Last Updated on January 23, 2024 by Matt Greene
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For you and your family, it's best to wear something on that big dome of yours. This short guide on mens golf hats will focus on wide brim hats and bucket hats. Old school caps don’t provide the protection often needed during a blazing afternoon round.
As a YouTuber and Professional Amateur golfer, I spend a lot of time in the beautiful Thailand sun. I've spent hours in the summer sun and avoid getting burned because I used the best golf hats for sun protection possible. I hope you will take my advice and cover that head and face to avoid skin damage in the heat of summer.
Best Golf Hats for Sun Protection in 2024
- Waddaplaya Bucket Hat for Golf (best bucket hats for golf all head sizes)
- EINSKEY Wide Brim Sun Hat (best golf hat for sun protection alternative to Tilley)
- Coolibar Matchplay Golf Hat (best wide brim bucket hat)
- Titleist Tour Aussie Wide Brim Hat (best Tour style wide brim hat)
- Connectyle Outdoor Mesh Sun Hat Wide Brim (best cheap sun hat)
- Coolibar Fore Golf Hat (Aussie inspired mesh hat)
- Adidas UPF Golf Sun Hat (value for money brand name hat)
Best bucket hats for golf for all head sizes
Waddaplayagolf and Golf Sidekick have partnered to create the best golf hats for sun protection at www.waddaplayagolf.com
The fabric used is the same as what is used in dry fit golf shirts. These are the very same hats I wear on my channel on Youtube. Dry fit fabric means your head stays cool in even 100° weather.
The secret sauce is however, the fact the brim is not stiff so when there is wind around, the hat doesn't blow off your head. It stays on your head in even the most trying conditions.
I played a round in 50mph gusts and the hat never came off once. What else does the soft brim mean? Well, there are a lot BIG HEADED people out there and the relaxed fit means it can stretch to fit your head up to 64cm (25 inches) in circumference.
They are easily washable and can be stuffed in your pocket or golf bag and pop back into shape in a second. They are simply the best bucket hats for golf developed in the tropical heat of Thailand where temperatures go in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Wide brim hat with breathable sides for a cool head
The Einskey sun hat combined superb comfort, a very wide brim and soft fabrics to protect your entire shoulder, neck and face area. The mens golf sun hat comes in 9 different colors. When it's windy you can use the strap to keep your hat on your head. It's 100% polyester and is super casual fitting most heads between 22-24 inches in size.
You can fold your Einskey sun hat up and throw it in the bag - it will not warp and bend into strange shapes. The fabric can handle both hot and also wet rainy days. Your entire face will be covered so no red nose for you. The mesh on the side of the hat allows your head to breathe on the hottest days so you stay cool.
The built in sweat-band absorbs the sweat on your forehead so it doesn't end up trickling into your eyes which distracts from your golf shots. I have used this hat not for golf, but more for hiking, fishing and when going for walks in the Bangkok heat.
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Coolibar Matchplay Golf Hat
Big wide brim for maximum sun protection
The bucket hat is always one of the best golf hats for sun protection because of the all-round brim. This Coolibar hat has a 4" brim which makes it unbeatable for shading your whole neck and face.
If you pop your golf shirt collar up, you have in impenetrable protection from the sun. It's like having an umbrella on our head.
The hat can feel a little heavy and to be honest, doesn't look very 'slick' or 'professional' but if your main concern is sun protection, this is the best golf hat for sun protection.
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Titleist Men's Tour Aussie Wide Brim Hat
Best big name manufacturer hat for sun protection
This is a common hat worn by Genevieve Ling on my channel. She is sponsored by Titleist and everyone wants to know where she gets her hats. While they are a bit pricey, Titleist never skimps on quality. The Aussie hat has been created with Tour players in mind like Genevieve who spend hours in the sun, taking a beating from the rays.
Titleist use fabric in the hat to make it a bit stretchier and relaxed fitting so you have some wiggle room in terms of knowing your sizing. It's a pretty similar sizing to a lot of mainstream hats and offers a Tour level of sun protection and comfort.
