[Reading Science] Is the Optimal Distance Angle for Long Hitters 45 Degrees?

One of the long hitters on the PGA Tour, J.B. Holmes, hitting a drive at a domestic tournament. It is not confirmed whether the launch angle is 12 degrees, but it appears to be quite low.
[Photo by YouTube screen capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Every golfer wants to be called a "long hitter." However, the reality is often far from long driving distance. So, how can you increase your driving distance?

There are several factors that increase driving distance. Fundamentally, you need to have superior physical conditions compared to others. Then, you can consider the club and the swing that allows the club to perform effectively. If you have similar physical conditions and swing with a club suited to you, the skill of your swing will determine the driving distance.

The scientific conditions for an excellent swing include a faster swing speed than others, clubs and balls with a higher coefficient of restitution than other clubs and balls, and the ability to hit the sweet spot of the club. Most golfers meet the second condition, but isn’t the rest of the ability somewhat inconsistent?

How about approaching this inconsistency scientifically? One common misconception among golfers about driving distance is the belief that the ball flies the farthest at a 45-degree angle. According to what we learned from science textbooks during school days, if you know the initial launch angle and speed, you can calculate the flight distance of a projectile, i.e., the driving distance.

Therefore, most people believe that flying objects travel the farthest at a 45-degree angle. Of course, this assumes constant external conditions such as gravity. Surprisingly, many golfers mistakenly try to make the ball’s launch angle 45 degrees by hitting the driver with an upward swing.

Professional players hit the driver upward mainly when there is a strong headwind to impart forward spin. Usually, golfers’ swings generate backspin on the ball, making the launch angle less significant.

The driving distance varies depending on the force applied to the ball and the spin, but without considering these factors and under equal conditions without spin, the optimal launch angle for the golf ball to fly the farthest is 12 degrees. So, it’s not the commonly known 45 degrees. In fact, even if you hit the driver at a 45-degree angle, the ball will rise high but won’t travel far. Instead, a ball flying powerfully at a lower angle will travel farther.

Baseball is similar. Scientist Robert Adair asserted in his book "The Physics of Baseball" that the ideal home run angle is 35 degrees. He defined that it requires the power to launch the ball at a speed over 150 km/h at a 35-degree angle.

This means home run balls do not follow a 45-degree parabolic trajectory. Long home runs follow a 35-degree parabola. Home run-like hits caught by outfielders are more likely due to a launch angle much greater than 35 degrees rather than insufficient hitting power.

Home run scene of player Choo Shin-soo. Can you roughly guess the angle at which the ball bounces off the bat?
Photo by YouTube screen capture

What about golf? Generally, driver distance is proportional to swing speed. The higher the swing speed, the longer the driving distance. Usually, a swing speed of about 145 km/h is needed to exceed 200 yards. Assuming the ball rolls about 20 yards on average, the actual distance can be considered around 220 yards.

What if you lower the launch angle to 12 degrees and increase your swing speed to 150 km/h like a home run hitter? Wouldn’t the dream driving distance of 270 yards that every golfer hopes for be achievable?

What is needed for this? To hit the golf ball at a low trajectory, you need to master the technique of watching the ball on the tee until the end and pushing it forward. You also need to increase your swing speed to 150 km/h. In other words, you must practice swinging the club without lifting your head and completely relaxing your muscles to meet the basic conditions for long driving.

With advances in science and technology, preparing ultra-high-restitution clubs and golf balls is not a big problem. The bigger challenge is meeting the other conditions. Even knowing the science, without practice to meet these conditions, your driving distance will not increase. Training, that is, practice, is necessary for the scientific technology embedded in the equipment to shine.