Even among regular sunscreen users, the way we use sunscreen<\/a> products is highly variable, depending on the number of clouds in the sky, the time we expect to spend outdoors, the places we plan to go and the activities we plan to do there. When most people think of sunscreen, it conjures pictures of colorful striped towels and umbrellas littering a sun-drenched beach, buckets of sand for castles, lifeguard towers and volleyball players lunging through the sand. And for many of them, the thought of sun protection<\/a> (which includes more than just sunscreen, of course) doesn\u2019t evoke a picture of tees, clubs and fairways \u2014 but it should.<\/p>\n For some diehard enthusiasts, their passion for golf takes them from coast to coast (or abroad), rain or shine, any time of year. With that comes plenty of exposure to the dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays<\/a> from the sun that damage DNA in your skin cells and can lead to skin cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n We wanted to know more about what makes the game so addictive, and how it has changed some golfers\u2019 perspectives on their skin health, for better or worse. Read on to hear from four avid players, ranging from casual weekend warrior to professional championship winner, about their favorite courses, best scores and golf tips, and how they think about sun protection. It may change the way you think about it, too!<\/p>\n Seeing Red<\/b>: With his red hair and light skin, Patrick O\u2019Connor knows his risk of skin cancer is high. Being diagnosed changed his sun protection habits for the better!<\/p><\/div>\n Favorite course:<\/strong> Cassique Golf Club, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Best 18-hole score: <\/strong>66 (4 under par, he notes) at Highland Golf and Country Club, Indianapolis.<\/p>\n Favorite thing about golf:<\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s versatile. Golf allows people of various skill levels to play with each other due to its handicap system. Also, people can play for social interaction, for work, for competition \u2014 and go on golf trips to beautiful locations. It\u2019s played outdoors, and<\/em> you can go out and play by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Most useful golf tip: <\/strong>\u201cLearn to play golf from the green back to the tee. Learn how to putt first, then how to chip, then how to pitch, then your irons, finally the driver, 3-wood and longer clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n Sun protection style: <\/strong>Because of his light skin tone, red hair and history of sunburns, Pat has always known he is at risk for skin cancer. In fact, he\u2019s already had a few: \u201ctoo numerous to count. I have had all three main types of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma<\/a> (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma<\/a> (SCC) and melanoma<\/a>. I was first diagnosed with melanoma on my upper arm in 1986.\u201d<\/p>\n This hasn\u2019t kept him from his hobby, but it did change his habits on the course. He explains: \u201cI try to always wear a circular, wide-brimmed hat, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants with sunscreen on my face and neck. I wear sun-protective clothing<\/a> and sunglasses<\/a> when playing.\u201d He notes that there are several golf companies that make clothing with a UPF rating (it stands for ultraviolet protection factor) that is comfortable even in hot weather. He tries to make sunscreen part of his routine for all outdoor activities, but if there\u2019s one thing he\u2019s working on besides his game, it\u2019s reapplication, \u201cI probably only reapply sunscreen while playing on the course about 20 percent of the time. I need to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n Fun of the Game<\/b>: A lifelong golfer, John Turner loves time with friends and family on the course. Having Mohs surgery on his face motivated him to start using sunscreen consistently.<\/p><\/div>\n Favorite course:<\/strong> World Tour Golf Links in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (where the holes are replicas of 18 renowned holes from famous courses around the world).<\/p>\n Best 18-hole score:<\/strong> 74 at The Legends Golf Club in Franklin, Indiana, with an eagle on the hardest hole on the course that day!<\/p>\n Favorite thing about golf: <\/strong>For John, the fun of the game has always been mostly about who he gets to spend time with on the course. John\u2019s been golfing for 47 years, starting when his uncle took him for the first time at age 13. \u201cIt\u2019s being able to hang out with some of my buddies, and at my age now, I love playing with my son.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Greatest golf achievement:<\/strong> His first hole in one at The Quarry Golf Club in Canton, Ohio.