Because the air is less dense at higher altitudes and imparts less force on the golf ball, the ball won't slice or hook as much. It will be harder to shape shots. The shorter the shot and the slower a ball moves through the air, the altitude will have a lesser effect on golf ball aerodynamics.
Full Answer
Does elevation affect your golf score?
Of course, it depends on many conditions. This page will discuss and deal with the effect of elevation changes alone (without wind, rain, cold, etc) so that you can improve your club selection and lower your score. The trajectory of a golf ball is now well understood.
How do you calculate elevation change in golf shots?
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.
How to hit a golf shot over a slope?
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. Concentrate on keeping the left shoulder down through impact to deliver solid contact. Hitting accurate golf shots over flat ground is already a challenge.
Why do golf shots travel farther when they hit the ball?
Thus, it doesn't slow down as quickly as it flies, resulting in greater distance. Since golf shots vary widely in their launch conditions (the initial speed, spin rate, and launch angle of the ball), the effect will vary greatly depending on the golfer and what club is being used.
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.
Does humidity affect golf ball carry?
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. 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 ...
What happens when you hit a downhill shot?
With downhill shots, the ball will be in the air longer, and therefore more susceptible to the effects of the wind. You should choose more club accordingly. On uphill shots, the wind will have slightly less effect.
Why is golf so difficult?
Playing golf at elevation is very difficult because the ball travels farther in the air in elevated climates like Colorado and Utah as opposed to normal elevation areas like the Midwest or East Coast.
How far can a golf ball fly in thin air?
According to "Golf Digest," the ball can fly up to 40 percent farther in the thin air of these environments. Every course is different, so experiment to find the ideal yardages. Subtract one club for every 10 feet of downhill elevation change in these thin air climates. The air provides less resistance, and the ball will generally travel farther ...
Why do you need an 8 iron in golf?
For instance, if you have 160 yards down hill to the pin, and you would normally hit a 7-iron, the shot calls for an 8-iron because the ball will travel in the air longer than a shot to a flat green. Add one club for every 15 feet of uphill elevation change.
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.
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 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 tall is a golf cart?
For example, a golf cart is around six feet tall, so you could use a cart that is up by the green as some kind of indication of how much height you are gaining or losing.
How many irons do you need to play a 150 yard shot?
If this shot is being played over flat ground with no wind, you will simply pull your 150-yard club (maybe a seven iron) and make a confident swing. However, if that shot is significantly downhill, it may only play like a 135-yard shot, meaning you could use an eight or nine iron.
Can a variabcluble play tricks on your eyes?
If you're accustomed to flat golf courses and find yourself on a hilly track, the new variabCluble can play tricks on the eyes. Uphill shots may appear much shorter than they play, while downhill shots create the opposite illusion.
Is golf an easy game?
Golf has never been an easy game, and the challenge of even the most basic shots is a testament to the overall challenge of this sport. Of course, the game gets even harder when elevation change is added in to the equation.
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.
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.
How far does a 6 iron go downhill?
Thus, the effective distance of the 6-iron is 21 yards shorter. If hitting downhill to a green, 20 yards below, the ball lands ont he green at a horizontal distance of about 180 yards. Thus, the effective distance of the ...
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.
What should you do when coming up to a shot which will include elevation change?
The very first thing you should do when coming up to a shot which will include elevation change is to get an accurate yardage. This initial yardage should not be adjusted for the slope at all, just find the yardage to your target.
How to make sure your golf ball doesn't climb too high into the sky?
Use a punch-style shot whenever possible on downhill shots to make sure your ball doesn’t climb too high into the sky. You will find that controlling the distance of the ball and landing the shot on the green will become much easier with this strategy.
What are the challenges of changing elevation?
Changing elevation is one of the biggest challenges you will face on the golf course. Sure, hazards like big ponds and deep bunkers are daunting, but something as simple as an approach shot played to a green well above the level of the fairway can be just as tough.
How to deal with elevation change?
When you have to deal with elevation change, you will need to adjust your club selection to match with the ‘effective’ distance of the shot, and you will also need to think about your trajectory. New golfers often get tripped up when dealing with uphill or downhill shots, but you will get better and better at this task with experience.
What are the biggest mistakes made by amateur golfers?
One of the biggest mistakes made by amateur golfers in this situation is lacking confidence once they do swing the club. With your decision made and the club in your hands, there is nothing to do but make the swing to the best of your ability. It does no good to doubt yourself, so let it fly and hope for the best.
Is it safe to play a shot uphill or downhill?
Taking an aggressive approach is not the right way of thinking when playing a shot significantly up or downhill. Rather, you should be playing it safe in these situations, aiming for the center of the green in hopes of a two putt par.
Can you hit a shot downhill?
It is tempting to hit your ball as high as possible when playing a downhill shot. Between the height of the ball flight on its own, and the downhill slope, this kind of shot can hang in the air for an extremely long time – and it looks cool to hit that kind of shot.
How does wind affect golf ball distance?
The decrease in distance that the ball will travel as a result of the wind will depend on the strength of the wind. In addition to the ball traveling shorter through the air, the ball will also tend to roll less once it hits the ground or putting surface. If you are faced with an into the wind shot it is important to calculate for both ...
What happens when you hit a golf ball into the wind?
If you are faced with an into the wind shot the wind will push the ball back towards you and it will go shorter than what it normally would.
What is the difference between a crisp shot and a spinny off center strike?
Crisp shots with optimal spin rates tend to be less affected by the wind than a spinny off-center strike. This might sound very technical but the long and short of it is that the better you hit the golf ball the less impact the wind will have on it as it flies through the air. If the wind wasn’t hard enough to judge how ...
What happens when you hit a downwind shot?
If you are faced with a downwind shot the wind will push the ball to go further than what it normally would. The additional distance that the ball will travel as a result of the wind will depend on the strength of the wind. In addition to the ball traveling further through the air, the ball will also tend to roll more once it hits ...
What direction does the wind push the golf ball?
If you are faced with a crosswind shot the wind will push the ball away from your target in the direction of the wind, thus with a right to left wind the wind will push your golf ball to the left of your target and vice versa.
How far does a golf ball travel in wind?
Unfortunately, there is no rule of thumb that says for everyone 10 mph of wind the ball will travel 10 yards shorter or longer depending on the wind direction. On a windy day, it is very important to take note of how far your golf ball travels on both the practice tee and on your first couple of holes on the golf course.
What happens if you hit a fade in the right to left wind?
If you were to hit a fade into a right to left wind the wind will knock the ball down and it will fly shorter. The opposite will be true if you were to hit a draw, with a draw the right to left wind will carry the golf ball to fly further than normal.
