# Playing golf with glasses



## sawtooth (Aug 25, 2019)

I'm dabbling at the moment with wearing distance vision glasses whilst playing golf.

I find that when I take the club away at address my head tilts so that I am looking out of the side of my eye at ball. This is off putting because that brings the frame of the glasses into view.

It made me consider whether or not that is a swing fault or not. Should my head remain square on to the ball so that both eyes are squarely looking forward and down at the ball at address?


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## clubchamp98 (Aug 25, 2019)

I had this problem but itâ€™s very difficult to centralise your head completely.
Jack Nicklaus moved his head in the swing.
I had laser surgery and itâ€™s great.
A rimless pair may help .


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## chrisd (Aug 26, 2019)

I've just gone back to wearing glasses after many years as my dominant eye has now had lots of surgery and needs help. I would think that it could be a swing fault that causes you to move your head so that you see the frame rim. I would suggest you practice keeping the eyes and ball in perfect view, a drill you can do loads at home without ever having to hit a ball


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## rulefan (Aug 26, 2019)

There used to be a video on the Nike website that showed that Tiger Woods' head moved about 3-4" sideways. However, his face was always pointing at the ball, he didn't turn his head.


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## clubchamp98 (Aug 26, 2019)

I found it was more I was dropping my chin so the ball was in the centre of the lens.
So when chin is low your lead shoulder hasnâ€™t got room to swing under your chin without moving your head to make room.
Remember Dennis Taylorâ€™s snooker glasses ,he had the same problem with the top of his frame?


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## pauljames87 (Aug 26, 2019)

I have very similar glasses to mark crossfield with the black frames

Canâ€™t say they have ever impacted the swing 

My dad swears by his laser eye surgery 

But I agree with his comments.. when itâ€™s raining it makes a diff

I always wear my sunglasses with a hint of sun


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## drdel (Aug 26, 2019)

It's a challenge with varifocal lenses.  Driving is ok but when putting even with rimless they distort the view and make a curve. I bought a pair with big lenses with look daft but work. 

Not worked up the courage for laser.


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## upsidedown (Aug 26, 2019)

Used to play in rimless varifocals but changed to thin titanium frames last year and haven't noticed any problems .
Tend to move my head just a tad left before starting the backswing and ball stays in focus ok .


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## patricks148 (Aug 26, 2019)

never had a problem myself, you slould be looking at the ball, sound slike your eyes are following the club


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## Robin Hood (Aug 26, 2019)

I wear glasses, and because of my work I got varifocals.
Earlier this year I was having my eye test, and having a chat with the optician she suggested single vision for golf.
It transformed my game - I am no longer looking through the reading glasses section.  I am hitting better, following the flight better and certainly putting has improved.
I don't have any issues with the frames.
Downsize is I will have to buy three pairs every time (varifocals, varifocals that are sun glasses too plus single vision "golf" glasses)


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## anotherdouble (Aug 26, 2019)

Contacts


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## jim8flog (Aug 26, 2019)

I wear aviator style glasses for playing golf and have never had a problem.

Nicklaus did move his head but he did it before moving anything else. He once gave the reason for doing it but why has long since gone from my memory.


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## HomerJSimpson (Aug 26, 2019)

Never had an issue. My normal glasses are reactolite and so naturally darken in the sun making it very easy to see the ball. The real issues begin the wet and it can be a real pain to keep them clear even wearing a cap with a wide brow and pulled down


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## GG26 (Aug 26, 2019)

I use varifocals and, to be honest, it makes no difference to me compared to single vision lenses.


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## CliveW (Aug 27, 2019)

I too wear varifocals, but there are different types of varifocal lenses which give different amounts of distortion. The more expensive, the better the lens and less distortion between the reading and distance part of the lens. I have worn them for almost 20 years and adapted quickly. The only problem I found was when putting I need to look out of the middle of the lens because if I look through the bottom of the lens, straight lines look like they curve up in the middle and the opposite applies if looking through the top of the lens.


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Aug 27, 2019)

I wear varifocal lens glasses for normal day and work purposes - but for golf I can't get over the significant optical shift I see when looking below or to the side of the lense.  As a result I wear distance vision contact lenses for golf.  

Not an issue for me as I have worn contact lenses for 35yrs - and only switched back to glasses a few years ago as my eyes started to fail to cope well (that age thing) with the focussing adjustments they have to do when I was wearing my contacts.


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## Tashyboy (Aug 27, 2019)

Varifocals for me, the bottoms are rimless with like a fishing ine in them to hold the lens in.

Now the complicated bits. I tried contacts but could I as buggery get them in, I was gutted. So varifocals it was. And I love them. However I have had some and they are Rammel and I don't just mean for golf. Bought top of the range lens and they were dire. Not all lenses are the same, and for golf you may need a wider near lens which is the bottom of the lens. But you must explain to the optician that you want to use them for sports/ golf.
APart from that, getting them wet in winter. Hot days like today with sweat and sun cream on them, let's say moving your head and losing ball in stance is least of your worries ðŸ˜


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## Old Skier (Aug 27, 2019)

anotherdouble said:



			Contacts
		
Click to expand...

As the man says, been a glasses wearer for years but all things golf and other sports it's contacts for me.


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## sawtooth (Aug 27, 2019)

I stay looking at the ball but as I complete my back swing my head turns so I am looking side eye to the ball at that point. 

I'll do some more testing with the glasses but I will experiment by trying to keep my head square on to the ball at address as well and see how that works out. 

It would be interesting to know what the best practice is regarding that and what most people , pros and amateurs alike, do. I never really thought about it until now.


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## clubchamp98 (Aug 28, 2019)

sawtooth said:



			I stay looking at the ball but as I complete my back swing my head turns so I am looking side eye to the ball at that point.

I'll do some more testing with the glasses but I will experiment by trying to keep my head square on to the ball at address as well and see how that works out.

It would be interesting to know what the best practice is regarding that and what most people , pros and amateurs alike, do. I never really thought about it until now.
		
Click to expand...

Try a 3/4 swing like Sandy Lyle ,it might be to keep your eyes on the ball your lead shoulder needs room to complete the backswing so your head has to move to accommodate the shoulder.
A 3/4 backswing may help.
Then try to see how far back you can swing before your head starts moving .


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## OnTour (Aug 28, 2019)

I'm on and off at the moment, have real trouble putting and getting the distance with them on but can't see my drives finish without. might just wear them for driving off and not for the rest of the hole. dilema I fancy lens surgery but it's not cheap! 

my posture is 100% better without glasses as your chin deffo drops wearing them.


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## clubchamp98 (Aug 28, 2019)

OnTour said:



			I'm on and off at the moment, have real trouble putting and getting the distance with them on but can't see my drives finish without. might just wear them for driving off and not for the rest of the hole. dilema I fancy lens surgery but it's not cheap!

my posture is 100% better without glasses as your chin deffo drops wearing them.
		
Click to expand...

Yes agree the posture.

I had the exact opposite problem in work years ago .
I was a crane driver they made the rig remote control, because I was looking up all the time it was affecting my neck to keep the load in my lenses.
I had laser surgery and this sorted the problem.

I was told to look down my cheeks when playing golf but that is under the lenses so your chin drops to get the ball in focus..


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## jmcp (Aug 30, 2019)

If you do go with distant glasses, make sure the frames are a snug/tight fit (I use Oakley frames) as they tend to slacken with use and you don't want them sliding/pivoting when putting etc.. Also, I found getting transition lenses has been useful as you don't feel the need for sunglasses in nice weather.

Cheers, John


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