Lesson 3: The Moment of Impact
The impact — the fraction of a second when the club face meets the golf ball — is the most important moment in golf. Everything before it is preparation; everything after it is consequence.
During impact, the club face pushes against the ball with enormous force. The ball compresses — it actually flattens slightly — and then springs back to round, launching off the club face.
This happens in about 0.0005 seconds — half a thousandth of a second. In that tiny moment, all the energy from the swing transfers into the ball.
The direction the club face points at impact determines most of where the ball goes. Even tiny errors at impact become big errors in the ball’s direction.
During impact, the golf ball compresses then springs back — this elastic behavior is what makes it fly.
Impact lasts approximately 0.0005 seconds.
Press your finger firmly against a golf ball and feel how resistant it is. Hold two balls and press them together. This firmness is what makes them bounce and fly.
If a golf ball were made of clay — totally soft and not bouncy — what would happen when you hit it? Why do golf balls need to be springy?
Bounce test: drop a golf ball from shoulder height onto a hard floor and measure how high it bounces. Try a tennis ball, rubber ball, and crumpled socks from the same height. Record which bounces highest. The bounciest is most elastic — it stores and returns energy most efficiently. Which would you rather use for golf and why?
The bounce test demonstrates elasticity — a key property of golf balls. Golf balls are engineered to be highly elastic while controllable. Comparing with other objects helps your child understand that golf ball design is intentional.