Not too long ago, I purchased a pair of sunglasses for golf. At nearly 100 bucks, I was hoping I would get plenty of rounds out of them. Alas, my new sunglasses lasted a little over one season before I dropped on them on the cart path and scratched the lenses.

While I can’t fault the sunglass company for this mishap, I can fault myself for getting such an expensive pair. Now don’t get me wrong, many people spend well over $100 on sunglasses, but if I’m going to keep them in my golf bag and take hundreds (the way I play) of swings per round with them, a pricey pair shades may not necessarily be the way to go.

Enter a site called the SunglassWarehouse.com. While these guys have a surplus of shades for multiple uses, I like how they have an info page specifically for golfers.

Not only does this page explain why golfers should wear sunglasses (UV protection, etc.) but it also claims wearing certain sunglasses can actually improve your golf game! According to the site: “Some sunglasses will protect your eyes from above UV rays, and at the same time help your game by improving your view of the fairway.”

Not only that, but the right polarization can help you read the breaks in the green better. And, according to the site, all golfer shades must have a snug fit, to keep them from slipping down your nose at address.

OK, so by now, I know what you’re thinking – can the type of sunglasses really help my golf game? Well, I wondered the same thing and the good folks over at Sunglass Warehouse sent me a pair to test out (see photo at top). Actually, they sent me two pairs – one pair to test out and one pair to give out – to one of you!

I recently played my first round of the season. With no leaves yet on the trees to block the sun up here in New England, I thought it would be a perfect time to test my new shades. I also carried a pair of “sport” sunglasses that did not have polarization – just to see if there was a difference.

Sure enough, the polarized sunglasses were actually an improvement over the non-polarized sunglasses. In direct sunlight, I could see the fairway and green much better. In addition, the fit was just right – snug enough to stay put, yet not uncomfortably tight. On top of all this, they are UV 400.

So yes, a little thing like which sunglasses you choose can help you be a better golfer. And the beautiful thing is, these types of sunglasses don’t have to break the bank (or to put it another way, if you drop them on the cart path and scratch the lenses, it won’t hurt your wallet as much).

So – how do you win a pair for yourself? Just go over to the Golfstinks Facebook page (“like” us if you haven’t already) and “like” the post on our wall called “Free Pair of Golf Sunglasses Anyone?” That’s it! We’ll select one random winner from all those who like that Facebook post!

Good Luck!