Lesson 2: Gravity: The Force That Never Stops
Gravity is the force that pulls everything toward the center of the Earth. It never stops. It never takes a day off. Right now, gravity is pulling you into your chair.
For a golfer, gravity is both a challenge and a tool. When you hit a ball into the air, gravity immediately starts pulling it back down. The moment it leaves the club, it begins to fall.
This is why golfers aim slightly upward — to give the ball enough upward force to travel a long distance before gravity brings it back down to the ground.
Gravity also affects putts. On a sloped green, gravity pulls the ball toward the low side. Reading a green means figuring out which way gravity will curve your putt.
Gravity = the force that pulls all objects toward the Earth. It acts on every object all the time.
On a golf course, gravity shapes everything: how high the ball flies, how long it stays in the air, and which way it rolls on the green.
If you could turn off gravity for five seconds during a golf shot, what do you think would happen to the ball? Where would it go?
Drop test! Collect five objects of different sizes and weights. Stand on a chair or step stool (safely, with your parent nearby) and drop each object from the same height at the same time. Which ones hit the ground first? Do bigger objects fall faster? Write your predictions first, then test them and record what you find. Were you right? Scientists are often surprised — that’s what makes it science.
The drop test often produces genuine surprise — most children predict heavier objects will fall faster, but objects of similar size and shape fall at nearly the same rate regardless of weight (air resistance aside). This surprise is precious. Don’t preempt it by explaining the result. Let the experiment speak.