Have You Ever Wondered How Many Dimples Are There on a Golf Ball?
Many of us regularly put the golf ball on the tee, ready to drive off, without thinking about the actual make up of our golf ball. For example, why do balls have dimples in the first place? Well on checking it out, it turns out that most golf balls have between 300 and 500 dimples, which have an average depth of about 0.010 inch. 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.
These golf balls were called “gutta-perchas.” Golfers believed that smooth golf balls would travel farther through the air because a smooth surface would create less wind resistance. But they were wrong! Golfers quickly noticed smooth gutta-perchas did not soar through the air as well as featheries with dimples.
Dimples for Smoother Ball Flight
Golf manufacturers do not put dimples on golf balls because it looks good. … 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.
The dimples are extremely important in golf ball design. … 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.
There are many types of golf balls on the market, and customers often face a difficult decision.
The current number of dimples by manufacturer, ranges from only Titleist NXT Tour with just 302, up to Mizuno RB566 with 566 micro dimples.
You make the call!
