The first line of defense is sun-protection apparel. The material is really helpful for areas where we never apply sunscreen — hello, back — and it doesn’t need to be reapplied during the round.

Writes Kevin Knight, president of sun protection clothier SanSoleil, “Long-sleeved shirts are a great choice. But don’t assume you’ll get too hot when wearing one; shirts like this one use cooling fabric to reduce overall body temperature by up to five percent while providing UV50 sun protection, simultaneously.” 

Ignore your skin tone, EVERYONE needs sunscreen. Blocking products — the thick white stuff from our childhoods that now is less thick and often nearly invisible — block almost all of the sun’s rays. Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin and then neutralize most all of the UV. Go with at least 30 SPF, put a LOT of it on, and reapply throughout the round. Chemical sunscreens need to go on well before going out. Zinc and titanium-dioxide “blocks” work upon application and are easier on sensitive skin. (The feds say we no longer can say “sunblock.”)

SLATHER IT

“A lot of people think they’re wearing sun protection adequately, and they’re not,” says Dr. Lisa Chipps, a Southland-based dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon and Skin Cancer Foundation spokesperson. “Sunscreen should be a habit, something people apply every single day, and apply liberally.”

TOP IT

Yes, you’ve put sunscreen on your ears, neck, the open “v” in your polo. Double down with a broad-brimmed hat, not just a ball cap. As Dr. Chipps adds: “I’m a Mohs surgeon and I see so many skin cancers on the ears, the back of the neck. A lot of these golfers did wear ball caps and they aren’t protecting their ears and their necks as well.”

QUAFF IT

It is essential to combat the sun from the inside, too, and that means proper hydration. When we exercise, we sweat, and that ramps up under summer temps. When we sweat, we lose electrolytes and dehydration starts to set in. When we get dehydrated, we get lethargic, weak, mentally confused and play bad golf, and if it is acute enough it can send us to the hospital … or Forest Lawn.

“Many people assume that more water is better and that might not always be the case,” advises Colette Vartanian, athlete care manager with Skratch Labs, makers of hydration and nutrition products. “You should be drinking something that matches what is in your sweat. Your sweat is not just water. It is a combination of electrolytes, primarily sodium, so you want a sodium-based drink when you are sweating and exercising.”

Does that mean Gatorade or a mix-your-own hydration powder from a company like Skratch? Yes. Experiment, but watch the sugar. (Titleist Performance Institute suggests using Celtic sea salt dissolved in your refillable bottle.) Whatever you choose, down some before the round and sip every 15 minutes while playing.

EYE IT

UV can be as hard on eyes as skin cells. The American Academy of Opthamology, in a handy online cheatsheet, says to look for sunglasses that specifically call out 100 percent UV protection or UV absorption up to “400nm.” (Polarization is for glare-reduction.)