How high does a golf ball fly?
David Lopez
Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs not
included)?
--
Name: David Lopez |Where ever you go,
Location: Salt Lake City Utah |There you are.
Fon: 801.977.1624 |
David Laville
On Sun, 03 Nov 1996 00:02:53 -0400, rne...@iwaynet.net (Rick Nelson)
wrote:
>> Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs not
>> included)?
>
>I think there are a couple on the moon.
I bet no one can tell me what type of ball Allen Shepard hit on the
Moon. Who ever knows is the king of golf trivia.
David
Rick Nelson
> Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs not
> included)?
I think there are a couple on the moon.
Thanks,
Rick
--
--
Warren Montgomery
On Sun, 03 Nov 1996 00:02:53 -0400, rne...@iwaynet.net (Rick Nelson)
wrote:
>> Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs not
>> included)?
>
>I think there are a couple on the moon.
Very funny. It is an interesting question, as is the one of what
club produces the maximum height, which off hand I don't know. One
way to take a guess is look at a club that sends the ball off at
nearly 45 degrees (9 iron), and assuming a parabolic flight path
(not right, but the best I could guess at this point), the height
it will reach is about 1/4 of the total distance travelled, or for
me 1/4 of 130 yards, or 32 yards, or about 100 feet.
The highest flying ball I ever got to see was hit in an exhibition
given by some ex touring pro famous for long drives as part of a
charity tournament. The guy teed up off of tees as high as 2 feet
tall, and launched some that I swear came close to taking out
the planes approach nearby Ohare field. Even the ones off th 2
foot tee went close to 300 yards. Shows what a lifetime of
practice can do I guess.
---
Warren Montgomery
Lucent Technologies, formerly AT&T's systems and technology business
war...@psp.ih.lucent.com or wamont...@lucent.com
Ron Garner
David Laville wrote:
> On Sun, 03 Nov 1996 00:02:53 -0400, rne...@iwaynet.net (Rick Nelson)
> wrote:
> >> Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs
> >> not included)?
> >I think there are a couple on the moon.
> Moon. Who ever knows is the king of golf trivia.
As far as I know, Al has never told anyone what brand they were.
However, for more trivia, what kind of club did he use? What shaft did
it have?
Cheers!
--
Ron Garner, C-130J Flight Test Engineer | Opinions expressed are
Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems | mine and don't reflect
E-Mail: rga...@rtm0.mar.lmco.com | my employer's.
Mark A. Merritt
Warren Montgomery wrote:
>
> On Sun, 03 Nov 1996 00:02:53 -0400, rne...@iwaynet.net (Rick Nelson)
> wrote:
>
> >> Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs not
> >> included)?
> >
> >I think there are a couple on the moon.
>
> club produces the maximum height, which off hand I don't know. One
> way to take a guess is look at a club that sends the ball off at
> nearly 45 degrees (9 iron), and assuming a parabolic flight path
> (not right, but the best I could guess at this point), the height
> it will reach is about 1/4 of the total distance travelled, or for
> me 1/4 of 130 yards, or 32 yards, or about 100 feet.
>
Just on a hunch, I think you're close. Of course, there are too many variables
involved to be able to absolutely state which club produces maximum height. It
would be different with every golfer/shaft/clubhead/etc/ combination.
I recall a story about Greg Norman, who launched a 7 iron over a bridge which
had recently been built OVER a section of his home course. I don't know the
height of the bridge, but it was high enough to impress everyone.
Apparently it took several attempts before he struck the bridge. I'm sure he
experimented with various clubs before finding success with the 7 iron. In
those days, that 7 iron probably had a loft of close to 40 degrees. However,
the actual lauch angle would probably be closer to 45.
That stated...I'd hazard a guess that a driver impacting with a similar launch
angle would be the winner. I've probably maxed out on altitude with the driver,
but 7 or 8 irons produce the most consistently maximum altitude.
Regards,
Mark
Mann Stephen
Ron Garner (rga...@rtm0.mar.lmco.com) wrote:
> David Laville wrote:
> > On Sun, 03 Nov 1996 00:02:53 -0400, rne...@iwaynet.net (Rick Nelson)
> > wrote:
> > >> Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs
> > >> not included)?
> > >I think there are a couple on the moon.
> > Moon. Who ever knows is the king of golf trivia.
> As far as I know, Al has never told anyone what brand they were.
> However, for more trivia, what kind of club did he use? What shaft did
> it have?
> Cheers!
> --
> Ron Garner, C-130J Flight Test Engineer | Opinions expressed are
> Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems | mine and don't reflect
> E-Mail: rga...@rtm0.mar.lmco.com | my employer's.
Wasnt the shaft part of the earth sampling tool that they were using?
--
--Steve
Golfers are the true gentlemen of Sport.
Ron Garner
>>>>>Anybody know the maximum altitude of golf ball in flight (skyballs
>>>>> not included)?
>>>>I think there are a couple on the moon.
>>>I bet no one can tell me what type of ball Allen Shepard hit on the
>>>Moon. Who ever knows is the king of golf trivia.
>>As far as I know, Al has never told anyone what brand they were.
>>However, for more trivia, what kind of club did he use? What shaft did
>>it have?
> Wasn't the shaft part of the earth sampling tool that they were using?
