❓ why
Why do golf balls have dimples?
sportphysics
Quick Answer
Dimples create a thin layer of turbulent air that reduces drag and boosts lift, so the ball flies much farther.
The Full Story
A smooth ball leaves a large, low-pressure wake behind it that drags it back. Dimples trip the air next to the surface into turbulence, which clings to the ball longer and shrinks the wake, cutting drag roughly in half. Combined with backspin, the dimples also help generate lift through the Magnus effect. A dimpled ball can travel around twice as far as an identical smooth one. Golfers in the 1800s noticed that scuffed old balls flew better than new smooth ones.
Key Facts
1.Most golf balls have between about 300 and 500 dimples.
2.The Rules of Golf require a ball to be at least 42.67 mm in diameter.
3.Early golf balls were leather pouches stuffed with feathers, called 'featheries'.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why Golf Balls Have Dimples — Aerodynamics Explained"