Physics of the swing

Physics of Golf

By: Lord Gabe

To the newbie, hitting the golf ball is all about power and having a really fancy club. But that is only half right, you need a good swing and what I mean by that is you need to know the physics of the swing. There is a certain swing that every golfer should master, each with their quirks, but overall the same.

When you go for a swing, you bring back the club past you head. Your elbows should be level with your chin. Your shoulders should be at a 60-degree angle. And your waist should be turned at a 45-degree angle. You should go not far and swing forward as if you were a top. Your club should hit the ball hard enough to give a good thwack. Then you should bring the club up and follow through with your swing.

Let’s talk about the ball and how the club effects it. First, there is a reason for those dimples in the ball, if it did not seem obvious. The dimples grab the air. When you swing your driver a 100-mph and smack the ball, the ball will be going 83 mph with a good amount of backspin. Thus you can say that the ball is climbing through the air. Also depending on how the ball is hit the ball will spin, giving it a hook or a slice

Each club has it's own physics. An iron is “ranked” 9 to 2, and that means the higher the rank the steeper the hit will be, thus making the ball go more vertical than horizontal. With the driver of course you want a steeper horizontal line than a iron. But that's not all there is to it. The driver has grooves that will help the ball spin, which helps the golfer to control the direction of the ball better.

Golf

And It's Physics

By; Brandon H

Tiger Woods is the best example of how the golf swing should be done. At the back of his swing he is able to reach far because of his flexibility, extending his range of motion while keeping his torso directly over his right leg. As he commits to his 400-degree swing he builds up velocity on his club head by turning his torso quickly and pressing his right foot forward. He exerts little energy by maintaining his position over the ball. Woods slices the ball by using his hips, shoulders, and wrists to concentrate his force. In doing so he creates a very high initial ball speed. Within the first 2 feet of the tee the ball is traveling at 180 mph, which is 20 mph faster than the average tour pro. Then he allows the club head's momentum to extend far around his back, completing a smooth 400-degree club head rotation.

Putting a spin on the ball also effects your game. If you want to put a left spin on the ball than you need to shift your feet to the right. This will cause the club to hit the ball later in your swing. Therefore, the club will hit the far side of the ball first. This will put an inward spin on the ball making it veer left. If you want to put a right spin on the ball you must shift your feet to the left. This will cause the club to hit the close side of the ball first. This will put an outward spin on the ball making it veer right.

Before reaching the physics on golf swinging I thought that it was all about hitting the ball hard. Now I understand that it is about form. Having your feet straight, twisting your waist, swinging your hips, and following through with your swing. Also hitting the ball in the middle and not-on-the-far-side nor the close-side. This study will help me perfect my swing.