Why Is Calculating Golf Ball Velocity More Challenging on a Downhill Lie?

[jburrus]

Homework Statement

In putting the force with which a golfer strikes ball is planned so that the ball will stop within some small distance of the cup say 1.0 m long or short in case the putt is missed. Acomplishing this from an uphill lie(that is putting downhill) is more difficult than from downhill lie. To see why assume that on a particular green the ball decelerates constantly at 2.0m/s^2 going downhill and constantly going at 3.0 m/s^2 going uphill. Suppose we have an uphill lie 7.0m from the cup. Calculate the allowable range of velocities we may impart to the ball so that it stops in the range 1.0m short to 1.0m long of the cup. Do the same for a downhill lie 7.0m from the cup. What in your results suggests that the downhill putt is more difficult?

Homework Equations

V^2=vo^2+2a(x-xo)

The Attempt at a Solution

I am not sure where to start

 

[tiny-tim]

welcome to pf!

hijburrus! welcome to pf!

(try using the X² and X₂ icons just above the Reply box )

forget all about this "uphill" and "downhill" guff …

just use the given figures of 2.0 and 3.0 m/s², and find the v₀ corresponding to the given distances …

what do you get? ​