Many golfers might think that golf balls have always had their sterotypical dimples. However in the history of golf, dimples are a fairly recent addition. These small indentations have a lot to do with the way people play golf, from long-drive professionals to slice-heavy amateurs.
History
Dimples on a golf ball are the result of accidents and trial and error. When people first played golf, the ball had no dimples. During play, smooth balls would become scuffed, scratched and cut by the club or other objects. Players eventually noticed that when using the scuffed balls, their shots went farther. By the middle of the 19th century, rubber-based balls with applied textures were the norm. Over time, scientists studying the ball's aerodynamics began perfecting dimple size and depth.
Distance
Dimples are useful because they increase the aerodynamics of a golf ball. As the ball travels, air resistance works against it. The air travels over and under the ball until it meets at the back, forming drag that slows the object. Dimples create a small cushion of turbulent area on the surface of the ball that acts as a sort of air lubricant. The turbulent cushion forces the passing air to travel higher over the surface of the ball, increasing distance between the ball and its drag. The farther the drag is from the back of the ball, the less resistance it faces. Less resistance equals greater distance and a more consistent flight.
Lift
Dimples also help to generate lift on the ball, helping achieve the right trajectory when a player hits long drives. They also help bring a shot to a quick stop on a fast green. As a ball moves through the air with back spin, the current traveling over the ball must travel faster to compensate for the spinning surface. As currents travel faster over the top of the ball, pressure diminishes. Heavier, slow-moving bottom currents then lift the ball, much like a wing lifts an airplane.
Specifications
According to "Scientific American," the average golf ball has between 300 and 500 dimples. Each dimple has an average depth of approximately .01 inch and generally is circular. Golf ball manufacturers still are researching how dimple depth, pattern, size, shape and number affect trajectory. Extremely small changes to these characteristics can greatly affect the ball's flight path.
Member Comments