Why do golf balls have dimples?

Answer 1

The dimples create air turbulence around the golf ball while in flight. That turbulence provides a temporary cushion of air that is eventually defeated by gravity. Different dimple patterns, dimple depths, different quantities of dimples, etc., provide different flight patterns.
That's why ping pong balls have great initial velocity but rapidly lose that velocity. They're merely punching a hole in the air and the resistance slows them down immediately. I hope this is easier to understand that some of the other technical information provided.

Answer 2

The reason why golf balls have dimples is a story of natural selection. Originally, golf balls were smooth; but golfers noticed that older balls that were beat up with nicks, bumps and slices in the cover seemed to fly farther. Golfers, being golfers, naturally gravitate toward anything that gives them an advantage on the golf course, so old, beat-up balls became standard issue.

At some point, an aerodynamicist must have looked at this problem and realized that the nicks and cuts were acting as "turbulators" -- they induce turbulence in the layer of air next to the ball (the "boundary layer"). In some situations, a turbulent boundary layer reduces drag.

If you want to get deeper into the aerodynamics, there are two types of flow around an object: laminar and turbulent. Laminar flow has less drag, but it is also prone to a phenomenon called "separation." Once separation of a laminar boundary layer occurs, drag rises dramatically because of eddies that form in the gap. Turbulent flow has more drag initially but also better adhesion, and therefore is less prone to separation. Therefore, if the shape of an object is such that separation occurs easily, it is better to turbulate the boundary layer (at the slight cost of increased drag) in order to increase adhesion and reduce eddies (which means a significant reduction in drag). Dimples on golf balls turbulate the boundary layer.

The dimples on a golf ball are simply a formal, symmetrical way of creating the same turbulence in the boundary layer that nicks and cuts do

Answer 3

Dimples are aerodynamic devices and changing the shape and depth of individual dimples (or the overall dimple pattern) has an effect on the flight of the ball. Generally, the depth of the dimples is inversely proportional to the height of the ball trajectory; i.e., deeper dimples result in lower trajectories. Changing the circumference and shape of dimples are other ways that manufacturers can produce different flight characteristics.

Answer 4

i believe i read somewhere that golf originally had no dimples but as they used the ball it had started to get the dimples and they discovered that it went farther.

Answer 5

makes them fly straiter. The air pockets that form in the dimples as the ball spins help to stableize its flight.

Answer 6

they give the ball more lift. unfortunatly they can give it more slice or hook, depending on the spin.There are different ball on the market that have different "Dimple patterns". you can select a ball that will travel farther or one that will fly straighter.

Answer 7

It supposedly enhances the balls aerodynamics

Answer 8

They are borne cute, you see. :)