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.