Cold temps or Cold balls

[granitegolf]

Well we all know that cooler temps affect distance but I have been doing some research and it seems like maybe just having cold balls affects the flight. What I'm saying is if you kept your balls warm(the little white ones:)) would the cold air not affect your distance or does the cold air affect it regardless of the temp of the ball and its core.

I have been warming my range balls in hot water as I still like to practice in 30 degree temps but don't like hitting the frozen balls.

Any physics pros out there know the answer to this?

Also- as per this site http://www.pga.com/2008/instruction/...ion/index.html
your ball actually goes further in higher humidity which I thought was not true.

Thanks, DR

[iacas]

Well we all know that cooler temps affect distance but I have been doing some research and it seems like maybe just having cold balls affects the flight. What I'm saying is if you kept your balls warm(the little white ones:))

Frankly, I find that keeping my other balls warm affects my distance more than keeping the dimpled, white ones that say "Titleist" or "TaylorMade on them warm.

would the cold air not affect your distance or does the cold air affect it regardless of the temp of the ball and its core.

Both affect it. Cold air is denser, and a cold ball won't compress and rebound the same way a warm one will. You see it very easily with street hockey balls - they are rated differently for temperatures. A cold-weather ball in the sun is mush, and a warm-weather ball in the cold stings like a ....

I have been warming my range balls in hot water as I still like to practice in 30 degree temps but don't like hitting the frozen balls.

Yeah, rocks will feel even more rock-like if they're cold.

your ball actually goes further in higher humidity which I thought was not true.

Yeah, water vapor is less dens than air.

[montru]

I live here in Southwest Florida and my drives average out at around 235-240 yards carry, I go to Phoenix AZ every September and over there my drives are at least 20 yards longer, I also travel back to the UK about once a year and there my drives are around 240-250 yards carry and these numbers have not changed for the last two years.

There was a guy I had heard of in the UK that got DQ'd from a tournament for keeping his balls warm inside a heated glove in his bag and was swapping them on every tee box.

[kpaulhus]

Both affect it. Cold air is denser, and a cold ball won't compress and rebound the same way a warm one will. You see it very easily with street hockey balls - they are rated differently for temperatures. A cold-weather ball in the sun is mush, and a warm-weather ball in the cold stings like a ....

I know what you mean. You could break a stick if someone brought out the wrong street hockey ball.

[granitegolf]

I live here in Southwest Florida and my drives average out at around 235-240 yards carry, I go to Phoenix AZ every September and over there my drives are at least 20 yards longer, I also travel back to the UK about once a year and there my drives are around 240-250 yards carry and these numbers have not changed for the last two years.

Well- That is mostly due to the altitude! Which leads me to another question that has probably been asked before but I have not had much luck finding. Does anybody know how much altitude affect distance. Lets say everything is equal, temp, humidity etc... but all that is different is altitude. How much per 1,000 feet?

[Fourputt]

All I can say is thathere in the Mile High City, we get about a 10% advantage over someone at sea level. How that grades out at different stages along the way I don't know

[msd3075]

I know what you mean. You could break a stick if someone brought out the wrong street hockey ball.

Growing up in Houston, there wasn't a use for the cold-weather balls at all except for maybe that one odd winter day where it got below 50 degrees. The cold-weather balls sure did spring off the blade and make for a mean slap shot though. It was like playing with a tennis ball.

As for the original topic, cold air is more dense than warm air, resulting in a higher drag force acting on the ball. Also, while humid air is less dense than warm air, the effect it has on distance is significantly less than the effect of temperature. As for the compression of the golf ball, I remember reading somewhere that the core of the golf ball will stay "relatively" warm for an entire round given that you kept it warm before the round (you can't use an outside arming agent during the round) and keep it in your pocket between holes. One thing I've always wondered is how this affects the flight/trajectory/spin of the ball since there is pressure exhibited on the ball from the spin would be different given the air is at a different density.