What is the reason behind golf balls being dimpled?
Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
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.
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. ...
Why do dimples on a golf ball allow it to travel farther?
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.
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.
How does the number of dimples affect a golf ball?
Dimples directly affect ball flight. The higher the number of dimples on a golf ball, the greater the drag over its surface. And this means a lower trajectory.
When did they start putting dimples on golf balls?
This new breed of golf ball also featured a much larger variety of outer designs for improved airflow. The mesh, reverse mesh and Bramble designs gave way to the dimple pattern first used in 1908.
How many dimples are allowed on a golf ball?
On 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.
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.
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.
What is the rarest golf ball?
gutta percha ballsDivers have begun a search in Donegal for what they believe could be some of the world's rarest golf balls. The gutta percha balls once belonged to golfing legend Old Tom Morris, who won the Open four times in the 1860s.
Why do golf balls fly so far?
0:544:54Science of Golf: Why Golf Balls Have Dimples - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn as a golf ball flies through the air the airflow interacts with the surface of the ball. And canMoreIn as a golf ball flies through the air the airflow interacts with the surface of the ball. And can greatly affect the amount of drag.
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 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 were golf balls originally made of?
Guttie/Gutta Golf Balls Robert Adams Paterson invented the Gutta-Percha ball, or Guttie. The guttie was made by using dried sap from the Malaysian Sapodilla tree. The sap had a rubber-like quality to it and upon heating could be formed into a sphere.
Who invented golf?
Charles Blair MacDonald, who attended St. Andrews University and learned the game at the St. Andrews Golf Links, is considered the father of American golf course architects. In 1893, MacDonald built the Chicago Golf Club, which was the country's first 18-hole course.
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:
From Observation to Mathematical Model
As a child, I occasionally would walk around a nearby golf course with my family on rainy days; the only times when no golfers would dare to play. Our own game was to find lost balls from previous, unfortunate players. The person who found the most balls would win.
The Drag Crisis Observation
Throughout history, the flows around many different shapes have been studied by scientists. For example, vortex streets are generated by the flow around cylinders. Although a sphere does not generate this type of large alternating flow structure, the flow characteristics can also be linked to the Reynolds number.
The Reason for the Drag Crisis
First of all, let’s recall that the drag of an object is caused by two sources:
Modeling the Aerodynamic Forces of Golf Balls
Now we understand why golf balls have dimples in the first place. Let’s remember that the drag is lower and therefore the ball can go further. To find out how much further the ball can go, we first need to compute its trajectory.
Finding the Optimal Launch Angle
The effect of the dimples on a golf ball should now be clear: They make the ball go further. However, in practical terms, this does not say much about how I should hit the ball.
Conclusion
In today’s blog post, we answered a seemingly simple question about golf ball dimples, which has to do with the behavior of the turbulent boundary layer over a sphere at a specific range of Reynolds numbers. This also outlines a classical process in engineering.
Try It Yourself
Try computing the trajectory of a golf ball in COMSOL Multiphysics. Click the button below to access the model file featured in this blog post:
The core of a golf ball
Despite the small size and weight, golf balls have a complex structure. They consist of:
How many dimples are on golf balls?
The shell of all golf balls has a large number of dimples. Such dimples on a golf ball help to achieve a straight trajectory when the ball flies (without “wobbles”). The number of dimples can be completely different for the balls made by different U.S. and European manufacturers – for example, 324, 328, 344, 368, 428, etc.
Final thoughts
Now you know what golf balls can fly faster and why there are so many dimples on golf balls. In this case, you should pay attention to 2-digit and 3-digit numbers printed on balls. The more dimples on golf balls, the better. Though, beginners can buy cheaper 2-layer golf balls with 300 dimples for practicing.
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.
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.
When were dimples first used in golf balls?
This led to golf ball makers purposely creating protrusions on the surface of balls to give them textured surfaces. Dimples were first introduced in the early 1900s when it was found that indentations provided even more distance, control, and backspin than protrusions.
What golf balls have 300 dimples?
