- 80 decibels - alarm clock, busy street
- 90 decibels - lawnmower, truck traffic
- 100 decibels - chain saw
- 110 decibels - model airplane
- 120 decibels - amplified rock music heard from 4-6 feet, jet plane takeoff from 100 yards
- 130 decibels - jackhammer
- 140 decibels - firearms, jet engine
According to ABC News, the study authors plan to test touring pros' hearing at the British Open later this year. If there really is a risk of hearing loss, the pros will be the study group in which such a result is most likely to be seen.
Should recreational golfers really be concerned about this?
I certainly am not qualified to judge the findings of medical studies - and, in fact, the doctors who are researching this are not yet in a position to reach conclusions, and won't be at least until testing the professionals' hearing at the British Open. It seems counterintuitive that 14 loud "pops" lasting a split-second, spread over a four-round of golf, and heard from a distance of 5-6 feet (depending on the golfers' height) would carry much of a risk for an individual whose ears are healthy.
However, some experts in the field (whose opinions outweigh mine by about a million times) are urging golfers to be cautious.
Dr. Malcom Buchanan, an ear, nose and throat specialist (and golfer) who was the lead researcher for the paper published in the British Medical Journal, is quoted by the BBC: "Our results show that thin-faced titanium drivers may produce sufficient sound to induce temporary or even permanent cochlear damage in susceptible individuals."
An audiologist with Britain's Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) is also quoted by the BBC:
"Exposure to loud impulse sounds over time can cause damage. It is a short, sharp burst of very loud peak sound with this type of golf club."Earplugs would offer some protection and if someone was playing regularly with these types of club they might consider wearing them."
On the Web
BBC: Playing golf can 'damage hearing'
Video: Golf Club Hazard
About.com's Deafness/Hearing Loss Guide
