Readers of articles1,2 in this Journal on the fact that a golf ball may roll into the “cup” (vertical cylinder) and then roll back out may be interested in a vectorial analysis of this phenomenon given by Milne (1948) in a little-known textbook.3 I have transcribed his argument4 and given another example of his method.5 

1.
M.
Gaultieri
 et al, “
Golfer's dilemma
,”
Am. J. Phys.
74
,
497
–
501
(
2006
).
https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2180281
Google Scholar
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2.
O.
Pujol
 and
J.-P.
Perez
, “
The Golfer's curse revisited with motion constraints
,”
Am. J. Phys.
90
,
657
–
665
(
2022
).
https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0060788
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Crossref
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3.
E. A.
Milne
,
Vectorial Mechanics
(
Methuen
,
London
,
1948
), Sec. 421, p.
357
.
Google Scholar
 
4.
K. T.
McDonald
, “
The Golfer's Nemesis
” (November 23,
1980
), <http://kirkmcd.princeton.edu/examples/golf.pdf>
Google Scholar
 
5.
K. T.
McDonald
, “
Spinning basketballs
” (November 21,
1980
), <http://kirkmcd.princeton.edu/examples/basketball.pdf>
Google Scholar
 
© 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by American Association of Physics Teachers.
2022
Author(s)