I had a client last week ask me this very question, and it made me sit back in my chair a bit, so I decided to do a little digging.

Most people think of golf as a quiet sport. But the sharp crack of a driver hitting a golf ball can create a sudden, high-pitched impulse sound. For most social golfers, this is unlikely to be a major concern. However, for regular players, golf professionals, coaches, or people who spend long sessions at driving ranges or indoor simulator bays, the repeated exposure may be worth thinking about.

Research has looked specifically at the sound produced by modern golf drivers. One study published in BMJ Open measured real-ear impulse sound from golf drivers and found that the immediate risk of noise-induced hearing loss for amateur golfers was unlikely, but that hearing risk may increase if the sound level generated by a golf club exceeds around 116 dBA.

Other research has investigated titanium-head golf drivers, which can produce a very short-duration, high-frequency impact noise. Some studies have reported peak levels around or above 120 dBA, particularly with certain modern driver designs.

The key point is not that every golfer needs to worry. The concern is more about repeated exposure, especially in environments where sound reflects back towards the player, such as:

indoor golf simulator rooms
enclosed driving bays
long practice sessions at the range
golf coaching environments
repeated exposure to other players hitting nearby

If you notice ringing, muffled hearing, sound sensitivity, or ear discomfort after golf, that may be a sign your ears have been exposed to more sound than expected.

For regular golfers, a simple option is to consider filtered earplugs during long practice sessions or indoor simulator use. These can reduce the sharpness of the impact sound while still allowing speech and environmental sound to remain clear. Golf may not be the first activity people associate with hearing risk, but hearing damage often comes from repeated exposure over time — not just one obvious loud event.

If you are concerned about tinnitus, muffled hearing, or changes in hearing clarity, a hearing check can help identify whether there has been any measurable change.

Sources and further reading

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