Yep, Al had a six-iron head modified to fit on the shaft of a soil
sampling tool. After they were done, he attached the six-iron head to
the shaft and whiffed on his first try. He connected on the next one,
however. He's never revealed the brand to my knowledge, but about
distance, he told Houston "miles and miles and miles".
Mike Marler
sm...@jove.acs.unt.edu (Mann Stephen) writes:
>Wasnt the shaft part of the earth sampling tool that they were using?
Could be and I remember it was shortened. I think he used a 5-I (or 6-I)
for the head.
Cheers, Mike
(hell of guy, that Al Shepard)
--
Mike Marler Information Technology, Georgia Tech
mike....@oit.gatech.edu Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0715
David Laville
On Mon, 04 Nov 1996 09:44:07 -0800, Ron Garner
<rga...@rtm0.mar.lmco.com> wrote:
>David Laville wrote:
>> I bet no one can tell me what type of ball Allen Shepard hit on the
>> Moon. Who ever knows is the king of golf trivia.
>
>As far as I know, Al has never told anyone what brand they were.
>However, for more trivia, what kind of club did he use? What shaft did
>it have?
>
>Cheers!
>--
Correct, he has never told anyone what type of ball it was. I believe
it was a 6 or 9 iron head attached to some type of shovel. He also
swung it with just his right arm. I wonder why after going through
all that trouble of making the clubhead attachment and bringing a ball
with him he didn't stop and use both hands?
David
Paul Orwig
> Correct, he has never told anyone what type of ball it was. I believe
> it was a 6 or 9 iron head attached to some type of shovel. He also
> swung it with just his right arm. I wonder why after going through
> all that trouble of making the clubhead attachment and bringing a ball
> with him he didn't stop and use both hands?
>
> David
He only swung with one arm because his space suit was
too bulky to allow him to swing with both arms.
Paul Orwig
Pin High Productions
http://www.h2net.net/p/ormo/
Paul Spudis
David Laville wrote:
>
> On Mon, 04 Nov 1996 09:44:07 -0800, Ron Garner
> <rga...@rtm0.mar.lmco.com> wrote:
>
> >David Laville wrote:
>
> >> I bet no one can tell me what type of ball Allen Shepard hit on the
> >> Moon. Who ever knows is the king of golf trivia.
> >
> >As far as I know, Al has never told anyone what brand they were.
> >However, for more trivia, what kind of club did he use? What shaft did
> >it have?
> >
> >Cheers!
> >--
>
> it was a 6 or 9 iron head attached to some type of shovel. He also
> swung it with just his right arm. I wonder why after going through
> all that trouble of making the clubhead attachment and bringing a ball
> with him he didn't stop and use both hands?
>
> David
It was a 6-iron head, attached to a long shaft that used interchangeable
heads, including a shovel attachment. And he couldn't use both arms
because his pressure suit "ballooned up" in the vacuum of the lunar
surface and he didn't have any flexibility in his arms (and precious
little flexibility at all). Considering the restrictions of the suit,
it's amazing that he was able to hit the ball at all. I wonder what MY
excuse is?? :-)
David Laville
>It was a 6-iron head, attached to a long shaft that used interchangeable
>heads, including a shovel attachment. And he couldn't use both arms
>because his pressure suit "ballooned up" in the vacuum of the lunar
>surface and he didn't have any flexibility in his arms (and precious
>little flexibility at all). Considering the restrictions of the suit,
>it's amazing that he was able to hit the ball at all. I wonder what MY
>excuse is?? :-)
I believe he chunked his first attempt at it, didn't he?
David
Jim McKinley
> > As far as I know, Al has never told anyone what brand they were.
> > However, for more trivia, what kind of club did he use? What shaft did
> > it have?
>
> > Cheers!
> > --
> > Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems | mine and don't reflect
> > E-Mail: rga...@rtm0.mar.lmco.com | my employer's.
>
>
> --Steve
>
> Golfers are the true gentlemen of Sport.
The golf club folded up, so I am sure it isn't anything standard. Probably
something NASA whipped together. I heard one time that the club is on
display at Golf House.
Jim McKinley
Rodney L Martin
On Sat, 9 Nov 1996, David Laville wrote:
> On Thu, 07 Nov 1996 22:36:03 -0500, Jim McKinley <ji...@wt.net> wrote:
>
>
> >The golf club folded up, so I am sure it isn't anything standard. Probably
> >something NASA whipped together. I heard one time that the club is on
> >display at Golf House.
> >
> >Jim McKinley
>
> I heard the same thing. I'd like to get around to seeing it.
>
> David
Yes, it is prominently displayed on the second floor. I saw it last year
while in the area.
Rod
>
>
----------
Rodney L Martin Email:mart...@spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
David Laville
Alan Fairley
Now Shepard stood before the TV camera. "In my left hand, Shepard
announced, "I have a little white pellet that's familiar to millions of
Americans . . ." In his right hand, he held the handle of the contingency
sample collector, now slightly modified: it had a genuine six-iron at the
end of it. His pressurized suit was so stiff that he had to swing his
makeshift club one-handed. His first swing missed, and on the second
he shanked the ball. Dropping another all to the dust, he swung once
more and made contact, and as the ball sailed away into the black sky,
arcing over the craters in slow motion, Shepard announced, "Miles and
miles and miles!"
-- Andrew Chaikin, "A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts",
page 375