Hitting vs. Battering Ram Analogy.
 

I was thinking about the simplified analogy between a battering ram and a hitting procedure.
TGM has some seemingly strange concepts to the layman and new starter. I thought some of these basic concepts could be explained through the action of this siege weapon, a handful of men and a castle door.
This may speed up the incubation process for newbies (or may kill all the unborn chicks - I don't know yet).

Some of the basic mechanical necessities of the golf stroke may become clear (or clearer). Any help or additional points will be appreciated.

First, the battering ram machine needs to break down a heavy, solid door. How does it do that? What happens? Why is it built so?

A Golfing Machine wants to hit a golf ball. How does it do that? What happens? Why is it built so?

A heavier door equates to a longer ball.

Here goes.....

Flying wedges - analogous to the straight nature of the ram itself.
Imagine if the ram were bowed. When the ram came into contact with the castle door the ram would want to bow even more. This would cause a huge loss of power. The bowed ram would be too flimsy to transfer all of its own kinetic energy into breaking down the door.
Flying wedges are structural support.


The vertical wall will support a load that would crumple a leaning wall (1-D, TGM).


Anyone wanna think of another?

Bobby J

Swinging vs. Trebuchet Analogy
 

OK, after everyone has beaten the "Hitting vs. Battering Ram Analogy" to death (pun intended :D ) try the Swinging vs. Trebuchet Analogy. I have no idea if it applies or if it can be explained in TGM terms, but it sure will be fun having everyone run out and Google "trebuchet". :D ;)

I built one!
 

My daughter and I built one of these contraptions for her science project last year. Ours was unique compared to the others. Ours was driven by weights, the weight drops and pulls the pulley around a pivot center which has an arm and a rope and sling on the end. I small amount of weight creates a ton of CF and you'd be amazed how far you can throw a small watermelon!

Load'er Up...Here We Come!
 

At midnight tonight, I will have the great pleasure of writing our first 'Happy Anniversary, LBG' post. And as I look at the above machine (designed for a far different purpose than our own Golfing Machine), I LOL :D again and again.

My goodness...

How far we've come...

I think!

:D

There is a guy in England that throws pianos, cars, refrigerators, etc... 100's of yards with his. They are truly amazing devices and show that the folks in the Middle Ages were smarter than you might think.

Stealth Steph
 

I won't blow your cover, Steph, but despite your demure avatar, that kind of warfare-like fact is right up your occupational alley. They don't call you 'Stealth Steph' for nothing!

You Never See It Coming
 

Actually it is quite apropos. Despite the Star Wars moniker, the laser beams we use are invisible. No light show; things just start dropping like smoking flies! BTW, trebuchets and the like are to physicists what golf clubs are to you; fun when played with, but deadly when the need arises.:D