About the golf ball sun, it usually has to do with the level of Anti Alising you use, I use AA4x, with Supersampling on, and I can see the sun just fine in the tower. however when using the periscope it has no sun halo(when the water hits the lens hit appears, strangely), its a compromise you make, to have the best looks this game has ever shown! ( I have an ATI HD3850;Cat 8.4fix;Vista and I use the 1280res fix also)
I dont use the GUI so I cant help there!
Good hunting