The mesh fabric means your head has ability to dry while you're out in the midday sun. The look of the wide brim Aussie hat is reminiscent of Joe Dahmen the pro on Tour who loves to wear this style of hat.
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Connectyle Outdoor Mesh Sun Hat Wide Brim
Breathable and cool so your head doesn't get hot
My favorite mens golf hat for sun protection while playing golf is definitely a cowboy hat. I like to look like a maverick. The Stetson is a classic
The secret to a good cowboy hat is that is needs to be made of straw or synthetic materials. I've played in many kinds of cowboy hats but found the suede and leather types don't keep my head cool and get very stained by the sweat which doesn't evaporate quickly.
That's why straw or grass hats work best. Wind will blow through the small gaps and dry your head and keep you nice and cool. The brims have wire in them so you can also turn the sides up for a slightly more 'maverick' look.
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Coolibar Fore Golf Hat
Australian inspired hat for every activity in the sun
Not only is the Coolibar Fore Golf hat great for the sun but it's lightweight, easy to wash and fits like a dream. The mesh and moisture wicking fabric keeps your head cool all day long in the intense sun.
The hat is made of a spandex and polyester blend for stretchy fits. You can be sure of comfort anytime you see the word spandex in the description of fabrics. There is also a super lightweight foam in the brim so it is not completely stiff when you wear it, allowing some give for bigger heads.
With a Coolibar you know that it's not going to blow off or dislodge from your swing action. At impact, often we worry about a hat falling off and it distracts us from the shot. An elastic draw cord helps to secure the hat on your head in windy days.
Keep this hat away from swimming pools as the chemicals will destroy it.
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Adidas UPF Golf Sun Hat
A bit dorky but protects from the sun for sure
The Adidas golf hat is good for sun protection and staying in place with a draw string. If you play in the wind, a drawstring will stop the hat flying off which is one of the most painful parts of windy golf. It helps to keep a bucket hat on while you are taking a stroke, allowing you to concentrate on your golf at hand only.
This Adidas is a wide brim hat which functions in a similar way to the Coolibar wide brim golf hats that are so popular. You can remove the drawstring if you don't like the idea of it.
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What To Look For When Buying Golf Hat For Sun Protection?
Here's a list of things to consider which golf hat to buy to stay safe from the sun:
- Area of cover: How much sun coverage do you need? If you have a naturally darker skin tone, you could use a bucket hat with a narrower width brim. If your skin is prone to going pink and burning, a wide of brim will cover more of your face and neck to keep you from lobster looks.
- UV Protection: 18 holes takes a long time and that's a long time in the sun being exposed to all those rays. The UV protection is an important factor.
- Comfort while playing: If your golf hat isn’t comfortable when you're hitting the golf ball, you might get irritated and remove the hat, then get burnt by the sun. If it's a hot climate, you want a lightweight moisture wicking fabric like a Waddaplaya bucket hat.
- Fit: Your hat should sit comfy on your head - not too tight to leave a dent in your skin, but not so loose that the hat distracts you with a threat of falling off during a golf swing or when the wind blows. Most wider brim, bucket golf hats are one size fits all, but you can measure your head easily and compare like at Waddaplayagolf.com.
- Moisture wicking fabric: The best hats in the heat of the sun keep the sweat out of your eyes. Built in vents can help your head to breathe. On a sweltering humid day, your head feels like it expands and the hat should be able to let your head cool down while you're swinging and scoring.
- Style and vibe: If you feel good, you play good. Don't buy a hat that you would not feel happy wearing on the golf course. If you feel weird, you will play weird. If you feel fun, you will play fun. Like it, love it, own it.
You should kind of know which are the best golf hats for sun protection are. It's the upper body, neck and face that need protection from those strong rays.
It's vital to have a hat that enables you to swing and play golf and not hinder you. That's the most important aspect of a good golf hat. It should add to your golf game, not take away from it at all.
Are baseball caps as good as bucket hats for sun protection?
Some golfers prefer baseball caps are more their style to bucket hats and a lot of people can never wear a bucket hat. It's not their vibe. Often it's that the bucket hat doesn't fit them and can be quite a nuisance to find a good-fitting bucket.
Baseball caps are adjustable and make it a more stress-free purchasing experience.
