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 do you calculate elevation change on a golf course?
Subtract one club for every 15 feet of elevation change. 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.
How do you adjust the length of a golf club?
Add one club for every 15 feet of uphill elevation change. That same shot from 160 yards, but up hill, will play approximately one club longer because the ball will be on the ground much faster than a shot to a flat green. Gauge the wind and adjust depending on your elevation.
How does altitude affect a golf ball?
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.
How do slopes affect Golf Club selection?
The first thing to understand is how slopes affect club selection. 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 much does elevation change affect golf distance?
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.
How much does elevation affect a golf shot?
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 do you calculate distance with golf altitude?
0:221:44Calculating Elevation Changes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what do you do with the ones that have massive elevation well you can join 2019. And get one ofMoreSo what do you do with the ones that have massive elevation well you can join 2019. And get one of these or one of these. Yes. It has slope front back in middle or. You can use a simple calculation.
How much does slope affect distance in golf?
Slope is very important for any golfer to consider. After your shot hits its peak, it begins to fall. And as it falls it continues to move forward. Depending on the slope of the land, this could affect the distance of your shot anywhere from 20 to 50 yards.
How much distance does elevation add?
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 much elevation makes a difference?
For every thousand feet of elevation increase above 1,000 feet above sea level, VO2 max max dropped by 1.9%. Additionally, time to exhaustion on a constant-speed treadmill run decreased by 4.4% per 1,000 feet of altitude.
Do elevated greens play longer?
Playing a shot to an elevated green is basically going to flatten out your effective trajectory. All other things being equal, a shot hit to an elevated green is going to need longer to stop than a shot played to a green which is level with the fairway.
How does elevation affect driving distance?
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 the golf ball fly shorter in Florida?
The ball doesn't fly as well as anywhere above sea level, so you have to hit to the spot you want to end up and try to carry the ball all the way to the hole because it tends to stop quicker on Florida greens. That's especially true during the summer months.
Is slope on a rangefinder worth it?
If you are using your rangefinder during practice rounds, then a slope feature comes in very handy. The more sophisticated devices factor in the uphill or downhill trajectory of a shot and then factor in the slope for an accurate yardage reading.
How accurate is slope on rangefinder?
This is handy if you grew up on a course that's in meters. The Pro X2 (Amazon Link) will get accurate +/- 0.5 yardages right up to 450 yards. This makes it one of the longest range devices available to buy. Most rangefinders nowadays will only get a max of 400 yards, even the best Bushnell models .
Do rangefinders help in golf?
Golf rangefinders provide clear benefits to golfers serious about improving. Giving accurate yardages to any point on the course they are easy to use and help amateur golfers avoid one of their most common mistakes – underclubbing. Laser and GPS are the 2 main types and prices range from $89-$500+.
How much distance do you lose at sea level?
With a driver, you get an extra 2.5 yards per 1,000 feet of altitude.
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.
Do golf balls go further in Arizona?
It usually takes two to three rounds to make these minor adjustments and feel confident about the shot. Because you are at a higher elevation above sea level, combined with the hard fairways and the dry air, the ball travels farther.
How do you play uphill and downhill lies?
6:3513:16Top Tips to Hit Uphill and Downhill Lies on the Golf Course - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRight because now I'm I'm already with my setup I'm promoting a steep angle of attack. So. If I putMoreRight because now I'm I'm already with my setup I'm promoting a steep angle of attack. So. If I put it back now I'm steep. And hitting early that's a very difficult combination.
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.
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 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.
How many irons do you need for a par 4?
For example, imagine that you have 150 yards to the middle of the green for your approach shot on a par four. 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. On the other hand, an uphill shot from 150 may play like 170, meaning you will need a six or even five iron to cover the distance. All of these shots are technically played from the same distance from the green, but they can require wildly different club selections depending on the topography of the course.
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.
How does altitude affect golf?
Hooking and slicing are reduced in severity due to altitude’s effect on the golf ball. A hook or slice is generated when the ball's spin axis is tilted and the lifting force pulls a little to the left or right (as a result of the golfer imparting some amount of sidespin to the ball) instead of straight up. Thus, instead of just holding the ball up against gravity, the lifting force also pulls to the side, creating the curved trajectory. If the lifting force is less due to lower air density, then the curvature will also be less. At 5,000 ft elevation, the air density is about 14% lower than at sea level, so the lifting force is also about 14% less and the hook or slice will curve about 14% less. It's easier to hit the ball straight, but it's harder to intentionally curve it.
Why does a golf ball fly at high altitudes?
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.
Why does the golf ball spin less?
Since the air is less dense at high altitudes, the spin has less effect on the ball's flight. The ball's spin generates a lifting force (like the wings of an airplane) as it moves through the air. The thinner the air, the smaller the lifting force. Thus, at higher elevations the trajectory is less influenced by lift, and thus has a "flatter" shape and a more glancing impact with the ground. This produces extra roll, which contributes to the increased distance but also makes it harder to hold the green, even though the spin is the same.
What is a hook in golf?
A hook or slice is generated when the ball's spin axis is tilted and the lifting force pulls a little to the left or right (as a result of the golfer imparting some amount of sidespin to the ball) instead of straight up.
Why does the ball spin less at higher elevations?
It is also sometimes said that the ball spins less at higher elevations. This is false. The amount of spin generated on a given shot is the result of a complicated physical interaction among the club's properties, the ball's properties, and the golfer's swing properties. These aren't going to be directly affected by elevation.
What is the effect of the spin of a ball on the trajectory of an airplane?
