What is a waterlogged golf ball?
These are the balls that you played for seventeen holes, or the one that has been in your bag for a few months and comes out on a mulligan. There are some scratches, some slight imperfections, but it is an otherwise suitable golf ball. When this type of golf ball heads into a pond or a lake, it gets waterlogged pretty quickly.
What do dimples on a golf ball mean?
Golf ball dimples are designed to make the ball fly longer through the air. The effect of golf ball dimples aerodynamics means that golfers are able to hit the ball significantly farther, and in a much more-controlled fashion, than they were able to previous to the creation of the dimpled golf ball.
What does feel mean on a golf ball?
3: Feel Equals Performance A golf ball’s compression only tells how relatively firm or soft it feels. It doesn’t predict distance, flight, or spin, and is just one of many design elements working together to determine a ball’s performance. While feel is important to some players, what counts is how the ball performs on every shot.
How does a golf ball fly?
Flies into the air with some kind of trajectory – depending on how pure the golf ball is struck at impact, the loft of the golf club, and the amount of force applied to the strike will all determine just how high or low the golf ball will fly and how far it will go.
Is it better to have more or less dimples on a golf ball?
The number of golf ball dimples is less important than the shape and depth of the dimples. The number of dimples can affect drag, so it is important to not have too many dimples. Between 330 and 400 dimples is the optimum number. More dimples mean more focussed control over the ball trajectory.
Why do dimples make golf balls go further?
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 are the dimples on a golf ball called?
What Are Dimples On A Golf Ball Called? What is this? In most cases, golf ball dimples are simply referred to as dimples. However, there are some instances when they will be called indentations or more thoroughly referred to as the golf ball dimples pattern.
Why do dimples reduce drag?
First, dimples allow air to flow more smoothly around a ball's surface, which decreases the wake and low-pressure area behind the ball, resulting in less drag. Second, the dimples increase lift by causing the air to move faster at the top of the ball, creating lower pressure there.
Why is a golf ball white?
It was a bright color and was a good alternative compared to the natural brown of the feathery balls. It is not as if high-intensity yellows and neons were available options, so for hundreds of years, white was the standard color.
Why is a golf hole 4.25 inches?
Four-and-a-quarter inches in diameter. R&A ADOPTS 4.25-INCH HOLE SIZE That first hole-cutting implement utilized a cutting tool that was, you guessed it, 4.25 inches in diameter. The folks running the R&A apparently liked that size and so adopted it in their rules for 1891.
What makes a golf ball Illegal?
Legal golf balls can't be smaller than 1.68 inches in diameter. The Polara balls have a diameter of 1.68 inches (the same size as normal). If you have a smaller ball, you'll have less drag and that should give you more distance.
What is the liquid inside a golf ball?
Contrary to golf folklore, the liquid cores aren't dangerous. Titleist, for example, has used a salt water and corn syrup blend. Today's core is generally made from synthetic rubber -- which may be mixed with bits of metal, such as tungsten or titanium -- or a plastic-like material such as acrylate.
What do you do with old golf balls?
What Can You Do With Old Golf Balls?Christmas Ornaments. You can make Christmas wonders with your old golf balls. ... Garden Critters. This is another project you can choose to do yourself by using used golf balls at your disposal. ... Vase Filler. ... Table Cloth Weight. ... Massage. ... Tool For Tenderizing Meat.
Why do golf balls fly?
2:364:54Science of Golf: Why Golf Balls Have Dimples - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's mixing the high speed air from out here and bringing it close to the ball. So that that flowMoreIt's mixing the high speed air from out here and bringing it close to the ball. So that that flow can remain attached to the ball a more attached airflow creates a smaller wake.
Why are there 336 dimples on a golf ball?
Essentially, golfers would have little hope controlling a smooth golf ball. When dimples are added to a golf ball, it creates a tiny layer of air around the golf ball that significantly cuts down drag. This forces the air to flow over a larger portion of the ball, which results in a much smoother ball flight.
Why don't we put dimples on cars?
The dimples in a golf ball promote an earlier transition to turbulent flow and thus reduce the pressure drag of the golf ball, so it can fly further. In a car, the size is large enough to develop a turbulent boundary layer early on. Dimples would not help, but increase drag slightly.
