Mission for Vision

Mission for Vision Golf Club

Physics of Golf Ball Flight

A golf ball acquires spin when it is hit. A spinning golfball is subject to the Venturi Effect. The Venturi Effect has nothing to do with Ken Venturi. Rather, low pressure is created as air flows rapidly over part of its surface. Air flows faster over the ball when moving in the direction of the spinning ball and flows slower in the direction against the spin. The ball that spins backward (away from its direction of flight is said to have backspin. Backspin is created with lofted clubs. The plane of the club head face and that of the ground form an obtuse angle. Zero loft would occur in the case of when this angle is 90 degrees.

A back-spinning ball lowers the pressure above it because air is flowing in the same direction and provides lift similar to an airplane wing. The amount of backspin also influences the behavior of a ball when it hits the ground. A ball with little backspin rolls for more distance than the same ball with more backspin. The ball spinning sideways and moving to the right or left may produce a draw to the left or fade to the right for a right-handed player; in the more extreme case a hook or a slice. Because the Driver is the straightest face club with the least loft it may imparts greater side spin on a ball at impact. Iron are more lofted and grooved to create backspin. Backspin not only produce a higher shot but it also allows the ball to stop quickly when it strikes the ground.