Why are there dents in a golf ball?

Question

Why are the dents in a golf ball? does anyone know?

Answer 1

The best sellers have between 380 and 422

Answer 2

The Dimples

Why, then, does a golf ball have dimples? The answer to this question can be found by looking at the aerodynamic drag on a sphere. There are two types of drag experienced by a sphere. The first is the obvious drag due to friction. This only accounts for a small part of the drag experienced by a ball. The majority of the drag comes from the separation of the flow behind the ball and is known as pressure drag due to separation. For laminar flow past a sphere, the flow separates very early as shown in Figure 1. However, for a turbulent flow, separation is delayed as can be seen in Figure 2. Notice the difference in the size of the separation region behind the spheres. The separation region in the turbulent case is much smaller than in the laminar case. The larger separation region of the laminar case implies a larger pressure drag on the sphere. This is why the professor experienced a longer drive with the marked ball. The surface roughness caused the flow to transition from laminar to turbulent. The turbulent flow has more energy than the laminar flow and thus, the flow stays attached longer.

Answer 3

The dimples on a golf ball are there for aerodynamics. Believe it or not, the dimpled ball has less aerodynamic drag than a smooth one would have, and therefore will carry further. The small rivets make the air pass by somewhat quicker and allow for less air friction then if it were a smooth, larger surface. In short, they force the fluid boundary layer to be turbulent and thereby stay "attached" to the flying golf ball, which reduces drag and friction.

If that doesn't make sense, then wiki it. (en.wikipedia.org)
That was all from memory, if it sounds sketchy or if it is wrong... whoops :)

Answer 4

Aerodynamics

When a golf ball is hit, the impact, which lasts less than a millisecond, determines the ball’s velocity, launch angle and spin rate, all of which influence its trajectory (and its behavior when it hits the ground).

A ball moving through air experiences two major aerodynamic forces: lift and drag. Drag slows the forward motion, whereas lift acts in a direction perpendicular to it. The magnitude of these forces depends on the behavior of the boundary layer of air moving with the ball surface.

Every modern golf ball has dimples; their purpose is to increase and shape the lift and drag forces by modifying the behavior of the boundary layer. It should be noted that drag and lift forces exist also on smooth balls: they are only modified, not created, by dimples.

One effect of dimples is a reduction of drag, contributing to the increased length of flight of dimpled balls compared with smooth ones.

A spinning ball deforms the flow of air around it, creating lift in a way similar to an airplane wing. Backspin is imparted in almost every shot due to the golf club's loft (i.e. angle between the clubface and a vertical plane). A backspinning ball experiences an upward lift force which makes it fly higher and longer than a ball without spin would. Sidespin occurs when the clubface is not aligned perpendicularly to the direction of swing, leading to a lift force that makes the ball curve to one side or the other. These lift forces may be further increased through the presence of dimples. (Some dimple designs are claimed to reduce sidespin.)

In order to keep the aerodynamics optimal, the ball needs to be clean. Golfers can wash their golf balls manually, but there are also mechanical ball washers available.

Answer 5

As stated earlier, it's aerodynamics to help propel the ball faster through the air, and therefore farther then a smooth, round ball. If the ball was perfectly round, you would never be able to hit a slice or draw, but the distance wouldn't be remotely close to the types of golfballs used today.

BTW, they are called dimples, not "dents."

Answer 6

They help the ball fly as each little dent helps the wind disperse away from the ball rather than being a barrier to the ball. Its all to do with aerodynamics and wind resistance.

Answer 7

Its all about the air patterns that the ball creates when flying through the air. Without dimples, the ball would create a vortex behind it, causing extreme slices or hooks. When dimples are added, it breaks up the vortex behind the ball and results (usually) in a straighter ball flight.

Answer 8

Now that is a good question.I read that the dimples in the golf ball assist its momentum through the air.the golf ball actually elongates and expands while in flight.pretty cool I think!

Answer 9

REASON WHY THERES DENTS IN GOLF BALLS IS TO MAKE THEM FLY AS THEY DO..WHEN HIT THE BALL TRAVELS AT SPEED AND THE AIR PICKS THE BALL UP TO MAKE IT GO FURTHER..

Answer 10

it breaks up the boundary alyer of air onthe ball reducing the drag and allowing it to go further than a smooth ball would first discovered by a bloke whose dog had chewed a ball it had all tooth indents on it.