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what is the formula for how far a golf shot plays uphill

by Jayda Heathcote DDS Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

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.Aug 8, 2018

Full Answer

How to hit an uphill shot in golf?

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.

How do you calculate club count for uphill shots?

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.

How many clubs to hit a golf ball 15 feet uphill?

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. You are hitting to a green that is 15 feet uphill. You would now use your 6-iron. Add one club for every 15 feet.

How many irons do you need to hit a downhill golf shot?

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.

How many yards do you add for elevation in golf?

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 farther does a golf ball go at 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 distance does elevation add?

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.

How much difference does elevation make in golf?

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 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 warm golf balls go further?

Generally, a warmer golf ball travels farther. The rubber materials used to make golf balls respond better if they are more resilient. Warmth enhances resiliency. A warmer ball will come off the clubface with more velocity and spin than a colder ball, encouraging loft.

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.

Why do you need more club hitting uphill?

The number one thing to remember with an uphill lie it to always take more club. The incline in the slope will open the clubface so you're going to add loft to a club and the shot will go higher. If you hit an 8-iron normally, you'll want to usually go up at least one club to a 7-iron.

How do you calculate yardage for a golf course?

How to Calculate How Far I Hit the Golf BallTake your tee shot as per normal, and then find your ball and stand directly beside it.Turn on the range finder, hold its sight to your eye and aim it directly at the flagstick. ... Subtract the distance to the flagstick from the total yardage of the hole.More items...

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.

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 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 ...

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.

Why is the launch angle of a shot greater than the driver's loft?

When the ball is hit on the upswing, the shot’s launch angle is greater than the driver’s measured loft because the head’s loft is tilted upward by the swing.

What is hitting the ball on the upswing?

Hitting the ball on the upswing is also known as generating a positive angle of attack with the swing, and golfers that strike the ball on the upswing know firsthand how a positive angle of attack maximizes the already tremendous energy generated from extreme swing speeds.

What happens when the same launch angle is generated with a lower loft angle on the clubhead?

When the same launch angle is generated with a lower loft angle on the clubhead, there is greater clubhead-to-ball energy transfer, resulting in more distance. This result occurs because the upswing, or positive angle of attack, has a significant effect on a physical phenomenon known as the force vector of the head.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

Why is it important to know the slope of a golf ball?

This is because, while you may calculate the distance between you and the flag in a straight line, you do not hit the ball in a straight line. The ball is hit at an arc and with a trajectory that effects how far it actually goes.

What does it mean when you walk uphill or downhill?

Anytime you walk uphill or downhill you are walking up or down a slope. Think of triangle on its side and you’ll see a slope. On the course, we deal with this all the time because a shot that goes from one point to another that is at the same height is the exception rather than the rule.

Can a rangefinder be used in a golf tournament?

According to Appendix IV of Rule 14-3 no measuring device that calculates for slope may be used during tournament play. This does not mean, however, that your rangefinder cannot be used at all. The USGA does allow for a Local Rule to permit a “stipulated round” in which measuring devices like rangefinders can be used.

Does not taking slope into account hurt your score?

But we can certainly say that failing to account for slope will certainly hurt your score. This is because you will likely be under or overhitting the ball. As you get better with adjusting and factoring in slope, you should see some improvement in your overall score.

Can GPS calculate slope?

While GPS might be able to give some indication of your relative elevation, it won’t be able to calculate slope for your specific situation. This doesn’t make it useless, but means that a course with a lot of height changes will reduce its effectiveness quite a bit.

Can a GPS track slope?

So, a GPS device will not be able to calculate for slope, but only estimate your distance to different predetermined locations on the course.

Is it harder to play golf without knowing the slope?

What is clear is that playing without knowing the slope is a whole lot harder. This also depends on how much the course you play changes in elevation. A relatively flat course will not factor in much slope at all. On very hilly courses, failing to factor for slope could cost you dozens of strokes.

What is the par rating of a golf hole?

The par rating of a golf hole is up to the hole designers and golf course personnel. But there are guidelines. The USGA has periodically issued guidelines for the par ratings of holes based on their lengths; for example, if a hole is 180 yards, it is rated as a par-3.

Why is a 180 yard hole called a par 3?

So a 180-yard hole is called a par-3 because an expert golfer is expected to hit the green in one stroke, then take two putts to get the ball into the hole, making for three strokes total.

How many yards is a par 3?

1911. (Note: The USGA adopted the use of "par" in 1911, which makes these its first-ever guidelines on par yardages.) Par 3: Up to 225 yards. Par 4: 225 to 425 yards. Par 5: 426 to 600 yards. Par 6: 601 yards or more.

How many yards is the 18th hole?

This sign tells us the 18th hole is 465 yards and has a par of 4. Stuart Franklin/Getty Images. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. Most golfers know the typical par lengths of golf holes instinctively.

Is par yardage based on yards?

It's important to note that the USGA guidelines cited, the current recommended par yardages, are not, in fact, based on actual, measured yards, but on a hole's "effective playing length.". Effective playing length is one of the factors taken into account when a course is given its USGA course rating and USGA slope rating .

Who won the 2020 US Open?

He has been absolutely crushing the golf ball lately and has just won his first major with a 6-shot win at the 2020 US Open over Matthew Wolff.

Can you have the same shot twice in golf?

Golf is a complex game that involves angles, elevation and forces. It’s often said that you sill never have the same golf shot twice! With all the different skill levels for golfers, it can be difficult to understand your yardages, club head and ball speeds.

Bubba Watson breaks most of

Bubba Watson breaks most of the surge rules but if you look at his swimg it is far more upright than most of the guys on tour. Chaulk one up for the verticle swingers

Robert

   I concur -- with one caveat -- for me it is from about 70 to 75 tards from the hole -- that is my have "wedge in hand" range. But frequently I can "do it" from about 100 yds -- for weak me, a full 8 iron! arghhhhhhhhh! Old age can be a bummer at times!

Bubba swings like Bubba. In

Bubba swings like Bubba. In an insane, savant-like ability to move the ball all over creation, and an inability to hit it in a straight line. He does prove definitively that the way current mainstream golf instructors teach is not the only way to get the ball in the hole.

Dear Mdull,

As a pilot I would like to contradict you. Humidity has a major affect on the way planes fly. This is due to the weight of the air when it is humid. When air is humid, it is actually lighter then dry air, contrary to common belief. That is because the water vapour (H2O) weighs less then the N2 or O2 that it replaces.

Dear muckaluck- humid air is

Dear muckaluck- humid air is MORE dense than dry air. The only reason it might rise is if it is much warmer than the surrounding air (think low lying fog. Using that logic rain would be less dense than dry air also and we would have rain up rather than rain fall.

I came up with a "cheat" to

I came up with a "cheat" to help me golf when I was about 20 (years ago)... Hit every shot SWEL... Slope, Wind, Elevation, and Lie.

You are correct in everything

You are correct in everything you said but the last line was fairly uncalled for. Surge probably noticed that he got longer drives out in the desert and like many people equated it to less humidity as so many people do when in reality it was the heat and dryness of the fairways giving extra compression on the ball and extra roll on the fairway.

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