Characterization of the materials in golf ball construction for use in finite element analysis
The overall aim of the present work is to develop suitable material tests and use the acquired data to produce a fully validated finite element (FE) model that is capable of predicting hysteresis during cyclic loading as well as coefficient of restitution (COR) on high speed impacts. This paper reports the detailed experimental study that has been carried out in order to establish accurate and reliable material properties of a two-piece golf ball. The data has been used with FE package ABAQUS to produce a model of the ball which takes into account material heterogeneity. © 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. "
Max Golf Balls: Biodegradable and Sustainable Golf Balls
Golf is a game enjoyed and played around the world, at a detriment to the environment. The sport is typically associated with the destruction of habitats and increased usages of pesticides and herbicides. However, an often overlooked consequence is the environmental damage of the estimated 300 million golf balls that are lost in the United States in a year. These lost golf balls never truly breakdown and leach heavy metals into the surrounding soil and water as they fall apart. Max Golf Balls are a green alternative, made of entirely biodegradable materials. Under proper composting conditions, the ball would break down in as quickly as two months. Their performance was tested and was found to be comparable to standard golf balls, so a consumer would not impact their game or enjoyment by switching to the environmentally-friendly golf balls.
Inequality trends in health and future health risk among English children and young people, 1999–2009
Objective To investigate trends in health inequality among children and young people between 1999 and 2009, using outcomes consistent with the current NHS reforms. Design/data Secondary analysis of participants aged 0–24 in the Health Surveys for England (HSE) undertaken in 1999, 2004, 2006 and 2009. Main outcome measures Changes in the absolute and relative risks of four health outcomes by deprivation tertiles, based on occupation of the head of household ▸ self/parent-reported general health, ▸ presence of a long-standing illness (LSI), ▸ obesity ▸ smoking. Results No indicator showed a reduction in relative or absolute inequality between 1999 and 2009. For children (0–12 years), the relative risk comparing the most and least deprived tertiles increased significantly for poor general health (1999:1.6 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.2); 2009:3.9 (2.4 to 6.2), while the absolute difference in LSI prevalence(%) increased from 1.3 (−2.9 to 5.5) to 7.4 (3.6 to 11.4). Among young people (13–24 years), the absolute difference in LSI prevalence increased from −5.9 (−10.9 to −1.1) to 3.1 (−4.1 to 10.7). Absolute inequality in having tried smoking among children aged 8–15(%) increased significantly in the first half of the decade before decreasing in the second half (1999:3.3 (−1.1 to 7.7); 2004:14.1 (9.6 to 18.8); 2009:4.1 (0.1 to 8.8)). However, the increase in absolute inequality for smoking prevalence among young adults (16–24 years) was maintained throughout the decade (1999:−7.0 (−15.6 to 1.3); 2004:11.6 (3.7 to 20.0); 2009:8.2 (−0.3 to 16.9)). Conclusions The national programme between 1999 and 2009 was not successful in reducing inequality in four key indicators of health status and future health risk among children and young people. Some inequality measures for general health, LSI prevalence and smoking increased over this time.