Transitions Lenses in Oakley Frames

The folks at Transitions contacted me about their new relationship with the PGA Tour - as sponsors of the Innisbrook event and as the official eyewear partner of the Tour.  To get a better feel for Transitions and how they pertain to the Tour, they sent me a pair of Oakley frames (model Half Jacket XLJ) with Transitions lenses in them.

I was somewhat familiar with Transitions lenses because I'm a glasses wearer when I don't wear contacts.  The lenses are designed to respond to different levels of light.  When it's dark, the lenses are basically clear - like glasses.  When there is normal light, same thing.  But when you go into the sun, the lenses get darker and act as sunglasses. 

With the Oakley frames, these glasses are clearly intended to be sunglasses.  And, Transitions lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.  You can get them in prescription lenses, though I didn't.  You can also get them in a gray tint.

According to the Transitions website, these kinds of features make Transitions perfect for golf.  Since we golfers encounter different types of light throughout a round, Transitions lenses can respond in kind to conditions and give a golfer with consistent vision through a round.

Having played two rounds with the glasses this past weekend, I can attest to how much the lenses helped me enjoy the round.  I have to wear sunglasses when I play, and normally they hurt my ability to play because they make reading greens more difficult.  With the Transitions lenses, that wasn't the case.  In fact, the lenses enhanced my vision of the greens.  While my hands and putter didn't respond to my improved eyesight, I was very pleased with the experience.

The pricing of the lenses varies on a variety of factors - tint, prescription, etc.  And also, the frames will impact the total price.  But, if you're looking for a new pair of high quality sunglasses that you can use on the coures, I would recommend these lenses.