I've said it before: I'm not a great golfer. I'd be best described as "marginally ok". But I love the game and play for three reasons - 1. It gets me out of the house and outside with my buddies, 2. I can legitimately turn my cell phone off and be completely unreachable for four or five incredibly peaceful hours, and 3. Unlike most other sports, drinking while playing is encouraged. Golf is a social event for me. I couldn't care less about my handicap. (That's a lie.)

I also don't buy any of the hyped-up gear that's designed to enhance your game. I'm a purist. (Another lie.) So when I come across a product with the "improves your game dramatically" claim, I'm skeptical. (That's true.)

I got a pair of PeakVision sunglasses and noticed right in their tag line it says, "See Better, Play Better." I'm thinking, so what? I can see the trees just fine. That's why I hit into them. Seeing them better isn't going to straighten my swing. But, since I work in a visual industry, I'm big on protecting my vision. I tried them the last time I hit the course.

Made specifically for golf, the Peaks have a unique dual-zone tint. The neutral-gray upper zone is designed to block out the bright sun and glare in the sky, giving you accurate distance perception. The lower zone is tinted amber to enhance the contours of the green, allowing you to read them more accurately. And the lenses are made from an optical polymer originally developed for the windshields of Apache helicopters, making them incredibly durable, scratch resistant and 100% distortion-free.

My usual shades are polarized, dark tint. Full - so they claim - UV protection. What I noticed when I put on the Peaks was everything became clearer and sharper, not darker. It was like someone had turned off the sun's glare, but left the brightness up. Not surprisingly, they are popular not only with golfers, but with skiers, pro baseball umpires (who can use all the visual help they can get), and pilots.

The Peaks have become my new everyday sunglasses. Driving with them is a dream. Did they improve my game? I still hit into the trees. It's just easier to find the ball.

From $139. Prescription lenses available. www.peakvisionsports.com