I wear sunglasses practically every time I play golf.
Not only do I want to protect my eyes from damaging ultraviolet rays, but I also prefer to see the golf course through a pair of light-filtering lenses. The right lenses help me perform better because of reduced eye strain and seeing the course in a mind-easing contrast.
Needless to say, then, that I've worn a lot of sunglasses over the years. I've worn dozens of different frames and a variety of different lenses. I have a bigger head -- and I'm bald! -- so I've realized I want frames that fit wider, easily cover my field of vision in all directions, are secure and comfortable.
Enter the Costa Diego sunglasses, which Tiger Woods was seen wearing at the 2023 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. I was curious what he was wearing, and when I found out, I wanted to give them a try for myself. Costa sent them to me for a review.
Like Tiger Woods, I enjoy a good wrap-style pair of sunglasses. I want the lenses to cover a bigger portion of my face so I never have to worry about having a contrasting view, particularly over a putt, of the world through and without the lenses. The Diegos come with four different lens options, ranging in purpose for different sets of activities and times of day. Lenses that are good for fishing are often good for golf, too, especially in the summer months when the height of the sun creates a serious shine off the turf. All Costa lenses are polarized to filter out that reflective glare and absorb 100 percent of UV rays.
The Diego features a vented spring-hinge system to maximize airflow and enhance fit for all face types. There are sweat-management channels that wick away moisture, as well as strap-ready temple tips, and top and side shield details to eliminate light leak. The temple tips have shaping to fit securely on your head and prevent movement during the golf swing. They're not going anywhere.
The tips aren't really padded, so as a bald guy, that means they're not as fluffy comfortable as some other frames. They're not uncomfortable on my head at all, but I do know they're there at points in a round.
The nose bridge isn't adjustable. Some people want that. Some people don't notice. I'm agnostic toward them. I use them when they come with frames, but I'm typically not concerned that they're a feature.
The Diegos are originally meant for fishing, and as mentioned, there are plenty of cross-sport applications between the two. With the blue lenses on during a recent golf trip to Florida, I avoided the kind of glare that can really be distracting when playing golf down there. I'm looking forward to using them this summer in the mid-Atlantic area for the same reason.
The Costa Diego sunglasses are $294 and available at the Costa website.
