In-Flight
www.golfrelated.com
The flight path of the golf ball once it has been hit is influenced
a great deal by physics. While the ball is airborne it is affected by many
different factors. Obviously gravity is the most significant force acting
on the ball. It is the force of gravity that eventually causes the ball to
return to the ground. Wind resistance and air resistance are also very important
factors that are involved in the flight of the ball. Golfers have to take
the wind into consideration when they hit the ball. If the wind is to their
face they generally try to hit ball with a lower trajectory, because if
they hit it higher the force that the wind exerts on the ball can carry
it way off course or just keep the ball from going as far. If the wind is
at the golfer's back they generally hit the ball with a higher trajectory
because the force of the wind will carry the ball further.
Air resistance
is a factor that affects the golf ball no matter how calm the day is. It
is because of air resistance that the golf ball now has dimples. The dimples
decrease the air resistance, allowing the ball to travel further. This is
discussed in more detail on the page about the physics of the golf ball.
The dimples on
the ball are not the only thing that decreases air resistance. Upon impact
with the club head, the golf ball deforms some. as the ball regains its
shape it begins to move up the face of the club. This action causes the
ball to come off of the club with a great deal of backspin. The greater
the face of the club is angled the greater the spin is. The backspin causes
the air traveling over the top to be forced down. From Newton's third law
we know that for every force there is and equal and opposite force. From
this we can conclude that the ball is being pushed up with the same force
that the air is being pushed down. This gives the ball lift, allowing it
to travel further. You can get an idea of how this works in the image below.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com