In no other sport, even baseball with its "live-ball era" vs. "dead-ball era" debate, is the sport's ball analyzed as closely as it is in golf. Since every player uses his own golf balls in competition, it bears analyzing how one player's golf balls respond differently than another golfer's. In truth, many factors, such as the surface hardness, core construction and dimple arrangement can all make significant differences in the height, distance and accuracy of a golf shot. And trying to maximize distance and accuracy has been something that has characterized the game of golf for many, many years.
History
For the first several hundred years of golf history, golf balls were made out of wood, feathers tightly wrapped in horsehide and the rubber of the Gutta tree. "Gutties," as they were called, were tinkered with throughout much of the 1800s, until the late 1890s, when the modern design of a golf ball took over. A rubber core, wrapped in rubber threads and then encased in a hardened rubber sphere with a design impressed on the surface to give it more distance, became the design of choice. The governing bodies of golf in Europe and the U.S. sought to standardize golf ball size, weight and construction in the early 1920s, but ball manufacturers would continue to tinker with design and materials within the rules for years to come.
Dimples
Dimples actually help golf balls travel about twice as far as they would if they had entirely smooth covers, according to Tom Veilleux, head of aero-dynamic research at Top-Flite Golf Company. In simple terms, the dimples contribute to the lift and drag of the golf ball. The dimples create a slight drag as the ball moves through the air and allows the free-flowing air to cling farther back on the ball, creating a smaller wake. A smooth-surfaced ball has more more drag than a dimpled ball. The dimples also help create more lift when the ball is hit. The backspin helps create greater air pressure under the ball than on top of it, which give the ball a higher trajectory and the dimples further boost the ball upward.
Golf Ball Construction
If you really want to get confused, try following all the designs subtleties and claims by various ball manufacturers. There are two-, three- and four-piece construction golf balls, and each variation is geared toward the strengths and needs of particular types of golfers. For example, Callaway's two-piece HX Diablo has a "soft but resilient" core that helps golfers with slower swing speeds get greater distance on their shots. When selecting a golf ball, talk with a pro about your swing speed, skill level and areas in which you would like to improve, such as distance off the tee or better bite on shots to the green. He may be able to direct you to a particular ball to suit your needs.
Lost Golf Balls
An estimated 1 billion golf balls are manufactured annually and an estimated 300 million are lost in the U.S. alone, according to an article in "The New York Times." Every day, golf balls wind up in lakes, forests, backyards, oceans and roads. Selling reclaimed golf balls has become a multi-million dollar enterprise. The Toronto-based Knetgolf reported sold 20 million reclaimed golf balls in 2010 and amateur players are finding the economics of using second-hand golf balls makes more sense at times than investing in the latest high-tech creations from a leading manufacturer.
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