Why do golf balls travel farther when launched from a driver?
This allowed the ball to travel farther than a smooth ball launched at the same speed and launch angle without spin. As soon as a golf ball is launched off a driver, it starts its trajectory straight down the runway (fairway) with lift forces greater than the weight of the ball and drag forces that will immediately start slowing it down.
What determines the flight of a golf ball?
It is the dimples (surface treatment) on the golf ball that are responsible for its flight characteristics. Their design (i.e., size, shape and pattern on the surface of the ball) will help dictate the ball’s trajectory.
What causes a golf ball to deviate from its intended path?
An overly eccentric impact can cause the ball trajectory to deviate from its intended path, due to club head twist, and in addition the ball doesn't travel as far, due to energy loss from the club vibration.
How fast does a golf ball hit the ground?
A golf ball well-struck off a driver is launched at about 160 mph and lands at about 70 mph. Thus, the ball would be in this decreased drag zone for most of its flight, taking advantage of the phenomenon.
How fast does a smooth ball go?
The smooth ball goes through a similar force barrier, but at a critical speed of about 300 mph, and at this speed has less drag than the dimpled ball. It is at these critical speeds that the drag tail (turbulence behind the ball) suddenly decreases in size.
How does a golf ball start its trajectory?
Flight Conditions. As soon as a golf ball is launched off a driver, it starts its trajectory straight down the runway (fairway) with lift forces greater than the weight of the ball and drag forces that will immediately start slowing it down.
How does a golf ball fly?
The complex science of aerodynamics can help us understand precisely how the air flows over the surface of the ball, allowing it to fly through the air like a plane rather than take on the trajectory of a bullet. In fact, a golf ball can travel farther than any other round object of the same size and weight launched under ...
How accurate is firing a spinning ball?
This method of firing a spinning ball through a still body of air has proven to produce far more accurate and reliable data than trying to support a spinning ball in a laminar stream of air in a wind tunnel.
How does titanium improve ball speed?
Titanium clubs with shell-like hollow heads and thin faces, which deform and recover during impact (impact time, while the ball and club are in contact, is about .000450 of a second), enhance ball speed by increasing the “Coefficient of Restitution” (COR).
How far does a golf ball fly in the air?
This action must be performed so precisely that the ball will fly approximately 280 yards in the air, within a horizontal window of 4 degrees from the launch pad, ...
What is the separation point of air causing the turbulent tail or wake?
The separation point of air causing the turbulent tail or wake rapidly moves from a point about 80 degrees from the air flow direction to about 110 degrees around the back of the ball. This is sometimes referred to as “delayed separation” (see illustration).
How does loft angle affect the ball launch angle?
This in turn affects: 1) The distance the ball travels through the air, and 2) The distance the ball travels after it lands. The distance in 1) plus the distance in 2) is the driving distance.
Why is the first point important in golf?
The importance of the first point is fairly obvious. You must generate good swing speed to hit the ball hard enough, so that it goes far . The second point is not as obvious. To understand the physics of a golf swing one must consider the mechanics of rotational motion.
Why are golf balls dimpled?
The dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air over the ball's surface. This reduces air resistance which results in the ball traveling a farther distance than a smooth ball would. Such a distance improvement is desirable for making a shot as long as possible.
What happens to the golf club at the bottom of the swing?
At the bottom of the swing the golf club is almost perfectly parallel to his arms.
What is the physics of golf?
The physics of golf is a detailed subject. It involves forces and aerodynamics, occurring during the hitting of the ball, during its flight through the air, during the run of the ball (after landing), and during the putt. Golfers often put much effort into perfecting their golf game. This effort can yield additional benefit if combined ...
Why does my golf club lag behind?
Initially, at the top of the swing, the shaft bends back causing the club head to lag behind. This is due to the inertia of the club head. However, at some point during the swing the club head catches up.
What is the position of the golf club in the golf swing?
Part of the physics of a golf swing (from the point of view of the golfer), means finding the release (wrist uncocking) point so that at the bottom position, where the players hands are directly above the ball, the golf club is in the vertical position parallel to his arms.
How does drag affect distance traveled?
Drag across a golf ball can affect distance traveled when hitting a ball. An average golf ball will have a drag coefficient of, 0.24 < CD < 0.7, in a Reynolds number range of 30,000 < ReD < 108,000. This paper investigates the effect of dimple patterns on the boundary layer around a ball. Changing the depth of the dimple will cause a change to the drag coefficient. A deeper dimple pattern will cause a larger drag coefficient at higher velocities, u > 35 m/s. This research found that a significantly deeper dimple pattern will greatly affect the boundary layer, thus changing the drag coefficient and boundary layer.
Does the depth of a dimple affect the drag coefficient of a golf ball?
However, it was determined that the depth of dimple does influence the drag coefficient on a golf ball. The deeper dimple has a lesser drag coefficient at lower Reynolds numbers, while the shallower dimple ball has a lower drag coefficient at the higher Reynolds numbers.