
If a golf ball has larger dimples, it can be made to be more shallow. This directly means that for a golf ball to spin faster, it should have fewer large dimples rather than more small dimples. For this reason, more dimples do not always mean more spin.
Is less dimples on a golf ball better or worse?
The number of dimples that are on a golf ball may seem random, and it may even seem inconsequential, but the truth is that the dimples on a golf ball are very intentionally designed and placed, and the number of dimples on a golf ball is carefully determined. More dimples being on a golf ball are not necessarily better.
What is the reason behind golf balls being dimpled?
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How do they put dimples on a golf ball?
10 Best Brands for Golf Balls
- Titleist. As arguably the best golf ball out there, this brand continuously comes out with high quality balls.
- TaylorMade. You know this name well, and it’s because they continue to provide excellent quality over quantity. ...
- Callaway. If you don’t notice Callaway right away, then I’m a bit surprised. ...
- Srixon. ...
- Bridgestone. ...
- Nike. ...
- Precept. ...
- Schwetty. ...
- Volvik. ...
- Nitro. ...
What changes come with dimples on golf balls?
The lift and drag forces on a golf ball are very sensitive to dimple depth: a depth change of 0.001 inch can produce a radical change to the ball's trajectory and the overall distance it can fly. Dimples have traditionally been spherical in shape, but it is possible to optimize the aerodynamic performance of other shapes.

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.
How does dimples affect a golf ball?
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.
Are all the dimples on a golf ball the same size?
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.
How many dimples are on a golf ball best?
Typically though, there are 300-500 dimples on any branded golf ball. For example, TaylorMade has 322 while Callaway has 332 dimples. Then there's Titleist Pro V1, one of the best beginner golf balls, with 352 dimples.
How many dimples does a Titleist Pro V1 have?
388 dimpleNew Spherically-tiled Tetrahedral Dimple Designs– featuring a 388 dimple layout for Pro V1, and 348 for Pro V1x – are optimized to each model to maximize distance and flight consistency.
How many dimples does a Callaway SuperSoft golf ball have?
Both the Callaway SuperSoft and Pinnacle Soft have 332 dimples. The SuperSoft's have a hexagonal dimple design. The Pinnacle soft's have an icosahedral shape. Both balls amplify your distance.
Which ball has 336 dimples?
American golf ballsOn American golf balls, there are usually 336 dimples, while there are 330 on a British ball. However these numbers can vary widely. Golf balls have anywhere from 300-500 dimples. Golf ball manufacturers will manipulate the number, shape, size, and even edge angles to optimize ball flight and trajectory.
Which golf ball has 500 dimples?
GOLF AERODYNAMICS. The Ultra (Registered TradeMark) 500 Series golf ball (above), introduced in 1995 by Wilson Sporting Goods Company, Humboldt, Tennessee, has 500 dimples arranged in a pattern of 60 spherical triangles.
How do dimples reduce drag?
Golf ball dimples reduce drag by creating a turbulent boundary layer flow around the ball. The boundary layer is defined as a thin layer of fluid dragged by the ball. By creating this turbulent boundary layer, the separation point decreases.
What is the average number of dimples on a golf ball?
Generally, a golf ball often has 300 to 500 dimples on it. There are no rules about how restricted this number is, but a good facility must have at least 300 patterns on the surface. Though, it does not mean the best or the most expensive ball has the largest amount of dimples.
How long do golf balls last?
You can usually get about 10 years out of an unused golf ball, again, provided that it is stored properly. The best temperature for golf ball storage is around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Which golf ball has the most dimples?
Golf Ball Dimples ChartGolf Ball ModelDimplesTaylorMade Noodle Easy Distance342Titleist AVX352 tetrahedral catenaryTitleist DT TruSoft376Titleist Tour Soft342175 more rows
Why do golf balls have dimples?
The first golf balls were actually smooth. But as golfers began to play more and more, they noticed that older balls with bumps, scratches, and gashes actually seemed to travel farther.
What happens if a golf ball has no dimples?
