The IceRays field guide
Golf sun sleeves, from first tee to last green
A round of golf is four hours or more on open grass, with your forearms out on every swing, every walk and every wait on the tee. This guide covers setting out your kit, trying the movement, colour, the gaps sleeves leave and what your club allows.
Set out your kit before the round
Put sleeves beside your glove, hat and water so you can try the whole setup before leaving home. Check the course forecast and choose clothing you will be comfortable in. Keep a clean spare pair in a pouch rather than loose alongside tees and other sharp objects.
A pair is two sleeves. A spare pair can be convenient while another is being washed, but there is no rule that every golfer needs a particular pack. Start with the quantity you will actually use and read the total price in the builder before choosing colours.
Try the movement you will use
With a club in a safe practice space, address a ball and make a slow rehearsal swing. Reach, turn and bend your elbows to see how the sleeves feel with your polo. Do not pull the material hard to cover a gap; check the fit of the shirt and sleeve together.
We do not promise that sleeves improve your swing, accuracy or distance. Comfort is personal, and a useful fit check is better than borrowing another golfer's performance story. If you would like help with the fit or with putting them on, the IceRays team can help. Measurements are optional for extra reassurance.
Choose your colour without guessing
The builder names each available colour and shows a product photograph. Select all one colour if you prefer a consistent look, or mix available colours if you are buying for more than one person. Stock and market availability can differ, so use the options shown for your current location.
Colour does not prove that a current product was included in the 2015 test. The published report describes a black sample. Read the evidence scope rather than treating a matching polo or a darker shade as an independent product test.
Plan the gaps as well as the arms
Look at your hands, face, neck and the gap at your upper arm. Arm sleeves cover the skin under the fabric, while a shirt, hat, sunglasses, shade and sunscreen address other parts of your routine. Keep sunscreen where you can find it and follow its directions.
The time booked for a round is not a UV forecast. Check local conditions, use available shade and take a break when needed. Sleeves do not make a long hot round safe for everyone, and they are not a reason to ignore discomfort.
Meet the golfer behind the range
Anne Rollo is an Australian professional golfer and the owner and distributor of IceRays. Her professional background includes the Ladies European Tour. Golf is part of the IceRays story, from familiar kit to time spent outdoors.
Try arm coverage with the shirt you actually wear and the movement you use on the course. Bend your elbows, reach and make a slow rehearsal swing in a safe space. Look at the upper-arm overlap and wrist comfort before a round. Ask the team if you have a fit question; arm measurements are optional.
Read Anne Rollo and the IceRays story, or use the practical golf checklist before your next round.
Four hours on open fairways
An 18-hole round often runs to four hours or more, and much of it is spent on open fairways with little shade. Tee off mid-morning and the back nine can land in the middle of the day, when UV is usually at its highest. Check the UV Index for your area before you leave home, not just the temperature. A cool or cloudy morning can still bring high UV, and sand, water and pale paths reflect some of it back up at you.
Your forearms catch the sun on every shot, every walk between holes and every wait on the tee. Arm sleeves cover the skin under the fabric. Your hands, face, ears and neck still need a hat, sunscreen and whatever shade the course offers.
Sleeves, your club and the wash
The Rules of Golf do not ban arm sleeves. What you wear on the course is a matter for each club's dress code, and policies differ. If you are playing a competition or visiting a new course, check the dress code or ask the pro shop before you arrive.
For a tidy look, pull each sleeve up so the top band sits under the hem of your polo sleeve, then lift your arms to the top of a practice swing. The band should stay in place without being stretched thin.
After the round, take the sleeves out of your bag, hand wash them in cool water with mild soap and dry them flat in the shade.
Carts, the range and the clubhouse
Walking the course with a buggy or carry bag keeps your arms in the sun for the whole round. A motorised cart has a roof, but it shades you only while you sit in it, and most of a round is still spent on the tee, the fairway and the green. Keep the sleeves on between shots rather than peeling them off in the cart.
After the round, the clubhouse deck or the practice green can add another hour outside. If the sleeves come off with your glove and shoes, keep the hat on and find a table in the shade. Practice counts too: a bucket of balls on an open range or half an hour on the chipping green adds up across a week.
A golfer's own experience
"They're light, they're comfortable."
Tracy, in her original IceRays testimonial. Watch Tracy's original video. Her experience is individual.
Anne shows how to put on a sleeve
Questions and answers
Should I try sleeves with my golf glove?
Yes. Put them on with your normal polo and glove, check the wrist and upper-arm overlap, and try a slow rehearsal swing in a safe space.
Can I wear arm sleeves in a golf competition?
The Rules of Golf do not ban arm sleeves. Clothing is set by each club or event, so check the dress code or ask the pro shop if you are unsure.
How many sleeves make a pair?
One pair contains two sleeves. A four-pair pack contains eight sleeves.
What size are IceRays?
One size fits all adults. Contact IceRays if you would like help with putting them on or checking comfortable movement.