Golf Distance Calculator(Elevation & Weather Adjusted)

Elevation change is one of the most misunderstood factors in club selection. When you're hitting to an elevated green, gravity works against your ball for longer, reducing its effective carry distance. The opposite is true for downhill shots—gravity helps extend your carry.

The rule of thumb: adjust your yardage by approximately 1 yard for every 5 feet of elevation change. A shot to a green 30 feet above you plays about 6 yards longer than the actual distance. This is why mountain courses feel so different—a 150-yard shot might require your 160-yard club.

Many golfers underestimate elevation's impact, especially on approach shots. Using this calculator before each round helps you internalize how elevation affects your specific clubs. For more course management tips, check out the 4-minute golf tips from ForeMinutes.

Temperature affects golf ball distance in two ways: air density and ball compression. Cold air is denser than warm air, creating more drag on your golf ball and reducing carry distance. Additionally, cold temperatures make the golf ball's core harder, reducing the "spring effect" at impact.

The baseline: 70°F is considered standard conditions. For every 10°F above or below that baseline, expect about 2 yards of difference. On a cold 40°F morning, you might lose 6 yards compared to a warm afternoon. On a hot 90°F day, you could gain 4 yards.

This is why early morning rounds in spring and fall require different club selections than midday rounds. Temperature adjustment is especially important for scoring shots inside 150 yards where precision matters most.

Wind is the most dynamic factor affecting golf ball distance. A headwind creates resistance that reduces carry, while a tailwind provides a boost. However, wind effects aren't linear—strong winds also change ball trajectory and can actually reduce distance even with a tailwind due to increased balloon and reduced roll.

The adjustment: roughly 1 yard per mph of wind speed. A 10 mph headwind adds about 10 yards to your required carry. We cap adjustments at ±15 yards because beyond that, you need to change your shot shape and trajectory rather than just club selection.

Wind direction relative to your shot line matters too. Crosswinds affect accuracy more than distance. For strategies on playing in wind, the smarter golf insights from ForeMinutes cover advanced course management techniques.

The ForeMinutes Distance Calculator uses proven golf physics formulas to adjust your carry distance for real-world conditions. Unlike complex simulators that require dozens of inputs, we focus on the three factors that matter most for club selection: elevation, temperature, and wind.

The formulas:

• Elevation: ±1 yard per 5 feet of elevation change
• Temperature: ±2 yards per 10°F from 70°F baseline
• Wind: ±1 yard per mph (capped at ±15 yards)

These calculations combine additively. A shot in cold weather, into a headwind, to an elevated green might require 15-20 yards more club than the raw distance suggests. That's the difference between hitting the green and coming up short.

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