Information About Golf | Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com |
|
Is The Golf Ball The Real Reason For Longer Drives ?
A Little History First To determine this point, we have to travel back in time and see how the original golf ball was formed. The original golf balls as most of us know, were made from goose feathers stuffed into a round leather ball. It is estimated that those could be hit as far as 170 yards with the modern club. The next technological advance was the gutta percha ball. This was made from tree sap or rubber and compressed into a round mould. A modern club can hit this about 200 yards on average. The Haskell method was to improve the ball construction, by having a soft core, and winding thin rubber around this core. This ball can be hit around the 225 to 250 yard range. Further advances saw the introduction of a liquid core with a soft balata cover. However the ball became misshapen after several hits on it. It is rumoured that the great Ben Hogan passed his golf balls through a metal ring to check for roundness. The modern golf ball has taken several leaps forward from those days. This golf ball is mainly made with a surlyn or a urethane cover, which offers the same feel as a balata covered ball. SurlynŽ is a synthetic, highly resilient, durable material that is used in the majority of golf balls in the industry. This material provides for a golf ball that will stand up to the durability test that the avid golfer demands, while allowing many different options for spin & distance combinations. Could last for many rounds of golf, assuming that you did not lose the golf ball first. The core is formed with a mixture of polybutediene and other compounds to give this soft core. Over the past four years, golf ball technology has evolved from a primarily wound-ball construction to the solid core/two piece construction to the double-core/four piece construction. The distances achieved with this ball can be in excess of 300 yards. But Is That all There Is To It ? No, there are still a few more key points to understand, like dimples, the affect of spin, compression, storage conditions, and the rules that govern golf ball construction. How do dimple patterns affect the flight/trajectory of a golf ball? Dimples provide the lift needed to get a ball airborne. Without them a golf ball's performance would be severely restricted. Golf balls come in a variety of different dimple patterns. Some promote a higher flight trajectory that many golfers need, while others promote a lower, more piercing trajectory. In general though, balls with deeper dimples will tend to have a lower trajectory. Deeper dimples create more turbulence in the boundary layer, which makes it more difficult for air to flow over the ball creating less lift. Those with shallower dimples typically will generate a higher trajectory. Dimple pattern - the dimple pattern on a golf ball does not affect the spin, it creates the aerodynamic lift that allows a spinning ball to remain in the air longer. Varying the dimple size also affects the aerodynamics of a ball. By matching the dimple pattern and the construction of a ball, manufacturers can optimise the resulting trajectory for both distance and control. It is the combination of the lift and drag properties of the ball, as well as its speed, launch angle and spin rate, which will dictate the flight path or trajectory of the ball, and thus the distance it will go. A perfectly smooth golf ball with no dimples would travel about 130 yards when hit with a driver by a good player. On the other hand, a ball with well-designed dimples, struck the same way, will travel about 290 yards. Dimple design has changed significantly over time, from random patterns, to formal rows, to interstitial designs. The depth, shape and number have all been varied and tested. Spin Rate A golf ball's spin rate refers to the speed it spins on an axis while in flight, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). Spin rate off a driver generally ranges between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, while the average, cleanly struck wedge shot spins at about 10,000 rpm. Spin generates lift, thus a shot's spin rate directly influences how high the ball flies and how quickly it stops after landing. Beyond the manufacturer's hype, there are real differences in ball construction affecting driving distance, approach control, putting roll, balance and cost. Modern balls are made to very high standards of consistency and quality. In driver shots, an excessive amount of spin will cause the ball to soar, resulting in a loss of distance. Too little spin will prevent lift and reduce carry. Keeping the amount of spin at an appropriate level and hitting shots that trace ideal parabolic paths are the formula for maximizing distance. The manufacturer can affect the spin rate with a variety of methods. The main way appears to be by having a larger softer core, which in turn provides more spin less distance. Another method is to have the soft core encased in a mantle cover. This cover can be harder and thicker. The more flexible this cover the more spin. Compression Compression of a golf ball gradually became more of feel thing In the end the constant high quality of 2-piece balls made compression as a quality index obsolete Today the term compression is used in combination with a number ranging from 0 to 200. This figure tells us by how much a golf ball is deformed under a compressive force. Although this term is now becoming obsolete it is still important to understand the importance of compression with regards to a golfer's swing. As golf balls are mass produced, all 3-piece balls and some 2-piece balls are measured by their compression and rated accordingly. In order to do so balls are pressured with a standard weight. A ball, which does not deform is rated Compression 200, a ball that lets itself be deformed by 2/10 of an inch or more is rated Compression 0. Standard Compression rate of a golf ball is 90 or 100. The lower the Compression rate the softer the feel. Most balls are subject to a rating by compression. Surveys have shown that low speed swing players should use a ball with a Compression rate of 80. Average speed swing players should use Compression 100 and high speed swing players Compression 110. However, new golf balls do not have an actual number, and prefer to say low spin rate or long distance. So read the label as they say. How long can a golf ball last under normal storage conditions? Under normal storage conditions (70-80 degrees Fahrenheit) a golf ball can last forever. However, it must be understood that certain factors can affect a ball's overall performance. Golf balls can lose their performance characteristics in cases of extreme heat or cold, and their construction is such that even under normal storage conditions, there can be a loss of performance over time. But Is It The Ball Or The Club That Provides The Distance? There are of course many factors, which have a direct impact on increased driving distance over the past 2 decades. Such factors as