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The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.

When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.

In 1618 the “Featherie” was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.

As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.

After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball’s smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.

With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the “dimpled” golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.

The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.

By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.

After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.

Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.

One of the most elegant and prolific games of this century, golf has a fascinating trail of history running behind. The word ”golf” is actually a modification of the Dutch word “kolf” which simply means a “bat,” “stick,” or “club”. If defined literally, the game is all about striking a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes while complying with the rules of the game. It is one of those rare games which do not require playing area; rather golf is played on golf “courses.” The competitions of golf are based on stroke play, where the individual or team posts with lowest score on the most individual for a full round, wins the game. Some other team games of golf such as fourball have been pioneered, and are played either using matchplay format or stroke. Several alternative styles of golf playing have been introduced like disc golf and miniature golf. However, it is still interesting to find out the History of golf.

Most scholars agree with the “fact” that the Scots were first to popularize the game of golf. However, there exists no common consensus in the history of golf about the inventors of the classy sport. The records suggest a golf-like game was played in a city called Loenen aan de Vecht, Netherlands, on 26 February 1297. The Dutchmen played this game with leather ball and a stick. Actually, the game required the players to hit the ball into a target situated several hundreds of meters away.

The emphasis on golf’s Scottish origin is contributed to the fact that the game was mentioned in two 15th-century Acts of the Scottish Parliament. Further, there are evidences that in A.D 1456, the first game of golf was played at Bruntsfield Links, in Edinburgh, Scotland, as recorded in the archives of The Royal Burgess Golfing Society.

There are some reports which record evidences of golf from continental Europe. Different forms of sports similar to golf were played in 14th century in the countries of France, Belgium, and Holland, apart from Scotland. However, the game was introduced in England by a keen Scottish Baron, James VI, after succeeding on the English throne in 1603.

In the early years of golf, the players never thought of forming a club or society until in 1744 a group of Edinburgh golfers united into a club named Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. It was here that the first 13 rules of golf were drawn up for an annual contest. In 1766, Royal Blackheath Golf Club was formed in England – the first golf club formed outside Scotland.

Although traces of golf can be encountered in 18th century United States, however the game was still waiting to be popularized. The history of golf in North America began with its roots in Canada. In 1873, The Royal Montreal Club was formed, which was followed by the Quebec Golf Club in 1875 and the golf club in Toronto a year later. It was in 1888 that golf re-emerged in the United States. For the first time the “three-hole golf course” was built in Yonkers, New York by a Scotsman, John Reid on a 30-acre site. From a modest beginning, golf emerged as the new national pastime in the United States.

In the recent times golf has become a complete spectators’ game, involving professionals at different levels and amateur tours across various terrains of the world. Not only the game, but the golf players -Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam and Jack Nicklaus to name a few, have gained worldwide recognition as great sports personalities. Engrossingly huge sponsorships and new technologies being developed to assist golfers and dedication and raw talent from the emerging players all suggest a luminous new chapter in the “history of golf”.

Have you been wondering what hybrid golf clubs are, or even what a hybrid golf set is? Have you also wondered what golf hybrid club may be best for you? I hope after reading this article you have a better understanding of what a hybrid golf club is and are prepared to take the plunge to adding one to your bag. Or maybe you will end up with a complete hybrid golf set.

One never knows when you may drive a hybrid car, but now is the time to golf hybrid style with your own hybrid golf set. If you are like me and have played golf with somebody who is playing golf with you, praise that hybrid golf club. How often have you seen this person hit a gorgeous golf shot only to learn the shot was made with a hybrid golf club? I would witness this shot and say to myself, wow I wish I could hit the golf ball like that. There is talk everywhere on the course about the latest hybrid golf clubs from makers like the Nike Sasquatch, the Callaway Fusion or the Ping and how easy these golf clubs are to hit a golf ball. You know you want one, you know it is time to take that swing and select the hybrid Golf club, but just need a couple of questions answered. Well then this article should be the final stroke in the game to put the right club in your bag.

