You can never be too careful when it comes to the sun. The Melanoma Fund, the charity behind the Slip! Slap! Swing! sun protection for golf campaign, has provided us with their top tips for staying protected whilst on the fairways.
With temperatures soaring, now seems a good time to remind ourselves that we can never be too careful when it comes to UV exposure. Sun protection is vital if you wish to keep your skin healthy and avoid skin cancer.
Whether you are golfing home or abroad, it's always important to ensure you are using and reapplying SPF30+ sunscreen and wearing appropriate light clothing.
Slip! Slap! Swing!
The Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign is supported by every major UK golf organisation, and has over 400 supporting golf clubs signed up as Sun Protection Accredited. This ensures that they are putting simple measures in place to raise awareness of sun protection, where and when it matters, for both members and staff.
Don’t play with skin cancer, follow this simple advice and add sun protection to your game:
1. Sunscreen
- Apply a SPF30+ product paying special attention to ears, nose, neck and other areas prone to burning
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours
- Get some else to help you apply to tricky to reach places
- Reapply sunscreen after washing hands
- Most sunscreens have a 3 year shelf life, less if opened & closed and handled with grubby hands
- To avoid degradation store sunscreen out of direct sunlight and away from extreme hot or cold temperatures
2. Sun time
- Sun protection is recommended from March to October
- UV rays penetrate cloud and haze
- Apply sunscreen before you start doing an outdoor task
- Keep an eye on the shade and plan around it
- Avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm when it is at its strongest
3. Protective clothing
- Clothing is the first line of defence
- Always wear a protective hat
- Wear clothing that protects arms and legs; choose garments with a tight weave
- When the day heats up, keep a light top on
- Wear wraparound sunglasses (there has been an increase in the early formation of cataracts linked to prolonged sun exposure)
4. General sun sense
- Add a timer on your phone or watch to remind you to reapply sunscreen every few hours
- Drink water often to keep hydrated
- When gardening or working outside put up a makleshift umbrella/ gazebo or choose a spot in the shade
- The UV Index Scale is a great tool to tell you how quickly sunburn can occur. When it hits 3, use sun protection
- Greenhouses can protect skin from UVB rays which cause burning but not UVA rays which cause premature ageing, so take the same precautions as if you were outside
- A tan is a great way to prematurely age your skin, encourage age spots & thread veins, as well as heightening the possibility of something more serious
Reproduced with kind permission of Melanoma Fund.
Slip! Slap! Swing! in September
Slip! Slap! Swing! this September at the most entertaining charity golf day of the year, featuring Ryder Cup star Paul Way, and trick shot legend Jeremy Dale, PLUS a day of fantastic golf.
The Melanoma Fund has selected Mannings Heath Golf & Wine Estate for its very first golf day, and their team of event specialists will ensure the day is truly one to remember!
The aim is not only to raise vital donations for the Melanoma Fund but to offer a day of golf that provides fun, entertainment, and priceless memories to all involved. This will start from the moment you arrive, setting the scene for a day of amazing golf, food, and drink, special guests, invaluable health advice, and lots more…
