University of Limerick

'The Science of Golf' - Dr Steve Otto, Director Research & Testing, R&A Rules Ltd. St. Andrews.

A player arrives at a tee, chooses their club and runs through the pre-shot routine. They take their swing and the golf ball accelerates from zero to around 180 mph in less than half of a thousandth of a second and in that time its fate is decided.

The physics of the impact will be discussed from basic concepts to advanced material considerations of both the ball and the club. The golf ball is now flying through the air with a certain spin and velocity. These together with the dimple parameters determined its aerodynamic characteristics and ultimately how far it will travel in the air.

The ball hopefully hits the fairway and the ground conditions together with the inbound velocity and spin determine the roll distance. The approach shot uses a more lofted club and will usually generate more spin and a different type of interaction between the club and ball. And then there is the putt…

This public talk will cover the underlying fundamental physics of golf and will also discuss elements of current research including shaft dynamics, metallurgical considerations and ball construction.

Places are limited- please e-mail mary.cahill@ul.ie to reserve your place