The Physics of a Tiger Woods Golf Swing

by Alex A. Kecskes

There's a lot of physics in golf. And some have carefully analyzed the angles and forces that make a good golf swing.

For starters, the twisting swing torques the club, which alters the angular velocity of the club, causing rotation. Most club heads are about the same weight, so you need to increase club head velocity to succeed in those long shots. A golf ball needs a lot of kinetic energy, which is proportional to the mass of the club head and the square of its velocity. Pro golfers can reach club head speeds of 100 mph at the bottom of their swing. Tiger Woods can take it to 125 mph.

A physicist at Malaspina University-College in British Columbia noted an optimum angle between the club shaft and the clubface of a golf driver: For faster swingers like Tiger Woods, the best lie angle is 7.5 degrees; slow-swinging golfers would be best served with a 20-degree lie angle.

By focusing his energy carefully, the 158-pound Tiger Woods, can deliver one of the longest drives of any professional golfer. A scientific analysis of Woods' golf swing reveals a key secret of his success--his swing plane. This plane is formed by his golf club at address and through his arm sockets. Tiger very closely follows the swing line during his entire swing. At takeaway, Tiger is remains precisely on-plane. At downswing, he’s a little inside the plane, ideal for a slightly inside-out path and a powerful slight draw. When he hits the ball, his shoulders stay a bit inside-out.

Throughout his swing, Woods maintains his position above the ball, which wastes very little energy, making him one of best golfers in the world.

For an additional perspective, check out this video:

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