Thus, at higher elevations the trajectory is less influenced by lift, and thus has a "flatter" shape and a more glancing impact with the ground.
What is the lifting force of a 5,000 ft slice?
At 5,000 ft elevation, the air density is about 14% lower than at sea level, so the lifting force is also about 14% less and the hook or slice will curve about 14% less .
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 far can a shot go 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.
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.
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.
How does wind affect the golf ball?
I touched on it above but wind can affect the golf ball in a variety of different ways depending on wind strength and the direction of the wind. In addition to wind direction and wind strength, shot shape, spin rates and the quality of the strike also have an impact on how the wind will affect your golf ball.
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 if you hit a flighted shot in the wind?
A flighted shot will come out like an arrow and it will cut through the wind. A common mistake amateur golfers make is to try and hit the golf ball harder, especially on into the wind shots. By trying to hit the ball harder you will only add spin which will actually be worse off in the wind than a normal shot.
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 does it mean when you hit a fade in a right to left wind?
For instance, if a right-handed player is facing a right to left wind it will mean that the wind will be pushing the ball through the air from the right to the left. 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.
What other shaft factors affect golf shots?
Factors that play a significant role in generating speed and accuracy are
How Does The Tee Height Affect Driving Distance?
Keeping the golf ball in the air for the longest drive requires you to hit the golf ball on the up and create a higher trajectory.
How Do I Measure My Driver Shaft Length?
Shaft distance is measured from the top of the grip to where the club head meets the ground. Players can be custom fit at a golf shop for the proper length of their club shafts.
How To Add Length To My Driver?
Extending your shafts for more clubhead speed can be done by either adding extenders to your existing shafts or replacing your existing shafts with longer ones.
Do Shorter Shafts Have More Accuracy?
Shorter shafts offer more control during your swing and thus it is more likely that you will hit the sweet spot more frequently. Mishits by as little as ½ “off the sweet spot can result in a loss of 5% in distance and accuracy.
Should I use one length irons?
Since the changes that Bryson DeChambeau made to his physique and stepped up his game, a lot of people have started focusing on the use of one-length irons.
Should I choke up on my driver?
Choking up, or down if you prefer, is when you grip down approximately 1 “ or more from the butt of the shaft for more control and improved accuracy.
How does a half inch length change affect a golf swing?
Every half-inch length change alters the lie by a degree. There will be an alteration in the way you grip the club, change in your positioning or posture while taking a swing, you may need to bend it a little to drop your hands a bit, or you may stand more upright to make up for the change in distance. Since there will be changes in the length of ...
How Do You Measure The Length Of A Golf Club?
They measure it from the heel of the club to the butt end of the handle or the grip.
What does it mean when a golf club is too upright?
A club that is too upright every time you swing means that the heel of the clubhead is lower than that of the toe. The tendency here is for the ball to hook, especially for those who are right-handed golfer where the curving of the shot, often takes place. An upright lie angle is more common because the golfers who are just beginning in ...
Why does my golf club slice?
There is a risk of slicing the ball when your angle is too flat. This means that the angle between the shaft and the ground is smaller. Once your club is too flat for your swing, the toe of your golf club will have a lower range than the heel when it should be leveled. Slicing happens because of such reasons.
How to increase swing weight?
Swingweight can easily be increased by using lead tape placed at the clubhead. Lengthening a club softens the shaft a fraction while increasing the swing weight of the club. Each time you add length like half an inch will also add three swing weight points.
How to tell if a golf club is a perfect sole?
This is the easiest way to see the orientation of your golf clubs at impact. If there is a mark of a divot in a rectangular shape , then this is a club with a perfect sole. When you see a deeper pattern from the toe or heel, this means there should be some change done for your golf club.
What is the best way to get accurate golf clubs?
Club fitting is the best way to get accurate golf clubs, cause there is no standard lie angle that you can find in any golf store, and you need the fitting, so it will be according to your build, swing type, and preference.
Why is the shaft shorter on a golf club?
Making the shaft shorter makes the club shorter, the shaft stiffer, and it will adjust the swing weight. Your club will have less flex when you remove weight. A regular flex can become stiff, and a stiff can become extra stiff when you shorter it, but that all depends on how much you shorten it. You need to be sure this is what you want ...
Why is a shorter driver shaft better?
Pros: A shorter driver shaft will shorten the arc of your swing. This will help you to hit the center of the clubface more often. Hitting the center of the clubface more often means you are more likely to keep the ball in play than you were before.
What does a longer shaft mean?
A longer shaft means a wider arc to your swing and that creates more speed. But hitting the center of the clubface is much more important. A shorter driver shaft means a shorter arc in your swing and that makes hitting the center of the clubface easier. Many players don’t lose any clubhead speed when they shorten their driver shaft by about an inch.
What happens if you have a shorter driver?
As we talked about before, a shorter driver will decrease the width of the arc to your swing and increase your frequency of hitting the center of the clubface.
How long is the average driver on the PGA Tour?
On the PGA Tour, the average driver length is 44.5 inches. That’s shorter than the standard 45-46 inches.
Does shortening your driver shaft help?
More practice equals more consistency. Yes, better equipment helps. And equipment that is attuned to your needs helps even more. Shortening your driver shaft could be beneficial for you and combining that with the want to improve is a step in the right direction.
Does shortening a driver shaft make your handicap fall?
Most professional golfers are aware of the benefits that shortening their driver shaft, at least a little, can give them. This doesn’t mean that shorten ing your driver shaft will immediately make your handicap fall. The biggest factor is still your technique and how you play.