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Is Golf Bad for Your Hearing?
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That cool thwack your driver produces when it makes contact with a ball may actually harm your hearing.
A recent report in the British Medical Journal told the tale of a man who was suffering unexplained tinnitus and weakened hearing. His ENT specialist (and the study’s author), Malcolm Buchanan, M.D., of England, deduced that his patient’s symptoms came from repeated exposure to loud noise, finally pinpointing the cause to a King Cobra LD golf driver. The patient played with the club three times per week for over 18 months.
During testing, Dr. Buchanan found that newer golf drivers produce ear-crunching sounds that top out at 130 decibels, which is similar to a gunshot or firecracker. (You can check out Dr. Buchanan’s decibel ratings of popular drivers here.)
If you’re a golfer and are experiencing hearing problems, think about buying a duller-sounding driver and tee-off with an iron whenever possible. Of course, see your doctor as well.
About The Author
David Schipper – David began writing for CorePerformance.com in 2008, after spending six years at Men's Health magazine digging up the newest scientific research in health, weight loss, nutrition, muscle and cardiovascular fitness.
