
What are the different types of dimples on golf balls?
Jun 27, 2021 · 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. The opposite is true; in fact, more dimples may mean less spin.
What is the ideal dimple design?
GOLF BALL DIMPLES CHART >> The Magic of Golf Ball DimplesAs a golfer, you probably already know that the little things can make a big difference. A small change in your grip, for example, can radically change the ball flight that you achieve with your swing. ... When picking out a golf ball that will best suit your game, try out a few different ...
What are dimples and how do they work?
The ideal dimple design is a combination balancing the lift and drag of the ball. We vary the diameters, shapes, total coverage, edge angles to control these two key variables. If you get the dimples wrong, you can be substantially short in distance and that is for sure not preferred! There are 350 dimples on the MY TOUR BALL.
Why do footballs have dimples on the sides?
Most golf ball dimples are spherical. They follow a pattern, and generally, one will be shallow, followed by a deep dimple across the surface of the golf ball. Major manufacturers seem to be more likely to change materials or interior makeup of a …

What is the optimal number of dimples on a golf ball?
Between 330 and 400 dimples is the optimum number. More dimples mean more focussed control over the ball trajectory. The dimples on a golf ball will directly affect the way the ball performs.Jun 27, 2021
Which golf ball has the deepest dimples?
The Titleist Pro V1, one of the most popular golf balls ever created, features 352 dimples, while its sibling, the Pro V1x, has 328 dimples. Dimples also impact a shot's lift. Deeper dimples will result in a lower-flying ball, while a ball with shallower dimples will fly higher.
Do dimples on a golf ball make it fly farther?
0:444:54Science of Golf: Why Golf Balls Have Dimples - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHe says dimples are crucial to a golf balls flight a golf ball has dimples to reduce wind resistanceMoreHe says dimples are crucial to a golf balls flight a golf ball has dimples to reduce wind resistance or aerodynamic drag. When you reduce it you can make golf balls go a lot farther. Early golfers
How does the number of dimples affect a golf ball?
The number of dimples on a ball is also a consequence of alignment and depth. The number of dimples generally range between 350 and 500 dimples per golf ball, their numbers do not significantly affect distance.
How many dimples does a Pro V1 golf ball have?
352 dimpleThe 2014 Titleist Pro V1 is a three-piece solid-core golf ball currently sporting a 352 dimple pattern. The Pro V1X is a four-piece solid core golf ball that currently has 328 dimples.
How many dimples does a Callaway golf ball have?
Golf Ball Dimples ChartGolf Ball ModelDimplesCallaway Speed Regime 3332Callaway Chrome Soft332Callaway Supersoft332Callaway Superhot 55332175 more rows
Why do planes not have dimples in golf balls?
In the case of a plane, its shape is already aerodynamic, so the wake size has been minimized from its shape. Creating turbulent flow across Air flow across surface of planes is also mostly turbulent already, so adding dimple to its surface does not significantly reduce wake size.Mar 20, 2019
How far would a golf ball go without dimples?
about 130 yardsAccording to Frank Thomas, Golf Digest's chief technical advisor and former technical director of the USGA, a smooth golf ball with no dimples would travel about 130 yards when hit with a modern driver by a tour-caliber player.Oct 12, 2004
Why is a golf hole 4.25 inches?
The size the R&A mandated? 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.
Are all dimples on golf ball the same?
The truth is, there is not a single answer to how many dimples are on a golf ball. That's because the number of dimples varies depending on the model and manufacturer. Most often, the number of dimples per golf ball falls between 300 and 500.Mar 18, 2019
Do pro golfers use a new ball on each hole?
If you're a PGA Tour pro, you might swap out every few holes because, well, you get your pellets for free. But what about for those of us that pay for our spheres? According to Frederick Waddell, Titleist's senior manager of golf ball product management, play it until you lose it.May 22, 2018
Did golf balls always have dimples?
Over time, however, they began to notice that scuffed, scratched and dented gutta-perchas covered a greater distance than smooth ones. Like many inventions, the golf ball dimple was discovered accidentally. By 1930, the dimpled golf ball had become the standard in golfing.
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) ...
How many dimples are in a golf ball?
Most all golf balls run between 300 and 400 dimples.. The number is not the important factor. We control the size, shapes, depths, edge angles to get the proper flight and trajectory for the ball based on the spin rates of the balls.
Why are dimples important in golf?
