US golf association wants to limit COR of ball. What affect will a lower COR have on distance ball can be hit

Question

cor----coefficient of restitution

Answer 1

I think it all c**p sorry but I do. Its no ballistics out there players don't play with power extreme pinnacles so what is the problem.

Answer 2

The coefficient of restitution or COR of an object is a fractional value representing the ratio of velocities before and after an impact. An object with a COR of 1 collides elastically, while an object with a COR of 0 will collide inelastically, effectively "sticking" to the object it collides with, not bouncing at all.

The coefficient of restitution entered the common vocabulary, among golfers at least, when golf club manufacturers began making thin-faced drivers with a so-called "trampoline effect" that creates drives of a greater distance as a result of an extra bounce off the clubface. The USGA (America's governing golfing body) has started testing drivers for COR and has placed the upper limit at 0.83. Golf balls also have a COR of about 0.78

Sounds to me like fewer 300 yard drives.

Answer 3

Good question - my daughter is doing a science experiment and it will be based on the COR of golf balls.  In layman's terms, the COR is the amount of 'bounce' a ball has.  Example is that if the ball bounces back 80% of the height it was dropped from, the COR would be .80.

So, if the USGA decreases the maximum COR, balls will fly shorter distances (assuming ALL other variables are the same.)  

BUT, lets face the facts.... Most golfers that carry a 10+ handicap, don't maximize the ability of the ball anyways.  So this won't really affect us mortals much.

The UPSIDE is that a shorter maximum distance, also decreased the distance we hit it off our line :-)  So, that would mean that the probability of actually hitting the fairway or even the rough near the fairway becomes higher, and the odds of heading into the forests, lakes, etc. decreases.  

Until I am even a LOW double digit handicapper, I really don't care.

BTW - all this only matters in sanctioned events anyways.  You can play a driver that is out of spec all you want provided the round isn't in a competition.  Same goes for balls, # of clubs you carry, etc.

Answer 4

While some of the answers sound like rocket science, the true meaning of cor limitation is the distance the ball will travel. Reduce this by a factor of 20% and you prevent many golf courses from becoming obsolete. You take the wedge out of the pros hands and replace it with a 6, 7, or 8 iron and their game changes. As for the average golfer( 19 or less hdcp.) it won't make a particle of difference.. Those with high swing speeds will get the better distances  and the rest of us will lose no more than 5 yards from our driving distances.

Answer 5

Lowering the COR of the ball or the clubs will decrease the distance the ball will travel.