Do sleeves affect your swing? A simple fit check

Short answer: a sleeve that fits well should not get in the way of your swing. A sleeve that is pulled too tight, too loose or too high can. The only way to know is to try yours on the practice tee before a round that matters. This page walks you through a five-minute check.

We make no claim that a sleeve will improve your swing, add distance or lower your score. Its job is to cover your arms from the sun, and then to be forgotten about by the third hole.

Why golfers ask

Most of us have played in a long-sleeved shirt on a hot day. The fabric bunches at the elbow, pulls across the shoulders at the top of the backswing and flaps at the cuff. No wonder golfers worry that a sleeve will do the same.

An arm sleeve is different in one useful way: there is nothing across your back or shoulders. It is a stretchy tube that runs from your wrist to your upper arm, worn with your normal short-sleeved polo. Your shirt stays loose where you need room to turn. The sleeve sits close to the skin on your forearm and upper arm, where there is less to catch.

That said, stretchy fabric still has to sit right. Here is what to look for.

The five-minute practice-tee check

Put your sleeves on at home or in the car park, about ten minutes before you warm up, so they settle. Then work through these steps in a safe spot with your usual glove, polo and watch.

1. Address position

Take your normal set-up and look down at your wrists. The cuff should sit around the wrist bone, clear of your glove, not folded under the strap. If you wear a watch, decide whether it goes over or under the sleeve, and check nothing digs in.

2. Half swings

Make a few slow half swings. Pay attention to the inside of your elbows. A sleeve that fits should fold softly at the elbow, without a hard ridge of fabric.

3. Full swings

Hit five or six balls with a mid iron. At the top of the backswing your lead arm is at full stretch. Notice whether the upper band rides down or pinches, and whether the sleeve tugs at your shirt sleeve as you turn.

4. Short game

Chip and putt for a minute or two. These strokes are all feel. If you notice the sleeve at all here, something needs adjusting.

5. Check again at the turn

Fit can feel different once you are warm. At the turn, take a quick look. Has a sleeve slipped? Is the band leaving a deep mark? A small tweak now and then is normal. Constant fiddling is not.

If something feels wrong

• Bunching at the elbow: the sleeve is probably pulled up too far or twisted. Take it off, bunch it at the wrist and roll it up evenly, smoothing as you go.
• Slipping down at address: check the upper band sits on the soft part of the upper arm, tucked under your shirt sleeve. Do not haul it higher to fix it.
• Pinching at the upper arm: ease the band down a little. If it still pinches, take it off and get in touch with us. Do not play through discomfort.
• Cuff catching the glove: push the cuff back a touch, or let the glove's opening sit over the cuff. Try both and keep whichever you stop noticing.
• Fabric stretched thin over your forearm: you may be pulling it too hard. Comfortable is the goal, not tight. Cancer Council notes that stretched fabric gives less sun protection, so overstretching does you no favours.

Sleeves and the rest of your gear

Glove: the sleeve stops at the wrist, so it never touches the grip. The back of your other hand stays uncovered, so give it sunscreen or look at our hand covers.

Shirt: tuck the upper band just under your polo sleeve. That closes the gap where the sun would otherwise catch a strip of skin when you reach.

Hat and face: a sleeve covers only the arm under the fabric. You still need a broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen on your face, ears and neck. Cancer Council suggests a brim of at least 7.5 cm.

Club rules: clubs set their own dress codes. Plain colours suit most courses, but check with your pro shop if you are unsure.

Why cover your arms on the course at all

A round takes four or five hours, often right through the middle of the day. Cancer Council advises sun protection whenever the UV Index is 3 or above, and reapplying sunscreen every two hours and after sweating. On a golf course, that reapplying tends not to happen.

A sleeve does not need reapplying. UPF is a rating for how much of the sun's UV gets through a fabric, and UPF 50+ blocks 98%+ of UV. The IceRays fabric was tested by ARPANSA in 2015 (black sample) and rated UPF 50+. You can read the 2015 test details and what they cover (PDF, opens in a new tab).

For the full picture of a sun-safe round, read our sun-safety checklist for golfers. If you are still deciding what to buy, our guide to choosing golf sun sleeves covers fit, colour and how many pairs to get.

How they should feel

Your own practice-tee check counts for more than anyone's say-so, including ours. In her testimonial video, Tracy put the feel simply: "They're light, they're comfortable." That is the standard to aim for. If yours do not feel that way after a proper fit check, talk to us.

Fit is simple: one size fits all adults. If you would like help putting them on, see will one size fit me? or contact us.

When you are ready, the four-pack works out at AUD 30 a pair (USD 25 in the US), which leaves a spare in the bag while the other pair is in the wash. See also our golf sun sleeves page and golf in the heat over 60.