Why Does Backspin on Golf Balls Increase Distance? Explained by Science

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    Ball Golf
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On the Wikipedia diagram, just look at the direction the streamlines are moving after the ball. Don't worry about pressures at the moment. The streamlines are bent upward as a result of the spin. This required a change in momentum, i.e. a force. The vertical opposite and equal reaction force to the bending of the streamlines is the lift. In the case of the Wikipedia diagram, the streamlines are bent up, so the lift points down.