Tournament Golf with a Mild Concussion

[Pretzel]

Not recommended. I had a tournament this Monday and Tuesday and, on my way out the door on Monday morning, received a mild concussion before playing. It was stupid, looking down to check an iron while walking swiftly out the door and running straight into a wall, but it's surprising how much that effects you. I probably only went through my pre-shot routine for about half of the shots I can remember just because I would forget to do it. I was late to my tee time for the first time in about five years of tournament play, and I played like poo. On the plus side, it was easy to forget the bad shots and move on! :-P On a more serious note, I have found out that this is a very poor decision from a health standpoint. I didn't know I had a concussion at the time (I was dazed and suspected it, but didn't schedule a doctor's appointment) and played on. The best thing to do, I've been told, is to just wait for it to heal. All-day headaches are no fun when you're trying to play your best. Anyways, that was just my little PSA from a recent personal experience.

[iacas]

Concussions are brain injuries . Why we're just beginning to realize that is beyond me. Football players get concussions… and play the next week. Cuz why should they care about their long-term health? :P Oy.

[Ernest Jones]

Yeah, concussions are BAD news. The real issue is the possibility of getting a second concussion before the initial one is fully healed, that can be life threatening even if the initial concussion is mild. Considering that you would look like an idiot playing golf with a helmet on, I suggest waiting until your Dr. gives you full clearance. It's just not worth the potential of suffering something irreversible.

[MS256]

Concussions are brain injuries. Why we're just beginning to realize that is beyond me. Football players get concussions… and play the next week. Cuz why should they care about their long-term health? :P Oy.

They used to never really think about it. After all our dads and coaches played and they seemed fine. Never really occurred to us that as helmets got better and better and we used them as a weapon more and more our chances of concussions were much greater than the way the game was played when our dads played. Plus players became much bigger, stronger and faster and collisions more violent.

It was just the culture that you played through injury if there was any way possible. There are some games I have some memory up to the point of a big hit and some games I don't remember at all but never came out of a game for a suspected concussion.

At least now they do a better job of checking for concussions and taking players out of games whether the player wants to come out or not.

[rkim291968]

To OP -

You don't play through concussion.  Never.   You can incur serious injury, and even die from it.   For boxers (my true sport), if one was knocked out in a fight, he is banned from playing another match for 30 days (different boxing org rules may vary).  You don't hear about boxers dying after their fight is over but they do happen. The rule protects boxers but not so for football players, or golfers for that matter .

The good thing is, now you can recognize what concussion is and know what (not) to do the next time you run into a wall.

[Lucas]

Golf is definitely a "mental" game (In more ways than one ) , so playing without full brain power would be even worse with golf than with other sports. Not to mention you could even make the concussion worse.

[Shorty]

Golf is definitely a "mental" game (In more ways than one ;-) ) , so playing without full brain power would be even worse with golf than with other sports. Not to mention you could even make the concussion worse.

Not a doctor, I presume. :-\

[David in FL]

Not a doctor, I presume. :-\

Doesn't even play one on TV....! :-O

[Lucas]

Not a doctor, I presume.

Nope, had them myself though.

[Ernest Jones]

Nope, had them myself though.

Doctors?