The Sun Is the Most Dangerous Hazard on the Golf Course

What every golfer needs to know about UV exposure, skin cancer risk, and the protections that actually work

When golfers think about hazards on the course, they think about water, bunkers, and out-of-bounds stakes. The hazard that's most likely to cause real, lasting harm gets almost no attention — and it's directly overhead, every round, regardless of the weather.

The relationship between golf and ultraviolet radiation exposure is one of the most under-discussed health issues in the sport. The research is clear, the risk is significant, and most golfers — including those who think they're being careful — are not nearly as protected as they assume.

This is a deep look at what UV exposure actually does to golfers, what the science says about your real risk, and what genuinely works to reduce it.

How much UV exposure does a typical round actually deliver?

The numbers are striking, even for people who consider themselves casual golfers.

A widely cited study found that professional golfers receive an estimated 217 times the amount of UV radiation needed to cause a sunburn over the course of a year. For recreational golfers, every hour spent on the course or driving range delivers roughly 3.5 to 5.4 times the amount of UV radiation required to produce a sunburn.

A typical 18-hole round takes about four hours. That's well over a dozen "sunburn doses" of UV radiation in a single round — even when no visible sunburn occurs.

Researchers studying outdoor recreation have found that golf delivers UV radiation exposure comparable to or greater than tennis, sailing, fishing, and even gardening. Among popular outdoor sports, golf is consistently in the top tier for cumulative sun exposure — partly because of how long rounds last, partly because the typical playing window of late morning through mid-afternoon coincides with peak UV intensity.

A clinical review of UV exposure during golf concluded that the highest-risk playing times are between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM — which happens to be the most popular tee-time window at most courses.

What this exposure actually does

UV radiation is the single most important environmental cause of skin cancer. It damages DNA in skin cells, and when that damage accumulates faster than the body can repair it, mutations can lead to three primary types of skin cancer:

• Basal cell carcinoma (the most common, generally treatable when caught early)

• Squamous cell carcinoma (more aggressive, with potential to spread if untreated)

• Melanoma (the deadliest form, responsible for most skin cancer deaths)

The risk doesn't come from any single round. It comes from cumulative exposure over years and decades. Skin damage that occurred at age 25 can manifest as cancer at age 55. This delayed effect is part of why the connection between golf and skin cancer is so often missed — golfers don't see the damage as it happens.

Beyond cancer risk, sustained UV exposure also contributes to:

• Premature skin aging (wrinkles, age spots, leathery texture)

• Eye damage including cataracts and macular degeneration

• Actinic keratoses (rough, scaly patches that can become precancerous)

• Suppressed immune function in skin

The research on golfers specifically

The most striking findings come from a 2023 study published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia.

The study compared the health histories of 336 active golfers (defined as those who played at least once a month) against nearly 16,000 members of the general public from the Australian Health Survey.

The result: 27% of golfers had been diagnosed with skin cancer at some point in their lives, compared to 7% of the general public. That makes regular golfers approximately 2.4 times more likely to develop skin cancer than non-golfing peers.

While Australia has unusually high baseline UV exposure, the underlying mechanism — prolonged outdoor exposure during peak sun hours — applies to golfers everywhere. Researchers from Johns Hopkins have noted that the dynamics of skin cancer risk and cumulative sun exposure are largely consistent regardless of geography or specific recreational activity.

A 2024 scoping review in the International Journal of Golf Science synthesized research across multiple studies and confirmed the pattern: calculated relative risk of non-melanoma skin cancer is consistently higher in golfers than in non-golfers. The review identified the head, shoulders, back of the neck, and forearms as the body parts receiving the greatest UV doses during play — areas that are frequently undercovered by typical golf attire.

It's not just amateur golfers. A number of PGA and LPGA tour professionals — including Adam Scott, Justin Thomas, Jimmy Walker, Aaron Baddeley, and Brian Davis — have spoken publicly about being treated for skin cancer. Their consistent message: this is a real, common, and largely preventable risk that the golf community doesn't talk about nearly enough.

Why most golfers underestimate their risk

Several factors lead golfers to systematically underestimate their UV exposure:

Cool weather and overcast skies feel safe — but aren't. Up to 80% of UV radiation passes through cloud cover, meaning a cool, cloudy day can deliver nearly as much UV damage as a sunny one. Many golfers reduce or skip sun protection on overcast days, when the actual reduction in UV exposure is minor.

A "tan" is not protection. A base tan provides roughly the equivalent of SPF 4 protection — far below the SPF 30 minimum that dermatologists recommend. Tanned skin is, by definition, damaged skin: the tan itself is the body's response to DNA injury.

Sunscreen is rarely reapplied often enough. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied approximately every 80 to 90 minutes during outdoor activity, more frequently when sweating. Most golfers apply once before the round and never again — by the back nine, much of the protection has already worn off.

Standard golf attire leaves critical areas exposed. Short sleeves, collared shirts, and shorts leave forearms, the back of the neck, ears, and lower legs unprotected. Studies have specifically identified these as the highest-exposure areas during play.

The cart provides less protection than people think. Most golf cart roofs offer minimal UV protection, particularly to the front and sides where the sun's angle places the body in direct exposure during driving. The shade illusion of being "under" the cart roof can lead golfers to mentally classify time on the cart as "out of the sun" — when in reality, much of that time involves significant UV exposure.