What does it mean when a golf ball is right sidespin?
Right Sidespin – When right sidespin is exerted onto a golf ball, it causes the golf ball to go to the right. How much right sidespin will determine if you have sliced your shot or you just hit a perfect fade.
What is the right side of a golf ball?
Golf ball sidespin is the right or left rotation of the golf ball after impact. After your golf club impacts your golf ball, sidespin causes your golf ball to go straight, right, or left. There are two types of sidespin: Left Sidespin – When left sidespin is exerting onto a golf ball, it causes the golf ball to go to the left.
What does spin rate mean in golf?
So let’s make it easier to understand: “Spin Rate – is how fast the golf ball spins after club face impact.”. As soon as your golf club impacts your golf ball, your golf ball IMMEDIATELY starts to spin, the only way to prevent your golf ball from spinning is if you completely miss your ball – meaning there is no golf club impact.
What is backspin in golf?
Golf ball backspin is the backwards rotation of the golf ball impact. After your golf club impacts your golf ball, backspin causes your golf ball does two things: Flies into the air with some kind of trajectory – depending on how pure the golf ball is struck at impact, the loft of the golf club, and the amount of force applied to ...
Why is my golf ball ballooning?
Ballooning is caused by too much backspin, robbing your drives of both carry distance and roll. It's especially problematic playing into the wind, which causes the ball to spin even more. If you notice a ballooning pattern in your tee shots, your equipment could be the issue.
How to avoid ballooning in golf?
Here's the correct setup to eliminate ballooning and hit longer drives: Tee the ball high, with at least half the ball appearing above the top edge of the clubface. Play the ball opposite your left heel (right heel for left-handed golfers). Hover the club behind the ball, holding the clubhead slightly off the ground.
Why do golf clubs hit down steeply?
Hitting down steeply will cause the club to pass a high rate of backspin to the ball, leading to the potential of a ballooning shot . While hitting down on the ball to create some spin is a good thing, you have to be careful to avoid hitting down too much through impact.
What happens when you backspin a golf ball?
When there is too much backspin on your golf shots, the ball will climb straight up into the air without traveling very far down the fairway. So, the goal then is obviously to figure out how to take spin off of your shots in order to bring your ball flight back down to a reasonable level.
How far can a golf driver go on a ballooning path?
A driver that it hit on a ballooning path may struggle to even go 200 yards, and your short iron and wedge shots can be particularly short-traveling as well. You don't have to be a long bomber in order to play good golf, but you do want to have at least a modest amount of distance to get yourself around the course.
What happens when a ball spins higher and higher into the air?
As the ball spins higher and higher into the air, it is spending more of its energy going up than it is going toward the target. You might hit your shots impressively high with this kind of ball flight, but you will almost always be disappointed in the distance they eventually travel.
What happens if your club shaft is too soft?
If your club shafts are too soft, they will bend excessively in the downswing, and you will hit the ball too high in the air with too much spin.
What is the dimple on a golf ball?
This might go to explain how something as small as the dimples on your golf ball can make such a big difference to the flight of every shot that you hit. In a game where the little things are so important, the littlest of them all (the dimple) plays a major role. A golf ball without dimples would not perform anything like what you are used to ...
Why are golf ball dimples important?
Golf ball dimples are designed to make the ball fly longer through the air.
What is the effect of golf ball dimples?
The effect of golf ball dimples aerodynamics means that golfers are able to hit the ball significantly farther, and in a much more-controlled fashion, than they were able to previous to the creation of the dimpled golf ball.
Is golf a game of inches?
To say golf is a game of inches is probably an understatement – it is a game of fractions of inches. This might go to explain how something as small as the dimples on your golf ball can make such a big difference to the flight of every shot that you hit. In a game where the little things are so important, the littlest of them all (the dimple) ...
Why is the core of a golf ball not as active?
When this happens, the core is not nearly as active as it was because of the water. It loses most of its spring effect that makes it fly. When the golf ball eventually dries out, it is still not as effective as a golf ball that did not spend any time submerged in the water.
How long does it take for a golf ball to get waterlogged?
When this type of golf ball heads into a pond or a lake, it gets waterlogged pretty quickly. In some studies, it only takes a few hours for the water to reach the inner core and start to impact the yardage on the golf ball.
