How Many Golf Balls Are On The Moon? [Surprising]

Having played for a long time, I’ve always wondered what golf would be like in space. Well, for a few lucky players, that dream has been a reality. But how many golf balls are actually on the moon? 

Next time you look up at the night sky and see our pale blue dot in a star-filled backdrop, take a moment to think about all those extraterrestrial golfers.

Let’s get into it and find out about the story of golf on the moon.

How Many Golf Balls Are On The Moon?

How Many Golf Balls Are On The Moon?

Currently, there are just two golf balls on the moon. They were hit there during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971, when NASA astronaut, Alan Shepard hit a couple of balls out onto the surface of the moon.

History of Golf Balls on the Moon

The idea of golf balls on the moon first began in 1969, when astronaut Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the moon during the Apollo 14 mission. 

Apollo 14 mission

The Apollo 14 mission on February 5, 1971, was the third mission completed by the United States in their efforts to land humans on the moon. This mission was commanded by veteran astronaut Alan Shepard, who had previously become the first American to travel into space in 1961. 

The two other members of his team were Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell, and they brought with them a cinematic camera to get pictures of higher quality than any that had been taken before. 

Amongst the items taken with them on their journey were a bag of golf balls and an equally unique golf club that was brought for Shepard’s personal use.

The location chosen by Alan Shepard for his golfing experiment happened to be alongside a lunar crater and he hit two balls while there – since they remained weightless due to a lack of atmosphere on the Moon, this allowed him to launch them farther than ever before (over 300 yards). 

Whether these golf balls are still there is uncertain – although it has been suggested that they have likely been shattered by meteoric events over time – but it still remains an iconic moment in space exploration history!

Alan Shepard’s golf shot

In 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard became the 5th person to walk on the moon and the first (and only) to play golf on it. 

Shepard managed to take a couple of swings with the six-iron that he had smuggled onboard, sending a couple of golf balls flying across the lunar landscape. He later joked on television: “I had just enough clubhead speed to keep from embarrassing myself.”

Where Are The Moon Balls Now?

Well, the golf ball is actually still on the moon, funnily enough. Once hit, Shepard decided to leave his piece of history up there.

As for the iconic 6-iron. It currently sits on display in the USGA Golf Museum in New Jersey and shows off the incredible achievement from 1971.

Final Thoughts

If you’re ever wondering when you look up at space and see the moon at night, what it’s like to play golf on the moon.

Well for most of us, we’ll never get to experience that. Alan Shepard on the other hand was able to make that a reality. And since he hit his two shots onto the surface of the moon, no one else has managed it since.