The game of golf is filled with hazards. Water, bunkers and sand traps can all wreak havoc on your game. Another important factor that can affect your final score is your hearing. You not only need to hear well out of both ears—you also need to be able to hear the sound of your swing.
Studies have shown that you can experience driver-induced hearing loss if the noise level generated by your golf club thwacking your ball exceeds 116 dBA. This is mostly in reference to thin-faced titanium drivers, going back to an origin study in 2009 that profiled a 55-year-old man who developed tinnitus and hearing loss in his right ear, golfing three days a week for 18 months.
Damaging your hearing is not ideal, of course, but the decibel-swing danger is directly woven into how you play the game of golf. Your hearing needs to be good enough to pay close attention to the sound made when the club head comes into contact with the ball so that you can control your shot better in terms of distance and accuracy.
Hearing the tone produced by the club striking the ball can help the golfer judge how well the ball was hit and allow them to make any necessary adjustments for the next swing. Changes in tone and volume indicate a different swing of the club; by paying close attention to both the feel of the club making contact with the ball and the sound produced, golfers will naturally play a better game over time.
Regular hearing evaluations by a qualified audiologist are a good idea for avid golfers. The earlier hearing loss is detected, the more options you have for treatment and the better your odds of success.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a hearing evaluation, we can help with the next steps. Please call (248) 844-2966 to make an appointment.