There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.
What We Tried:
Costa Diego sunglasses. Tiger Woods was sporting a pair amid the rumors of his eventual split from the Swoosh. If they’re good enough for Tiger, they’re good enough for me, right?
Who Tried It:
Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I’ve got a huge face (and huge ankles) so the Costa Diego seems like a great fit. It can be a challenge to find sunglasses that fit my face well so I was eager to give these a go.
Crossover Appeal
Costa sunglasses have generally been thought of as sunglasses for sport fishing or water sports. Most of their lens technologies and polarization are designed specifically for fishing, although the crossover opportunities to golf are endless.
In our Most Wanted sunglasses testing earlier this year, Costa sunglasses performed admirably, with most models providing great fit and coverage.
The Diego is perhaps Costa’s most advanced model in sports performance. I put them through the ringer to let you know if they’re worth your hard-earned cash.
The Good
Let’s start with the good.
Coverage
The Costa Diego provides some of the best coverage of any sunglasses I’ve ever worn. That, of course, is by design. The large lens and ergonomic shaping allow little room for light to find its way between the sunglasses and your face.
A good pair of golf sunglasses should provide ample coverage because any excess amount of light that reaches your eyes has a chance to throw off your game (or damage your vision).
With my face shape and size, the Diego provides a wrap-like fit that ensured even my peripherals were covered by the polarized lens.
Fit
Speaking of my face, the fit of the Costa Diego was really good as well. The flexible temple tips were very comfortable and the overall size of the frame just fit my face curvature.
Clarity and Contrast
The polarized Mirror Blue lens on my Costa Diego sunglasses provided great contrast on the golf course. Even though they’re designed specifically for offshore fishing, they lend themselves well to reading greens. The polarization made sure that glare was a non-factor (although having the excuse of the sun in my eyes may have been a good way to justify my poor shots).
It’s worth noting that Costa’s glass lenses provide 100 percent UV protection and are scratch-resistant.
The Bad
The Costa Diego aren’t perfect sunglasses. (I highly doubt they exist.) So, naturally, there are some places where they can improve.
Slip and Bounce
Perhaps my biggest gripe with the Cost Diego was the bounce and slippage I experienced on the course. What do I mean? The nose area of the sunglasses had too much movement for my liking. I found myself pushing the sunglasses back up against my face when on the putting green and any vigorous swing did cause the sunglasses to bounce a bit.
Nothing major, but room for improvement, nonetheless.
It’s entirely within the realm of possibility that this has everything to do with my face shape and nothing to do with the sunglasses. Even still, it’s worth mentioning.
Price
The only other major gripe I had with Costa Diego is the price. Yes, I know, I tend to stay away from price conversations but it’s perhaps the most polarizing thing about sunglasses. (Other than the lenses, that is.)
At the retail price of $294 for the Costa Diego with polarized glass lenses, it’s just a hard recommendation to make unless you’ve got some extra disposable cash. Are there worse sunglasses that cost more? Sure. And there are value options that have performance that’s largely on par (like the Goodr Just Knock It On!).
Daily Drivers
For now, at least, the Costa Diego is going in my golf bag (and my car) as my daily driver. I found the fit, comfort and clarity to be right on the money (even if the price is a little high).
You can pick up the Costa Diego in its various colors now.
J Smith
2 years ago
Polarized sunglasses ARE NOT great for golf, especially chipping and putting. I learned this during a putting lesson when I kept missing short putts. My teacher asked if my lenses were polarized, which they were. Switched to Oakley with their prism golf lenses. Problem solved. However, those polarized lenses are great for driving.