What do you think?
Rate this book
The Science of Golf
This book gives a scientific account of all aspects of the game of golf and answers the questions which occur to all who play the game.
The mechanics of the swing and the impact of the club on the ball are explained. Together these decide the range of the ball - which is shown to be the most important factor for success.
The aerodynamics of the ball's flight has several surprises, including the effects of dimples and spin. Understanding these effects allows a calculation of the ball's flight and explains how the range depends on the clubhead speed and the characteristics of the club.
Putting is analysed to find the optimum strategy and to understand how winds, slopes, and mud affect the run of the ball.
Handicaps are perhaps the most discussed topic in golf and the book examines the handicaps system to identify their consequences in matches and competitions, with results which will surprise many players.
The famous question - "what is the probability of a hole-in-one?" is discussed and a neat way of answering it is proposed.
Further chapters examine the players, the equipment, and the economics of the game, discussing the aspects of play that determine success, how much the improvments in clubs and balls have affected performance and the remarkable growth of both the amateur and the professional game.
The mechanics of the swing and the impact of the club on the ball are explained. Together these decide the range of the ball - which is shown to be the most important factor for success.
The aerodynamics of the ball's flight has several surprises, including the effects of dimples and spin. Understanding these effects allows a calculation of the ball's flight and explains how the range depends on the clubhead speed and the characteristics of the club.
Putting is analysed to find the optimum strategy and to understand how winds, slopes, and mud affect the run of the ball.
Handicaps are perhaps the most discussed topic in golf and the book examines the handicaps system to identify their consequences in matches and competitions, with results which will surprise many players.
The famous question - "what is the probability of a hole-in-one?" is discussed and a neat way of answering it is proposed.
Further chapters examine the players, the equipment, and the economics of the game, discussing the aspects of play that determine success, how much the improvments in clubs and balls have affected performance and the remarkable growth of both the amateur and the professional game.
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2008
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 22, 2016
The book has good sections explaining the science involved in golf—drag on the ball, lift on the ball, mechanics of the swing, generation of ball velocity, generation of ball spin, putting, etc. I am a physicist and out of the books on the physics of golf that I have read, I think this will be the most accessible to lay people, who want to know how golf physically works. I found the book very helpful in my understanding of what is happening during the ball–club interaction. I now understand how the centers of gravity that club manufacturers use result in the behavior that they claim. For example, how a lower center of gravity on a driver leads to higher launch angles with lower spin and another section also shows how this ball flight can lead to longer distances.
July 5, 2014
Pretty interesting. Especially like the application of viscosity theory rather than bernoulli to the dynamics of spin. Statistics on handicaps, scoring systems and economics thorough but less interesting
October 12, 2015
Good insight into the PGA behind the a scene. Handicap analyses were over-killed.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews