The golf ball hit on the Moon by Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard was later found through high-resolution lunar imagery, revealing it traveled a significantly shorter distance than his famous "miles and miles" claim.
A Historic Lunar Golf Shot
On February 6, 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission, Commander Alan Shepard became the only person to ever hit a golf ball on the Moon. Using a modified 6-iron attached to a sample collection tool, he famously swung at two golf balls near the Fra Mauro landing site. This iconic moment was a demonstration of the low lunar gravity and a light-hearted end to his second extravehicular activity (EVA).
The Perceived vs. Actual Distance
Shepard, hampered by his bulky spacesuit and limited visibility, made several attempts before successfully hitting the two balls. After his second successful shot, he exclaimed it went "miles and miles and miles" in the low gravity environment. However, decades later, advanced lunar imagery and analysis provided a more precise understanding of the balls' trajectories.
| Aspect | Alan Shepard's Initial Impression | Reality (Post-Analysis) |
|---|---|---|
| Distance of Shot | "Miles and miles and miles" | Did not go far at all; approximate distances were determined. |
| Status of Golf Ball | Left on the Moon | Later located and identified in high-resolution imagery. |
High-resolution imagery from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), combined with forensic analysis by experts like Andy Saunders, allowed for the precise location and approximate distances of Shepard's golf balls to be determined. Saunders' analysis, shared with the US Golfer's Association (USGA), definitively showed that despite the Moon's low gravity, the balls did not travel nearly as far as Shepard had initially thought. While still impressive given the conditions, the actual distances were far less than "miles and miles."
Locating the Lunar Golf Balls
In 2021, on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 14 mission, it was confirmed that both of Shepard's golf balls, along with the lunar golf club, were successfully identified and located in LRO images. This discovery offered a fascinating insight into the exact landing spots of these unique pieces of space memorabilia, left forever on the lunar surface.
For more details on this historic event, explore resources from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
