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Applied physics & math to improve golf. Free golf tips based on the latest scientific research.

Golfers and the Sun -- UV Index

Due to the very nature of the game, golfers are exposed to the Sun's harmful UV rays, which increases chances of certain types of skin cancer.

What can golfers do to protect themselves from the harmful effects of UV?

1. Wear sunscreen on all parts of the body that will be exposed to the Sun. Use a minimum of 30 block.

2. Play either early in the morning or late in the afternoon and early evening.

The time of the year UV radiation is the highest is during the summer months. During the day, the peak times are between 10 am and 2 pm. Playing outside this time period greatly reduces exposure.

The reason UV radiation peaks around midday is due to relative thinness of the atmosphere. At midday, the Sun is directly overhead and the Sun's rays pass through the least amount of atmosphere using the shortest path (see diagram below). Early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the Sun's rays pass through a much larger portion of the atmosphere.

It is the thickness of the atmosphere (and more importantly the ozone layer) that determines the amount of absorption of the Sun's rays. A thick cloud cover greatly reduces and amount of energy that passes through. It must be stressed, however, that clouds don't as large a portion of the UV rays as other Sun's rays. Thus, one feels much less heat while still receiving significant UV radiation.