Golf Tips
Did you know what really happens
when you hit the Golf Ball?
Info from the book entitled SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT SWING
I. IMPACT
Time
During a full swing Driver shot, if the clubhead is traveling at a swing speed of about 100 MPH, the face of the club is in contact with the ball for half of a thousandth of one second, or one “half a millisecond”.
Distance
The face of the driver will travel forward only three-quarters of an inch, from the moment of impact until the ball springs clear of the clubface.
Force
The force applied to the ball by the clubhead during impact in a full drive rises to a peak of 2000 pounds( one ton), and average force applied at all stages during the half millisecond of impact, including compression and spring away is around 1400 pounds.
II. FEEL
Reaction Time
It takes about two-thirds of a millisecond for the shock of impact to travel up the shaft from the clubhead to the hands. By this time the ball is about one half an inch clear of the clubface. At least another ten milliseconds will elapse, before the message of impact reaches the golfer’s brain. And he can be said to “ feel “ the reaction. The ball has traveled a foot or more clear of the clubface, by this time.
Speed
From a point at rest at the top of the backswing, a good golfer can reach impact with the clubhead (100 MPH swing speed average) in as little as one-fith of a second, approximately 100 times faster than the fastest sports car can accelerate from rest. A clubhead traveling at 100 MPH will send the ball away at about 135 MPH resulting in about 240 yds. of ball carry. ( Tiger Woods average swing speed for his driver is measured at 125 MPH, resulting in approximately 175 MPH ball speed!, resulting in 285 yds. of ball carry.)
Weight
According to principles of mechanics, reducing or increasing the headweight of the club,has very little effect on the ball speed away from the clubface, since the golfer has to swing the club shaft, his arms and other parts of the body as well as the clubhead to gain speed.
Temperature
A warm golf ball is more lively than a cold one. A drive that carries 200 yards at 21 degrees C, will travel only 185 yards at freezing point. Good thing we live in Thailand!