Numerical analysis of golf club head and ball at various impact points

Abstract

This paper investigates how the physical characteristics of a golf club head affect its performance, with the aim of developing a superior club head. The physical characteristics investigated were the magnitude of the moment of inertia and the location of the centre of gravity. The performances were classified as the release velocity, the spin rate of the ball and the size of the uniform restitution area. In the numerical analysis, several kinds of club head were modelled with different moments of inertia and different locations of the centre of gravity. For every club head model, the ball was hit at various impact points and the release velocity, spin rate and size of the uniform restitution area were calculated. The results are as follows. The bigger the moment of inertia Izz about the vertical axis or the shallower the depth of the centre of gravity, the less side spin rate caused. Izz has more influence on the side spin rate than the depth of the centre of gravity. The shallower the depth of the centre of gravity, the more back spin rate caused. The size of the uniform restitution area increases in proportion to the increase in Izz, or in proportion to the decrease of the depth of the centre of gravity.