The Physics of a Golf Ball

1262 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Golf ball physics

The Physics of a Golf Ball

The first written reference of golf was in 1457. Golf balls have had extraordinary changes since that time; they've gone from leather pouches to dried gum to today's dimpled balls. These dimples help decrease the drag and increase the lift. Different forces are applied to the golf ball when struck by the club. Golf clubs have grooves to create backspin. And then there are different variables that affect how a golf ball will travel, these include: lie angle and the shaft length. A golfer must never forget about "the wind factor". And last but not least , a golfer must flat-out use his own judgment in the game of golf.

The game of golf has a science all of it's own, and even the best players have days when the simplest of strokes proves a frustrating challenge. Golf has been an extraordinary sport for quite a while. In-fact, the first written reference of golf dates back to 1457. Since that time it has been a developing sport that has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry. With all the money, energy, and time (the sandpit in my situation) that has been exhorted to the game of golf, you'd think it would be a cakewalk rather than a mystery. Surprisingly enough, the average golfer knows next to nothing about the physics of golf. Here's an inside look at what happens from the time the golfer steps on the tee too the time that the ball falls into that "ooh" so far away black hole.

With like anything else, the game of golf has gone through ratification due to science and technology. Up until 1848, a spherical leather pouch was filled with wet goose feathers. The pouch was stitched with linen thread, turned inside out so that the stitching was on the inside. The ball dried to becom...

... middle of paper ...

... ball hit against the wind will have greater lift and more drag and one hit with the wind will have a smaller lift and less drag. But a smart golfer must realize the strength and direction of the wind.

Understanding the physics of a modern day golf ball will not alone save you from an embarrassing round of golf. Perfection comes with experience and getting a feel of each course that awaits you. I do believe that a thorough understanding of the physical principals underlying the various aspects of the flight of the golf ball will help the golfer to make the correct judgments and thereby improve his game.

Bibliography:

Sources

Haake, S. (1997) The Physics of Golf.

Science Spectra.

Jorgensen, T.P. (1994) Aerodynamic Forces.

The Physics of Golf.

www.kent.wednet.edu (1995) The physics of Golf

Why do golf balls have dimples?

Show More
Related

  • Analysis of Hillandale Golf Course

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    The agency I chose to do is the Hillandale golf course, which is located in Durham North Carolina. The reason why I chose to do my project on Hillandale golf course because since the beginning of the semester I have been traveling over to the golf course twice a week for a class learning the rules and the way the game of golf is played. Hillandale golf course is named the “Granddaddy golf course of Durham/ Research Triangle golf”. Hillandale was donated to the Durham area back in 1911 through the philanthropic interests of long-time Durham resident John Sprunt Hill. Donald Ross and Perry Maxwell originally designed the course. Donald Ross had designed the first 9 holes and Perry Maxwell came up with the last 9 holes. Since 1960 over 1.7 million rounds of golf have been played that being an average of 45,000 yearly. This public golf course provides a challenge from each level of players in the game of golf. In 1960, the Hillandale Golf Course was moved to its current location in Durham and was redesigned by George Cobb, who is also the designer of the Surf Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

    Read More

  • Golf Swing Essay

    1671 Words  | 4 Pages

    The golf swing is possibly one of the most challenging and technical processes. In Eric Nagourney’s article, Exploring the science of the golf

    Read More

  • Physics Of Curveball Essay

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Physics of the Curve Ball Dad said that one of these days I would figure it out, but to this day I am still clueless. I have always been able to throw a decent curve ball; you don’t just throw 6 one hit games in your high school career without one. I have always wondered why and how the ball curves through the air, and it wasn’t until now that I have really had the chance to research a topic that has puzzled me for so long. I would bet that even pitchers in the “Big show” don’t know how or why, but they obviously have the talent and ability. I don’t know when the first curveball was thrown or who threw it, but there is a lot of controversy out there about whether or not the curveball really exists.

    Read More

  • The Early History of Golf in the U.S.

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    The legendary beginnings of golf in the United States can be traced back to the mid-1600s. One of the first published references to golf in America was in 1659 referring to the ban on golf in the streets of Albany, New York. The next substantial reference to the game comes from Charleston, North Carolina in 1786. At that time, a local Charleston newspaper ran a story about the formation of the Harleston Green Golf Club. The Harleston Green remained in operation for approximately twenty-five years, closing about the time of the War of 1812. Around the same time period, approximately1795, another golf club opened in Savannah, Georgia. References to this golf club continued until 1811 again apparently closing just before the beginning of the war. The War of 1812 served to destroy the desire to play golf. It wasn’t until the late 1870s, well after the Civil War ended, that there was a resurgence of golf in the United States.

    Read More

  • How To Hit A Golf Ball

    602 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although golfers end the day on the 18th green, their day begins on a tee box. A drive, the first hit off a tee toward the objective hole, may seem very routine and insignificant, but, in fact, it is the most important shot taken on each hole. If golfers hit a long drive into the nicely cut fairway, they have only to hit the ball off the nicely cut grass on usually a clear path to the hole. But if they hit a drive into the woods, then they have to make sure the ball does not hit any trees, branches, or other obstacles when exiting the woods. That’s why hitting a good drive is a must. With practice, even you can hit a fundamental drive.

