The Physics of a Golf Ball Essay - 1277 Words

The Physics of a Golf Ball The first written reference of golf was in 1457. Golf balls have had extraordinary changes since that time; theyve gone from leather pouches to dried gum to todays dimpled balls. These dimples help decrease the drag and increase the lift. Different forces are applied to the golf ball when struck by the club. Golf clubs have grooves to create backspin. And then there are different variables that affect how a golf ball will travel, these include: lie angle and the shaft length. A golfer must never forget about the wind factor. And last but not least , a golfer must flat-out use his own judgment in the game of golf. The game of golf has a science all of its own, and even the best players have†¦show more content†¦Therefore, the Gutta-percha ball arrived on the scene in 1848 to take on the role of smooth, solid, dried gum from the Malaysian sapodilla tree. These guttie balls had two negatives; they sometimes broke into pieces as some modern solid balls have been known t o do and they did not fly as well as the feather balls. None the less, as these balls were used their surfaces became roughened. Players soon realized, however, that cut-up balls flew further and the concept of dimples was born. But why are dimples purposely molded into the modern day golf ball? This question deals with the way that air affects the flight of a spinning object (or aerodynamics if you will) -- and thats the bottom line. Moreover, two simple principles will be discussed in great detail hereafter: lift and drag. Lets not run faster than we are able though. Before we get on a rampage lets look at what experience has taught us about a spinning ball. A British scientist in 1887, Professor P.G. Tait owns all the credit to the findings concerning the importance of spin on the flight of a golf ball. He relates that in his youth he was taught that all spin is detrimental and he practiced assiduously to master the art of hitting a ball almost free of spin. After many c omplex and frustrating experiences, Professor Tait states clearly that, a ball driven with spin about a horizontal axis with the top of the ball coming toward the golfer,Show MoreRelatedThe Physics Of Golf Ball3380 Words   |  14 PagesMotion Study of the Golf Swing Physics Around Campus Tim Stoddard Physics 102 Spring 2015 Figure 1 below depicts a snap shot of the compact and physics-ridden entity known as a golf swing. Taken at my home in Olympia, WA, this picture was taken moments before the impact between my driver and the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball. The game of golf is riddled with physics concepts governing everything from the power generated in the swing, to every impact with the ball, to even the motionRead MorePhysics Roles in Golf634 Words   |  3 PagesPhysics is in everything around us. 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