Altitude, otherwise known as elevation, can have a drastic and observable effect on the distance a golf ball will travel through the air. For every 1000 feet (about 300 metres) you travel above sea level, you can expect roughly two yards more carry distance.
How far should you hit a golf ball at high altitude?
When golfing at a higher altitude and, therefore, lower temperatures, you can expect to lose around two yards on each drive for every 10 degree decrease in temperature. 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 ...
How does altitude affect your golf game?
Nov 06, 2018 · Only then do you realize you hadn’t considered the elevation difference and the effect of altitude on golf ball distance. It happened to me (again) earlier this year. We were two holes into our round at East Lake Golf Club , a course …
How much does temperature affect the distance of a golf ball?
Nov 06, 2018 · Only then do you realize you hadn’t considered the elevation difference and the effect of altitude on golf ball distance. It happened to me yet again earlier this year. My friend and fellow golf writer Gregg Dewalt of the TimesDaily in Florence, Ala., got our foursome on East Lake Golf Club, home of The Tour Championship. We were two holes ...
How far does a golf ball travel at sea level?
Add 10 percent of extra distance for every 5,000-foot increase in altitude. If you normally hit your 7-iron 150 yards at sea level, you should plan for 165 yards in the Rocky Mountains. Add 20 percent if you are playing an extremely high golf course, at 10,000 feet above sea level. Determine how far your ball actually travels.
Do golf balls go farther in high altitude?
The golf ball flies further in high altitudes mainly due to the change in air density, which decreases as elevation increases. Thinner air exerts less drag force on the ball. The ball moves more easily through the air and doesn't slow down as quickly as it flies, resulting in greater distance.Feb 19, 2019
How do you adjust yardage for altitude?
Subtract 10 percent to account for high altitude, says "Golf Digest." Your 160-yard shot to the middle of the green will travel roughly 16 yards farther because of the thin air. Choose the club you would normally hit from 144 yards away.
How does elevation affect yardage in golf?
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. 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.Dec 14, 2018
How much further does a golf ball go in Denver?
Most PGA Tour players say that the ball flies about 10 percent farther in Denver than at sea level, so up here in the mountains, I say about 15 percent longer than at sea level. So, your 150-yard club at sea level may go 165 up here, or from Denver, your 150 club may go 157.Aug 1, 2014
How can you calculate the distance a golf ball travels?
Subtract the distance to the flagstick from the total yardage of the hole. For example, if the hole is 380 yards from the tees that you played and the range finder indicates that you're 120 yards from the flag, you hit your drive 260 yards.
How much less does a golf ball travel at sea level?
First, figure that for about every 1,700 or 1,800 feet of elevation a ball will travel about 5 percent farther. That means that the ball will typically travel about 10 percent farther at this elevation than at sea level, give or take a few yards.Jul 23, 2019
Does temperature affect golf ball distance?
Cold air is denser than warm air and creates additional drag on a ball. According to Trackman, the difference is approximately one yard of carry for every 10-degree change in temperature. So theoretically, you're looking at a loss of four yards if you're playing in 40 degrees as opposed to 80 degrees.Nov 13, 2018
How does slope affect golf ball distance?
This formula should be approached as follows: If there is an uphill or a downhill shot of 15 feet of elevation, add or subtract one club. If there is more than 15 feet, add or subtract one club for every 15 feet. For example- let's say you are 150 yards to the pin and you would use your 7-iron.Aug 8, 2018
Do matte golf balls go further?
Some golfers believe that matte finish golf balls spin fast in dry conditions but decrease their spinning capacity in wet conditions. However, the correct answer to whether matte golf balls spin more is that they do not.May 22, 2021
Does Denver have high altitude?
Denver is situated at a high altitude of 5,280 feet (one mile high) above sea level. Visitors from lower elevations often underestimate the effects of altitude on their health and physical abilities.
Do golf balls travel further in Colorado?
If you normally drive the ball 250 yards at sea level — say Los Angeles — you will likely drive it 265 yards in Denver. In Summit County where the elevation is around 9,500 feet the equation would be: 9,600 x . 00116 = 11.136. That means your ball would fly 11 percent further than it would at sea level.May 7, 2019
Does humidity affect golf ball distance?
A golf ball goes a bit farther when it's humid. “Air that is hot or humid is actually lighter than air that is cold or dry or both,” according to Steve Aoyama, a scientist at Titleist, in a story published by the PGA's website. “Heat reduces the air's density by causing it to expand.Jun 15, 2020
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 Is Altitude?
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.
How Many Degrees Difference Does It Take to Affect the Ball?
Let’s assume you’re an average golfer that drives the ball around 250 yards, with a ball speed around 150mph. When golfing at a higher altitude and, therefore, lower temperatures, you can expect to lose around two yards on each drive for every 10 degree decrease in temperature.
How a Launch Monitor Can Help
Knowing how to prepare for a change in altitude is all part of the game of golf. Even if you aren’t playing a round at the world’s highest altitude course, knowing how to change your game based on the weather is something that every golfer should know.
How far should you hit a 7 iron in the Rocky Mountains?
Add 10 percent of extra distance for every 5,000-foot increase in altitude. If you normally hit your 7-iron 150 yards at sea level, you should plan for 165 yards in the Rocky Mountains. How to Determine Walking Speed.
Where is golf played in 2011?
With a wide variety of courses around the world, odds are you will play at least one course in your travels that takes you to great altitudes. Colorado is a favorite golf location in the United States, while the rocky terrain of Switzerland has several famous courses overseas.
Does altitude affect golf shots?
Lower shots will be less affected by altitude, while shots that travel higher tend to hang in the altitude for longer periods of time, carrying farther. The Average Golf Loft Degrees. Learn More. Choose your club and note its tendencies.
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.
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 ...
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.
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 ...
Why does the ball fly farther at high altitudes?
The ball flies farther at high altitudes: The air is less dense, so there is less friction to slow the orb's forward motion.
How much to deduct for golf shots at high altitude?
Although the general rule is to deduct 10 percent to determine the "true" distance for shots to the green at high altitude, it's not a rule you can bank on. As "Golf Digest" put it, the 10 percent rule, even for the professionals, is "more of a ballpark figure than an exact science.".
How many yards does Kenny Perry hit at sea level?
If he has 200 yards to the pin, he selects a club he normally hits160 yards at sea level.
Can a golf ball travel in cool weather?
Consider the temperature and humidity, notes Langer. The ball won't travel as far in cool weather or humid weather. It will travel farther in warm weather and when the air is dry.
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.
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.
