12/21/24
January 05, 2009
Playing Golf May Damage Your Hearing: The sound made by striking thin-faced titanium clubs from manufacturers such as King Cobra, Callaway, Mizuno and Nike can damage your hearing, according to a new study by ear, nose and throat doctors. "Our results show that thin-faced titanium drivers may produce sufficient sound to induce temporary or even permanent cochlear damage in susceptible individuals," said Dr Malcom Buchanan, the lead researcher. The loudest club was the Ping G10, which you can hear in a YouTube video.
Glancing blows are OK though, right?
I honestly don't think any of the drivers I switch between these days even has a middle, so I should be safe.
Joking aside, when someone opens up with one of these things at the driving range, I have to move bays to get away from the noise. I've only hit the Ping G10 once and I'll never hit it again. I can still hear it now, and I hit it last April.
And get off my lawn.
posted by JJ at 12:20 PM on January 05, 2009
This just in -- asked to comment on the Ping G10 noise flap, Pete Townshend said, "WHAT?!?"
Although I can't pinpoint the specific club, I can say many of the newer drivers make me flinch involuntarily when they're hit well.
Which means I'm not flinching when I'm on the tee box.
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:09 PM on January 05, 2009
I don't know about you guys, but when I'm on the course, the noise from these new drivers interrupts my talking on my mobile phone. Bastards.
posted by owlhouse at 04:29 PM on January 05, 2009
My investment in a persimmon farm now comes to, er, fruition.
We'll see a return to actual "woods" soon.
posted by dfleming at 04:44 PM on January 05, 2009
Chicks dig the well-read putt!
posted by tahoemoj at 06:49 PM on January 05, 2009
Some of them even drown out my tousers...
posted by JJ at 07:29 AM on January 06, 2009
The only thing on a golf course that affected my hearing was the string of foul language issuing from my mouth after my usual ineffective attempt to strike a decent shot.
JJ, do you wear those trousers because they're the only thing you can see in your closet early in the morning? They're a sure cure for a hangover.
posted by Howard_T at 10:14 AM on January 06, 2009
JJ doesn't do mornings. May not have been my actual own trousers...
posted by JJ at 10:22 AM on January 06, 2009
Not ashamed to say that I like those pants.
posted by BoKnows at 12:47 PM on January 06, 2009
I figured you for a night owl, JJ.
If they're not your pants, whose are they and why are you wearing them? Something's going on here. Tell us all, JJ.
posted by Howard_T at 04:32 PM on January 06, 2009
Sadly, the truth has nothing on the imagined possibilities. I merely typed "golf toursers" into a Google image search. In retrospect, I was a trifle hasty to pick the first picture that presented. I should have had a little patience and gone with this one instead:
posted by JJ at 05:19 AM on January 07, 2009
That's more like it. I like to wear clothing on the course that would make Ian Poulter blush.
posted by tahoemoj at 10:19 AM on January 07, 2009
As a longtime tinnitus sufferer I've known this for years. A well-hit drive makes quite a crack. I often came home from a round of golf with a louder ringing in my ears than before playing. For awhile I was wearing earplugs to tee off, although I'm not playing enough these days to worry about it.