Dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air that clings to the ball’s surface. This allows the smoothly flowing air to follow the ball’s surface a little farther around the back side of the ball, thereby decreasing the size of the wake.
What happens when you remove the dimples from a golf ball?
Four pros found out. Alter the depth of a dimple by as little as 1,000th of an inch and you could negatively affect the ball’s aerodynamics (lift and drag) while it’s rocketing through the air. In this case, the line between success and failure is razor-thin.
When did golf balls get dimples?
Over time, however, they began to notice that scuffed, scratched and dented gutta-perchas covered a greater distance than smooth ones. Like many inventions, the golf ball dimple was discovered accidentally. By 1930, the dimpled golf ball had become the standard in golfing.
Why was the dimpled golf ball invented?
When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using the most simple golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood. This changed In 1618 when the “Featherie” was introduced. The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag.
Are more dimples on a golf ball better?
More dimples being on a golf ball are not necessarily better. The number of dimples that are on a golf ball is less important than the dimensions of the dimples themselves. Too many dimples mean more drag, and too few dimples mean an unpredictable flight trajectory.
Why are golf ball dimples different sizes?
The dimples work to break the air around the ball in flight, and have two key characteristics that are measured: Lift and Drag. The ideal dimple design is a combination balancing the lift and drag of the ball. We vary the diameters, shapes, total coverage, edge angles to control these two key variables.
How far would a golf ball go without dimples?
According to Frank Thomas, Golf Digest’s chief technical advisor and former technical director of the USGA, a smooth golf ball with no dimples would travel about 130 yards when hit with a modern driver by a tour-caliber player.
Why do golf balls have 336 dimples?
Dimples create the aerodynamic ability to hit golf balls for distance. A ball without dimples would not travel very far. The decision to experiment with dimples on golf balls grew out of the discovery that dented or chipped balls actually flew farther and straighter than smooth ones.
Do golf balls always have dimples?
In the mid-1800s, the most widely-used golf balls were known as gutties, which were first created by Robert Adams Paterson using molded tree sap. Before long, all golf balls featured dimples that would be more or less recognizable today. As ball technology advanced, so too did dimple science.
How many golf balls are on the moon?
There are two golf balls on the moon. They were taken there by Alan Shepard in 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission. Shepard was the first American into space, and the fifth person to ever walk on the moon… but most impressively, he was the first (and only) person to ever play golf outside of the earth’s atmosphere!
More Read also: How Many Golf Balls Are On The Moon?
Why is Bubba Watson’s driver pink?
Why does he use pink golf balls, you ask? Well, it’s an extension from his pink driver, which he started using when he first came on tour because he thought it gave him ultimate bragging rights, being able to drive the ball past his competitors with a pink driver.
Why are some golf balls filled with honey?
According to Arthur M. Maas, in Chemistry and You, honey is hygroscopic, or has a natural affinity for water, and so will not dry out. It is not explosive—some golf-ball centres have been. It is noncorrosive—a centre filling that bums if the covering breaks is distinctly not nice.
What were golf balls originally made from?
Until the mid-19th century, the featherie was the standard golf ball. It was made of cow or horsehide which was stuffed with feathers; most often goose feather. The leather, in order to be easier to work with, was soaked in water.
How many dimples does a Pro V1 have?
Then there’s Titleist Pro V1, one of the best beginner golf balls, with 352 dimples. So it’s unmistakable that dimples differ on golf balls from one brand to another. And not only the number of dimples, but also the shape, size (in a way), and more.
What golf ball has the deepest dimples?
The Titleist Pro V1 ball consists of 352 dimples. You can therefore see that most of the biggest balls in golf today feature around the 320 to 350 dimple mark.
What golf ball goes the farthest?
The longest golf ball is the Titleist Velocity. This is a two piece ball that is built completely for distance and low ball spin from the tee. Titleist is known for having some of the best golf ball technology on the market, and the Velocity is no exception.