Since the 12th century, golf has been around and played with all sorts of equipment. This 12th century sport has seen its share of golf balls, drivers, putters and even clothing. Golf has undergone significant modifications over the years and the equipment played today is allot different from the beginning of the sport, it is even different what was used just 10 years ago. The courses are different, the players are different and the most change has been in the equipment and the golf clubs of today. Equipment changes in golf almost happen as frequently as technology, each year there is a new computer, phone or video game, well in golf it is almost the same thing. Well maybe not like technology, but awfully close.

We all know that every player that is playing golf today needs to have their own equipment, with their own bag with their own golf balls. While most sports require some sort of equipment to play during games, golf perhaps requires the most individual equipment. When you start to play golf you will need different types of clubs that include putters, drivers and irons. Each and every club the player carries are used for different shots; for example the drivers are primarily used off the tee box to try and get the ball into the fairway, after you get off the tee box the player would then use an iron, the irons which are the most versatile clubs are used for various kinds of shots on and off the fairway in an attempt to get onto the green, and the last club used on each hole, providing you did not get a hole in one or hole out on the previous shot is the steel putter, this club is to drop the ball into the cup.

Golf equipment has undergone many changes over the years, but none as much as we have seen over the last couple. Most recently the equipment changes we have are a new class of golf clubs, known as the ‘Hybrid Golf Club’. The hybrid golf club has been designed to improve your score and your game. There is not one player using a hybrid who has not seen an improvement in their game and has been able to lower their overall. Players using a hybrid club are adverting for the major companies like Nike, Callawy and Ping simply by praising the htbrid clubs they are using. While there are plenty of reviews from the major golf magazines and most of the big golf magazines are recommending their use, it is the recreational golfer who should get the credit for getting the word out. True, just about every professional golfer has a hybrid in their bag and are using them during tournament play, but the recreational golfer is proving them as great clubs for any handicap. In addition, almost all big names in the golf club industry are manufacturing them.

So what does all this lead us to believe? A hybrid golf club is a club every rereational golfer should have in their golf bag. To understand what a hybrid is, the term ‘hybrid’ originated from genetics, which means a combination of two different species in order to get the desirable characteristics of both. With golf equipment a Hybrid Golf Club is simply a combination of the advantages you will get from an ‘iron’ and ‘wood’. In other words a hybrid golf club is a cross between a long iron and a fairway wood, and is comprised of some positive features from both clubs. You will now have the ability to combine the charateristics of both clubs into one swing. Think about that, one stroke for the wood then one stroke for the iron, equals two strokes. Now one stroke of a hybrid may be possible and that my fellow golfers equals one stroke. I smell club championship?

Hybrid golf clubs are primarily used when you need to hit the golf ball in the air for long distance and pinpoint accurate shots. There was a time when these clubs didn’t show good results and thus, weren’t well accepted by players both pro and recreational. But in recent times with a few modifications these clubs now easily outperform ordinary irons or woods.

So you ask just how does Hybrid Golf Clubs work?

A HybridGolf Club is chiefly designed for distance control and accuracy. Therefore the club makers have shifted the ‘center of gravity’ to the bottom of the club to attain a better level of perfection. This particular arrangement helps in launching the ball in the air in case of long distance shots. They have also given it a higher launch angle and a flat face which gives the golf ball a higher spin and helps it stop faster with more precision.

The Hybrid Golf Clubs will have flatter club faces and shorter shafts that make them easier ti swing and control. Unlike fairway woods they do not have round and bulgy face with a long shaft. It is often seen that a hybrid club has rails or runners at the bottom that helps it react positively with the grass whether it is short fairway, long rough or sand. These rails or runners will not allow grass or sand interfere with the club as you swing through the plane. Hybrid Golf club lofts also vary from 16 to mid 20 degrees like the long irons.

So, to conclude, a Hybrid Golf Club can almost replace every club in your bag. Once you try one you will be looking to see what club you can replace with your next one. Remember the main point of a golf hybrid golf club basically combines the best qualities of both woods and irons and takes them a step further to lower your scores and raise your game to a whole new level! Good luck with your hybrid golf set and enjoy your next round of golf.

Every golfer wants to improve their golf swing. Training aid information is overwhelming and sometimes unreliable. How can you cut through all the BS and find out how legitimate a golf training aid for your swing really is?

Up until now…you would go on what you see on the television; what your golfing buddies recommend; or maybe even your local teaching pro. But how do you know if a particular training aid will really help your game? Do you spend hundreds of dollars a year on the next golf gadget, or do you do some homework to find out how effective it would be?

