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Questions and answers about sports

What are the small indentations on a golf ball called?

2 min read

Asked by: Joel Schmidt

Golf balls can have dimples that are deep, shallow, large or small. Some golf balls have different sizes of dimples on the same ball. Dimples come in all different shapes, including circles, ovals, teardrops and even hexagons like a soccer ball.

What are the small ridges on a golf ball called?

The dimples on a golf ball deform the air around the ball quickly causing a turbulent airflow that results in more Magnus lift than a smooth ball would experience.

What do we call the round indentation on a golf ball cover?

The surface is covered in little indentations called dimples, and they serve an important purpose! If the surface of the ball were smooth, it would greatly alter the flight of the ball.

What are the marks on a golf ball?

Marking Your Golf Ball

Rules of golf do not compel you to add any markings on your golf ball. However, it is highly recommended in Rule 6-3a that states: “The responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with the player. Each player should put an identification mark on his ball.”

Why is there dimples on a golf ball?

Dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air that clings to the ball’s surface. This allows the smoothly flowing air to follow the ball’s surface a little farther around the back side of the ball, thereby decreasing the size of the wake.

Did golf balls always have dimples?

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.

Are more dimples on a golf ball better?

More dimples being on a golf ball are not necessarily better. The number of dimples that are on a golf ball is less important than the dimensions of the dimples themselves. Too many dimples mean more drag, and too few dimples mean an unpredictable flight trajectory.

Why do golf clubs have grooves?

Golf club grooves have the exact same function as the treads on a tire. They allow water and debris to move away from the ball’s point of contact to provide cleaner contact with better control. Striking a ball from the rough can be unpredictable when there is a lot of debris between your club and the ball.