You're Reading: Optimizing Your Golf Game for Different Altitudes
Most casual golfers are aware that playing golf at different altitudes has an effect on the golf ball’s flight. Furthermore, most know that there is a yardage adjustment required for variation in elevation.
On the PGA Tour, the WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City servers as a prime example. At 7,800 feet above sea level, it is the PGA Tour venue with the highest altitude. Consequently, players in the field apply a 10-15 percent multiple to their shots.
In this article, the primary goal is not to perform the mathematics of altitude’s effect on the golf ball, much smarter people can do a much better job, but to discuss how to adapt your golf game and mental mindset to different conditions.
One of Titleist’s Principal Scientists, Steven Aoyama, provided insight into the golf ball aerodynamics and the effect of altitude and explained that there are two variables that effect golf ball flight and are affected by a change in altitude: gravity and air density.
While gravity’s pull to the Earth does decrease at points further from its core, the former has a negligible effect on distance or other aspects of the ball’s flight. In fact, as Steven and Team Titleist point out, “Even on the top of Mount Everest the gravity is only reduced by about 1/4 of one percent.”
The difference in air density is much more noticeable and as a result, this variable is more important. Essentially, air density is what causes the golf ball to slow down by imparting drag onto the golf ball.
If you take air density and drag out of the equation, though, the golf ball still will not fly forever; eventually, gravity will pull the ball back down to Earth and be stopped by the collision with the ground and friction. Nevertheless, less drag will allow the golf ball to move towards the target at a greater velocity for a longer period of time so that by the time it collides with the Earth it will do so at a more distant point.
As it often does, distance commands the attention when discussing golf ball flight at different altitudes.
At higher altitudes, there is less atmospheric pressure (the pressure caused by the weight of the air pushing down), which results in thinner air and longer golf ball flights. Similarly, at lower altitudes, there is greater atmospheric pressure, resulting in denser air, more drag, and hence shorter flight.
Note: Funny enough, gravity is responsible for the loss in atmospheric pressure. Since gravity is weaker as you move further from the Earth, the molecules in the air will experience less gravity and will be less compressed. At the same, the molecules experiencing less gravity will have less weight. The molecules in the air are affected by the atmospheric pressure exerted upon them from above air molecules. Molecules with less weight will exert less pressure, causing a compounding effect in which there is less and less pressure exerted on the air by the air the higher you go.
As it often does, distance is the focus when discussing golf ball flight at different altitudes. However, there are other noteworthy effects of which you should be aware. We will start with a conversation on distance nevertheless.
The impact that a change in altitude will have on your golf ball’s distance is dependent upon different factors. First and foremost is the amount of change in altitude. Also important are your club selection and swing speed. However, Aoyama provides a rough calculation that can represent the estimated change: multiply the elevation change (in feet) by 0.00116 then divide by 100. This number serves as the percent increase you can expect and can be multiplied against your normal distance to determine the actual distance at the given altitude.
For example, let’s say that you normally play at TPC Sawgrass with an elevation of just 7 feet. This week, you will be playing at Club de Golf Chapultepec with the aforementioned altitude of 7,800 feet. Use the following equation to calculate the percentage increase you should expect:
Change in Altitude = Club de Golf Chapultepec (7,800 feet) - TPC Sawgrass (7 feet) = 7,793 Feet
Percentage Increase = (7,793 x 0.00116) ÷ 100 = 9.03%
Using the result of the above equation, we find that the estimated percentage difference is an increase of 9.03%. For a 275-yard drive at TPC Sawgrass, we can expect a drive of 299.8 yards at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
In the Titleist article, the exactness of this approximation is said to be dependent upon swing speed and club loft and spin. The article does not provide an in-depth explanation as to why this is the case. After all, the 0.00116 constant produces a percentage, which by its pure function, will result in a change in yards relative to the distance. Distance, of course, is largely a function of club selection, swing speed, and spin.
It appears that Bubba Watson and his caddy Ted Scott came to this conclusion in preparation for the 2019 WGC-Mexico Championship. Scott explained that they added “10 percent for Watson’s ‘low-shots,’ and closer to 15 percent on the ones that get launched into the stratosphere.”
Titleist’s Aoyama used an example of a 250-yard drive. It is probably safe to assume that if you hit the ball farther and also generate a lot of spin, you can expect a percentage change that is greater than that produced by multiplying the elevation change by 0.00116. Conversely, if the opposite is true of your game and you hit the ball shorter, you may experience less of a change in distance.
In addition to distance being affected, golf shots played at different elevations will result in a difference in the apex or height of your golf ball’s flight. Generally speaking, at lower altitudes, the golf ball will reach greater heights than at higher altitudes.
