Ambassadors

Joe Cardy

Creator and PGA Professional at CardyGolf.

Joe is a PGA Golf Professional running the brand CardyGolf, specialising in coaching, offering tuition from juniors to professionals. As an ex-player and the current Suffolk first team coach he understands how the issue sun protection in the sport needs a re-boot.

My story

During my career as a PGA golfer I clocked up years and years UV exposure, and only too well appreciate the importance of a good sunscreen routine. This, for which I thank my mum, was drilled into me from a young age, and it kind of stuck. For me it isn’t just about the threat of skin cancer, although that is obviously something I never want to experience, its about keeping my skin healthy, which many golfers, and especially men underestimate the importance of.

I agreed to become a Slip! Slap! Swing! ambassador as not only is the name pretty natty, it’s a campaign which needs to happen in golf. We all know that the sun dries your skin out, and you only have to look at those who spend lots of time on the golf course, to realise that a tan doesn’t do you any favours long-term. We also know that too much sun, and in particular sunburn can double your chances of melanoma, so to have golf clubs sending positive messages to their members and staff is a no brainer, and in my opinion long over-due.

Getting involved with this campaign has also made me review sun protection when it comes to my clients, as I also have a responsibility. As a coach I offer golf tuition for everybody from juniors and beginners to elite amateurs and fellow professionals. From now on, I will be asking them to bring sunscreen (and re-apply it), wear a hat and keep out of the mid-day sun if possible. As the Suffolk first team coach I will be passing this valuable advice onto my team mates.

If I can help save one person from wrecking their skin from a nasty sunburn, or worse, a skin cancer diagnosis then that’s fantastic. Skin cancer is preventable and all it takes is a shift in behaviour to have healthier skin and a better chance of staying out there playing golf for longer.

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