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Calling all Oxfordshire golfers... Is your hearing up to 'Par'?
Research published recently in the British Medical Journal which has received interest worldwide, suggests that the latest designs of titanium golf clubs cause a ‘sonic boom’ when they make contact with a golf ball. The research goes on to state that this could result in a temporary or even permanent hearing loss for those who play golf on a regular basis. In the tests, the loudest offending club recorded an impact sound in the region of 130 decibels – similar to the sound pressure level of a jet engine or a gun shot! Reacting to the research, Richard Moss RHAD, FSHAA, MRSH, senior partner at the Oxford Hearing Centre, visited The Oxfordshire Golf Club last week to run his own tests with Daniel Wood, one of the Club’s professional golfers. Richard Moss said; "We were interested to explore the impact of this research to understand the implications and the effect it could have on golfers in Oxfordshire." "Firstly, the expression ‘sonic boom’ is a bit misleading in relation to this subject area, as it actually means the sound that the air makes as an object passes through it, at or above, the speed of sound. This would means that a golfer would either have to swing his club or project the golf ball faster than the speed of sound, which is approximately 760 miles per hour! However brilliant a golfer you are, it’s unlikely you’ll achieve a shot of this calibre… unless of course you’re Superman or, perhaps, Tiger Woods!" "However," Richard Moss continues, "the problem is really due to impact noise when the thin faced Titanium club contacts the ball. There are at least six different types of Titanium golf clubs and many more types of golf balls. They have all been developed using materials designed to increase speed which in turn increases sound and, therefore, some combinations may create a much greater noise level than others." "Our own measurements at The Oxfordshire Golf Club using a sound pressure level meter showed a maximum sound pressure level (SPL) of 102 decibels." "Professional work guidelines suggest that long or repeated exposure to sound above 80 decibels can cause hearing loss. Therefore, this sound level would be adequate to cause temporary or even permanent nerve damage to the inner ear, particularly to certain individuals who had a high level of susceptibility to noise induced hearing loss. So this could, as ludicrous as it seems, affect those who have played golf on a regular basis for some time." As a result of his findings and the published research, Richard has decided to offer all Oxfordshire golfers who have concerns about their hearing health a chance to have their hearing professionally checked for FREE. GOLFERS’ HEARING WEEK From the 19th-23rd January all members of Golf Clubs in Oxfordshire will be able to book a Hearing Check at the Oxford Hearing Centre for FREE. This will enable the Oxford hearing professionals to carry out some research of their own to see if, in fact, playing golf does in fact damage hearing. This is also a great opportunity for all golfers to have their hearing professionally assessed and, perhaps, to explore the idea of hearing protection – the Oxford Hearing Centre does offer a range of protective ear plugs for many sporting activities for those who have concerns about their hearing health. To book your FREE Hearing Check call the Oxford Hearing Centre on 01865 861861 now. To qualify, please have the name of your Golf Club and your membership number to hand.
Oxford Hearing Centre www.oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk |
