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what are the little holes called on golf balls

by Melvin Cronin DDS Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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If you mean the hole that the ball goes into, it's usually just called a "hole", like the 9th hole. Maybe "golf hole" if you really need to make it clear. Never "golf ball hole".

[D] Dimples The round indentations on a golf ball cover which are scientifically designed to enable the ball to make a steady and true flight. Dimples, by reducing drag, allow a golf ball to stay in the air for a longer flight than would be possible with a smooth ball.

Full Answer

Why do golf balls have dimples?

Golf manufacturers don’t put dimples on golf balls because it looks good. There is real science behind their use. A flat or irregular object moves through the air in an inconsistent, fluctuating manner because of how air flows over it. So golf balls without dimples would travel unpredictably through the air.

What is the origin of golf balls?

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. When golfers inevitably dinged up these balls, they found that the damaged ones had more consistent ball flights than the new, undamaged balls.

Why do golf balls fly up when they hit the ground?

“Once the ball leaves the clubhead, the only thing acting on the golf ball are aerodynamic forces of gravity. It’s the fact that the air is moving faster over the top, and as a result of moving faster, the pressure is lower. That’s what creates the lift force that’s acting in that upward direction.”

What is the diameter of a golf ball?

According to the rules, the diameter of a golf ball must not be less than 1.680 inches, or 42.67 mm. How Do I Know Which Golf Ball Dimple Patters Are Right for Me? As we noted earlier, the amount of dimples on a golf ball varies greatly from model to model and manufacturer to manufacturer.

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What are the small holes in a golf ball called?

The dimple count in a modern golf ball But generally, golf balls today come with around 300-500 dimples. The most common ones sit around 392.

What are dimples on golf balls for?

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 do we call the round indentation on a golf ball cover?

The surface is covered in little indentations called dimples, and they serve an important purpose! If the surface of the ball were smooth, it would greatly alter the flight of the ball. In the past, older beat up golf balls were being used in place of new unblemished ones.

What happens if a golf ball has no dimples?

Dimples help the ball fly through the air because they help the ball lift. If a ball doesn't lift, it travels forward like a half-inflated balloon, subject to any and all outside interferences. If a ball only has dimples on one of its sides, it's practically impossible to hit the ball straight.

What if golf balls didn't have dimples?

It's easy to assume a ball would go farther if it didn't have indentations all over the cover, but in actuality, a ball without dimples would be nearly impossible to keep in play. "Dimples are what make the golf ball fly," said Nardacci.

Who put dimples on a golf ball?

Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.

Why are golf shots named after birds?

Used to score one under par. It began to be used in 1899 in New Jersey. It turns out that on one game day, three golfers were playing when one of them, on his second stroke, hit a bird in flight with the ball and it landed very, very close to the hole. The teammates said it was a stroke of luck for a 'birdie'.

How big is a golf ball?

But now balls are required to have a consistent size. According to the rules, the diameter of a golf ball must not be less than 1.680 inches, or 42.67 mm.

When did golf balls get dimples?

In 1905 , an English manufacturer named William Taylor registered a patent for a golf ball dimple design. Before long, all golf balls featured dimples that would be more or less recognizable today. As ball technology advanced, so too did dimple science.

What happens if you don't have dimples on your golf ball?

The one with no dimples at all produced a low-flying knuckeball. “The dimples help to create lift,” Nardacci told Wall. “Once the ball leaves the clubhead, the only thing acting on the golf ball are aerodynamic forces of gravity.

How many dimples does a Titleist Pro V1 have?

For example, the 2017/18 model of the popular Titleist Pro V1 has 352 dimples on it, while Titleist’s other flagship ball from the same year, the Pro V1x, has 328 dimples. For one manufacturer, the answer to how many dimples on a golf ball was a whopping 1,070, which happens to be the record for the most dimples on a golf ball.

How deep is a golf ball dimple?

The size of golf ball dimples are most frequently measured by their depth. The average depth of a golf ball dimple is roughly 0.010 inch. The circumference of dimples also varies from model to model. While most dimples are spherical in shape, they don’t have to be. Callaway’s HX ball has hexagon-shaped dimples, for example.

Why do golf balls travel unpredictably?

There is real science behind their use. A flat or irregular object moves through the air in an inconsistent, fluctuating manner because of how air flows over it. So golf balls without dimples would travel unpredictably through the air. Essentially, golfers would have little hope controlling a smooth golf ball.

What happens when a ball spins backwards?

When a ball spins backwards, the air pressure underneath it is greater than above it, so the ball rises in the air. Dimples magnify this effect, contributing as much as 50% to the total lift.

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