/ the black lenses. My primary motivation is to protect against harmful UV rays. However, the concept of some golf-specific lenses actually enhancing my visibility on the golf course is intriguing.

Both of my parents have had eye problems. So $120-$150 is not a lot of money to protect my eyesight, however some people are saying these golf specific lenses are too bright, i.e., let in too much light.. I guess that is my major hesitation.

[jkelley9]

I've had a pair of oakley half jacket XLJ's since about ~2007 I think. I had to replace the original lenses after about 6 years and was also looking for golf-specific advice on lens type.color primarily for green reading.

There seemed to be SOME hedging toward brown colored lenses, so that's what I got. My opinion? They didn't help at all, and I hated the brown hue on everything, so I went back to a black lens. 

Just make sure you're getting a pair of sunglasses rated as distortion-free. This is a different manufacturing process and make the lenses (even knock-offs) very expensive. Revant is a knockoff lens brand that fits oakleys and even their "Elite" replacement lenses (which are the distortion-free ones) are like $60 for 1 freaking set.

My Oakley frames have held up very, very well for 7-9 years of abuse. And I do abuse them. They're never in a case, I throw them around my truck and in bags and stuff. Lenses are suffering but the frames are holding up great.

I just hate spending hundreds of dollars on a freaking piece of plastic... someone has GOT to make a good quality set of glasses for a fraction of their prices...

[saevel25]

On 12/19/2016 at 2:10 PM, Kalnoky said:

Do they really help you see the greens better? Do they help you track your ball in the air better? What type of sunglasses do you use for golf, and what kind of lighting conditions exist on your home course? Will name brand eye-wear withstand an impact better than knockoff sunglasses purchased at the gas station (for example)?

Are expensive sunglasses for sports worth the money? Or is it all hype?

They help me see distance better. I buy prescription sunglasses and I struggle to see far away. 

Maui Jim sunglasses. I find them lighter than Oakley and their lenses are top knotch. I honestly like them better than Oakley. 

I will always pay premium for prescription sunglasses. I'm not sure I would if I had 20/20. 

[Hardspoon]

I wear contacts, so I don't need prescription sunglasses.  I used to use cheap ("gas-station") sunglasses for sports, figuring that if I lost or destroyed them I wouldn't care since they cost $10.

My wife bought me a nice pair of Under Armour sport sunglasses for our anniversary (maybe $100), and I'll never go back.  The quality of the lenses is noticeable (I've compared them side-by-side).  I don't have experience with "enhanced" lenses like the Prizm, but I certainly think a more expensive pair of glasses is worth it for sports.

[1badbadger]

I think there is a big difference between the top-of-the-line name brand sunglasses and the cheap generic or knock-off shades. I started wearing Oakley M Frames in the late '90s originally to reduce squinting in the hot Texas sun which sometimes caused me headaches.  I had them a couple of years and wore them on and off the course.  One day a customer stole them off the desk in my office at the golf shop I managed.  I was pissed, but they had been rode hard and put up wet, so it was a good excuse to get a new pair.

I was doing a lot of skeet shooting at the time, and the M Frames were popular with skeet, trap and sporting clays guys too because of the wrap-around design and the availability of additional lenses for various light conditions.  One of the companies I order shooting supplies from offered a package that included Pro M Frames, several lenses in a rigid case.  This gave me the opportunity to see how much of a difference various lenses make.

I think quality lenses are important, and I also like the availability of additional lenses that Oakley offers.  They have done a lot of research and can help not only in bright, sunny conditions, but in flat light or overcast conditions as well.

[LJTalbert]

Hey, instead of going for Oakley, you can buy wholesale sunglasses in bulk from online stores. There are numerous online stores offering sunglasses at cheap.

[saevel25]

On ‎2‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 7:24 AM, 1badbadger said:

I think there is a big difference between the top-of-the-line name brand sunglasses and the cheap generic or knock-off shades.

I'm not sure if it matters, but I think Oakley and Maui Jim are the only name brand sunglasses that make their own lenses. At least when I got prescription sunglasses from them in the past they had to be ordered directly from the company by Pearle Vision or Lenscrafters. That could lead to better quality control.

The typical dark lens will work out just fine. Other types of tint have their benefits.

[MarvChamp]

Take a look at Eagle Eyes. Great UV protection. They have side-eye protection, take out a lot of glare and most of the blue prism light. I see the ball better in the air. Mid-range expensive. They have regular models and models that fit over prescription glasses and are the only ones ever to work for me. -Marv

[paperclip]

I wear Oakley exclusively; the brown tinted lenses enhance contrast which makes them excellent for golf (as opposed to a bright condition like the beach or snow).  The G30 tint is a great all around lightish tint that is great for cloudy or low light, and I have found that for brighter sunny days, the fire red iridium work really well.  Both are brownish tinted base (as opposed to grey, green or blue), and I suggest you get them non-polarized.