What is the cover of a golf ball made of?
The cover of the golf ball is usually made of Surlyn or a Urethane material. The dimple pattern on the golf ball is created by following the USGA guidelines regarding golf balls suitable for play.
What happens when you put an old golf ball in a pond?
There are some scratches, some slight imperfections, but it is an otherwise suitable golf ball. When this type of golf ball heads into a pond or a lake, it gets waterlogged pretty quickly.
What is a lower handicap golfer?
A lower handicap player usually has higher than average swing speed and the ability to launch and carry the ball as far as they need. Playing golf with a harder two-piece golf ball will not give this player the ability to stop and spin the ball the way they want to.
Can you paint a refurbished golf ball?
The paint on the refurbished balls does not seem to hold up entirely as well as those on a brand new golf ball. If the look of the golf ball on the first tee is crucial to you, a refurbished golf ball could be a great choice. If, however, you are just looking for a deal on a golf ball, just buy used balls.
Can you submerge a golf ball in water?
If you take a brand new, never hit golf ball and submerge it in water, you will get a very different result than a ball that has been played for quite some time. A new golf ball has no cuts or scratches in the cover. It has never been compressed with the force of a golf club.
Why did golf balls stop being advertised?
Today, golf ball manufacturers stopped advertising compression levels of their balls because there was a negative stigma associated with a lower compression golf ball. To me that is a bunch of garbage, if a lower compression golf ball helps your ball go farther then how awesome is that!
What happens if a golf ball compresses less at impact?
If a golf ball compresses less at impact then you will have much less energy transfer from the club head will be lost in that additional compression. A big misconception exists around golf ball compression and golf ball cover hardness.
What is the best swing speed for a golf ball?
Medium swing speed (85 - 104 mph) - Most golfers will fall into this categoy. Pick mid compression ball, however, if you are toward the higher end of the spectrum you may want look at a higher compression ball and vice versa. High swing speed (>105 mph) - Pick a high compression ball.
What is compression in golf?
Compression measures how much force is required to squeeze (compress) a golf ball. Golf ball compression happens at clubface/ball impact. Swing speed and core are the 2 biggest factors that affect golf ball compression results. Matching up your swing speed to the correct ball can maximize distance.
What is soft feel?
Feel and Compression. Just to bring everyone up to speed here; soft feel is primarily the result of low compression. Compression is a measure of how much a ball deforms under load. The harder the ball, the less it deforms. Most of you won’t care about that but somebody was going to ask.
Do golf balls feel soft?
The first is that lower-compression balls feel softer. That should be obvious. If you want soft feel, you want a low-compression golf ball. The other one is perhaps a little weird. It turns out there’s a strong correlation between legitimately soft feel and price.
Can you credit a soft ball?
Depending on your affinity for soft golf balls, you can credit or blame preference-driven golfers whose penchant for whacking marshmallows inadvertently created the fresh hell that is the nebulous world of soft balls. (Middle-finger emoji.)
What does a double digit golf ball mean?
a double-digit number, if one appears, most likely represents compression.
What is the number on a golf ball?
That one number that all golf balls share is an identification number that almost always appears right below the name of the golf ball's brand. This number is most likely to be a 1, 2, 3, or 4 (although it can also be anything from a zero to a 9—and, in recent times, golf ball customization has allowed some ...
How many digits are on a golf ball?
A golf ball might also have a three-digit number stamped on it, usually something in the 300s or 400s. If you notice such a number on a ball, this number is letting you know how many dimples are on the golf ball .
What does a red number mean in golf?
These numbers are usually black, but sometimes red. "Back in the old days," as golf oldsters say, a red number was thought to indicate a low-compression ball. That is no longer the case, though. Red, black—today the color doesn't indicate anything special.
How long do golf balls last?
Keep balls out of your car or attic, which can get pretty hot during the summer. Store them under normal indoor conditions and they should be good for at least five years, if not longer.
What does compression mean in golf?
A golf ball’s compression only tells how relatively firm or soft it feels. It doesn’t predict distance, flight, or spin, and is just one of many design elements working together to determine a ball’s performance. While feel is important to some players, what counts is how the ball performs on every shot.
