how does elevation affect golf ball distance

In higher altitudes with colder temperatures, golf balls tend to travel a lower distance. This is because the golf club and ball are colder, which decreases the transfer of energy. Colder air is also less dense, so there’s less lift and drag. This causes the ball to go further, but apex lower and land flatter.

Full Answer

How does altitude affect a golf ball?

In higher altitudes with colder temperatures, golf balls tend to travel a lower distance. This is because the golf club and ball are colder, which decreases the transfer of energy. Colder air is also less dense, so there’s less lift and drag. This causes the ball …

How much does temperature affect the distance of a golf ball?

Feb 21, 2020 · All told, these kinds of common weather factors will never have more effect than a whole club. Altitude, or elevation, and wind have the …

How to deal with elevation changes in golf swing?

If the hitting position and green are at the same elevation, the ball lands at about 162 yards. If hitting uphill to a green elevated by 20 yards, the ball lands on the green at a horizontal distance of about 141 yards. Thus, the effective distance of the 6-iron is 21 yards shorter.

Is it easier to hit the ball straight at high elevation?

Nov 06, 2018 · We were two holes into our round on a course that varies from 954 and 1,035 feet above sea level. That’s when I realized I was making club choices as if I were still in Albuquerque, 5,280 feet above sea level. The first two times I pulled an iron for an approach shot, I came up short. Yet again, I had forgotten to take into account the effect ...

How much farther does golf ball go in elevation?

How much does elevation change affect golf distance?

How do you adjust yardage for elevation?

What affects the distance of a golf ball?

Does temperature affect golf ball distance?

Where do you aim your rangefinder?

How do pro golfers determine yardage?

How much distance does elevation add?

How can you calculate the distance a golf ball travels?

Do golf balls matter for distance?

Do golf balls really make a difference in distance?

What golf ball gives best distance?

How does altitude affect golf?

Altitude is the height of an object in relation to sea or ground level. The higher the altitude, the colder the air will be. So, how do altitude and air temperature impact the game of golf? The carry of the golf ball, which is how long the ball remains in the air after being hit with the club, relies on a mix of physics and weather.

What is the best way to carry a golf ball at high altitude?

When driving at a high altitude, you need to launch the ball higher to increase carry. You’ll also want to use a hybrid club instead of an iron club. Hybrid clubs are designed to naturally launch the ball higher, which increases ball carry.

How many yards does a golfer gain per drive?

For every 10 degree rise in temperature, the average golfer will gain around two yards per drive. However, the carry of the golf ball will also be impacted based on the type of club you’re using. The shorter the club, the less gain or loss you’ll experience on every drive.

How much does the carry change on a golf ball?

As you can see courtesy of the chart above, the carry change increases by about half a yard between your pitching wedge and driver, capping out at about two yards per 10 degrees of temperature. Rice also found that humidity had “almost no effect on carry,” — temperature and carry were the two primary atmospheric conditions (outside of wind, which is a different matter) that effect your golf ball.

How much spin does a driver get at sea level?

But that’s not all. The “optimal spin rate” with a driver, Rice explains, increases from 2,250 RPMs at sea level to about 3,000 RPMs at 10,000 feet. Why? Because the air is less dense at increased altitude, so the importance of hang time increases.

How many yards can a driver carry in 70 degree conditions?

So, if your driver carries about 250 yards in 70-degree conditions, according to Rice’s research, the same shot will travel about 254 yards in 90-degree conditions, and 246 yards in 50-degree conditions. Altitude, as you can see above, is the other big factor. With a driver, you get an extra 2.5 yards per 1,000 feet of altitude.

How far can a golf ball travel above sea level?

Altitude, or elevation, and wind have the greatest and most apparent effect on golf ball distance. Every 1,000 feet above sea level a golf course sits, a golfer can expect their ball to travel approximately 2 percent farther.

Why does my golf ball fly farther?

You can feel humid air more, but water weighs less than the nitrogen and oxygen molecules that make up dry air. So, you're hitting into thinner air, which means the ball goes farther as though a golfer were playing at a higher altitude.

How far does a golf ball fly?

According to the folks at TrackMan, for every 10 degrees of increase in temperature, the golf ball flies approximately 1.33 to 1.66 yards farther, depending on the club being used. This is because the temperature changes air density, which is ultimately the factor determining how well the golf ball can fly through the air with minimal drag ...

Do weather factors have more effect than a whole club?

All told, these kinds of common weather factors will never have more effect than a whole club.

Does the golf ball fly farther in the summer?

However, the effect heat has on the distance the golf ball travels isn't as much as most golfers, including many professionals, think. If playback doesn 't begin shortly, try ...

