September 21, 2024

How Many Golf Balls Are On The Moon

How Many Golf Balls Are On The Moon? (A Question I Never Thought I’d Ask)

Hey there, space cadets and fellow golf enthusiasts! Linda Parker here, your favorite San Diego golfer with a penchant for losing balls in places much closer to home than the moon.

Today, we’re venturing into territory that’s about as far out as my drives on a good day (which, let’s be honest, isn’t very far). We’re talking about golf balls on the moon. Yes, you read that right. Lunar golf. It’s a thing, apparently.

The Cosmic Tee-Off

So, how many golf balls are actually up there, floating around with the green cheese and alien life forms? (Okay, maybe not the cheese, but a girl can dream, right?)

The answer might surprise you. It’s not zero, which honestly blew my mind harder than that time I actually parred a hole at Torrey Pines.

There are exactly two golf balls on the moon. Two! That’s one more than I usually have left in my bag by the 18th hole.

The Lunar Golfer: Alan Shepard

These balls didn’t just magically appear up there (though that would be a great excuse for all the balls I’ve “lost” over the years).

No, they were brought by none other than Alan Shepard, an astronaut on the Apollo 14 mission in 1971.

Shepard, apparently not content with just walking on the moon like a normal astronaut, decided to turn the lunar surface into his own private driving range.

And here I thought I was being adventurous by trying the back tees at Aviara.

The Makeshift Moon Club

Now, you might be wondering, “Linda, did NASA really send a full set of clubs to the moon?”

Ha! If only. Do you know how much that would cost in baggage fees?

No, Shepard had to get creative. He attached a 6-iron head to a tool used for scooping up lunar rock samples.

And just like that, the world’s most exclusive golf club was born. Eat your heart out, Augusta National.

The Lunar Drive

On February 6, 1971, Shepard took his swing. Or should I say, swings. Because even on the moon, with one-sixth gravity, it still took him two shots to get it right.

His first attempt was a swing and a miss. I’ve never felt more connected to an astronaut in my life.

But on his second try, magic happened. Shepard made contact, sending the ball flying “for miles and miles and miles.”

At least, that’s what he claimed. There was no Trackman on the moon to verify, so we’ll have to take his word for it.

The Great Lunar Ball Hunt

Now, you might be thinking, “Linda, you said there were two balls. What happened to the other one?”

Well, Shepard hit two balls, but here’s the kicker: nobody knows where they landed.

That’s right. Somewhere on the moon’s surface, two little golf balls are sitting in the universe’s most epic lost and found.

And I thought finding my ball in the rough at Balboa Park was tough.

The Legacy of Lunar Golf

So, what’s the point of all this? Why send golf balls to the moon?

Was it for science? For sport? Or just because golfers will literally play anywhere?

Personally, I think Shepard just wanted to hit a drive that wouldn’t hook or slice. No trees on the moon, after all.

But jokes aside, this moment of lunar levity actually served a purpose. It demonstrated the moon’s reduced gravity in a relatable way to folks back on Earth.

Plus, it gave us golfers the ultimate dream: a course with no water hazards. Unless you count the Sea of Tranquility.

In Conclusion: One Small Swing for Man…

So there you have it, folks. Two golf balls, somewhere on the lunar surface, probably covered in moon dust and wondering where all the golf carts are.

The next time you’re having a rough day on the course, just remember: somewhere, 238,900 miles away, there’s a golf ball that’s having an even worse time.

At least your lost balls don’t require a NASA mission to retrieve them.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the driving range. I figure if I practice enough, I might be ready for lunar golf by the time SpaceX starts offering tee times.

Fore! (Or should that be “To infinity and beyond!”?)

About the author 

Linda Parker

My name is Linda Parker, I’ve been around golf since I was born, and I’ve been golfing since I was four years old!

I’m here to share my love of the game with you, so please do let me know if you have any questions!

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