The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-05-08
THE GOLF BALL.
ssow Gravity Is Foiled In Its Flight
Through the Air.

~" S'sN'y 70 Foheu IN It's FVUn
Through the Air.
Professor Petrie Guthrie TAFT had lit
De skill at golf, but vast deal at sci
snce. Among the many problems tc
which he applied his genius were some
concerning that apparently simple
thing, the flight of golf bali. And
here he found difficulties so battling
hat, though he worked over them for
years and called on other scientists for
assistance, many mysteries still re.
manned. One question that he solved.
however, is of curio1e interest.
The force Of gravity is the one force
We know as most constant and inevita.
BE. To defeat gravity is almost to
suspend one of natures laws. In his
Investigations Professor TAFT suddenly
became aware that gravity was de-
feated by the golf ball. The fact ad.
mitted no doubt On timing the flight
g the ball he discovered that it re-
nsined in the air almost twice as long
rs it should have under the influence of
gravity. Thus, with gravity acting as
usual on other things. a drive of 200
yards would be completed in three
and half seconds. A thrown ball,
for example, describing the same ira.
9ectory, would remain in the air only
mat length of time The golf ball in
passing over that 200 yards foated Sc
Fenely through the air for six and
half seconds.
II was clear. then. that in some man.
ner the gravity was thwarted Pro
sessor TAFT attacked the problem of
The means. and in the end he solved 1t.
After searching long he found the
cause of the prolonged fight In the ro-
4ation given to the ball by the clubs
Impact. The secret lay in the manner
Of the stroke from the tee.
The first principle of the explanation
Is in the simple fact that an object
poised in the air has an equal atmos-
Pderic pressure on it at all points. The
second principle is that when a sphere
rotates in a current of air the side of
the sphere which is advancing to meet
txas current is subjected to greater
Pressure than is that side which is
mOying in the direction of the current.
To illustrate, when the golfer Slices his
hal1 II is made to spin in such fashion
ahat its front side is constantly in
movement to the right Therefore the
pressure of the air is greater on the
fe4r side than on the right, and the ball
curves to the right. When the ball is
EBlled, the operation is reversed. and
ahe fight bends away to the left. So if
Efsg ball is topped the spinning direc-
ton of the front is downward. Thus the
pnli OF gravity is aided and the fight
IS swiftly checked But every properly
driven bali receives an undercut. By ,
ne underspin thus impaired the front
Efde of the ball is made to spin up 3
card; the added pressure is from be. 6
Ow and is in consequence directly op-
eosed to gravity. The result is a fight 4
but little less than twice as +
ong as 1t would be without this under
pin. Moreover. Professor TAFT demon. f.
aTated that without this undercut q
Then driving the. ball would travel /"
'aly about half its usual distance. +.
The ordinary golfer is quite unaware
hat ne gives any underspin to his best y
rfEes, but he does. Without the un- q
circuit his driving would be continu. f,
us failure.-Chicago Record Herald.