The reasoning behind this relates to physics, but the simplistic answer is that more lift can be achieved in denser air than in thinner air. The aerodynamics is similar to the wings of an airplane. Both the golf ball and the airplane require lift to be airborne. The golf ball uses dimples to boost this lift. Airplanes use wings.
The spin of the golf ball interacts with the molecules in the air which pushes the ball upwards. The denser the air, the more force will be exerted up on the ball.
Note: Since higher altitudes get less lift, the angle of descent will be shallower. Therefore, the ball will roll out more than at lower altitudes.
Similar to how the golf ball will achieve greater lift at lower altitudes than at higher ones, the effect of sidespin will also be different. Sidespin is what causes the ball to fade, slice, hook, and draw. Sometimes these shots will be intentionally – if we are shaping a shot around a tree or working the ball from the safe side of the green towards the pin or even if we are simply playing our normal shot shape.
By the same logic as with the difference in apex and lift, the sidespin must interact with another force. In this case, it’s the molecules in the air, (on the green, it would be friction) to cause a change in direction. In lower-density air, sidespin will have a reduced effect. By contrast, in higher-density air, sidespin will have a greater effect. Therefore, at higher elevations, the golf ball will fly straighter.
By now, you may be thinking that golf is much better when played at higher altitudes. Everyone wants more distance, and who doesn’t want to hit more fairways by hitting the ball straighter? After all, golfers often wish each other good luck with the phrase “hit ‘em long and straight.”
However, there are advantages to both. Clearly, especially if you are an older golfer struggling to maintain swing speed and height, the shallower angles of descent associated with playing golf at higher altitudes will be a hindrance.
Holding greens will be more difficult, as the ball will have a greater tendency to land and roll off. This is particularly an issue when the front of the green is guarded by trouble such as a bunker or water and landing the ball short and running up on the green is no longer an option.
True, you will, in theory, be hitting a higher-lofted club into the green as both your drive and approach club will be traveling further. So, it is hard to say for sure what the net difference will be.
Next, since it is more difficult to curve the ball at higher altitudes, you may be unable to shape a shot as a particular hole or shot requires. Furthermore, if you normally play at lower altitudes, the normal shot shape to which you are accustomed, let it be a baby fade or a hard draw, will not play the same at higher altitudes. In this case, you will find that your normal setup adjustment will now overcompensate. At this point, you will need to refigure your alignment which could lead to swing issues if done improperly.
On the subject of distance, golf at higher altitudes will correlate with longer drives and longer everything for that matter. However, golf courses in these conditions will compensate with longer tees that negate your added length. Granted, it is hard to beat the feeling of being able to claim a long drive. This could be a segue into golf’s distance debate, but one thing is clear, longer golf courses require more resources to operate.
Lastly, not all of us have the privilege or even desire to move to a location of higher elevation simply to play more enjoyable golf.
Given all this knowledge about playing golf at different altitudes, the next step is adapting your game for when you do play a course at a different than normal elevation.
Obviously, you need not consider anything in this article when playing at your regular golf club. You can trust that the elevation will not vary day to day. Even if your course fluctuates in elevation from hole to hole, the difference likely will be insignificant. Augusta National Golf Club’s elevation ranges from 170 feet at its lowest point to 318 feet at its peak.
Even at a truly hilly golf course such as Augusta National, using Titleist and Aoyama’s estimation, the max difference of 148 feet will only result in about a 0.17% difference in distance. This translates to a 0.51 yard difference on a 300-yard drive.
The bigger issue is when you play at a golf course that varies from your usual play. By the math, you will only start to see a movement in distance at about a 1,000-foot elevation change. This can happen within your own state. In the state of Pennsylvania, Oakmont Country Club lies at 1,000 feet above sea level while Merion Golf Club sits at around 300 feet above sea level.
Concerning lift and the shaping of shots, the math appears to be slightly different – Aoyama suggests that there is 14% decrease in lift for 5,000 feet increase in elevation while just a 5.8% increase in distance.
There are two reasons why knowing the differences caused by a change in altitude to expect is important. Most obviously, they will require a change in club selection, aim, and overall course management and strategy. Just like you check the yardage on the scorecard, you should want to know your percentage change in ball flight so that you can properly interpret the number on the card.
It should be no surprise that golfers on the PGA Tour add this to their thought process and you should too. At last week’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Pebble Beach is only about 20 feet above sea level in some parts), during an on-course interview on the CBS broadcast, Keith Mitchell observed that his shots were going “10–12 yard less” and he factored about “5%” less across the board just for altitude.