What happens when the ball warms up?

As the ball warms, the substances which make up the golf ball become easier to compress. Unless it is 250 degrees fahrenheit playing golf in the Amazon (in which case, the ball may begin melting), warmer temperatures will produce longer flights.

Why does the ball fly farther?

Bernhard Langer has said also, elements such as temperature, humidity and air conditions can have implications on the flight of the ball. With temperatures, the warmer it is, the farther the ball will fly. Why is this? Compression. As the ball warms, the substances which make up the golf ball become easier to compress. Unless it is 250 degrees fahrenheit playing golf in the Amazon (in which case, the ball may begin melting), warmer temperatures will produce longer flights.

Do pilots need more runway?

Pilots use this type of information regarding humidity for landings. If the dew point rises, pilots need to equate more altitude to their landings, thus needing more runway. It rings true in golf too.

Does humidity affect baseball?

This is true with humidity as well– only to a smaller margin. [Inexact] science states that higher humidity readings will lead to longer ball flight. People around baseball say, “baseballs start flying during the steamy days of summer…” …or something like that. Baseball players– do people say that?

What is the trajectory of a golf ball?

The trajectory of a golf ball is now well understood. It depends on ball velocity, trajectory, and spin as well as on air temperature, humidity and density. Below is a graphic of the trajectory of a golf ball hit with a driver, 5-iron, and 9-iron. Note that in the first part of each trajectory, the path of the ball steepens.

What is the most important factor in hitting it long?

The most important factor in hitting it long is increasing your swing speed.

Why is the downhill drive longer?

Even if there was no roll, due to very damp fairways, the downhill drive would be longer. ". It's not always obvious to golfers that when hitting uphill, you need to hit more club and when hitting downhill, you need to hit less club. The question is how much more or less. Of course, it depends on many conditions.

Which is steeper, 9 iron or driver?

The 9-iron 's impact is the steepest and the Driver's impact is the least steep. Because of this, a Driver's range is more greatly affected by elevation changes than a 5-iron and the 5-iron's is more greatly affected than the 9-iron's. For every yard of fall, the Driver ball travels farther.

Can you apply probability golf to the course?

You can apply Probable Golf to the course with success right away, unlike swing changes.

Can you provide yardages for each club in your bag?

You can provide me with yardages for each club in your bag. I'll input your values into a program I have written, and send you a template which will outline how different speed winds will change the real yardages for each club.

What does elevation change mean in golf?

For most golfers, hitting a shot that involves elevation change boils down to simply guessing at which club to use. Without a plan in mind for dealing with this situations, most players will just grab the club that they feel like may be able to handle the shot, and then they swing away while hoping for the best.

How many yards does elevation change?

As a general rule, one yard of elevation change (up or down) equals a yard of distance. For example, if you have a shot that measures 100 yards up a hill that rises 10 yards from ball level to hole, those 10 yards must be added to the total – so it's a 110-yard shot. In other words, you must trust your yardage, not your eyes, when picking a club.

How many combinations of wind and elevation change?

There are really four combinations of wind and elevation change that you will need to learn how to deal with if you are going to come up with the right distance for your shots time after time. You will have to handle into the wind shots both uphill and downhill, along with downwind shots that are going uphill and downhill. The effect on the ball and your trajectory will be different for each of these circumstances, so it is important that you have a clean plan for all four.

What is the easiest shot in golf?

Uphill and into the wind. Of all four, this might actually be the easiest shot in the group. Since you are going into the wind, the ball will want to stop faster on the green, which will help when dealing with an uphill shot. As long as you are able to carry the ball far enough to land on the green, it should put on the brakes pretty quickly after coming down. Get the club selection right and make a good swing to conquer this type of shot.

How to find yardage on a par 3?

Normally, getting a yardage is one of the easier parts of the game. You can use a handheld laser rangefinder or GPS device, you can look for a sprinkler head with a yardage marked on it, or you can even look on the scorecard in the case of a par three. Good golf courses are well marked to help you know exactly how far you are from the green on any given shot. Unfortunately, when you start to deal with elevation change, you are going to have to adjust the yardage you find to accurately reflect the kind of shot you will need to hit.

Why does my right shoulder drop when playing uphill?

When playing uphill, the tendency is to try to lift the ball into the air. This causes the right shoulder to drop, producing fat shots. Focus on making your normal swing and letting the club's loft do the work of sending the ball up the slope. Conversely, it's easy to come up and out of shots when hitting downhill.

How far can you subtract from a distance?

As a very general rule of thumb, you can add or subtract around 10 yards or distance for every 15 feet that you are going up or down.