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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 balls 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.
Golf Snippets
Learning how to aim is vital if your to have success in scoring. The clubface is the only thing that will make contact with the ball, therefore the clubface should be aimed towards the target with the shoulders paralleling the target line. Do not take the stance first. The feet do not hit the ball, so line up the clubface first, and then take your stance.
...Golf Week
Set up your shots correctly
You won't get very far in a car without knowing how to use its controls. And it's exactly the same for golf. It's really no more complicated than feeling comfortable and balanced over the ball. The first place to start is making sure you aim correctly. As a general rule, you should keep club face square to the target. The exception to this is when you are deliberately trying to hook or slice the ball. It should be square to your body - wherever you are in your backswing. Try stopping your club at a variety of positions in your swing. The most important thing to remember is that the club head should be square to your body at all times.
...BBC golf
Short practice sessions regularly are better than one long period. Practice, and good repetition, will teach your muscles to learn to feel - creating your own internal dialog from within that you, and only you, can describe to yourself.
...Golf Instruction Guide
Get New Grips That Fit
New grips can soup up your clubs, and your game, overnight. But make sure you get ones that fit�grips that are too big encourage slicing.
...Golf Tips magazine
The left shoulder sets up the backswing by rotating down and under the chin. This shoulder movement directs the clubhead travel to the inside of the target line. The shoulder turn determines the length of the backswing.
...US Open
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