Instant Golf Tips

What’s the story with the dimples on a golf ball?  As a golf ball engineer, I have fielded scores of questions from golfers all over the world.  One of the most common relates to golf ball dimples, their function, and whether or not all the different dimple patterns are “just about marketing”.  Let’s take a look:

Ever since 150 years ago when golfers found that the then modern gutta percha balls flied longer and straighter when their smooth surfaces were roughened up and nicked, the fascination with dimples began.

Today, we know that dimples serve to reduce the aerodynamic drag acting on the surface of the golf ball, ultimately resulting in longer distance. Combined with the backspin imparted by the golf club, today’s ball flight characteristics are nothing short of spectacular!

Over the years, the patterns have changed and evolved into some very dymanic looking designs: multi sized dimples on the same ball, dimples in dimples, and deep and shallow dimples.  These changes have been aided by all the improvements in the ball flight/trajectory and distance measuring technology.

One of the biggest advances was multi sized dimples on the same ball.  Hence, smaller dimples could be “crammed in” between the larger dimples.  Maximum dimple coverage is desired on golf balls becuase it increases flight stability and gives the engineers a greater ability to refine finished ball flight characteristics.

But there is a trade off with maximum coverage as the “Fret” area, the ball surface between the dimples, becomes very thin.  If it is too thin, the frets will shear at impact and the ball will scuff.  Take a look at the Fret area below:

Fantastic cover material technology prevents this from happening with the modern balls.

So why all the different patterns and is it just marketing?  Sure, there’s marketing, but the marketing comes after the performance.

In many respects, dimple technology mirrors the design and selection of the tires for a race car.  Race car designers build the chassis and suspension, add a custom engine, and top it off with an aerodynamic body.  Then they select the appropriate tires that will grab the road and maximize the performance of the all the other high tech parts of the car.  Different tire designs will produce different results:

With a golf ball, the core is the engine.  The mantle layers (if present) add performance.  Together with the cover, you have a golf ball “without the tires” until you add the dimples.  Now the designers can tweak the performance of the golf ball.  They will find the right dimple pattern that results in the optimal trajectory and distance, for a specific ball construction.

In the end, you have a high performance golf ball sitting on the tee just waiting for the green flag to start the race. And just like in a race car, the driver gets things going!- RC