Centrifugal/centripetal

[Iowagolfpr]

The terms only describe the behavior of a force or forces. They are not forces in themselves. For example, centrifugal force is one of the "fictional" forces that arises when you are in a rotating system, and is actually just the consequence of the principle that a body will travel in a straight line if no force is applied. We call this inertia. If you set a ball down on the seat of a car and then make a turn to the left, the ball will appear to roll to the right. Sitting in the car, it looks like something is "pushing" the ball to the right - a centrifugal force. Looking from outside the car, you would see the ball continuing to travel in a straight line with nothing pushing on it, while the car moves underneath it. The real forces are the friction between the tires and the road that causes the car to turn and the friction between the seat and your body that keeps you moving with the car. In the golf swing, gravity, the friction of our feet, and most of all, muscles are the real forces. The golf shaft allows us to load, time, and route the forces. It keeps the clubpath going around. Without friction from our feet, gravity, and muscle force correctly created and applied we have no real power in the golf swing.

 

[mgjordan]

Tell this guy that:

http://www.spokanescots.org/affiliates/photos/HG 2003-2/A10 Painful Hammer Throw.jpg

While centrifugal force may not be a "real" force (I don't know, nor do I care) I can tell you that it is an accurate way to describe it. When I swing a golf club or the guy in the picture above competes, I can tell you that there is something pulling against us. Whether it is a true force or not doesn't really matter. The fact is that it is there acting on us.

 

[Iowagolfpr]

Great answer.

 

[6bee1dee]

It is called a fictitious force, by physicists as opposed to a true force. A true force is Gravity or Magnetism which are present in any state. A fictitious force is one that only exists in certain conditions, but there is nothing fictitious about them.

Centrifugal force is labeled a fictitious force because it only occurs in rotary system, a whirl of a rock on a string, or a clubhead on the end of a shaft are two examples of centrifugal force in a rotary system.

Centrifugal force is the resistance to inertia on an object trying to continue in a straight line while moving in circular motion- to move OUTWARD from the center. How did it travel in this circular motion? A force had to prevent the object from continuing in a outward straight line and pull it INWARD. This force is centripetal force. This force seeks to move the object TOWARD the center. Yin and Yang? They co-exist together or not at all. They comply with Newton’s third law of motion. For every motion or force there is an opposite and equal motion or force.

You can fart around calling this whirl of motion anything you want. You can recognize one of the other or both forces, but the point is that Homer Kelley called his "Centrifugal' force to teach the action of the clubhead impacting the ball without muscular force.

 

[Brian Manzella]

A rose by any other name....

Anyone that doesn't agree with the above, could NEVER give a worth a darn golf lesson to a 'swinger.'

 

[Iowagolfpr]

Brain and 6bee1dee - Thanks for you help. I am a hitter so I have a lot to learn about swinging. Bobby Jones was always considered to be a swinger. His downswing speed was measured. The rate of fall was more than the rate of fall due to gravity alone. This would suggest that some muscle force was being used at some time in the downswing. I know that feel are real are two different things. You guys have forgot more about swinging than I know so I appreciate your help. Again thanks.

quote:Originally posted by brianman

A rose by any other name....

Anyone that doesn't agree with the above, could NEVER give a worth a darn golf lesson to a 'swinger.'