Ideal launch angle for a golf ball

[Skyace]

A question for physics people, or anyone.

I've got a question,

A few weeks ago, I went in for a launch monitor fitting at a Golf Galaxy and they fitted me with a 10.5 driver that was the best for me to achieve the ideal launch angle, which the fitter told me was 11.3 degrees.
Being a physics student, I found this surprising. Everything I learned about projectile motion has told me that, in ideal conditions (sans wind resistance), the ideal launch angel for a projectile to maximize distance is 45 degrees. Even with wind resistance, the angle is only cut to around 27 degrees. I proposed this dilemma to my Physics professor, but he didn't have an answer. After talking with some other students, we concluded that the spin of the ball must play a factor. However, we don't know.

Does anyone know why the ideal launch angle of a golf ball is 11.3 degrees?

Thanks.
(I hope this topic is in the right place, I don’t know another thread to place it in)

[Grum]

11.3 doesnt sound right. Perhaps its right if you spin the ball LOTS.

[jaskanski]

the ideal launch angle would be dependant on the ball speed/spin.

i like to explain the science behind it, but i'll leave it to someone else.

in the meantime, here's your homework:

 

http://www.tutelman.com/golf/clubs/launchO...clubmakeronline

[bloodredsun]

The difference with a golf ball is the spin and the effect that the dimples have. This changes the flight from classic ballistics to something that flies like a frisbee as the lift generated by the spin is magnified by the dimples - check out the Bernoulli and Magnus effects.

 

There's a nice explanation here: http://www.golfjoy.com/golf_physics/dynamics.asp

[Cwing]

What they said :D

 

There is no ideal launch angle for everyone. There is however an ideal launch angle for a ball launched at a certain speed with a certain spin as the ideal launch angle changes dependant on either of those conditions.