    Read More

  • Biomechanics of the Golf Swing

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most amateur golfers believe that impact on the ball is the only key factor for hitting straighter and farther by swinging harder and faster, forgetting important facets in basics of the swing. There are multiple parts of the swing that involve biomechanics however; some key points are set-up, backswing, downswing, follow-through, and ground reaction force (GFR). To focus primarily only on one point of the swing to fix all problems is an obscure way to view the s...

    Read More

  • Augusta National Golf Course

    400 Words  | 1 Pages

    Golf is the ultimate battle between man and nature. It is a beautiful sport in which dreams come true and hearts are broken. Man is challenged on every stroke by nature’s elements. Wind and rain are only a few of the conditions that affect this great game. Undulating hills, sand bunkers, thick rough, and even creeks and ponds come into play on most golf courses. These features are fierce at Augusta National Golf Course. Located along the fall line, the natural beauty of the region is the perfect complement to this championship golf course. Every spring when the flowers are in full bloom, Augusta plays host to The Masters Championship and is transformed into the Mecca of Golf.

    Read More

  • Physics of Baseball

    630 Words  | 2 Pages

    When you strike a bat against a ball it sends vibrations, much like the vibrations acting on airplanes or bridges, which travel in waves through the bat. This motion is important to understand because every vibration the bat experiences takes energy away from the ball's speed as it leaves the bat.

    Read More

  • Physics of Baseball

    1477 Words  | 3 Pages

    Baseball is a fascinating sport that is exceptionally fun to play. This assignment is all about understanding the physics of a few key aspects of this sport. One might ask what physics could have to do with baseball? Like most sports baseball involves physical motion. Baseball encompasses all three planes of motion through throwing, hitting, and fielding. All of the classical laws of mechanics can be applied to understand the physics of this game.

    Read More

  • Disc Golf

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is really only one traditional swing in golf. This is a fluid take back followed by a controlled rip at the ball. In frisbee golf you have many choices of how you want to throw the frisbee, it comes down to a matter of how it needs to fly and what you feel most comfortable with.

    Read More

  • How Does Dave Berry Use Satire Laziness?

    226 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout this review over the Ballistic Driver, Berry uses exaggeration to show how ridiculous the laziness is. When Berry stated “... the worst part of playing golf, by far, has always been hitting the ball. I love standing around on the golf course…” he is exaggerating how bad the physical side of golf is. He

    Read More

  • The Globalization Of Golf

    845 Words  | 2 Pages

    The globalization of golf is demonstrated by five different cities: Santiago, Chile; Beijing, China; Nairobi, Kenya; Awali, Bahrain; and Munich, Germany because they all contain golf culture diffused from Scotland even though they are situated in entirely different parts of the world; this particular example of globalization can also be described by the terms: place, region, scale, space, and connections. The origins of golf can be traced back to the 15th century, when a sport resembling golf was first played with a bent stick and a stuffed ball. It is widely accepted that the foundations of golf started in Scotland; one of the oldest and most honored golf clubs, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, is located in Scotland. At

    Read More

  • Golf: The History And The Evolution Of Golf

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    Golf. A sport that started out with just a wooden stick and ball, is now a very well know game by many people all around the globe. The sport that also just started out as a way to mess around has become a job for some of the people and is making some golfers millions of dollars each year. A sport that many people spend their whole lives playing or watching used to not be exactly what is today. Even though golf is a very well known sport now, golf has been around for hundreds of years and is played by people all over the world. The sport of golf has been dated all the way back to years before 1,000 and has kept growing exponentially ever since. According to the International Golf Federation, they have 144 different countries a part of the organization, leaving out 51. The game of golf is played at many different levels all the way from junior tournaments, all the way to professional events. The evolution of the sport of golf is made up of a couple main things. These two main things are how golf got its start, and what has changed about the game.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Golf

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    To start off, Now, we come to the tee-box where we put our stretching and breathing into effect creating the positive mentality, followed by a few quick practice swings. You then tee-up the ball, making sure the ball is lined up with the center of the face of the club. Then, you line up your shot and swing away, sending the ball flying down the middle of the fairway, creating a sense of euphoria. Next, we approach our second shot, making sure to choose the correct club according to the distance from the green. Once again, you line up your shot and swing, letting the ball coast and land on the green, as close to the hole as you possibly could. Now, comes the trickiest part which is reading the green. You grab your putter, then step back and squat, all the time trying to visualize the ball path. You, determine then were you should line up your putt depending on the break which is in the ball path. You step up to the ball, line up your putt, and swing your arms like a clock pendulum. The ball sinks into the hole sending you into a jumping fit of excitement. Thus, neatly showing how you can successfully play a hole of

    Read More

  • The Physics of Basketball

    1941 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...the more energy is lost and the less the ball bounces back. The less denting that occurs, the more energy is kept and the higher the ball bounces back.

    Read More

More about The Physics of a Golf Ball

Open Document