I’m sure one of you clever people can give me an answer to this simple question.
How much would a significant amount of rain affect the trajectory of a golf ball driven from a tee, assuming there was negligible wind? Would the constant impact of the raindrops slow the ball down noticeably?
I don’t know the answer from a physics perspective, but from a practical perspective, heck yes; it’s noticeable.
Balls also travel less distance in colder weather.
I think it could easily have a measurable effect. Not just the fact that the ball has to push its way through a medium that on average, is denser, but also, the fact that the raindrops have downward momentum which they will impart to the ball, and the air through which it travels.
Depends on how much rain there is. F=ma and all. I’d model it as perfectly inelastic, because for all intents and purposes, the drop will be sticking to the ball the entire time it’s transfering its momentum. Also, the boll won’t roll as far on wet grass, or bounce as high off wet (soft) earth.