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The Deafening Driver
January 06, 2009 8:24 AM
By EAMONN TAYLOR, ABC News London
Golfers beware: That shiny new driver you received for Christmas may affect more than your golf game. A recent article in the British Medical Journal says the silence-piercing driver in your bag can hurt your hearing.
The study came about after a 55-year old man checked into the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with hearing loss. Dr. Malcolm Buchanan, who led the study, explained, "The patient came to our clinic, so we gave him an exam. He’d been playing golf three times a week for 18 months. And [he] showed hearing loss in his right ear.”
Buchanan told ABC News, “We used a professional golfer to hit balls to get consistent strikes. It was very loud. The loudest driver went to 128 decibels.” According to howstuffworks.com, this can be as loud as a rock concert.
The findings surprised Buchanan, who is a golfer. “I’m more aware when I’m on the range, so I take precaution.”
Asked about future golf studies, Buchanan said, “I’m planning on going to the [British] Open in July and selecting golfers. I’ll take an audiometer to test their hearing.”
Read more blogs by ABC News staff
January 6, 2009 in World View | Permalink | Share | User Comments (5)
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wow I will never play golf again! Just goes to show how terrifying the everyday actions of our life truly are. Life is too short to be deaf because of golf!
Posted by: Wil Lawyerbeerd | Jan 6, 2009 8:30:48 AM
Wow! It's almost news.
Posted by: Blake | Jan 6, 2009 9:22:02 AM
The commercial drivers in the market are louder. It gives the used a false sense of striking the ball harder and flying farther. Being a pro golfer I use a tour driver that has a dead sound and is not that loud. Those drivers mentioned are terrible and I have stated to my friends that they hurt my ears.
Posted by: Izidor | Jan 6, 2009 11:51:10 AM
I have 4 drivers and none of them make any noise when they hit the ball,except for a tinny clink noise.The real noise is the swearing that comes after the ball sails out of bounds.Let's see,steak is bad for you,sun is bad for you,smoke is bad for you,and now golf.What the hell is next?
Posted by: nostoppingme1 | Jan 6, 2009 12:40:54 PM
I loved "nostoppingme1" 's response! I bet this guy's handicap is so high it hurts his feelings and he will also develope mental problems and require government sponsored psycological assistance.
Posted by: Barry M Gold | Jan 8, 2009 10:08:38 AM
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