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Most useful golf tip: <\/strong>\u201cTry not to hit the ball as hard as you can; that usually doesn\u2019t work well,\u201d he advises. He also suggests taking lessons: \u201cBefore, even when I was golfing consistently, I would keep scoring in the same 88 to 90 range. I took lessons, and then I started shooting in the 100s. But each time I would do that, I would hit that one shot that was just \u2026 a pure golf shot, and that\u2019s what keeps you going. Take a few more lessons and pretty soon, most of the ugly shots are gone.\u201d<\/p>\n Sun protection style: <\/strong>John started wearing sunscreen on the course after his first Mohs surgery<\/a> on his face. Before that, he says, \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a thought. When we were growing up, people would lay on aluminum foil, they would use the oils. You didn\u2019t realize what the cost was going to be later on.\u201d He admits that he\u2019s still not perfect when it comes to sun protection, \u201cI don\u2019t use it as often as I should, and I don\u2019t reapply as often as I should.\u201d<\/p>\n Another hindrance, he says, is that he hasn\u2019t found a perfect sunscreen that won\u2019t make his hands greasy when gripping his clubs. Luckily, more companies offer breathable golf gloves these days that are UPF-rated and also help with grip. And while he prefers shorts and short-sleeved golf shirts, he does try to wear a ball cap most of the time (it\u2019s better than no hat at all, but sunscreen is a must on ears, neck and face). He also keeps up regularly with his dermatologist<\/a> and hopes that in the future he can incorporate more regular sunscreen use into his golf routine.<\/p>\n In Control<\/b>: Nancy Fitzgerald dabbled in going pro but decided she\u2019d rather just have fun. To avoid further sun damage, she reapplies her sunscreen after nine holes.<\/p><\/div>\n Favorite course:<\/strong> Crooked Stick in Carmel, Indiana. She was a close friend of Pete and Alice Dye, who designed this course, as well as many of her other favorite courses.<\/p>\n Best 18-hole score:<\/strong> 66 at Crooked Stick Golf Club, during a tournament (a course record)!<\/p>\n Favorite thing about golf:<\/strong> Nancy started playing golf before she was 7 years old, and she\u2019s gone on to have a prolific golf career. \u201cMy father was a Hall of Famer in Michigan,\u201d she says. \u201cI didn\u2019t fall in love with the game; I just loved being with my dad. He was very cool. Luckily, I inherited his ability.\u201d At one point, she considered turning professional and even went on tour for a short time before she realized professional play wasn\u2019t what she expected: \u201cI didn\u2019t learn it that way. I learned it to have fun, enjoy the game and enjoy people. On the tour, at that level, that just wasn\u2019t the primary focus.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019s continued to play in amateur tournaments around the world, making friends who share her love for the game. She also loves the challenge: \u201cI think it\u2019s the hardest sport. Every shot you make is different from the one before. The challenge is to be able to control your shots no matter what condition you\u2019re playing in and where your ball happens to land.\u201d<\/p>\n Greatest golf achievement:<\/strong> Winning the 1997 U.S. Golf Association Seniors Women\u2019s Amateur Championship. She was also inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in 1990.<\/p>\n Most useful golf tip:<\/strong> \u201cLower your expectations. If you can hit one or two really good shots, be happy with that! I\u2019m teaching my 10 grandkids, and I tell them that it\u2019s not how far you hit it \u2014 it\u2019s trying to keep it in play.\u201d<\/p>\n Sun protection style:<\/strong> Nancy grew up on a lake in Michigan, in the era of baby oil and reflectors, and waterskiing all summer long. For years now, though, Nancy always wears sunscreen on the course, despite a humorous outlook on the sun mistakes of her past. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like shutting the barn door after the horses are out,\u201d she says with a wry chuckle. \u201cThe damage has been done!\u201d<\/p>\n She considers herself lucky for having evaded skin cancer so far, especially since she has a family history with her English\/Irish heritage. So, she checks in with her dermatologist once a year and makes sure to always apply sunscreen to her face before a game, reapplying after nine holes.<\/p>\nGolfer: Patrick O\u2019Connor<\/h4>\n
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Golfer: John Turner<\/h4>\n
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Golfer: Nancy Fitzgerald<\/h4>\n
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Golfer: Michael Stull
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