Quote:
Originally Posted by island911
I don't expect that JYL is an engineer.
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God no! But my couple years as a physics major comes in handy on occasion.
I wonder if there is a way for black powder enthusiasts to make a black powder rifle that fires the ball with backspin. Perhaps you'd get a flatter trajectory out to medium range. But at that point, why not simply make a black powder flechette launcher. Or a black powder Gyrojet? Or a black powder cruise missile.
Here is an interesting article on how tennis balls behave when fired from a tennis ball launcher with topspin, nospin, and backspin. I believe the same qualitative principles would affect the trajectory of a golf ball hit with backspin;
AFAIK it is impossible to hit a golf ball with topspin.
Tennis Ball Trajectories — The Role of Aerodynamic Drag and Lift in Tennis Shots"