Carry distances at high elevation etc, etc...

Swinging Looney

I've often wondered, when watching some pros hit 340 yard carrys at high altitude courses, what the rule of thumb is for working how much further your ball will go depending on how high you are. In fact, thinking about a little more, it is really the lower air pressure that allows a longer carry at high elevation, so a low pressure weather system passing through would give you extra yards the same way that a course 2,000 feet above sea level would. Of course this doesn't allow for the 90 mph winds that would come with it but you get the idea!!!

Temperature and pressure combined affect density. Low desnity equals more carry, high density equals less carry. So how much of a difference would it really make?

There is maybe about a 6 or 7% difference in air density between a really cold, clear, high pressure winters day and really warm, low pressure, threatening summers day. Would that mean 6 or 7% more or less carry? That would equate to 15 yards from my driver and 8 or 9 yards from my Pitching Wedge. Not an insignificant amount!

I definitely notice different carrys on wet cold days versus dry warm days, but can it be calculated???

Discuss.....

Please avoid the usual and likely referrals to my obvious boredom and excessive amount of free time which facilitate ponderings of this magnitude...

PhilipMarlowe

I had almost started typing my reply until I read the last sentence

Swinging Looney

Licksy wrote: »

I had almost started typing my reply until I read the last sentence

Thank you Licksy! I'm feeling much better now. Must have been the lack of oxygen at those high elevations....