Maximum projectile range with drag and lift, with particular application to golf

This paper explores the interesting problem of projectile motion without the vacuum idealization. Particular attention is paid to golf ball trajectories with and without lift. No lift trajectories with linear and quadratic drag are considered first. Then, trajectories with lift and linear drag are investigated. Projection angles for maximum range are determined for all these cases. Computer solutions are used throughout, with a Runge–Kutta routine used for all cases except for the well‐known closed solution for the no lift, linear drag projectile.