Realistic Simulation of Golf Ball Impact

This paper presents an Abaqus/Explicit simulation of the impact event when a golf club hits a golf ball. This is a challenging subject for finite element simulations because of it is characterized by high strain rate behavior. The simulation emphasizes accurate material characterization and realistic model construction. Specifically, an advanced nonlinear viscoelastic material model from Veryst Engineering's PolyUMod library with strain rate dependence is calibrated with high-rate testing data to accurately capture the highly nonlinear behavior of the golf ball materials during impact. At the same time, a detailed finite element model of the golf ball is constructed with multiple layers of structure. The complex dimple pattern on the ball cover as well as the grooves on the golf club are modeled, both potentially important factors in impact response. Simulation results with the advanced material model are compared to those with a simple linear viscoelastic model to demonstrate the importance of accurate material characterization. The competitive nature of the sports industry pushes the limit for better product designs. In the case of the golf industry, both ball and club manufacturers strive for new products that will give their players the edge in playing the game. The impact event when a golf club hits a golf ball is a big part of the game and plays a key role in the design of both golf clubs and golf balls. However, it has been a challenging subject for finite element simulations because of its high strain rate characteristics: the impact occurs within milliseconds and the golf ball experiences very large deformation during this period because of the polymer material from which the ball is constructed. The constitutive model used in the finite element model has to be able to capture the behavior of the material within a very wide range of strain rates. In this paper, Abaqus/Explicit is utilized with the aim to produce a realistic simulation of this impact event. Emphasis is put on accurate material characterization and realistic model construction. Specifically, from Veryst Engineering's PolyUMod™ library, advanced nonlinear viscoelastic material model with strain rate dependence is calibrated with high-rate testing data to accurately capture the highly nonlinear behavior of the golf ball material during impact. The