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The Physics of Golf: What's the Ideal Loft to Hit the Ball Farthest? (Forbes Magazine)


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TL;DR - optimal launch for a driver is 16 degrees according to the paper referenced in the article, but it was written in 1983.

Never took physics in university, so don't have any clue as to how accurate the article is.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2013/04/29/the-physics-of-golf-whats-the-ideal-loft-to-hit-the-ball-farthest/

Edit: The graph on the second page that shows various launch angles is interesting.

Steve

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I hit a 9° Mac V foil..stiff....46" and it's custom fit....16° is a hybrid or 5w.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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I hit a 9° Mac V foil..stiff....46" and it's custom fit....16° is a hybrid or 5w.

Loft is not launch, Micah.


TaylorMade is saying 17°/1700 RPM for their Tour players, so 16° is pretty close. I could see the numbers changing slightly with some changes to the aerodynamic improvements to dimple patterns, etc. but not shifting a LOT.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Loft is not launch, Micah. [rule] TaylorMade is saying 17°/1700 RPM for their Tour players, so 16° is pretty close. I could see the numbers changing slightly with some changes to the aerodynamic improvements to dimple patterns, etc. but not shifting a LOT.

It actually makes sense given Newtons 3rd law and all. What goes up must come down. lol

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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Whats that got to do with anything?[quote name="purple drank" url="/t/71222/the-physics-of-golf-whats-the-ideal-loft-to-hit-the-ball-farthest-forbes-magazine#post_923041"] It actually makes sense given Newtons 3rd law and all. What goes up must come down. lol[/quote]

"The expert golfer has maximum time to make minimal compensations. The poorer player has minimal time to make maximum compensations." - And no, I'm not Mac. Please do not PM me about it. I just think he is a crazy MFer and we could all use a little more crazy sometimes.

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Whats that got to do with anything?

It makes sense when taking gravity into the equation. I'm no mathematician but if Taylor Made says 17° then I don't doubt them.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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It makes sense when taking gravity into the equation. I'm no mathematician but if Taylor Made says 17° then I don't doubt them.

Okay, but what do either of those have to do with 16º vs. 17º vs. whateverº?

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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Okay, but what do either of those have to do with 16º vs. 17º vs. whateverº?

What does gravity have to do with launch angle and loft?? It plays a huge role.....what Taylor mad is essentially saying is that 17° is the launch angle where you woild achieve th greatest distance using the same amount of force....what they didn't take into consideration is role....they're referring to carry.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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Doesn't matter for gravity. Gravity is constant. What matters the most is backspin + ball speed + launch angle + Face angle. If you want to take out face angle, like Taylormade can do when they test equipment with their "Iron Byron" maching, You only need 3 things to determine shot distance. Gravity is the same for every shot. It doesn't magically change because you hit it at 17 degrees of launch angle.

The reason launch angle has increased, it used to be 12 degrees optimal, is because drivers are low spin now. So you need higher launch to increase distance.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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So in 1983 it was 16° then it went back down to 12° before TM magically bumped it back up to 17°. When was it 12°??? before 1983??

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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What does gravity have to do with launch angle and loft?? It plays a huge role.....what Taylor mad is essentially saying is that 17° is the launch angle where you woild achieve th greatest distance using the same amount of force....what they didn't take into consideration is role....they're referring to carry.

Yeah, we all know what gravity is. :doh: Just ... just forget I said anything.

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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BuI I do get your point about no spin drivers. You hit UP on the ball when driving and down when using an iron. if anything spin would decrease distance IMO.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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Yeah, we all know what gravity is. :doh: Just ... just forget I said anything.

Since I'm new and enjoy this web site I'll just shut up.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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So in 1983 it was 16° then it went back down to 12° before TM magically bumped it back up to 17°. When was it 12°??? before 1983??

This wasn't published in a golf journal, or known by golf companies.

12 degrees was what majority of the golf community thought the optimal launch angle was. It was due to high spin drivers. You had to have a lower launch angle because backspin was so high. If you hit a mid to late 1990's driver with a 17 degrees of loft, for one it would be nearly impossible because most people hit down on the ball, and with high spin golf balls and drivers you would balloon the shot and loose distance. It has been the past 10-12 years that drivers have become low spin, and a higher launch angle is more optimal. Also finding out that people should hit up on the ball.

No TM didn't bump it up to 17 degrees. Technological advancement + swing changes + knowing physics changed that. Stop making it seem like TM is a golf physic GOD.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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I love TM equipment personally and own several of their drivers but I was referring to the post made by iacus.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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BuI I do get your point about no spin drivers. You hit UP on the ball when driving and down when using an iron. if anything spin would decrease distance IMO.

A ball with no spin goes nowhere. You need spin to help keep the ball in the air.

http://thesandtrap.com/b/balls/caesar_featherie_dimpleless_golf_ball_review

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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A ball with no spin goes nowhere. You need spin to help keep the ball in the air. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/b/balls/caesar_featherie_dimpleless_golf_ball_review]http://thesandtrap.com/b/balls/caesar_featherie_dimpleless_golf_ball_review[/URL]

I agree. Not sure why you guys are jumping me though....is this new guy initiation time????lolll

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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A ball with minimal spin will travel further than a ball with a lot of spin.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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