Acrylic nails are much of a modern beauty trend as makeup.
Unlike similar beauty items, acrylic nails aren’t the easiest beauty item to add and remove at a moment’s notice.
Still, some female golfers would want to drop by the course and play a round with them.
So, Can You Play A Round of Golf With Acrylic Nails?
“Yes” but with a lot of difficulties. Most golf clubs won’t mind if their members choose to show up with them. But it is never a good idea.
Here is why:
1. Long Nails Are ‘Ungolf-like’ And Straight Unprofessional
You may assume your acrylic nails are the best way to express yourself only to send an entirely different picture.
Unless your profession involves office work – say, in the creative department of an organization – super long nails make you appear unprofessional, especially in the world of golf.
Crazy nail art isn’t professional either. It is generally recommended that you steer clear of long brilliantly colored designs, 3D decals, accent nails, and claw-like shapes.
To be taken seriously on the golf course, trim your nails short and keep them in their natural colors.
2. They Ruin Usual Gloves
While wearing golf gloves is not mandatory in most clubs, it is highly recommended.
Why would you even wear a glove?
It is simple: gloves allow the player to maintain a firm hold on their golf clubs.
The unaided bare hand may not be firm as desired. This is especially true when you are sweating, or when water wets the grips of your golf club.
Clearly, you can’t have long acrylic nails and wear gloves at the same time.
The golf glove won’t last long enough if you insist on wearing it with long nails, whether real or fake. Just like any other part of golfing gear, gloves aren’t cheap.
Try Out Lady Classic’s Pocketec Glove
If you are a female golfer and have medium or long manicured nails, you have something to thank Pocketec for: their Lady Classic Glove.
It is a full-fingered general sporting glove that permits the long nails to protrude outside, thus reducing the chances of chipped nails.
It’s an all-in-one glove designed for not just golf but for weightlifting, bicycling, driving, and softball as well.
This glove boasts more than support for long fingernails. It is made of leather and “all-weather suede.”
Besides a magnetic ball marker, it is shipped in numerous colors to fit your specific taste.
3. They Are Unhealthy
Another reason why you shouldn’t wear your acrylic nails into the golf course – or the reason why your club may not permit them – is that they are unhealthy.
First off, it would be unsanitary of you to engage in outdoor activities with long nails.
Once in a while, dirt will get stuck in them as you try to pick the golf balls on the ground or hold things.
No amount of cleaning can remove all the dirt stuck in long nails.
The dirt and warm temperature provide the optimum growth conditions for bacteria and these may end in your stomach.
Also, artificial nails normally lengthen short nails, making the fingers appear long and slender.
Not only will they be hard on your natural nails, but they will also make it difficult to move your hands and hold things and may even cause injuries.
To stick your acrylic nails, you will need to start by filing the surface of your natural nails until they feel rough.
This will thin your natural nails and may even render them weaker. Furthermore, the chemicals in some of the solvents used to apply artificial nails may irritate the skin under the nails.
The long list of health hazards doesn’t end here. Removing artificial nails isn’t the easiest thing you could try.
You will start by soaking them in acetone if you can’t file them off.
To wear these artificial nails for over a few weeks, depending on how often you like to visit the course, you will need touch-ups once every 2 – 3 weeks to keep up with the gaps that develop as your nails extend.
Frequent touch-ups may seriously harm your natural nails.
4. You Can’t Button Your Golf Apparel
You will have a hard time buttoning your apparel and even reaching for items in your golf bag.
Shirts, pants, jacket — it is all a struggle.
Whether you are on the golf course or on the club premises, you need to be in a position to button and unbutton your pants or shirt fast and with ease.
Three Alternatives to Your Acrylic Nails
If you are an avid golfer and want artificial nails so bad but not acrylic ones, you have 3 options to fall back to unless your golf club ends up banning them.
You probably want a new set of nails that will stay sharp for long without eating a chunk of your time.
We already know the drawbacks of acrylic nails.
Most of the time, the chemicals required to apply acrylic nails are not good for your health in the long run.
Fortunately, there these 3 alternatives don’t involve harmful chemicals:
1. Gel Nail Extensions
Just like acrylic nails, they are stunning but are short and require zero toxic methyl methacrylate to apply.
Even better, you are free to choose from a range of shapes like stiletto, square, and round.
The manicurist will use just a tiny amount of a special gel to secure your extensions to the nails.
Furthermore, they dry faster under conventional LED lights.
More importantly, they are sturdier and stronger and can last slightly over 3 weeks.
Their great sturdiness and strength ensure they don’t weaken or fall off if they hit obstacles like the golf bag stuff during your everyday golfing activities.
2. Fiberglass Nails
If your nails are very thin, or you just can’t stop biting them, you certainly need something that can stand up to assault better than acrylic nails.
The answer is Fiberglass nails. The technician normally starts by applying a very thin strip of mesh consisting of glass fibers on your nail before “fastening” them in position with clear glue to form a hard surface.
The tougher you want the nails to be, the higher the number of layers that must be installed.
Still, you will need professional touch-ups once every 2 – 3 weeks. This process lasts just as long as acrylic nails.
3. Dip Powder Nails
These can be the best option if you are looking for something bigger than a conventional gel manicure but you are not ready to install fake nails yet.
You will start off with a base coating and buff as per the custom.
Then, as the name suggests, you will actually dip the nails into a colored powder of your choice.
The manicurist will then shake off the extra powder and add a sealant and finalize with a topcoat.
Unlike gel, you don’t need to dry the product under UV light.
The product also lasts longer as well – expect 2 – 4 weeks of flawless and beautiful nails.
Conclusion
So, can you play a round of golf with acrylic nails? “Yes” but with a lot of difficulties.
Most golf clubs won’t mind if their members choose to show up with them. But it is never a good idea especially.
Related: Can You Golf After Getting A Tattoo?