Re: [Phys-l] amazing golf shot

["Dr. Richard Tarara" <rtarara@saintmarys.edu>]

I think what you are seeing is that when the ball stops at the very edge of 
the hole it is being held up by the blades of grass that are mostly 
vertical.  But when the ball sits there for a second or so (the golfer only 
has about 10 seconds that he/she can wait), the blades start to relax below 
the ball.  The effect will be most pronounced right at the edge of the hole 
where there are no blades on the hole side to help support the other blades. 
Therefore you get a slight indentation towards the hole--and now the ball is 
'on a slope' towards the hole and rolls in.  (Mine never do--but in theory 
this should work!)

Rick

Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anthony Lapinski" <Anthony_Lapinski@pds.org>
To: <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 9:08 PM
Subject: [Phys-l] amazing golf shot


> A student sent me this clip of an incredible chip shot by Tiger Woods.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1I55z-x6zc
>
> The huge crowd cheered as the ball approached the hole, and the student
> asked me if sound affected the ball near the cup. I had never seen this
> clip before and had to watch it several times. It appears that the ball
> always has momentum.
>
> I am now wondering -- as my student did: If the ball really did stop
> momentarily, could longitudinal sound vibrations from the nearby roaring
> crowd shake the ground enough to slightly move the ball into the hole?
>
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