Dimples on Golf Balls? What do they do?

Golf ball makers sometimes advertise the number of dimples they have, do you know why they are there and what their function is?

Why Are There Dimples On A Golf Ball?

By: Gary Gresham

Have you ever wondered why there are dimples on a golf ball? Dimples are crafted into golf balls to reduce the aerodynamic drag while the ball is in flight. A smooth ball, when sailing through the air, leaves a huge pocket of low-pressure air creating a drag that slows the ball down.That’s why there are dimples on a golf ball, because the drag force is reduced.

The dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball. This, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely.

By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag. Dimples also help players to put backspin on a shot making the golf ball break off on the putting green.

The idea of putting dimples on a golf ball can be traced back to the early 1900’s. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored ball encased in a gutta percha sphere.

It was during this time when the players observed how their shots become more and more predictable as their balls turned rough from play. When William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell ball in 1905, golf balls finally took their modern form.

From then on, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf balls took its form with standard size and weight.

Today, there is an abundant selection of golf balls to fit different golf game and condition. There are golf balls that offer control, while some offer distance.

In whatever ways golf balls vary, only one thing is common and known. Golf balls are not just elements of the sports arena; they are perfectly designed in physics.

The next time you play a round, ask your buddies why there are dimples on a golf ball and I’ll bet you’ll get a variety of answers.