Atmosphere In Golf

Topic Question: What role does the atmosphere play in determining the flight of a golf ball?

The atmosphere plays a large role in the sport of golf. Elements such as wind, rain, temperature and altitude have many effects on the way a golf ball moves through the air.

The effects of the elements are very noticeable. A basic example of this is the flight of a golf ball through headwind and with tailwinds. Many golfers think that the loss or gain of distance will be the same amount if the wind is blowing into as opposed to blowing from behind.

Another example is the effects of altitude and how much further or less the ball will travel through the air with the respective higher or lower altitudes. These theories will be touched on in specific

The ball looked just like the Guttie however it granted the average golfer with up to 20 yards more distance.

In 1921, the Royal and Ancient (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) introduced rules and regulations with relation to the size and weight of the golf ball.

Nowadays, however, golf balls have completely changed. There are golf balls which offer softer or harder feels, golf balls which go further or spin more, all offering to suit the demands of the player. Golf balls have truly evolved over the centuries, and still continue to evolve, even so that the R&A and USGA may have to put a halt to the evolvement in order to preserve the tradition of the game

One of golf’s most common rules of thumb, is that when playing golf at altitude, you gain approximately 15% per mile above sea level (1600m). This is an extremely well known fact to golfing fanatics, and is widely trusted amongst them. Golf has some interesting geographical aspects to it, and they may be making more of an effect on us than we

As golf gets into a more scientific age, science gets into golf.

When PGA Tour professionals stop at a venue with a high altitude, there is one trend that is extremely noticeable, their driver lofts go up. That is, as explained in this article and the previous article, the more loft, the more distance gains, percentage wise, we see in carry distance of a golf ball.

The fact of the matter here is, that the higher the ball goes in the air at a high altitude, the further it will carry, this means that a golfer with a higher trajectory will be at an advantage as opposed to a golfer with a lower trajectory, who generally relies on roll out to achieve more distance.

Humidity and air pressure play a large role in carry distance. For example, playing in the morning, when there is more moisture in the air, will add a few yards to the carry of your golf ball as opposed to the afternoon, where it heats up and dries, and there is less moisture in the air, results in more resistance of the golf ball in flight and less carry distance a