fitness, materials, courses, and technique, have helped increase the driving distance over the years. Every manufacturer has developed a golf ball which has specific characteristic built in, whether it is distance, spin or mixture of both. The manufacturer is able to do, as they want to the ball. The Trend is going to a balance between spin (rpm) and higher launch angle and hence more distance. Tests were carried out by Nick Faldo using a modern golf driver, on a gutta percha ball, and the ball did not travel more than 150 yards. When he used an old wooden golf club, and a modern golf ball, the ball travelled more than 260 yards. This showed that the modern golf ball is definitely the key to distance. Conclusion Golf balls are distance balls, constructed to stop quickly on the green, with less of the risk of slice or hook into trouble that a pure spin ball brings. Recent advances in construction technology are spawning a new breed of balls that can do it all, such as the Titleist ProV1, and Callaway Hex. SLOW SWING (often called Ladies or Senior) balls are designed to optimise driving distance for less powerful players with slower club head speeds. Most balls are imperfectly balanced and thus do not putt completely true. Premium quality balls may be manufactured to higher quality control standards and thus less likely to randomly wander off track. Try to find out which modern affordable golf ball meets your style of play. It is better to play consistently with a ball you can afford than to play competitions with a premium ball that you cannot afford to practice with. Balls with cuts or used until no longer spherical add nothing to your game. Better to play an affordable ball and replace it regularly. To find out more, and other interesting facts on golf matters, why not go to http://www.thegolfprofessor.com About The Author: Bill Ritchie is the owner of http://www.thegolfprofessor.com website, which is a great golf resource with a variety of information about this wonderful game of golf. Why not take a look at: http://www.thegolfprofessor.com/
MORE RESOURCES: |
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Maximize Your Distance by Hitting Triples Instead of Home Runs This lesson is entitled, "How to Maximize your Distance by Hitting Triples instead of Home Runs" and it's a great overall theory to build your entire swing around. Keep this in the back of your head at all times while you are on the course, and remind yourself of it before every shot. Backspin Advice Lately, I have received many requests for 2 things.1. Golf Stretching Secrets to Improve Performance The trend in larger and therefore heavier club heads in recent years has made golf stretching secrets even more important to acquire.To make matters worse for golfers not interested in embracing golf stretching secrets, golf is a game unlike other sports where continuous playing improves fitness and endurance. How to Eliminate Your Golf Slice Quickly and Easily Here's a really good tip that may help you to get rid of your slice. Best of all, it's really pretty simple once you get the hang of it, and understand why it's being used. Why Golf Fitness Stretch Training Is Important Golf fitness stretch training is such an important part of the modern game today and yet there are still many amateur golfers that do no see its' benefits. They continue to avoid golf specific exercise programs or any exercise program for that matter. Will You Have The Time For Your Golf Training Exercise Modern living is such that many amateur golfers fear golf training exercise programs. This is usually for various reasons, some of which are with good reason. Golf Instruction Is Only Part Of The Equation Golf instruction is critical in understanding the mechanics of the golf swing. I am a firm believer in golf instruction. My Golf Disaster Although I was never picked for sports teams as a kid, I always thought that golf would be far easier than all the others as it required very little physical exertion in regards to chasing a ball up and down a field for 90 minutes while opponents try to take the legs out from under you.I mean, how difficult could it be? You stand still, look at the hole at the other end of the green, look at the ball and then hit it as hard as you can with a metal or wooden club. How to Win at Golf What's the point of playing sport if you don't want to win? You may try to kid yourself that you're playing for the good of your health or because you enjoy the sport, both of which would probably be true, but the real satisfaction and joy comes from winning.If you don't believe me just study the attendance stats for a professional sports team which is on a run of poor results and near the bottom of the league table. Effective Golf Training Equipment Isn't What You Think If you are like most golfers, you have purchased hundreds of dollars of golf training equipment. How many gimmicky training aids do you have lying around?Now I want you to picture something. The Basics Of Learning Golf Golf is one of Americas most popular sports. People of allages want to play golf. Learning The Correct Golf Instruction Swing Sequence There are three segments of the golf instruction swing sequence. They are namely the back swing, the down swing and thirdly the impact and follow through. Secrets Of The Avid Golfer Every avid golfer has got to be the sort of person who enjoys the game immensely. It has been proven that we tend to be very good at doings things that we enjoy doing and this should be no exception to the case of the avid golfer of today. Gaining the Correct Golf Swing Plane The golf swing plane is the direction that your golf club travels during your swing. This is a very important key to playing golf correctly and well. How To Achieve The Golf Club Swing Speed You Desire The golf club swing speed is what will determine your driving distance and ultimately your scores.This is the reason why virtually every golfer desires to increase their golf club swing speed as much as possible. The Beginners Game of Golf A professional should give beginner golf swing instruction. In this way, you will learn to correct way to grip your clubs, stand, and swing. Controlled Body Movement The Key Essential For Your Golf Game Basic body movement is essential in any sport. Of course it is also essential for any type of physical activity we do. One Out of Two Golfers Will Have a Golf Swing Related Injury - Can You Prevent Yours? I have a friend who blew out his ACL in his left knee while playing old man basketball. Old man being relative. Golf and Life, A Story About Your Future Success Preparing to tee-off on the par 4 tenth. (Internal dialogue, with a whisper) "Man! I've been playing my ass off all day and just barely making par. How Golf Training Can Transform Your Game Golf training has been brought to the masses thanks to Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Larry Nelson and now by the Number One player in the world?Vijay Singh. Vijay is a golf training machine. |
MyIdeal Domain Is For Sale - $8,000 For Enquiries eMail Us © www.MyIdeal.biz - 2012 |