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Golf on TV - Inaccurate statements about humidity and distance    Back to Topics  Page: 1 of 15     
From: golfjones (1 of 145)   10/11/2009 10:30:45 PM
To:
During the President's Cup there were a lot of inaccurate beliefs stated about the effect of humidity on golf ball flight distance. You would think the golf "experts" would know better.
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If you Google "golf ball humidity distance" about 35,000 entries appear. They say the same thing--the higher the humidity, the farther a golf ball will travel in the air.
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The reason is due the fact that air is composed of 78% nitrogen (N2, atomic weight 28 and 21% oxygen (O2, atomic weight 32). Water molecules are light-weights--atomic weight 18. The more water molecules are dispersed among the heavier nitrogen and oxygen molecules, the ligher air is, and the easier a golf ball can move through it. Temperature and atmospheric pressure also affect shot distance.
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The more the humidity, the "heavier" the air feels on our skin, but that is misleading. The air is really lighter.
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Now, all bets are off if there is rain, even fog, in the air. These are water molecules that have loosely attached to each other, and when these drops hit the ball they slow it down.

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From: Balataspun (2 of 145)   10/11/2009 11:05:04 PM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
I think that the use of the word humidity was what was wrong in the statements. In places like NC, SC, TN, etc. where it's humid, the balls flies just fine. But I lived in the Bay Area for many years and what Johnny Miller was talking about is very accurate... the ball does not fly well on courses in SF or Pebble Beach. It's the amount of actual moisture in the air (and I realize that humidity is just that) near the Pacific. Much of the times it's actual fog. But even when the fog lifts and visibility gets better, there's still a lot of real water in the air. I lived in NC for the past 6 years. I got easily 10% more flight there than I've ever got on a northern Pacific coast course. I used to play a lot in Half Moon Bay (20 miles south of Harding) and there were many times that my well hit PW would fly 80 yards with no wind. I can hit it as far as 115 on a good dry, humid or elavated course.

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From: GoneToGolf (3 of 145)   10/12/2009 3:13:54 AM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
You hit a draw, no wind, get good distance.......then you hit a draw with the wind, the ball doesn't travel as far.......but if you hit a fade with the wind you gain distance.

Why?

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From: 7ty8th (4 of 145)   10/12/2009 4:03:30 AM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
I play a lot at daybreak and the ball does not fly the same as it does an hour later. This is in humid Houston.

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From: Saints Go Marching In (5 of 145)   10/12/2009 4:13:35 AM
To: GoneToGolf In response to Post 3
My opinion is that a draw is more "vertical" and wants to dive in order to roll, but a fade spin is more horizontal and wants to be lifted thus causing additional carry.

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From: Robopz (6 of 145)   10/12/2009 5:15:47 AM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
Well... science be da**med. I've played out there enough to know that the ball just doesn't go as far...

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From: kingofpoop3 (7 of 145)   10/12/2009 8:10:44 AM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
Bull.

H2O is H20.

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From: Arkie_in_CT (8 of 145)   10/12/2009 9:18:29 AM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
Here's your scientific counter-argument: if the humidity is higher, there is more STUFF in the air than if it is not, more stuff to get in the ball's way. All the Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, CO2, etc. that were there before are still there, and now there is more water. Add to that the fact that water, with strong polarization due to the bonding of the ionized H and O, is stickier. IOW, you are, I think, mistaken to say that the ball travels further in humid than in dry air.

Most golfers' experience will accord with what I believe to be the science: wet air is heavier and sticker than dry and therefore the save ball will travel further in the arid than in the humid.

-Ark, thinks this is correct, but wonders what sources GJ is drawing on to back her or his claim to the contrary ...

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From: swissonwry (9 of 145)   10/12/2009 10:25:16 AM
To: GoneToGolf In response to Post 3
(Answering intuitively here...ready to be corrected by proven science)

Draws have topspin - wind helps it "dive" into the ground. (All things equal, though, you'll get more roll.)

Fades have underspin - helping wind essentially provides a cushion of air that keeps it in the air longer.

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From: noleft (10 of 145)   10/12/2009 1:38:40 PM
To: golfjones In response to Post 1
I know from experience that the ball flies further or shorter because of temperature more thatn any other factor. When I t off in 50 degree temps whether at Spyglass or in the AZ desert the ball flies much shorter. There is a temp where the ball starts jumping and traveling further as it warms up. The other big factor on distance is the elevation we are playing at. If you are a low ball hitter you won't get the same benefit of 5000 ft. of elevation as a guy who hits it high. Not sure about all the science.

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