"Researchers found that golfers could reduce their handicap after a few months of using a night-time device that provides nasal positive airway pressure"

From The Irish Times...not The Onion:

GOLF: GOLFERS WITH the night-time breathing disorder obstructive sleep apnea can improve their game and cut their handicap by up to three strokes by treating their sleeping problem, according to a small US study.

Researchers found that golfers could reduce their handicap after a few months of using a night-time device that provides nasal positive airway pressure (NPAP) – a treatment that has been shown effective for curbing sleep apnea.

The study was based on 24 golfers and saw their average handicap fall significantly from 12.4 to 11.0. The effect was even more pronounced in better golfers with a handicap of 12 or under whose average handicap dropped from 9.2 to 6.3.

“The surprise was that the most significant improvement was noted in the lower handicap golfers, many of whom were older,” researcher Dr Marc Benton said.

Benton estimated that there are one to three million regular golfers in the United States who suffer from sleep apnea, and most are undiagnosed or untreated.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder in which the tissues at the back of the throat temporarily collapse during sleep, causing repeated stops and starts in breathing during the night. This leads to poor-quality sleep and, often, daytime drowsiness, fatigue, and cognitive impairment.

I'm guessing this isn't on the PGA Tour's banned list?

Comments

[Mike Gray]

As a sleep apnea sufferer and someone that uses one of those machines, I can say that the article neglected to mention the obvious. Treatment of sleep apnea doesn't just improve golf scores. It improves virtually every aspect of life. It's kind of silly to even tie it to golf. Naturally, scores would improve.

[Tom Naccarato]

Mike, I'm afflicted with the same and can't begin to explain enough how much the machine helps me sleep at night. However, my golf scores have not improved!

(Probably because I'm too busy studying the architecture!)

[Tighthead]

I think Calc uses a CPAP.

[Geoff]

One does wonder who funded the study to research handicap improvement!

[Pickworth]

The research community has known for years that smoking is the greatest cause of statistics.

Perhaps a new competitor to fags is looming up? We should now demand studies into the statistically valid relationships between golf and net worth, depression, sex life and blogging.

And insomnia, for a healthy dose of irony.

After all, students do need a catchy research topic for their compulsory statistics unit.

[Average Golfer]

I think it's obvious that Canadian lab rats cause handicap swelling.

[thusgone]

"The research community has known for years that smoking is the greatest cause of statistics."

freakin' brilliant! thanks pickworth.

[Dick Mahoon]

So does this have anything to do with inhaling or exhaling before beginning the takeaway?

DM

[Jordan]

I'm with Mr. Naccarato. My CPAP has been a god-send. But not to my golf game. Maybe I need to turn it up?

[court]

Don't forget the scientific revelation released during the second season of Saturday Night Live - "Leisure Suits Cause Cancer"

Reduce your handicap by using a night time sleep apnea device. Right. I would love to have been a fly on the wall of that company when someone threw that gem out. "Hey, guys, golfers will buy ANYthing if you tell them it will magically make their handicap drop."

[Mike Gray]

Interesting, Tom & Jordan, that you didn't see any improvement.

I'm not sure what your practice and play habits are, but in my case, CPAP probably didn't directly improve my ability to play golf. What it did, though, is let me practice a lot more. Prior to that, it was hard to get in as much practice because I was always exhausted. So, technically, practice has been improving my game, but CPAP has let me do that more.

If I was the type of player that just perpetually played a couple of times per week and didn't do a lot of practicing, I can see where CPAP wouldn't make a difference in handicap.

Severity of apnea might make a difference too. Some people are slightly affected while others can barely function. I have fewer cobwebs now, so my concentration during practice and rounds has increased, which probably helps a little, as well.

[court]

The story in the Irish Times didn't say anything about the 24 (wow - really going out of their way for this study) people in the study having more energy or practicing and playing more. Apparently it's a magic machine - and the better golfer you are to begin with, the better the effects ! It's amazing.

"The study was based on 24 golfers and saw their average handicap fall significantly from 12.4 to 11.0. The effect was even more pronounced in better golfers with a handicap of 12 or under whose average handicap dropped from 9.2 to 6.3."

[Mike Gray]

court, the article says, "GOLFERS WITH the night-time breathing disorder obstructive sleep apnea can improve their game and cut their handicap by up to three strokes by treating their sleeping problem, according to a small US study."

It doesn't say CPAP is a magic machine.

Sleep apnea doesn't only degrade quality of life, but it can also eventually lead to death. Someone suffering from moderate or severe sleep apnea who tries to improve his golf game will find it very difficult. It's very hard to do your best in anything when you literally can't think straight.

For me, it's very easy to see the correlation because I've been there. For the last three years, I've been working hard on improving my golf game. The first two years, I only made a little progress despite a lot of effort. Before this season started, I got on CPAP, felt much better, was able to work harder, and made the biggest improvements yet. This isn't proof of anything, only one anecdotal experience, but I believe there is some truth to it.

[court]

That was sarcasm, Mike - of COURSE it's not a magic machine - but the article doesn't say that using the machine gives you more energy and mental allertness so you can go out and practice and play more it just says that you can knock three shots off of your handicap by using the machine - which is the same thing as any of these ball or driver ads say when they promise added yardage and lower scores.

[Mike Gray]

i understand, but it's not like someone is trying to hock CPAP machines. In the US, they cost a couple grand if you don't go through insurance and doctors don't jut prescribe them so your golf game will improve. Maybe it's a poorly worded story, but I can't buy the comparison to driver ads where there's a financial interest in selling drivers by the company creating the ad.

[Mike Gray]

Here's an article with a little more information and a glimpse into the purpose of the study: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MensHealthNews/golf-game-improve-sleep-apnea-therapy/story?id=8976188

The point is not to sell golfers something that will lower their handicaps. The point is to dangle a carrot to help make sleep apnea sufferers more compliant with their treatment. I.E., "Look, if you follow your treatment, your scores might go down."

[court]

Sigh - never mind MIke - you're right - regardless of how the story reads and how much it sounds like millions of golf product ads.

[Caperman]

I suffered from sleep apnea then I had the sinus operation. All I can say is it's worth the two weeks of agony.I sleep 9 hours a night.

[Marc Benton]

Interesting discourse. .. I am a practicing physician (sleep and pulmonary medicine, critical care), not a research specialist. The study was self-funded (I paid whatever the extra costs were that were involved, which wasn't much - mostly it consumed large amounts of my 'free' time). I am not trying to sell anything - however, no one had ever done a formal clinical study that was performed in a publishable format on this topic. The point was not to reiterate the fact that CPAP helps people with sleep apnea, that they feel better, and that they have a reduction in a spectrum of medical complications, etc. (generally well-established facts) - the point was to investigate if there was a tangible effect on treating sleep apnea in golfers, something that had never been formally studied. Why bother? Of the 12 people in the sleep apnea arm of the study, nearly all of them knew they had the condition, and had previously either refused or failed therapy, or didn't seek treatment even though they suspected that they had the condition. The possibility that treating them would improve their golf performance was sufficient enough to motivate them all to be very compliant with therapy, and in many cases, an improvement in their ability to play golf was seen. Additionally, the anticipated improvement in their quality of life was noted. Seems like a win-win for all involved. Publishing this study might stimulate better ideas about how to identify non-traditional methods of patient motivation that could be useful in achieving successful treatment outcomes.

[Pickworth]

Marc

Thanks for the background. I hereby withdraw the inference in my comment of lack of substance in the study. I did get a joke out of it, so I'm happy.

By the way, are you a golfer? If you are, you'll know the disciplines of golf motivation and psychology need tightening up!

[Marc Benton]

The study will not be on the list of those considered for the Nobel prize in medicine, but it does offer food for thought. I am an avid golfer, and if I had any real insight regarding golf psychology, I would be wealthy (and my handicap would be lower).

[golf]

Nice blog!!... thanks for the background.. thanks for posting...

[cold topped]

Is anyone going to frame a betting market on who's first to release a CPAP machine out of Acuschnet, Ping, Nike, Taylor Made or Callaway?

If they've reached the limit of performance on ball and driver (although you'd never know from their advertising!!!) then this must be the next frontier.

That'll add a new dimension to "trust your titleist".