OPTIMIZATION OF CLUBHEAD LOFT AND SWING ELEVATION ANGLES FOR MAXIMUM DISTANCE OF A GOLF DRIVE

This paper presents a study on the optimization of loft and swing elev ation angles on the impact between the clubhead of a driver and a golf ball in order to maximize the distance of a drive. Computer programs w ere written to simulate the collision between the golfball and clubhea d as well as the golfball in flight. A general, three-dimensional impa ct model using principles of momentum conservation on rigid bodies was used to simulate the impact between the golfball and clubhead to extr act the spin and velocity vectors of the ball after impact. An aerodyn amic model was then used to simulate ball flight in order to obtain th e landing position of the ball. The results of the golfball landing po sitions generated by the computer simulations were compared to experim ental data of golfball landing positions of shots hit by the golfing r obot 'Iron Byron'. The computer models were then used to calculate the optimal loft and swing elevation angles for a particular swing speed, clubhead mass, and golfball aerodynamic properties by making use of a nonlinear optimization routine. Also, the relationship between the ma ximizing distance for various driver loft angles and swing elevation a ngles is discussed.