Specialized Sunglasses Really Do Improve On-Course Vision
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2020-06-15
By GORD MONTGOMERY, Inside Golf
This story goes out with my deepest apologies to Johnny Nash for not only my terrible singing voice but also for the cannibalization of his former No. 1 Billboard Top 100 hit of 1972, ’I (Really) Can See Clearly Now.’
You see (pun intended), for years I have had difficulty in picking up the flight of my oh-so rarely well-struck golf shots. Generally, any sort of ground ball to the shortstop was visible but anything that became airborne was essentially a lost ball in my books, regardless of whether it landed in the rough or the fairway. The ones in the water, well, yeah, they really were goners but those others, unless I had a willing playing partner to keep an eye on my ball, were usually only found after a lengthy search.
My vision problems aren’t something that can be corrected by prescription lenses — although my distance vision is decreasing due to age. Rather, my issues stem from laser surgery I had done many years ago to correct diabetic retinopathy, a compilation that damages the blood vessels of the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. So while I don’t need glasses, I did need something to help me see shots hit in the air, against almost every colour of sky.
So, when I saw an ad on LinkedIn for some sunglasses, called Maivnz High Definition Golf Glasses, that promised to help golfers see their ball better, I thought, “Why not? After all, they aren’t that expensive and at this stage, I’m willing to try anything.”
So I got a pair, put them on, and damned if they didn’t work right from my first swing! Now, they weren’t 100 per cent perfect but anything that enables me to see almost everything from my tee shots to wedge shots, and those of my playing partners, was a good thing in my eyes.
I took the time to contact the key person behind these glasses, Allen Lei, to fire off a few email queries about the product and to find out a bit more background on this product which, by the way, look pretty cool.
Lei explained that this idea came from watching others, like myself that have some difficulty picking up a golf ball in the sky. These are in fact based on a previous model of this same idea but the Mainz are not a gimmick. “Yes, our golf sunglasses (was) inspired by the golf ball finder glasses.” that have been around for a number of years, he responded via email.
Lei provided me with documentation backing his company’s claim (included below) that his glasses block out the majority of natural blue light thus enabling the wearer to pick up the contrast between the sky and a white golf ball. And by the way, they also work great for spotting a ball buried in the grass, be it on the fairway or in the rough. Now, I’m no scientist and don’t claim to understand all the data I was sent, but I do understand something that works, and these do work for the most part.
The Specs Behind The Dynamics Light Distribution Of The Maivnz Sunglasses. (Information Provided by Allen Lei)
“Our golf sunglasses are designed with special golf lenses. It is unique,” continued Lei in his email. “The golf lens could block 95% blue light, green golf lens (make it) easy to perceive the contrast between blue sky, green grass and white ball, and effectively block glare and double the light for better contrast and visual experience.”
The TR 90 frames are a black/red blend while the lenses are polycarbonate and are non-polarized. The lenses provide a high-definition feel and provide UV protection. The glasses are light, comfortable and are impact and scratch resistant.
While I’m not one to jump at the first thing that promises to make my game better — and these don’t help you score better other than you’re not going to lose track of so many shots and have to take a lost ball penalty — they do help tremendously in keeping track of your shots and yes, finding that huge drive you just launched from the first hole to the last.
For more on the Maivnz High Definition Golf Glasses. go to Allen Lei’s site on LinkedIn, or search for them on Amazon, because if you’re of the age where your golf ball just disappears on you even though it’s not OB or in a water hazard, these glasses may just be what you’re looking for … and saving yourself some time by not having to look for that magical disappearing golf ball anymore.