Specific To Your Swing Fault

One thing you need to take into consideration is your specific swing fault. By knowing your swing fault, you can eliminate certain golf swing aids that will obviously not help. For example, if you are a slicer of the golf ball, you wouldn’t get a training aid that addresses hooking the ball. This is an obvious comparison, but one that you should take into consideration when choosing a golf training aid.

Price Range Is A Factor

Golf training aids can range from under $20 to over $200. The variance is huge! Everyone has a budget, and it all comes down to what you are willing to spend “in hopes” of a better swing. If you can talk to someone who has had success with a particular product, then you are one step ahead of anyone going in cold and spending a lot of money.

Needs To Mimic Your Golf Swing

So many training aids for golf are not even close to what you actually do in your swing from a mechanical standpoint. I have seen countless golf swing aids that ingrain bad muscle memory and actually make your swing worse. When researching a golf swing training aid, take a look at the general motion of what they want you to do with it. If is makes sense to you, then give it a trial run. If it is far and away different than your golf swing, move on.

You Don’t Need The Latest – Greatest

It is so easy to see some new training aid gadget being advertised on the television and fall for the great salesmanship in the commercial. Don’t fall victim to this hypnotic sales pitch. There are training aids that have stood the test of time, and are still effective in helping you improve your golf swing.

Golf Swing Improvement

The end result is a better, more consistent swing. It doesn’t matter if you spend only $20, did it help you? Some of the most expensive aids have not helped a huge amount of people. I can say this because I receive emails everyday from golfers how have spent hundreds and still have not improved. The bottom line is to stay focused on your needs and get a golf swing training aid that will address those needs and solve your problem.

About the Author
Mike Pedersen is an internationally known golf performance expert. He is the founder of 8 golf improvement golf websites. Take a look at his new golf swing training aid review site.

Article source:
Golf Swing Training Aid Advice For The Golfer

In the chemistry of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics, surface structures are vital physical element. History has it that there are things that seem to be peculiar on their make-up hundreds of years ago which eventually came up with a better composition based on scientific research. And a golf ball is the best paradigm of this theoretical stand in history.

During the earliest days of golf on the eastern coast of Scotland, most players used ancient apparatus in order to play the game in a more disorganized and informal way. Here, the first clubs and golf balls are made up of wood.

It was on 1618 that the feather golf ball was finally introduced. This was commonly known as the “Featherie”. This feather golf ball was a handcrafted ball made with goose feathers securely pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere. This is being done while the ball is still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded creating a hardened ball.

But because these kinds of golf balls are specially handcrafted, they usually cost higher than the clubs. In doing so, only a few privileged people could afford to play golf during those times.

Next came the Guttie golf ball. This prehistoric kind of golf ball was made from the rubber like sap of the Gutta tree that can be found in the tropics. Normally, these Guttie balls can be easily shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually used as a golf ball. With its rubber nature, guttie balls can be cheaply reproduced and can be easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

However, between the two earliest forms of golf balls, the feather golf ball was said to travel farther than the gutties. This is due to the smooth surface of the gutties that limits the capacity of the golf ball to cover more distance.

With this new scientific analysis, the developers of golf ball finally came up with balls with the “dimples” that are predominant in modern golf balls nowadays.

Dimples are crafted into golf balls so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag, which will be acting on the ball if it were totally smooth. This is because smooth balls, when sailing through the air, leave a huge pocket of low-pressure air in its stir therefore creating a drag. With the application of drag, the ball slows down.

Hence, by having dimples on golf balls, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball. This, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results to a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples also help players to put backspin on a shot making the golf ball break off on the putting green.

The idea of putting dimples on golf balls can be traced back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. It was during this time when the players observed how their shots become more and more predictable as their balls turned rough from play.

When William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell ball in 1905, golf balls finally took their modern form.

From then on, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf balls took its form with standard size and weight.

Today, there is an abundant selection of golf balls to fit different golf game and condition. There are golf balls that offer control, while some offer distance. In whatever ways golf balls vary, only one thing is common and known. Golf balls are not just elements of the sports arena; they are more than ever paradigm of a concept in physics.

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