How much further does a golf ball travel in warm weather?
Noah Mitchell
Published Jan 15, 2026
According to the folks at TrackMan, for every 10 degrees of increase in temperature, the golf ball flies approximately 1.33 to 1.66 yards farther, depending on the club being used.
Do golf balls go farther in hot weather?
Generally, a warmer golf ball travels farther. The rubber materials used to make golf balls respond better if they are more resilient. Warmth enhances resiliency. A warmer ball will come off the clubface with more velocity and spin than a colder ball, encouraging loft.
How does temperature affect golf ball distance?
Cold air is denser than warm air and creates additional drag on a ball. According to Trackman, the difference is approximately one yard of carry for every 10-degree change in temperature. So theoretically, you're looking at a loss of four yards if you're playing in 40 degrees as opposed to 80 degrees.
How much distance do you lose in the cold golf?
According to Titleist research, a golfer will experience an approximately 1.5 percent drop in distance for every 20 degree drop in temperature. If you carry your driver 250 yards, that 1.5 percent drop equates to 3.75 yards. Imagine that throughout the bag -- only on carry numbers.
How much further does a golf ball go in summer?
For about every ten degrees, the average golfer (90 mph swing speed) will see a difference of 2 yards in distance. So, if you hit your 9 iron 130 yards in 90 degree weather, you're only going to hit it about 122 yards when it's 50 degrees.
23 related questions foundAre 20 year old golf balls still good?
The golf ball researchers at Titleist state, "Today's Titleist golf balls can be safely stored for five years or even more, as long as they are kept away from excessive heat. ... Normal indoor conditions should be fine for storage."
Why do balls travel farther in heat?
Heat reduces the air's density by causing it to expand. Humidity also reduces density because water vapor is lighter than dry air, so the more water vapor in the mixture, the less dense the air. So forget how the air feels on a hot, humid day. It is actually lighter, and will allow the ball to fly farther."
Do golf balls fly less in cold weather?
Cold weather will make the ball fly shorter for a couple reasons. Cold air is denser than warm air and creates additional drag on the ball. More lift and drag makes the ball go higher and shorter. Tests show a loss of two yards of carry for every ten degrees below 75°.
How do I keep my golf balls warm in cold weather?
The tips section of Golfsmith's website offers advice on how to keep golf balls warm, including putting a towel in the bottom of a pot of two quarts of water, bringing the water to 50ºC (about the temperature of really hot tap water), leave them in there for 30 minutes and then dry them and place them in an insulated ...
Does cold weather affect golf balls?
Golf balls do lose a little distance in the cold because the air is denser, which increases lift and drag so the ball flies slightly higher and a little shorter. If the golf ball itself gets very cold, this can affect the characteristics of its materials resulting in lower initial velocity off the clubface too.
Do used golf balls lose distance?
Its results confirmed that in the absence of visible damage, repeated use had no effect on a ball's performance. However, it also found that even small scuffs led to a measurable loss in distance, reducing driver distance as much as 6 yards.
How much distance do you lose with range balls?
Statistics have shown you may lose up to 10 yards of carry and total distance hitting range balls when using wedges or short irons, however results vary. Most testing has shown a negligible loss in distance when hitting range balls with driver, compared to regular balls.
Do softer golf balls go further?
Although softer golf balls go further from the tee for lower swing speed players, the gap across the whole range of ball types is only around 5 yards, so it is more important to fit the ball to your irons and then fit your driver to your preferred ball to maximise distance.
Does a golf ball travel further in humid weather?
A golf ball goes a bit farther when it's humid. “Air that is hot or humid is actually lighter than air that is cold or dry or both,” according to Steve Aoyama, a scientist at Titleist, in a story published by the PGA's website. “Heat reduces the air's density by causing it to expand.
Do golf balls travel further at altitude?
The golf ball flies further in high altitudes mainly due to the change in air density, which decreases as elevation increases. Thinner air exerts less drag force on the ball. The ball moves more easily through the air and doesn't slow down as quickly as it flies, resulting in greater distance.
Do golf balls fly shorter in humid weather?
The higher the humidity, the longer the ball flies. You can feel humid air more, but water weighs less than the nitrogen and oxygen molecules that make up dry air. So, you're hitting into thinner air, which means the ball goes farther as though a golfer were playing at a higher altitude.
Will microwaving a golf ball make it go further?
Yes, you too can get greater distance on your shots in just seconds - The Microwave Way. Merely pop a golf ball into your microwave oven - and voila! This juiced-up dimpled dumpling surprisingly flies farther than the ball pros use.
Does golf ball affect distance?
The answer is yes, the golf ball does affect distance and the distance that a ball travels is affected by the way that it is struck and by the elements. So the type of ball, the player and the weather all have an impact.
Should you warm golf balls?
Golf equipment is affected by cold weather. Cold golf balls do not go as far when struck. If you leave your golf balls outside in severely cold weather, several methods can be used to warm them up prior to play, and keep them warm during play, so you can receive maximum performance.
Is 45 degrees too cold for golf?
Some golfers make a distinction between when it's too cold to play golf and when it's too cold to play well. Resolute players can be found on the green even if it's below 45 degrees and raining, but the weather conditions can take a toll on your performance.
Do golf balls travel less in rain?
Rain increases air humidity creating thicker air which leads to more resistance to the golf ball in flight. The golf ball will therefore not travel as far in the rain and even more so in cold wet weather. It is estimated steady rain causes a negative effect on 'carry' distance of around 3-5 yards.
Do golf balls get waterlogged?
The golf ball core is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water. However, it takes 12 hours for the water to get through the cover and find its way to the core. Therefore, we can confidently conclude that a golf ball that has been immersed underwater for an extended period can be waterlogged.
Are golf balls found in water still good?
When the golf ball eventually dries out, it is still not as effective as a golf ball that did not spend any time submerged in the water. The longer the ball stays in the water, the less it will fly. Now, you may be thinking you can live without a few extra yards as long as you save some money.
How often does a pro golfer change balls?
Professional golfers will change golf balls every five to six holes. The modern golf ball technology can last for quite some time as the materials used to make these golf balls are more durable and resistant to cuts.
What golf ball goes the farthest?
Analyzing the individual ball statistics we can see that the Titleist Pro V1x averaged the farthest distance as well at 266.7 yards. Meanwhile, the Callaway Chrome Soft X averaged the shortest distance at only 259.3 yards. This results in a difference between the average maximum and minimum of only 7.4 yards.