What are the indentations that cover the surface of a golf ball called?
Most golf balls have between 300 and 500 dimples covering the surface of the ball, which have an average depth of about 0.010 inch.
A smooth golf ball hit by a professional golfer would travel only about half as far as a golf ball with dimples does. 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.
Dimples have traditionally been spherical in shape, but it is possible to optimize the aerodynamic performance of other shapes.
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What are your thoughts on this subject?
7 Comments
Carole Vermillion Laffey
Now that is a question worthy of the name trivia.
lady draggon
Mrs. Deadman, I'm the daughter of a golfer and the mother in alw of another and, at least here in Australia, they are known as dimples more than any other name.
Mrs. Deadman
They're called Pips, not Dimples 🙄
Howard Groopman
I can see the dimple marks on my driver each time I hit with it.
dmarkc
Good trivia about aerodynamics.
lls
Thank you, Uncle Richard!
earlepg
Ran into this question before. The answer is still the same.