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American Journal of Physics -- December 2006 -- Volume 74, Issue 12, pp. 1088
On the efficiency of the golf swing
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Add to FacebookA non-driven double pendulum model is used to explain the principle underlying the surprising efficiency of the golf swing. The principle can be described as a parametric energy transfer between the arms and the club head due to the changing moment of inertia of the club. The transfer is a consequence of conservation of energy and angular momentum. Because the pendulum is not driven by an external force, it shows that the golfer need do little more than accelerate the arms with the wrists cocked and let the double pendulum transfer kinetic energy to the club head. A driven double pendulum model is used to study factors affecting the efficiency of a real golf swing. It is concluded that the wrist-cock angle is the most significant efficiency-determining parameter under the golfer’s control and that improvements in golf technology have had a significant impact on driving distance.
© 2006 American Association of Physics Teachers
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History
Received Apr 2006
Accepted Aug 2006
Online Nov 2006
Accepted Aug 2006
Online Nov 2006
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Supplemental Files (EPAPS)
- Derivation of the equation of motion.pdf (91 kB) 26-Sep-2006 8:55
- README.TXT (0 kB) 8-Nov-2006 11:23
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