The IceRays field guide

Lawn bowls SunSmart guide: sun safety for clubs and players

Choose your sleeves

Bowls is social, it is outdoors, and plenty of us spend several afternoons a week on the green. This guide pulls together advice from Cancer Council's SunSmart program and turns it into simple steps for players, skips and club committees. It is general information, not medical advice. We sell sun sleeves, so we also say plainly where they fit and where they do not.

When to protect your skin

Cancer Council says to protect your skin whenever the UV Index is 3 or above. UV is the part of sunlight you cannot see or feel. It is not the same as heat, and UV and temperature often peak at different times of day. A cool, cloudy morning can still have high UV.

The free SunSmart app shows the sun protection times for your town each day. The Bureau of Meteorology publishes them too, and ARPANSA shows live UV levels for the capital cities.

What about winter pennant? SunSmart says that in Victoria sun protection is generally needed from mid-August to the end of April. It also says that if you are outdoors for a few hours, you should use sun protection whatever the UV level, because exposure adds up. A full afternoon of bowls counts. UV varies a lot across Australia, so check the app for where you play.

The five SunSmart steps, on the green

Cancer Council's five steps are slip, slop, slap, seek and slide. Here is how each one works at bowls.

Slip on clothing

Cancer Council says the best tops have collars and sleeves that are at least three-quarter length. Many club shirts are short-sleeved. Arm sleeves are one way to add arm cover under a short-sleeved shirt without changing the uniform.

Slop on sunscreen

Use SPF50 or SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen on skin your clothes do not cover. Put it on 20 minutes before you go outside and again every two hours. Sunscreen on your palms can make a bowl slippery, so do the backs of your hands, let it soak in, then wipe your palms.

Slap on a hat

Cancer Council suggests a broad-brimmed hat with a brim of at least 7.5 cm to shade your face, neck and ears. Check your club's dress rules for hats on the green.

Seek shade

Sit in the shade between ends and at breaks. Cancer Council points out that shade cuts UV but does not stop it, because UV can still reach you by reflection. Use shade together with the other steps.

Slide on sunglasses

Choose sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard, AS/NZS 1067. Wrap-around styles give the most cover.

It is never too late

Plenty of bowlers have spent a lifetime in the sun. SunSmart's message is encouraging: you cannot undo damage that has been done, but you can stop it getting worse. It says using sun protection reduces your risk at any age, whether you are 6 months or 60 years old.

If you notice a new spot or a change in a mole or freckle, see your doctor. Sun protection is about the years ahead. A skin check is about what is already there.

For club committees: a simple sun protection policy

SunSmart says sporting clubs have a duty of care to provide a safe environment, and that includes protection from UV. It recommends a written sun protection policy for sports groups, and offers a sample policy you can download and adapt. Its tips for a club policy include:

  • Uniform guidelines with sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible, hats that shade the face, neck and ears, and UV-protective sunglasses.
  • A supply of SPF50 or SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen at the club, if possible.
  • Letting members know the daily sun protection times, using the SunSmart app or the free SunSmart widget on the club website.
  • Scheduling games and events outside the sun protection times where you can, such as early mornings or late afternoons.
  • Planning shade, especially for rest breaks and visitors.

SunSmart also has resources for sports clubs, including ready-to-use newsletter text and pre-recorded sun safety announcements you can play over the PA. Its top tips for sport suggest senior players, coaches and officials lead by example: long sleeves, a broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and shade.

Shade around the green

SunSmart says well-designed, well-placed shade can cut overall UV exposure by 60% to 90%, and that research shows people use shade when it is there. Shade over the banks and seating, a covered spot at each end, or portable shade for tournament days all help.

SunSmart has a free shade comparison check that walks a club through the shade it has now and where more is needed. It works best done in the middle of the day during the peak UV months.

Twilight and early-morning games are a good fit for summer. If the fixture has to be in the middle of the day, make sure players know the five steps and that water and shade are close by.

Where arm sleeves fit

Arm sleeves are one part of the slip step. They suit players who wear short-sleeved club shirts and want their arms covered without sunscreen on their grip hand. UPF is the sun rating for fabric, and UPF 50+ blocks 98%+ of UV that lands on the fabric. IceRays sleeve fabric was tested by ARPANSA in 2015 (black sample) and rated UPF 50+. That result belongs to the black sample that was tested.

Sleeves do not cover your hands, face, neck or ears, and they do not replace a hat, sunscreen, shade or sunglasses. Our lawn bowls page shows how to check them with your delivery. One size fits all adults.

Ordering for a side? Check your club's dress rules on colour first. The IceRays 4-pack is AUD 120 for four pairs. That is $30 a pair, and it saves $31.80 on buying four single pairs. In the US the 4-pack is USD 100. You can mix colours in the pack. Some bowls shops stock IceRays; see our stockists page.

A checklist for the clubhouse board

  • Check today's sun protection times on the SunSmart app.
  • Slip: collared shirt, with arm cover if your sleeves are short.
  • Slop: SPF50+ on face, ears, neck and the backs of your hands, 20 minutes before play. Wipe your palms.
  • Slap: a broad-brimmed hat, if the club allows it on the green.
  • Seek: shade between ends and at breaks.
  • Slide: sunglasses that meet AS/NZS 1067.
  • Top up sunscreen every two hours, and drink water.
  • Out for a few hours? Protect your skin whatever the UV level.

Sources

More reading

Common questions

Do we need sun protection for winter pennant?

Often, yes. SunSmart says anyone outdoors for a few hours should use sun protection whatever the UV level. Check the SunSmart app for your town.

What UV level means we should cover up?

Cancer Council says to use sun protection whenever the UV Index is 3 or above.

Does Cancer Council have a sample sun policy for bowls clubs?

SunSmart has a sample sun protection policy for sports clubs that you can download and adapt for your club.

Is it OK to play in the middle of the day?

SunSmart suggests scheduling games outside sun protection times when you can, such as early mornings or late afternoons. If that is not possible, use all five steps and plan shade for breaks.

Will sunscreen make the bowl slippery?

It can. Put sunscreen on the backs of your hands before you leave home, let it soak in, then wipe your palms.

Can arm sleeves be part of our club uniform?

That is up to your club and association. SunSmart suggests uniform guidelines include clothing that covers as much skin as possible, and sleeves are one way to add arm cover to a short-sleeved shirt.

Choose your sleeves