Now that I have traded in my 3 wood for a snow shovel, I have more time to read about golf than actually play it. Recently, I decided to look into the physics of golf and find out why after 12 years I still stink at it. So, I figured if I learn the science I can learn the art. And man was that a strain on the cabeza. Now I know why Wheel of Fortune used to follow Jeopardy on T.V…so you don’t think you’re a complete idiot and salvage whatever pride you have left.
In my perusing, I came across some interesting stuff that I thought was pretty cool. The following are some physics/scientifical explanations about different facets of the game. And for those smarty-pants’ out there that already know this stuff please feel free to add in the comments.
Ball Flight
After being struck the more backspin put on a golf ball the more loft and airtime it will have.
“As the ball spins, it forces air over the top of it and then behind it. This means that the air above the ball is moving faster than the air below the ball, and because of the pressure difference, the ball has additional force pushing it up, which helps it stay in the air for a longer period of time. This spin also helps golfers produce more accurate shots because with a backspin imparted on the ball, it drops quicker toward the end of the shot. And after hitting the ground, the backspin helps slow the ball more quickly.”*
Also, Dimples play a big role in keeping that ball in the air.
“Dimpled golf balls fly much further than smooth balls. The reason dimpled balls travel further than smooth balls is because the dimples on a golf ball create turbulence in the boundary layer. This actually helps because the dimples then scoop air back towards the rear of the ball. By moving more air to the rear, this helps keep the air pressure behind the ball from dropping. And by doing this, the amount of air pressure pulling backwards on the ball is decreased.” **
So, let’s get this straight, backspin and dimples are a major part of ball flight. Hmmmm…well I’ll tell you where else backspin and dimples are good…pickin’ up the ladies! That’s right, before I packed on the pounds I would flash a dimpled-cheek smile to the girls and bust out a pretty mean backspin on the dancefloor. Well, it wasn’t that easy. A man can dream can’t he? Oh well, back to the shovelin’!
**- http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/211_fall2002.web.dir/josh_fritts/flight.html
Sounds to me like you never stopped shoveling, Pete! ;-D