How does altitude affect golf ball distance?
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 travel at sea level?
Every 1,000 feet above sea level a golf course sits, a golfer can expect their ball to travel approximately 2 percent farther. For example, if a golf course were a mile above sea level -- hi, Denver -- then you could expect the golf ball to go approximately 10 percent farther than at sea level.
How to calculate golf yardage at altitude?
Calculate Golf Yardage at Altitude Determine the ideal trajectory for your shot. 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. Choose your club and note its tendencies.
How much altitude do you need to hit a golf shot?
There are a few things to consider. The first, is a basic rule of thumb– for every 5,000 feet of elevation, subtract 10% of your normal yardage. If you hit a 7-iron 150 yards on average, know that when you play in altitude in a place like Denver, this will play closer a 165-yard shot.
Does a golf ball travel further at higher elevation?
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 difference does elevation make to golf distances?
approximately 2 percentAltitude, 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 much does elevation add to a golf shot?
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 does elevation affect golf shot distance?
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.
How do you adjust yardage for elevation?
The first thing is to use the 15-feet formula. 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.
Do golf balls travel 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.
Does a golf ball travel further in Colorado?
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.
How much does slope affect golf distance?
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.
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 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 matte golf balls go further?
Regular Golf Balls Have A Higher Flight Path This is why it is important to use a regular golf ball instead of a matte finish ball when playing on the green. The matte finish ball has a higher flight path and will travel further than a regular golf ball.
Does a wet golf ball go farther?
Typically when the club is wet it produces slightly less spin and slightly higher shot then when the golf ball and golf club are both dry. We see very minimal differences between the club being wet or dry.
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 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.
How does altitude affect range?
Range (maximum flight distance, amount of fuel per km) doesn't change with an increase in altitude. However, the Vmax range increases with an increase in altitude.
How much further does golf ball fly 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.
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.
How far can you drive a golf ball at sea level?
If you normally drive the ball 250 yards at sea level, you will likely drive it 265 yards in Reno. The golf ball does not spin any less at high elevation. However, because the air is less dense and imparts less force on the ball, the lift force is also lower.
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.
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 .
Why is gravity reduced at higher elevations?
The notion of reduced gravity at higher elevations is technically true, because the strength of gravity decreases with increased distance from the center of the Earth. When playing golf in Denver, for example, we are about a mile farther from the center of the Earth than we are when playing in Los Angeles.
How much does gravity decrease on Mount Everest?
However, that results in only a tiny reduction in gravity. Even on the top of Mount Everest the gravity is only reduced by about 1/4 of one percent. There are greater variations (around 1/2 percent) due to factors such as latitude or local variations in the Earth's makeup, and nobody worries about that.
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 ...
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 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 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.
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 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.
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.