Golf balls with 300-400 dimples are not exclusive to Titleist. Bridgestone golf balls, known for their use by elite pros like Tiger Woods and Bryson Dechambeau, have dimple counts in the low 300s. Bridgestone Tour B X - 322 Dimples. Bridgestone Tour B XS - 330 Dimples. Bridgestone Tour B X.
What are the small indentations on a golf ball called?
Last Updated on June 6, 2021. The small indentations on a golf ball are called "dimples.". This unique design has led to many questions from curious golfers. In this guide, we'll answer these questions related to golf ball dimples and the golf ball in general, including: How many dimples are on a golf ball?
What is the effect of a golf ball hitting a golf ball backwards?
When a golf ball is hit, it spins backwards, commonly referred to as "backspin.". Backspin causes air pressure on the bottom of the ball to be higher than the air pressure on the top of the ball, thus creating an upward force. Dimples can intensify this effect, accounting for up to half a golf ball's lift.
How do dimples reduce drag?
More specifically, dimples reduce drag by creating pockets of turbulence that allow air to flow more closely around the ball. This more closely attached airflow leads to a smaller wake and a resulting smaller low-pressure zone behind the ball, resulting in reduced drag.
How much weight can a golf ball weigh?
Golf balls must have a diameter of at least 1.68 inches and cannot weigh more than 1.62 ounces.
from Observation to Mathematical Model
The Drag Crisis Observation
- Throughout history, the flows around many different shapes have been studied by scientists. For example, vortex streets are generated by the flow around cylinders. Although a sphere does not generate this type of large alternating flow structure, the flow characteristics can also be linked to the Reynolds number. For a sphere of diameter in a fluid of density , dynamic viscosity , and velo…
The Reason For The Drag Crisis
- First of all, let’s recall that the drag of an objectis caused by two sources: 1. Pressure drag, also referred to as form drag, generated by the distribution of pressure around the body 2. Viscous draggenerated by shear stresses along the boundaries For blunt bodies, such as a smooth ball, the pressure drag is most significant at the range of studied Reynolds numbers. Consequently, t…
Modeling The Aerodynamic Forces of Golf Balls
- Now we understand why golf balls have dimples in the first place. Let’s remember that the drag is lower and therefore the ball can go further. To find out how much further the ball can go, we first need to compute its trajectory. The forces acting on the ball and the initial conditions are depicted in the following figure, neglecting the effect of ...
Implementing The Golf Ball Model in COMSOL Multiphysics®
- The easiest way to implement this problem is by using the Events interface in a 0D component that can both solve the system of Eq. 8 using a Global Equations node and also stop the computations when the ball touches the ground (). Setting up the variables used by the study. The first step is to set up the different variables that are used by the study. Here, they are computed t…
Simulation Results
- Now that everything is set, let’s run the study! Real-time animation of the trajectory of a golf ball and a smooth ball hit by a 7-iron. The dimpled ball experiences a much lower drag (the color legend shows the drag coefficient) compared to the smooth ball. Note that the ball experiences the drag crisis at the top of the trajectory, where the velocity (hence the Reynolds number) gets l…
Finding The Optimal Launch Angle
- The effect of the dimples on a golf ball should now be clear: They make the ball go further. However, in practical terms, this does not say much about howI should hit the ball. What is the launch angle that I should impose on the ball, with the hypothesis that the shaft speed and angle of attack are constant, so that the carry distance is optimized? A first approach would be to run …
Conclusion
- In today’s blog post, we answered a seemingly simple question about golf ball dimples, which has to do with the behavior of the turbulent boundary layer over a sphere at a specific range of Reynolds numbers. This also outlines a classical process in engineering. The observation of a common object led us to a deeper understanding of a complex physical phenomenon, which in t…
Try It Yourself
- Try computing the trajectory of a golf ball in COMSOL Multiphysics. Click the button below to access the model file featured in this blog post:
References
- P. Bearman and J.K. Harvey, “Golf ball aerodynamics”, Aeronautical Quarterly, vol. 27, no., pp. 112–122, 1976.
- A.J. Smits and D.R. Smith, “A new aerodynamic model of a golf ball in flight”, Science and Golf II, Taylor & Francis, pp. 433–442, 2002.