Did Astronauts Play Golf On the Moon?

While most golfers try to avoid sand traps, NASA astronaut Alan Shepard had to deal with one while holding a six-iron head on the moon's dusty surface 50 years ago this month. Shepard took a moment during the Apollo 14 landing to showcase his hobby in a live broadcast from the lunar surface on Feb. 6, 1971. On-camera, he took two shots, with the second ball traveling "miles and miles," as he claimed. However, a recent analysis by the United States Golf Association (USGA) reveals that he exaggerated. Based on data from the crew and a modern-day moon mission, the group discovered that the first ball traveled 24 yards (22 meters) and the second traveled approximately 40 yards (37 m). By comparison, an average amateur male golfer on Earth can drive the ball 216 yards (198 m), and an average female golfer 148 yards (135 m), according to a 2019 report using gender categories from golf tournaments. However, these distances have increased significantly since Shepard's flight.

According to the USGA, the two golf balls used by Shepard during his lunar golf game were only visible in the footage of the Apollo 14 takeoff after "a complex stacking technique on multiple separate frames" was applied. This means that the astronauts probably couldn't have seen the balls themselves from the spacecraft. Shepard was fortunate enough to find space to keep his modified club in the lunar module since astronauts typically discarded equipment on the moon to make room for rock samples. In 1974, Shepard donated the club to the USGA Museum in New Jersey after Bing Crosby, a USGA committee member, suggested it as an ideal repository for the artefact. The club, which was a Wilson Staff Dyna-Power 6-iron head attached to a sampling tool made of aluminium and Teflon, is one of the most popular items in the museum, mainly because it represents national pride and hope for the future. The unusual and interesting appearance of the artefact, along with its technical modifications, also adds to its popularity.

In 1970, Bob Hope visited NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, where Shepard, a long-time NASA astronaut and commander of Apollo 14, was inspired to hit a golf shot on the moon as a demonstration of the lunar gravitational pull, which is one-sixth that of Earth. Shepard discreetly sought help from his connections, including Jack Harden, the pro at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, who made the clubhead, and NASA's technical services division, which assisted with the construction of the golf "club" to meet the strict safety requirements of spacecraft payloads.



To keep the plan a surprise, Shepard sought clearance from senior management, approaching then-MSC director Bob Gilruth, who initially rejected the idea. Shepard, however, explained the construction of the golf club to Gilruth and made a promise to ensure its safety, ultimately gaining approval for his moonshot.

Shepard was inspired to hit golf balls on the moon after famed golfer Bob Hope visited NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston in 1970. He wanted to demonstrate the moon's gravitational pull and discreetly asked for help to keep the plan a surprise. Jack Harden, the pro at River Oaks Country Club, made the clubhead, while NASA's technical services division helped with the construction of the club, which had to meet strict safety requirements. Shepard also received clearance from senior management, including then-MSC director Bob Gilruth. Shepard promised Gilruth that he would not be frivolous and only hit the golf balls at the end of the mission.

To ensure he could land his shot, Shepard regularly practiced with his spacesuit on at a local bunker. After the historic golf excursion, he took pride in his accomplishment, saying, "So far I'm the only person to have hit a golf ball on the moon. Probably will be for some time." Shepard marveled at how different it was to golf