A smooth golf ball looks like it should fly farther. Why do those little dimples help?
The dimples reduce air drag
The answer was The dimples reduce air drag. Here's the why, the decoys, and the source trail.
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The dimples change the way air flows around the ball, reducing drag. They create turbulence in the thin layer of air next to its surface, which helps shrink the wake behind it. Golfers noticed the effect before they understood the physics: battered old balls could travel farther than smooth new ones. Players began adding dents deliberately, turning wear and tear into a design feature that still shapes the modern golf ball.
The dimples change the way air flows around the ball, reducing drag. They create turbulence in the thin layer of air next to its surface, which helps shrink the wake behind it. Golfers noticed the effect before they understood the physics: battered old balls.
The dimples reduce air drag is the one to remember. The dimples change the way air flows around the ball, reducing drag. A typical golf ball has roughly 300 to 500 dimples.
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Sources: www.usga.org, American Chemical Society — ChemMatters