Once we have the final ball design, we measure the spin rates of the golf balls, then design the dimples to optimize the flight. If you have a higher spinning ball, you would look to make the dimples a little deeper, to help keep the flight down. For lower spinning balls, the dimples are ...
Why do you need dimples for spinning balls?
For lower spinning balls, the dimples are typically a bit shallower to help the ball fly higher and stay in the air . The dimples work to break the air around the ball in flight , and have two key characteristics that are measured: Lift and Drag.
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 ...
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.
When did golf balls start to have bumps?
Golf balls began to be produced with raised bumps on them until the very early 1900s.
Who is Nick Lomas?
Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
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 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.
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.
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.
What Ball Has 336 Dimples?
It is almost certain that there will be 336 dimples on an American golf ball, whereas there will be 330 for a British one. There are a variety of ways in which these numbers can change. About 300-500 balls with different dents or dings are found in golf.
Does The Amount Of Dimples On A Golf Ball Matter?
Around 300 to 400 pixels wide are the norm for most golf balls. The number does not matter as much as what you do. Depending on the spin rates of the balls, we design our balls so they have a precise height, shape, depth, and edge angle as their trajectory and flight is best.
What Is The Optimum Number Of Dimples On A Golf Ball?
Its shape and depth are even more important than the number of golf ball dimples. As there is a potential for drag due to the number of dimples, you do not want to exceed the amount. If a dimple is between 330 and 400, it’s the optimal number to use. Dises in areas of high friction have more focused control over flight.
What Are The Dimples In A Golf Ball Called?
Do Dimples E on A Golf Ball Called? Usually, the golf ball can be called a golf ball dimple. The indentation or ‘dooties pattern’ in many instances can be called indentations or the patterns of the golf balls.
How Many Dimples Are Legal On A Golf Ball?
Currently, most modern golf balls have a dimple size of 300 to 500. They have previously had hundreds of rounds. It was a ball weighing 1,070 pounds with 419 larger dimples than ordinary balls (four sizes per ball) and 656 smaller ones than regular balls. Its purpose is to make balls as symmetrical as possible when officially approved.
Why Do Golf Balls Have 336 Dimples?
Air pockets on golf balls are what allow them to fly further. It wouldn’t be possible to carry a ball very far with no dimples. Since dented or chipped golf balls are typically longer and more straighter than smooth ones, it made sense to develop dimples for the next stage.
What Does The Number Of Dimples On A Golf Ball Mean?
Ball drag is not determined by the spin of the ball but by its number of dimples. Unlike a soccer ball, the dimples in a ball vary in depth. In a shallow dimple, spin is achieved faster. Therefore, a golf ball should have a reduced number of large dimples instead of a few smaller ones when it spins faster.
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.
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How Aerodynamic Is A Golf Ball?
An air layer clings to the surface of a golf ball, forming a thin turbulent boundary layer created by a set of dimples in the ball’s upper left corner. The drag of an even ball is therefore half that of a smooth ball, which has about equal drag on each end. Lifts can also be impacted by Dimples.
Are Golf Balls More Aerodynamic?
With golf balls, there is more complexity in the aerodynamics compared to other spherical balls. There is little depth when compared with a ball penetrated by a dimpled surface, heightening the complexity and three-dimensionality of air motion.
How Do You Calculate The Drag Coefficient Of A Ball?
Windward drag is a characteristic of an object that is traveling through the air. In fact, an object’s motion is repelled by the air.
What Is A Typical Drag Coefficient?
Depending on the vehicle class, depending on how fast the driver rolls around can see average drag coefficients. It is an old car; saloon cars are typically used for storage. 22–0. A sports car.
How Does Drag Affect A Golf Ball?
On the other hand, lifting does a 180-degree straighten to motion (in the case of a golf ball, this is normally ordered upward) instead of directly opposing.
What Is The Reynolds Number Of A Golf Ball?
There are about 1455 Reynolds numbers in the field. A comparison of the turbulent wake behind a dimpled golf ball (top), generated by turbulence in the boundary layer, and a smooth ball (bottom), created by ionization in the boundary layer.
What Is Drag In Golf?
Essentially, drag is the result of differences in velocity across a solid and fluid body, and in this case, that factor, the golf ball, is opposed to the solid motion. Generally, the drag of a smooth golf ball is only half as much as the drag of a dimpled one.
