STEM in Golf Will Get You Up to Par!

Golf takes patience, perseverance and … STEM? It’s true! We see science come to life in this individual sport. Next time you’re out on the green or cruising through the course, be sure to notice the science that helps your score stay low and confidence skyrocket! While many elements of the game – from equipment creation to practicing your swing and even keeping score – involve STEM skills, start by first observing the categories below to watch your knowledge add up.

A Ball That’s Shaped to Soar

What would happen if you tried to play golf with a baseball or a table tennis ball? It would be a lot more challenging and a lot less fun! The design of a golf ball has evolved throughout the years using technological advancements and STEM learnings to improve the game of golf. From the original ball made of wood, to versions composed of hardened tree sap, and now the modern combination of rubber and plastic, materials science has transformed the golf ball to move faster and travel farther.

However, it’s not just the materials of the ball that have changed. Did you know golf balls used to be smooth? Over time, golfers realized that as their balls accumulated dents and scuffs from play, they could make the ball travel farther – this is because a ball with dimples reduces drag, or the force resulting from air resistance. This aerodynamic advantage led to the unique pattern that’s standard on golf balls today.

Go the Distance With a Pendulum Swing

Thanks to scientist Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion, we know that a golf ball will stay at rest until acted on by an external force – in this case, that force comes from a golf club! But a golfer can’t just set the ball in motion to play the game; they must try to hit it a specific distance down the fairway or across the green to make the ball go into the hole in as few strokes as possible.

To control how far their golf ball travels in a single swing, a player treats their golf club like a pendulum – the longer the swing and the greater the force, the faster the ball travels and the farther it goes! That is why a set of golf clubs has clubs with different lengths. A driver is longer than a putter, so the driver allows golfers to hit the ball a greater distance. Give the United States Golf Association’s Pendulum of Doom activity a try to see this concept in action.

More to Explore

Read more from our blog to learn about STEM skills used in all kinds of sports!