Logically it seems like a small ball would travel farther and faster than those with dimples, but that is scientifically not the case. Picture a smooth golf ball sailing through the air. The sun is out. The birds are chirping. There is an ideal amount of wind. As the ball moves, the front will come into contact with the air.
How many dimples are on a golf ball?
The typical golf ball has between 300 and 500 dimples on average with an average depth of approximately .010 of an inch. The dimples are usually spherical, but other shapes (like hexagons) have been used in experiments to optimize performance. The lift and drag on a golf ball are extremely sensitive to depth.
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Emma Taubenfeld is an assistant editor for Reader’s Digest who focuses on digital lifestyle topics such as memes, social media captions, pick-up lines, and cute pets. When she’s not working, you can find Emma reading corny young adult novels, creating carefully curated playlists, and figuring out how to spice up boxed mac and cheese.
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.
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.
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) ...
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 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.
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.
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.
How much does a golf ball weigh?
Currently, a golf ball is required to have a mass no more than 1.620 ounces, or 45.93 grams.
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.
Why do golf balls have dimples?
Very simply stated, if a golf ball were smooth, the air would flow quickly over the top and create quite a bit of turbulence behind the ball.
What is a dimple on a golf ball?
Like many other great inventions in history, dimples on a golf ball were discovered accidentally. Throughout history, golf balls took on many different designs. At one point, they were even constructed with feathers inside them. As golf grew, people started to realize that a golf ball with cuts and scratches in it would fly further ...
When did golf balls start to have bumps?
Golf balls began to be produced with raised bumps on them until the very early 1900s.
Do golf balls perform well?
Although golf ball design and features will vary within the acceptable limits, most golf balls will perform equally well over an extended period of time. That being said, choosing the right golf ball for you can be related to feel, swing speed, and personal preference.
How Do Golf Ball Dimples Work?
Any object moving through the air faces the force which the air exerts on it. There are two components to the force an object flying through the air undergoes:
How Do Golf Ball Dimples Improve the Game?
Now that you understand at least a bit of the aerodynamics involved with golf ball dimples, you can look at how exactly this appears in an average round of golf. For the player, golf ball dimples serve two purposes:
Have Golf Balls Always Had Dimples?
Golf has been around for a long time, and for a lot of that time, people played with smooth balls. However, at some point in the 1800s, players noticed that their dented golf balls actually performed better than the perfectly smooth ones.
Are All Golf Ball Dimples the Same?
After learning how vital dimples are to a golf ball’s success, you may be surprised to learn that golf ball dimples are not regulated. They can have different shapes, different depths and appear in varying amounts on balls.
Golf Ball Dimples Are Not Everything
There are other things that go into how smoothly and how far a golf ball flies beside the dimples.
Conclusion
Two key forces affect your golf ball’s flight: drag and lift. Golf ball dimples have a massive impact on both, which is why they are so crucial for effective golf balls. Dimples reduce drag and increase lift.
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
Difference Of A Smooth Ball And A Dimpled Ball
Dimples ensure two things about the ball. Its lift and the distance it travels. As a result, when a ball is hit, it is exposed in the open air. Allowing the air to have complete turbulence and force on the ball. So that the ball can travel smoothly for longer distances, alter the depth of a dimple, and you can see the difference.
FAQs Regarding Dimples And Golf Balls
There is no specific standard regarding the number of dimples on a golf ball. But still, the answer to how many dimples on a golf ball will be, An average golf ball has 300 to 500 dimples.
Conclusion
A golf ball has dimples not to make it look cute. But for the sake of its better performance. So when this difference was seen between a smooth and dimpled ball, it was made sure to change the ball’s structure entirely.
The Science Behind Golf Ball Dimples
Did you know that, when you impact a golf ball with your club, this contact takes no more than 1/2000 of a second?
What Happens If You Take The Dimples Away?
While they might look like simple pieces of equipment to the untrained eye, golf balls are manufactured in such a way that they are perfect for their use.
Conclusion
Golf balls need to have dimples in order to improve their flight, so they do not slice or hook.