The Apollo program of the 1960s and 70s focused on scientific exploration and technological capability beyond Earth. As astronauts spent time on the lunar surface, they left behind equipment, scientific instruments, and mementos. These human-made objects, from descent stages to experimental packages, represent humanity’s first physical presence on another celestial body and serve as a lasting record of these historic ventures.
Confirming the Lunar Golf Shot
The answer to whether golf balls are on the Moon is yes; two are confirmed to be resting near a former landing site. This occurred when astronaut Alan Shepard, the mission commander, took two swings on the lunar regolith. The improvised club was a six-iron club head specially modified to attach to the handle of a lunar sample collection tool.
Shepard’s performance marked the first—and so far only—instance of a person playing golf on a world other than Earth. The standard issue balls were discreetly carried to the lunar surface as personal items, and the club head was engineered to be lightweight and portable.
The Context of Apollo 14
The golf shots took place during the Apollo 14 mission, which lifted off in early 1971. This mission was the third successful crewed landing on the Moon and was commanded by Shepard, who was the only one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. The primary objectives of the mission involved geological exploration of the Fra Mauro formation, a region of scientific interest that had been the original target of the ill-fated Apollo 13.
Shepard performed the demonstration at the end of the second Extra-Vehicular Activity, just before he and his crewmate, Edgar Mitchell, re-entered the Lunar Module. The timing was deliberate: Shepard had agreed with mission control that he would only proceed if all the mission’s scientific goals and procedures were completed. The act served as a moment of levity and a public demonstration of the Moon’s unique gravitational environment.
Analyzing the Lunar Swing
Shepard faced challenges due to the bulky, pressurized spacesuit that restricted his mobility. He was forced to use a single-handed swing, similar to a sand trap shot, which prevented him from generating the power of a typical two-handed swing. After making contact with the second ball, Shepard famously exclaimed that it had traveled “miles and miles and miles” across the lunar landscape.
Recent analysis of the original mission film and high-resolution imagery from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter provided a more accurate measurement of the balls’ travel distance. Specialists located the balls, along with Shepard’s footprints and divots, to determine the actual trajectory. The first ball traveled approximately 24 yards, and the second flew about 40 yards before coming to rest.