Bucket hats can fly off in the wind and on a very powerful shot, they can fall off. That's not something you want to worry about on the course while you're swinging well and scoring. The baseball cap can be tightened easily while a bucket hat could be loose and fly off.
Why are wide brims important for golf bucket hats?
If you like a bucket style hat for golf sun protection, you're better off with a wider brim. A wide brim protects you from the sun over your nose, cheeks, neck, chin, everywhere above the neck.
The baseball cap usually only protects directly under the peak, your nose and some of your central face. This makes it less ideal as a sun protection golf hat. Many areas are exposed to the sun. If you switch to a bucket hat, it can be a wise choice but you want a wider brim to make sure you're not getting scorched.
Wider brim golf hats like the bucket hats take some time to get used to. You might be used to seeing only a peak from your cap when playing a round of golf. There is a huge amount of mental shift that needs to happen when your field of vision now includes a wide brimmed bucket hat. It's not that it will get in your way of hitting the ball, but your eyes will have new stimuli in your vision.
When you get a hat, it shouldn't touch your back or get caught in your collar when you swing because it will distract you from your golf shot. Some bucket hats do actually have an elastic in them you can tighten to make sure it stays in place.
Do you use a chin strap on a golf bucket hat?
Some hats have chin straps while others are much simpler without them. As a golfer, you know that you're quite fussy about stuff and you do not want to see things, or feel straps flying around your face or chin as you're swinging.
When you find that golf UV sun bucket hat that fits you just perfect, the chin straps will not mean anything as the hat sits well on your head, not moving a lot and not so tight that it leaves a dent in your forehead.
Do golf sun hats assist a golfer to protect against skin cancer?
When you block out harmful rays from making contact with your face, head, and neck, you help to prevent damage to your skin. Will a hat for sun protection necessarily PREVENT skin cancer is a matter to discuss with your doctor. Make sure you're all clear to walk in the sun and be outdoors safely with your physician.
I notice in Thailand a lot of golfers using umbrellas to protect from the sun in addition to their hats. As great as a bucket golf hat is, a large golf umbrella can give you more protection against the sun.
Look for hats and umbrellas that have UV and UPF protection. They will be the best for blocking the light but also blocking the harmful rays that eat your skin.
How else can I keep cool and protected against heat?
No hat is going to keep you from getting burnt completely. The best hats for sun protection are going to have wide brims and will be made of synthetic materials to keep you cool.
You want to avoid the caps and visors. Visors should be totally avoided if you're thinning up top like so many of us masculine men are.
Also, use a golf hat in conjunction with a good sun cream.
Other ways to remain cool and protected:
- Avoid dark colors like black and wear lighter colors to stay cool
- Wear a wide brim hat and some sunglasses to protect your eyes
- Wear shorts and short sleeve shirts though long sleeves can stop you from burning
- Sun protection cream sunscreens
Sun Umbrellas
A nice big golf umbrella in your push cart holder is superb for keeping the harsh rays off your back and neck as you walk.
Cap Liners
You can buy liners to protect your hats from getting that weird white salt line after sweating for hours. The colors can get ruined by both the sun and the liquids you sweat out.
What are golf sun hats called?
Golf hats are usually called golf sun hats or just plain golf hats. Mostly golfers like to wear golf caps because that's what the pro's are paid to wear. More and more golfers are choosing to wear wide brim golf hats or bucket hats to protect from the ever increasing risk of sun damage. Golf hats come in so many varieties but some of the best bucket hats for golf are bought from Waddaplayagolf.
Conclusion
In the end the choice comes down to how you like to look on the course. If you want to look professional then you will wear a cap. If you don't mind looking a little goofy but protecting yourself from the harsh rays of the sun, we all know the best hat for sun protection is the wide brimmed bucket hat.
In general all of the hats above will be great for sun protection. I would strongly suggest avoiding caps and visors if you want sun protection. Your neck and ears are still too exposed leaving that opportunity for those little cancer spots so many of our buddies have cut out of their faces. Visors leave the top of your head fully exposed and a sun burn on the top of the head, is inly rivaled by burnt ears!
