Essay on The Game of Golf and Physics - 2320 Words

The Game of Golf and Physics A famous saying for many golfers is, â€Å"golf is the most enjoyable walk that can be had in two hours†; even though many people disagree with this and say it is, â€Å"the worst walk in two hours.† Still, over time many people have had the opportunity to play, learn, and enjoy the beauty of golf courses around the world. Many golfers know that the game of golf requires mental and physical aptitude with hours of practice in order to be proficient at the game. Furthermore, since golf is a sport played in the physical world, the entire game can be explained and actually improved by many principles in Physics. Understanding the principles of Physics in the swing of the golf club, golf ball, collision of the golf†¦show more content†¦We know this due to Newton’s Second Law of Motion stating, â€Å"that force equals mass times the acceleration.† (Kirkpatrick 37) So with a mass that is constant (the golf ball), the velocity of the swing can be imp ortant if you want to hit the ball a long way. An example of this would be Bobby Jones’s (professional golfer) swing, which starts out at 34 ft/sec. and continually acquires acceleration until it collides with the ball moving at 165 ft/sec. (Williams 21) This is more than 110 miles per hour, which is very fast and very easy to miss the ball if you don’t keep your eye on the ball! The average force that can result from a full driving swing is 1400-2000 pounds of force, launching the ball more than 280 yards. (Williams 145) So, when we take the golf ball’s mass of .0459 kg, and the acceleration is 50.3 m/sec squared, we can calculate the momentum of the ball before and after the collision. The momentum is conserved due to the Conservation of Linear Momentum, and is found to be 116 kg m/s squared. The calculation of the net force is found to be 116,131 lbs. or Newton’s applied on the ball in the short impact time of one milli-second. (Brancazio 207-208) The distance the ball travels is then directly proportional to the amount of force applied to the ball, the angle at which the force is applied (club loft), gravity (9.8 m/sec./sec.), and wind resistance. The momentumShow MoreRelatedPhysics Roles in Golf634 Words   |  3 PagesPhysics is in everything around us. It is in us driving a car, walking down the street, and pushing a child on a swing. Physics is also in every sport you have ever played, or watched someone play. 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