What actually reduces risk

The good news: skin cancer risk in golfers is largely modifiable. The strategies that work, ranked by effectiveness, look like this:

Avoid the highest-UV hours when possible

The single most effective intervention is avoiding play during peak UV hours. UV intensity is roughly 50% higher between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM than during early morning or late afternoon rounds. A 7:00 AM tee time delivers a fraction of the UV dose of an 11:30 AM tee time, even on the same course on the same day.

For golfers who can't avoid midday play, mitigating exposure during those hours becomes the primary strategy.

Cover skin with UV-protective clothing

Clothing offers the most reliable UV protection because it doesn't wear off. Long-sleeved performance shirts in modern moisture-wicking, UPF-rated fabrics provide far better protection than sunscreen alone, and modern fabrics are breathable enough for hot-weather play.

A wide-brimmed hat (not just a baseball cap) shades the ears, neck, and face — areas where skin cancer most commonly develops in golfers. UPF-rated neck gaiters are inexpensive, effective, and increasingly common on professional tours.

Use the right sunscreen, correctly

Dermatologists recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, applied generously 15 minutes before going outside, and reapplied every 80 to 90 minutes during play.

"Broad spectrum" matters: many sunscreens block UVB (the rays that cause sunburn) while doing little to stop UVA (the rays that drive deeper skin damage and aging). Both contribute to skin cancer risk.

Pump or aerosol sunscreens kept in the cart make reapplication realistic — most golfers don't reapply because the sunscreen is back in the locker room. A spray sunscreen at the turn takes thirty seconds.

Protect the eyes

Melanoma can develop in the eyes, and UV exposure contributes to cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye conditions. Sunglasses with full UVA/UVB protection (look for "UV 400" rating) should be considered as essential as sunscreen.

Add structural shade where possible

Carts, course shelters, and shaded tee boxes can provide meaningful protection — when they're designed for it. The more time spent in genuine shade, the lower the cumulative dose.

This is an area where the golf industry has significant room to improve. Most cart roofs and canopies are designed for rain protection rather than UV blocking. Most courses don't provide much structural shade between holes. And most cart windshields — the surface drivers and passengers sit directly behind for hours — transmit a substantial portion of UVA radiation through to the people inside. (For golfers interested in the windshield piece of this equation, we've written about that separately.)

Get regular skin checks

Annual full-body skin examinations by a dermatologist are recommended for anyone with significant cumulative sun exposure — which describes virtually every regular golfer over the age of 40. Early-stage skin cancers are highly treatable; late-stage cancers, particularly melanoma, are not.

Many dermatologists specifically recommend that golfers self-examine the head, ears, neck, forearms, and hands monthly and look for new growths, color changes, or persistent rough patches that don't heal.

The bigger picture

Golf is unambiguously good for human health. It delivers cardiovascular exercise, mental health benefits, social connection, and time outdoors — and people who play regularly tend to live longer, healthier lives than those who don't.

But the sport has a quiet skin-health problem that the industry has been slow to address. Compared to tennis, swimming, or cycling, golf has no widely recognized sun-protection movement. There is no equivalent of Australia's "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign within American golf. Sunscreen is not provided at most clubhouses. UV exposure is rarely discussed in golf media or instruction.

For individual golfers, the takeaway is straightforward: the risk is real, it's cumulative, and the protections that work are well-known and effective. The golfers who reach 70, 80, and beyond with healthy skin are not the ones who got lucky — they are the ones who took the threat seriously decades earlier.

The hazard isn't on the scorecard. But it's on every hole, every round, for every player who steps onto the course.

Have questions about UV protection or sun safety in golf? Talk to a board-certified dermatologist for personalized guidance based on your skin type, family history, and exposure level. The American Academy of Dermatology offers a free dermatologist locator at aad.org.

A note on Evolution:

We're a Charlottesville, Virginia–based company building UV-blocking windshields for golf carts and other low-speed vehicles. We didn't write this article to sell you anything — we wrote it because the research deserves a wider audience. If you're interested in learning more about how we can fit into this equation, you can learn more here. Otherwise, please take the rest of this article as practical guidance from the dermatology and sports medicine communities.

Found this useful? 

Subscribe to The UV Protection Journal. Research-backed guides, product picks, and sun-safety tips for golfers — delivered straight to your inbox.

 

Sources and further reading

• Stenner, B. et al. (2023). "Skin cancer prevalence and sun-protective behaviours in Australian golfers." BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.

• Bourke, J.F. et al. "Golf and Skin Health: A Narrative Review." Exercise Medicine.

• "A Scoping Review of Golf and Skin Health." International Journal of Golf Science, 2024.

• "Skin In The Game: The Overlooked Risk Of Golf." Titleist Performance Institute / MyTPI.

• Nagelhout, E.S. et al. "Golfers' Interest in Multilevel Sun-Protection Strategies." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021.

• Downs, N.J. et al. "Measurements of upper body UV exposure to golfers." Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine.

• American Academy of Dermatology (aad.org)

• The Skin Cancer Foundation (skincancer.org)