Does a golf ball go farther in the winter or the summer?

Like a number of other factors that affect the distance travelled by ball, the season also plays a major part. There is a marked difference in the distance covered in summers and winters. Studies reveal that a golf ball travels farther in summers when compared to winters. There are quite a few reasons for the same.

Efficiency of Energy Transfer

The first reason why ball travel less in winter is the amount of energy transferred to it. Winters result in less temperature of both ball as well as the clubs. This means energy transfer is not as efficient as it would have been at higher temperatures. Less energy is transferred to the ball and it travels a shorter distance.

Another reason for efficient energy transfer in summers is that the warmer air simply means softer content of the ball. The ball is able to compress and rebound at a better rate and thus achieve more distance. On the other hand, balls become hard in winters. There is less compression, which results in less enegy transfer, and thus less distance travelled.

Air Friction

Air friction also plays a major role in deciding the distance travelled by ball in summers and winters. In summers, the air density is less as compared to the winters. This simply means less air friction and thus greater distance travelled.

Fairways

In addition, the fairways are softer in winters, which again prove to a big hindrance in ball travelling greater distance. In summers, the area is hard and aids in rolling over of the ball. This again leads to gain in distance in summers.

What to Consider?

Keeping the same thing in mind, manufacturers have come up with balls with different compression figures. This means a 100-compression ball is harder in nature and is apt for play summers. On the other hand, a 90-compression ball is relatively softer and thus is a much better option in winter.

Since distance is not much of a concern in summers, it is always better to opt for a ball that offers better control and accuracy. In winters, professionals opt for a ball that is softer in comparison and offers more distance.