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Golf Balls -- The Science Behind The Dimples

by Susan Chiang

The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.
When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.

In 1618 the "Featherie" was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.

As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.

After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball's smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.

With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the "dimpled" golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.

The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.

By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.

After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.

Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.

For a more comprehensive look at golf and golf equipment, drop by Susans site Golf Ball City. Other informative sports related articles are available at Shopping Palace and Niche Weblog.

Additional Info On Golf Today

Come to the Golf Course with Strategy in the Bag
Every good golfer knows that golf is not all about mechanics. There is a strategy to playing the game, and the golfer who develops the best strategy has a much better chance of coming out on top. There are ways to prepare yourself before you get to the course�and ways to react to conditions within a round�that will save you trouble and give you an advantage most golfers fail to seize.
...by T.J. Tomasi, Ph.D.
Hitting behind the ball or too high on the ball.
This is often caused by swaying during the swing. Any side-to-side or up and down head movement should be avoided. To get the right feel, hit some practice shots with feet together. During your weight shift, concentrate on keeping the weight On your right foot on the inside of your foot. Check your progress by taking practice swings with sun behind you and watching your shadow. Don't let the clubface get ahead of your hands at impact. To avoid hitting chips and pitches fat: Don't sole the club at address. Use an open, narrow stance. Keep arms connected to chest and rotate body rather than sliding hips laterally and jabbing at the ball with your hands. Focus eyes on front of ball, with weight on front foot and wrists ahead of ball at address and through impact. Be sure to make a complete follow-through.
...Tom's golf tips

Maintain Your Angles
Stability improves torque and produces consistency. The keys to stability during the backswing are a constant knee flex and steady spine angle.
...Golf Tips magazine

To check your clubhead angle practice the hit and hold drill. This will give you immediate feedback in determining whether the clubface is preceding the hands at impact. Hit a few balls and hold, not allowing your hands to go past waist high on the follow-through. If the left wrist or hand is bent forward this indicates the clubhead was ascending rather than descending at impact. Final note: You cannot cheat this drill, as it will clearly show you where you are at in regards to your angle of approach on your golf swings.
...Learn About Golf

When you want to get some extra distance out of your drives, it�s natural to think that your right or dominant hand (for right-handed golfers) should supply the power. In reality, however, maximum power is a result of a left-hand lead.
...The Golf Channel

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