Your aim will have to adjust due to the straightening or un-straightening (depending on if you are at a course at lower or higher elevation) of your shots. Until you are comfortable with the necessary adjustment, you might adopt the practice of aiming for the fat part of the green so as to avoid being short sided when your normal fade or draw under or over reacts.
The second reason for knowing the differences of playing golf at different altitudes is the need to be prepared mentally. Knowing that your game will play differently will allow you to accept if your ball flight does not perform as you would expect.
The key here is not to blame your swing, lose confidence in your swing, or even trying to change your swing. In reality, your swing is likely the same. The reason that you might be coming up 5 yards short with your 7-iron approach could be due to your playing at a lower altitude. The reason that you are seeing less spin on the greens could be due to your playing at a higher altitude, in which your ball’s trajectory is naturally shallower. Being aware of the information in this article will prevent you from sounding off any undue alarms.
To be sure whether it is simply the conditions and not your game, take a look at what your playing partners are experiencing. If distance is the concern and you normally are the longest in your group. Be careful not to calculate the pure yardage difference between you and your partners’ drives and matching it against your normal play. As we have learned, the math works in terms of percentages. Furthermore, golfers will faster swing speeds will experience more of a change than golfers will slower swing speeds. Therefore, the difference in the length of a group’s tee shots will condense at lower altitudes and grow at higher altitudes, as the long hitters enjoy a greater boost in distance.
As a side tip, if you are playing at a new course, you can ask the proshop if the course plays differently and if the pro or staff can provide practical knowledge and insights to benefit your game.
With all this talk about elevation, it is worth mentioning the two golf courses in the world that hold titles in this area. First, the world’s lowest golf course is Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley, California. Furnace Creek Resort is 214 feet below sea level. If you are curious as to how this is even possible and how Death Valley isn’t underwater, check out the video below. (The fact that it’s a particularly dry desert helps).
On the other side of the spectrum is La Paz Golf Club in La Paz, Bolivia. Its high point is 10,650 feet above sea level. Due to the thinner air, it is important to drink extra water during your round.
It goes without saying that your club selection may vary between Furnace Creek Resort and La Paz Golf Club.
Using the data that Furnace Creek Resort is 214 feet below sea level and comparing against a typical course like Merion Golf Club at about 300 feet above sea level, there is a 514-foot decrease in altitude at the world’s lowest course. Plugging this figure into the equation we have used in this article results in what should be a percentage decrease in ball flight of about 0.59%.
However, what is odd about this is that according to Duncan Lennard’s book Extreme Golf: The World’s Most Unusual, Fantastic and Bizarre Courses, the head professional of Furnace Creek Resort in 2004, Kip Freeman, remarked that “If you hit a 5-iron 170 yards in regular conditions, you will find it travels 150-155 yards here.”
Regardless of the fact that we know that the distance difference is minimized with shorter clubs (the driver being affected the most), that computes at least a 15-yard difference. Therefore, the “regular conditions” referenced must be at about 7,400 feet (see equation below). In other words, that would suggest regular conditions are playing Club de Golf Chapultepec.
Percentage Change = (170 - 155) ÷ 170 = 8.82%
Change in Altitude = (0.0882 x 100) ÷ 0.00116 = 7,603.45 feet
Relative Altitude = 7,603.45 + (-214) = 7,389.45 feet
Furthermore, as its name suggests, Furnace Creek Resort is home to hot temperatures, once reaching 134 degrees. Low temperatures can certainly have an effect on shorter flying golf balls. This does not appear to be the case here.
Probably both Titleist’s math and Freeman’s statement are more or less accurate. There are various variables involved, not just air density and temperature. Something else is likely causing a greater loss in distance at Furnace Creek Resort.
While it can be unfortunate that one variable or a couple variables cannot answer the problem, it is sometimes better to just accept the difference and account for it in your golf game. Of course, even if you do not have plans in the near future to venture to Furnace Creek Resort, you can still apply this mindset to your regular venues.
If there is a certain course at which you play where your ball flight is slightly but noticeable different, your distance seems to be shorter, and you consistently find this to be true, it very well may not be due to your golf swing. Common factors like altitude could be fairly similar between this particular course and others that you frequent. At the end of the day, though, it will only benefit you to accept peculiarities of the course so that your expectations will be appropriately aligned.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to your elevation when playing golf. Whether it be a yardage adjustment or preparing your expectations and mental game, make sure to make an evaluation when venturing to a course with considerably different altitude. After all, even if it is not the same as ascending from Base Camp up to Mount Everest, a little acclimatization might help with descending your golf score.
