A Big Yawn

Ever been standing on the tee and you’ve had that feeling that ‘This is a nightmare! This can’t be happening to me’ ?

Maybe it was a nightmare or lack of sleep that was the source of your trouble.

We all realise that adequate sleep is essential to power up your golf game or any sport for that matter. Now there is scientific proof and golf seems to be the immediate and proven beneficiary, especially for those who suffer from sleep apnea.

When you start talking about it, it is suprising just how many of us do have some degree of sleep apnea.    

Marc Benton, MD, of Atlantic Sleep & Pulmonary Associates in Madison , N.J. in the States, said he has been telling his golfing patients for years that getting treatment for obstructive sleep apnea will probably help their golf games because it will improve their ability to overcome the functional obstacles imparted by the disorder, including daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and cognitive problems.

When two colleagues that Benton treated told him that their golf games had indeed improved and that they felt better on the course, he decided to initiate the study.

The study has shown that sleep apnea treatment improved golfers’ handicap ratings by more than one stroke on average, according to research presented at the annual conference of the American College of Chest Physic ians. After 20 rounds of golf, the group treated with a form of nightly nasal ventilation saw their handicap drop from 12.4 strokes to 11 strokes.

Interestingly, the best golfers in the group improved their scores the most and this was greatest among the better golfers at baseline -- those with a handicap less than 12. These patients had a drop in their average handicap from 9.0 to 6.6, "which is a very big drop for a golfer," Benton said.