Why Do Golf Balls Have Dimples?
At first glance, a golf ball doesn’t look as smooth as a table tennis ball; it is covered by a series of dents or dimples proportionally arranged. You may wonder why golf balls had to be so extra by adding ‘designs’ on them in the shape of dents. Curiously, golf balls didn’t always look the way they do today; they underwent a series of new looks before settling for one, and that is the one we see these days. Why do golf balls have dimples? Well, we are here to find out.
A Visit to the History Books
In 1905, William Taylor gifted the golfing game with a new design for golf balls, the first dimpled ball, which is still in use today. Before then, golf balls were wooden, specifically in the 17th century.
Soon, the trend evolved, and golf balls were made by hardened leather stuffed with boiled feathers sewn shut. These leather balls flew high and far, but the moment they came in contact with moisture, they were undone, which was very convenient considering the geographical location where golfers frequently played this game had a lot of water. Golfing was set apart for the wealthy and affluent who could afford it because leather balls took a lot of time to make and were expensive; a hardworking golf ball manufacturer in that time could produce at most four balls in a day.
It was time for a revolution, and soon enough, a new set of balls came into the game, made from the sap of the Sapodilla tree. These new balls looked and felt like rubber; they were called ‘gutties.’ After a while, a discovery unveiled that balls with uneven surfaces flew farther than the smooth balls, so manufacturers began to use hammers to create dents on the balls, and it was indeed effective. Over time, these dents have been used because of their streamlining effects.
Is ‘Dimple’The Official Name?
There is no official or ‘proper’ name for the dips on golf balls, but they are generally called dentures or dimples because they look like dimples and are essentially dents on the ball.
The True Purpose of The Golf Ball Design
As hinted earlier, the dimples on golf balls are not just trademark designs; they have a vital use that determines a player’s performance. A smooth ball pushes against the air, causing a pull behind the ball that doesn’t allow it to fly farther or higher. In contrast, the dimples on golf balls stir the air as the ball is in motion and cause the flow of air to stay close to the ball’s surface to reduce the pull behind the ball.
Dimples cause the ball to propel faster with more spin, reducing the pressure that forms around the ball’s orbit, allowing for the ball to last longer in the air and cover more distance.
Importance of Dimples
- Apart from giving golf balls a unique look, dimples help determine how the ball will soar when hit; the absence of dimples will make the ball spin and move in unexpected motions.
- Golf dents are like propellers because they make the ball cover more distance in the air.
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Every dip of a dimple plays a key role in how the ball moves, so if there is a slight alteration in a dimple, it could easily affect the ball’s rotation.
Dimples
Golf balls have a lot of dimples on them which are not necessarily uniform in dip and size. There are no specific dimples appropriate for a golf ball, so these balls are unique, depending on their manufacturers’ choices and discretions, but dimples on golf balls range from 500 to 1000.
The size and number of dimples on a ball can determine the ball’s course when struck by a club. That statement implies that manufacturers can predict how far their golf balls will go by the types of dimples they design on the balls.
Lesser dents allow the ball not to be controlled by the pull that forms at the base while in flight. Golfers who enjoy a game that requires directing the ball through higher courses will appreciate balls with wider dimples. Others interested in the ball’s spin and lower heights will enjoy using a ball with smaller dimples.
For manufacturers to produce effective balls that golfers will greatly appreciate, they have to study the dynamics and importance of dimples on the balls; critical research on the physics behind it have to be carried out. Different dimple sizes and their number on a ball have their implications; the size and number of dimples on a ball steer the way that ball will move.
No Dimples
From all the information you’ve gotten on the importance of dimples on a golf ball, you can agree that a ball with no dimples is useless in today’s golf world. A smooth ball doesn’t have dimples that can help manipulate the pull from the base in its flight. A smooth ball can’t go as high as a dimpled ball.
If you were to place a dimpled ball and a smooth ball side by side for testing, you would notice that the ball without dents will go only half the distance of a ball with dents will go. While you can determine the course your dimpled ball will take before hitting it with your club; a smooth ball has no predictable directional movement; it can go in any direction the moment you strike it.
Judging from these facts, I’m sure we all prefer the dimples, not just because they are cute, but because they give the game of golf purpose and focus; it is as deep as that.
Conclusion
Now that you know the uses of dimples on a golf ball, it should encourage you to appreciate them more as they have added to your knowledge store. Nothing is ever really random; you must be excited to learn about other things and why they look the way they do but for today, rest knowing you’ve learned new facts about golf balls and their dimples.